Term 2 Week 8

HOLIDAY PROGRAM:: Bookings are open and filling up fast. Book now to avoid missing out!

NEW CHILDCARE PACKAGE:: A reminder that, in order to continue to qualify for childcare benefits, you must transfer to the new Childcare Package before 2nd July. You can find details and links here. A final email reminder was sent to all parents on Sunday 24th June.

CLUB NEWS:: We're all so busy at The Hive and we're glad for some dry weather again this week. Sports clubs are super popular - basketball and hockey were the favourites this week. Our creative bees got busy making pasta mandalas and unicorn cards!  Please remember to take home your artwork from the shelf outside the Hive room.

SUGGESTIONS BOX:: Please keep them coming - we love hearing your ideas and working out what we can weave into our service to you.

Term 2 Week 7

HOLIDAY PROGRAM:: Calendars are now available on the website, to help with your planning. Bookings will open during Week 8. Come and join us for some winter holiday fun...!

STAFF:: The lovely Lenka and Jara are away for a few weeks on a well-earned break in Czech Republic. In their absence, Josefina is running the morning sessions and Billy is in charge in the afternoons.
This week we said a fond farewell to the wonderful Javiera. She leaves us to prepare for the arrival of her and Pato's first baby, a little girl due in July. We'll miss you Javi, and look forward to hearing your news in the coming weeks!

THE GATE BUZZER:: We know it can be temperamental and you sometimes have to wait a few minutes, but we do our best to buzz you in as soon as we can. Please remember that--for the safety of our children--parents and kids are not permitted to buzz open the gate using the Hive room intercom.  Please leave this to the staff - thank you.

CAR PARK GATE:: A reminder from The Hive and from school that the car park gate should never be used by pedestrians. This is clearly indicated on the signs on the gate, and is in place for the safety of everyone: children, parents and drivers. Please don't use this gate as a shortcut to The Hive - thank you.

Term 2 Week 6

LOCK DOWN DRILL:: Thanks to all parents who cooperated by not collecting during our lock-down drill. We had to run through it twice with our older children, to be sure they understood the seriousness of the exercise. Please support us at home by reminding them that these termly drills are important.

WEATHER:: What a wet week! We do have some spare clothes but ideally the kids need to wear raincoats if they want to play in the rain.  If you've seen any of our spare clothes come home with your child, please wash and return - thank you.

CLUBS::  Our mini-chefs made Brazilian cheese bread this week - super tasty!
In Art & Craft we used cotton wool, paper plates and paper to make various creations inspired by nature.  Our Seniors got busy with Mareike learning how to hand crochet - such a cool activity!
Our Explore & Discover kids expanded on the current craze for paper planes by building more complex planes using straws and cardboard. 
A whole range of sports again this week, with special mention for Julio and his Volleyball Club!

HOLIDAY PROGRAM:: Will be published in Week 8 of term. Watch this space...

Term 2 Week 5

CLUBS::  Our activities reflected that it was National Reconciliation Week, with the children focusing on Aboriginal and natural themes such as dot art, native flora and fauna and clapping sticks...
Sport was crazy busy, with the kids blowing off energy in hockey, basketball, netball, basketball and more!
Our little scientists got busy with Mad Paint and our budding chefs made a delicious Lemon Cake (lactose-free, no less!)

REMINDER: to parents that we're drilling a lock down on Tuesday 5th June.
You'll receive an email - please try and avoid picking up during our drill session window. Thank you.

IT'S GETTING CHILLY! Please remember to send your kids to school with warm clothes. We've had to hand out four sweaters to freezing kids this week. We don't mind, but... it's better if they're properly dressed in the first place!  Please wash and return any borrowed clothes - thanks.

Term 2 Week 3

A big thank you to school for sharing more inside spaces with us - we now have more options for indoor activities on those chillier afternoons. There'll be computer time for seniors on some days, movies if it rains, and we'll be bringing art and craft inside, out of the wind!

The pogo sticks have been such a massive success with the Yr2-6s that we've bought some more! Ask the kids how bouncy they've been feeling in Term 2!

We've also invested in some new indoor games and science activity sets, keeping little minds busy on wintery afternoons.

A big thank you to Britt for her pizza recipe. The kids loves making this Italian classic, including crafting their very own dough from scratch, using just two ingredients. (Not telling - you'll have to ask the kids...!)

Term 2 Week 2

Happy Mothers' Day!!
To all the wonderful mums, step-mums, foster mums, godmothers, grandmothers and carers out there - Happy Mothers' day to you all. You make the world go round...
We hope you enjoyed the fruits of a myriad of Mothers' Day activities this week - sweet treats, lovingly crafted arty bits and cards made with so much care and attention it was oozing off the page!

CLUBS::
There's no shortage of energy in Term 2! We've been playing AFL, basketball, cricket, gymnastics and more!  The new pogo sticks are a huge hit with the Hive kids and the competition on Monday was hilarious! Any other suggestions for sporting activities - please pop them into our suggestion box or talk to the staff. We have a couple of new ideas brewing for the seniors - we'll keep you posted!

TRAINING::
As part of their professional development, next week all Hive staff will join a 3 hour workshop in the Art of Active Supervision. Delivered by Network of Community Activities, NSW's peak body for OSHC services, the training will provide practical activities to enhance our supervision practices and develop plans to manage and document our approaches.

Term 2 Week 1

HOLIDAY PROGRAM:: We enjoyed a fantastic Holiday Program this autumn, with highlights such as GoKarts, Kapla construction, Movie day out, Little Dynamos, SkyZone and loads more. Thanks to Lenka and the team,a for managing the 700 or so bookings that came our way!

SUGGESTIONS:: Our suggestion box went walkies (!) so we'll make another and we'd love to hear suggestions from our whole Hive community - that includes you, the parents! If the box is too tricky, you can always email us with your thoughts, ideas, suggestions for activities or improvements. Thank you ;-)

TERM 2::  Welcome everyone to a new term at The Hive! 
We're straight into it with delicious shortbread being made in Baking Club. Big news for Kindys - how get to start their very own Baking Club from next week, by popular demand!
The kids have been loving our new pogo sticks, boinging around on the front grass and giggling like crazy!  We're starting up with rhythmic gymnastics too - ribbons, hoops & balls. We have some talented kids at The Hive!
The evenings are closing in, so we'll be offering more indoor activities for those that want something cosy although we'll continue to make the most of the beautiful weather we've been having. 
A reminder for the new term that we'd love to have your reusable materials: egg boxes, tomato punnets, kitchen roll tubes, fabric scraps, boxes and anything else that's clean and usable!

Term 1 Week 11

IT'S THE END OF TERM!
Thanks to all our families for a great term. We wish you all safe and happy holidays and look forward to seeing lots of your during our Holiday Program. We have fantastic booking numbers and our Hive staff are looking forward to making sure the children have a fun-filled, exciting and safe time. Please don't be late on excursion days, and remember hats/socks/footwear as per the recent reminder email. 

SCHOOL BAGS::
On a couple of occasions, kids have taken home the wrong bag from The Hive. Please use the holidays as an opportunity to make sure there are clear identifiers on your child's bag. Although we have clearly marked sections for each year group, we're still holding up to 160 bags every afternoon, so anything you can do to help your bag stand out is a good idea. And of course a double check that you've got the right bag before you leave. Thank you!

CLUBS::
As part of sustainability week we've been using recycled materials for our activities. In honour of Photo week at school, and the kids made their own cameras from boxes, and the owl faces from egg boxes were very cute... 
Welcome back Maria from your trip to Shanghai - the kids are loving the fact that Zumba Club is back on the menu!
And speaking of food - who tried the chocolate brownies that the kids made in Baking Club? Yum!!!
Our Seniors' Club have been appreciating having their own space on the front grass each afternoon. They can choose between sport, club activity or chill out zone, whilst the younger children enjoy the back playground and quad.

Term 1 Week 10

SUSTAINABILITY::
Keen as ever to do out bit to care the environment, we've now started recycling soft plastics as well as the usual paper/card, plastic, tin and glass. 
We recently received some lovely donations of materials and resources from parents - thank you for all (age appropriate, good condition) pre-loved toys, games or art n craft materials that you think the Hive kids would enjoy ;-)

HOLIDAY PROGRAM::
Is booking up really well. Good news - we've been able to add a few more spots to the Juniors Movie Day, so please check again if you thought you'd missed out...
Another reminder to please complete the online permissions forms for both Juniors and Seniors.

CLUBS::
Baking club is on a roll - they made super cute hedgehog bread this week.
We know our Kindys are keen to join the fun and they've been so well behaved this term, they've really earned it! So... we'll be setting up a Baking Club just for them, starting in Term 2!