After-school care — Group II

December at our after-school care was filled with the cheerful spirit of Hurvínek and Spejbl, who accompanied us throughout the month as we enjoyed the Advent season and prepared for Christmas. Together with them, we immersed ourselves in the magical atmosphere of Christmas, chatted about Advent, Christmas traditions and customs, and reflected on why this time of year is so special.

We also sang Christmas carols, which helped us get into the true festive spirit. The children enthusiastically took part in craft activities, solving puzzles, acting out various scenes from the lives of Spejbl and Hurvínek, and we even enjoyed some outdoor activities in the fresh air.

During the last week of school in December, we celebrated Christmas in after-school care and baked Christmas biscuits.

Baby Jesus paid us a visit, bringing us presents to after-school care, and we enjoyed the last few days before the holidays together with new activities and games.

All of after-school care event of baking Christmas biscuits was a real highlight. Together, we baked four types of biscuits – gingerbread, whipped cream biscuits, no-bake coconut balls and ‘wasp’s nests’. The smell of biscuits wafted through after-school care and there was a joyful atmosphere. The result was not only sweet treats, but also wonderful shared experiences.

I’d like to wish everyone a lovely, peaceful and relaxing Christmas, full of joy, good health and time spent with your loved ones. For the New Year, I wish you lots of happiness, success and good cheer.

I’m already looking forward to January and to meeting up again after the Christmas holidays, when we’ll share our Christmas stories and enjoy spending time together in after-school care once more.

Vendy, the after-school care teacher

Here at our after-school care, November was all about the magical world of the fairy tales from “Pařezová chaloupka”, where our favourite heroes, Křemílek and Vochomůrka, guided us through the stories. Throughout the month, the pupils got to know the individual stories, completed various tasks, got creative and discovered together just how colourful and entertaining the world of fantasy can be.

We talked about how Křemílek and Vochomůrka behave, what is right and what is wrong, and what lessons we can take from the stories into our everyday lives. Based on the stories, we drew pictures together, tried our hand at simple role-plays and created our own little stories.

We spent part of November on creative activities and preparations for the Christmas fair. Beautiful creations emerged from the craft corners, such as snowmen made from Kinder chocolates, snowmen with glowing noses, and snowmen made from marshmallow sweets.

We also held a whole-after-school-club kite-flying event, which took place on the school premises. But even that didn’t dampen our enthusiasm for the event. Together, we enjoyed flying through the dragon’s cave and the dragon dance; we made our own little dragons, competed to see whose dragon flew the furthest, and then held a competition to blow dragon balls through straws, with two teams competing against each other.

November flew by in a flash. We even got to enjoy our first snow games outside on the playground.

We’re looking forward to the joys of December and the scent of Christmas drawing near!

Vendy, the teacher

We spent the month of October in after-school care in the spirit of the beautiful Czech fairy tale “O hajném Robátku a jelenu Větrníkovi”. Throughout the month, we explored its plot, characters and the message the fairy tale conveys. Together, we talked about good and evil, the differences between positive and negative characters, envy, schadenfreude, friendship and helping others. The children learnt to reflect on their own behaviour and how their actions can affect others and the world around them. As the story is set in the forest, we also focused on nature and life within it – we reminded ourselves how to behave properly in nature, why it is important to protect it, and what significance it holds for us.

Autumn arrived at the start of October, so we also talked about the changes in nature that come with this season – the colourful leaves, ripening fruit and how animals prepare for winter. After lunch, we often read short fairy tales together from the book about Hajný Robátko, which helped the children to understand the story better and drew them into the plot.

We incorporated physical, art, music and cognitive activities into the monthly theme, which the children thoroughly enjoyed. As well as group activities, they also had time for free play and creative work – among the favourites were building with magnetic blocks, playing card and board games, and their own creative projects.

Towards the end of the month, we got into the Halloween spirit! The children completed various themed tasks – word puzzles, cutting out and sticking together skeletons, hunting for hidden ghosts, pumpkin races and a competition to see who could make a mummy the quickest. In the afternoons, we also enjoyed spending time with parents on a Halloween treasure hunt with tasks, which took us around the outdoor grounds. We rounded it off by grilling sausages and having a cosy get-together.

October was full of fairy tales, creative activities, the autumn atmosphere and the joy of spending time together. We’re looking forward to what November will bring, when our new fairy-tale friends – Křemílek and Vochomůrka – will be joining us.

Vendy, the teacher

After a two-month summer break, we met up again in September at our after-school care. The children were delighted to see each other, shared their holiday experiences and gradually settled into their new group. Together, we drew up rules to help ensure that after-school care remains a pleasant and safe place for everyone. We placed great emphasis on building good relationships with one another, on cooperation and mutual respect.

This year’s year-long theme is Fairy Tales, so we dedicated September to our cheerful friend Maxips Fík. The children took part in various physical and cognitive activities, made their own puppets and even put on a play. After lunch, we often spent time reading stories about Maxips Fík, which everyone really enjoyed. Thanks to the lovely weather, we spent plenty of time outdoors, mainly on the school playground, where there was no shortage of games and competitions.

At the end of the month, a big after-school care event awaited us – the ‘Bramboriáda’. Together, we baked homemade crisps, competed in a potato relay race carrying a potato on a spoon, made potato stamps and built the tallest tower out of potatoes. The ‘funniest potato’ decorating competition was also a huge success, and everyone had a brilliant time.

The first month of the new school year was varied, creative and joyful. We’re already looking forward to what October will bring and what other magical adventures we’ll experience together.

Vendy, after-school care teacher

At the start of the month, we explored the topic ‘The Earth is round’ together. The pupils drew their own ideas of the planet and sang the song ‘Our Earth is round’, to which we also did a little dance. We talked about what harms the Earth and what, on the other hand, benefits it – for example, why it’s important to sort waste, save water and protect nature.

One of the favourite activities was the movement game “Running Between the Planets”, during which the children not only got some exercise but also refreshed their memories of the names of the planets in the solar system. And when the weather was nice, we drew the Earth with chalk on the pavement outside.

To mark International Children’s Day, we organised a fun-filled event for all of after-school care, which wasn’t even spoiled by the weather, which wasn’t particularly kind to us that day. The children made their way through several stations where they completed tasks – some were fun, some involved sport, others were simply amusing, whilst some focused on logical thinking or teamwork. All the children did brilliantly and deserved a sweet treat and a little present, which they chose themselves. The whole day was filled with a joyful atmosphere, with plenty of laughter and enthusiasm.

In the final week, we focused on the theme ‘Hurray for the holidays!’. We chatted about where the children were looking forward to going, what they’d like to experience and what they’d like to achieve. They then drew pictures of their wishes and shared them with one another.

At the same time, we reviewed the year-long game that had accompanied the children throughout the year. Everyone received a ‘traveller’s passport’ – a memento of all the places we’d visited together over the year.

To round things off, we reflected on the whole year – what we’d done well, what we’d enjoyed, and what we could improve next time. It was a wonderful opportunity to realise just how much we’d achieved together and how much we’d learnt and discovered.

I wish the children and their parents a wonderful, happy and safe holiday full of adventure!

Thank you for a lovely year, and I look forward to new experiences in the coming school year.

Vendy, after-school care leader

In May, we set off on an imaginary journey through Africa. Together, we explored three fascinating countries: Egypt, Kenya and Madagascar.

In Egypt, we delved into the mysteries of ancient civilisation. The children learnt about the pyramids, the pharaohs and the River Nile. They tried their hand at writing hieroglyphs. We read a story from Egyptian mythology, listened to Egyptian music – dance music for the pharaoh – built pyramids out of building blocks and had a race dressed as mummies.

In Kenya, we explored African wildlife – national parks and savannahs teeming with animals such as lions, giraffes and zebras. We talked about the life of the Maasai.

In Madagascar, we marvelled at the unique natural environment and animals found nowhere else in the world – such as lemurs. We also discussed the importance of protecting nature and the rainforests. We talked about and pointed out where the island is located, what an island is, and we identified animals from their descriptions. We travelled by boat around Madagascar and walked along a rainforest trail full of balancing, climbing and jumping.

The month also included a lovely event for all of after-school care, when we happily baked Linzer hearts for our mums to mark Mother’s Day. Each heart was a sweet gift from the heart; the children cut out, baked and decorated them themselves. The atmosphere was lovely, creative and full of joy.

Vendy, after-school care teacher

We spent April learning about a fascinating continent – Australia. The pupils first familiarised themselves with the continent on a map, exploring its geography and unique natural environment. Together, we learnt about Australian culture, famous figures and the distinctive animals and plants found nowhere else in the world.

The theme ran through our entire programme – we created colourful ‘dot paintings’ inspired by Aboriginal art, dramatically acted out the story of how the capital city, Canberra, came to be, took part in races inspired by the lives of the indigenous people, listened to music including excerpts from the Sydney Opera House, and read stories about Australian wildlife. There were also plenty of physical and creative activities, which introduced the pupils to this unique corner of the world in a playful and experiential way.

In April, we also celebrated Easter customs and traditions. The pupils acted out carol singing, talked about the symbols of Easter and played a fun Easter treasure hunt, which tested their observation skills, memory and team spirit.

We didn’t forget about Earth Day either, during which we talked about what threatens our planet and what, on the other hand, benefits it. We reinforced our understanding of waste sorting, created pictures from recycled materials, and there was even a nature obstacle course in the school garden, where the pupils had fun learning how to live in harmony with nature.

We rounded off the month with after-school care event, ‘Witches’, for pupils and their parents. During the last short week of April, we celebrated Walpurgis Night, learning about its history and modern traditions. Using natural materials, we made a witch, which we symbolically burnt to drive away all evil forces and the whole of winter. The children and their parents thoroughly enjoyed the Witches’ Night event, completing the witch trail, taking part in active witch-themed tasks and, to top it all off, lighting a fire and grilling sausages.

Vendy, after-school care teacher

We spent the whole of March travelling around North America. Each week, we explored one of the three major countries on this continent – the USA, Canada, Cuba and Mexico.

Our journey was full of fun, creative activities, sport, learning about new cultures and, this time, trying out local dishes.

In the USA, we read a Native American legend, made a paper model of the Statue of Liberty, and sports enthusiasts had the chance to try their hand at baseball.

The next country was Canada, a land of endless forests and wild nature; we sang the song ‘When the Little Beaver Goes to Sleep’, we expressed our creativity by making the famous maple leaf, the symbol of Canada, and we didn’t forget about drama either – we performed a skit about the changing of the royal guard and took part in a game of field hockey, which is very popular in Canada.

In Cuba, we learnt about their culture, music and traditional dances. We listened to salsa rhythms and played a game of “La pelota”.

Our final stop took us to sunny Mexico, where we read a story about the Popocatépetl volcano and its legend. The greatest and most enjoyable activity was making our own tacos.

Our journey through North America was not only full of learning, but also of joy, creativity and physical activity.

At the end of the month, we enjoyed after-school care event called ‘Easy Start Primary School’s Got Talent’, where the registered performers prepared demonstrations of what they excel at. Although there were more spectators than performers, the audience’s thunderous applause created a wonderful atmosphere.

I’m already looking forward to our next journey next month – to Australia.

After-school care teacher Vendy

In February, we set off on an adventurous journey through South America at our after-school care. Together, we travelled through Argentina, Peru and Brazil. We practised finding our way around a map, learnt about the sights of these countries and discovered their rich culture. The pupils enjoyed the rhythms of South American dance, including the Argentine tango. We watched an interesting video showing the local natural landscapes and historical monuments, and then we created our own artwork inspired by traditional patterns. We played a slightly unconventional football tournament, solved Native American puzzles, drummed to the rhythm, had a look at what the rainforest is like, and performed our favourite animal-themed pantomime.

February also featured after-school care event – the Carnival. We celebrated the Shrovetide season, its traditions, traditional masks, food and entertainment. And to round it all off for the pupils, we did what Shrovetide is all about: dressing up in fancy dress and enjoying traditional carnival fun. The highlight was the ever-popular musical chairs. It was both fun and interesting trying to guess who was wearing which costume.

As part of our afternoon activities, we also visited the school playground, where – particularly over the last few days – we made the most of the frost to play games with frozen water.

I’m looking forward to more fun together after the spring half-term!

Vendy, the teacher

In January, we welcomed each other back after the Christmas holidays to start the new year, sharing stories of our Christmas experiences and New Year’s celebrations.

We chatted about our New Year’s resolutions and drew pictures of New Year’s fireworks.

In the second and third weeks of January, we set off on an expedition to the coldest continent on our planet – Antarctica. Throughout the month, we explored this fascinating place full of ice, snow and unique wildlife.

We familiarised ourselves with a map of Antarctica and learnt where it is located, what the natural environment is like there, and why it is so different from other parts of the world. We learnt that penguins, seals and albatrosses live there, as well as scientists from various countries who are studying the conditions on this continent.

We read a story about the adventures of Pepík the penguin, drew ice floes, learnt about the lives of the Inuit, sang a song, and, using not only musical instruments, tried to imitate the sounds of Antarctica.

The ice experiment was great fun: we found tiny objects in the classroom, put them in an ice tray, poured water over them and left them to freeze. The following day, we examined how everything had frozen and changed, and then we looked for a way and a place where the ice would melt the quickest.

We also enjoyed a dog-sledding activity, where we tried out the roles of both the drivers and the dogs pulling the sledge. It was hard work but great fun at the same time.

At the end of the month, our theme was winter sports, and we held a whole-after-school-club event: the Winter Olympics. Even though the weather didn’t really cooperate with us, we enjoyed the event to the full. We tried our hand at, for example, ice hockey, ski jumping, ski slalom, a relay race with ski poles, jumping over ice floes and a proper snowball fight.

I’m already looking forward to more adventures together in February.

Vendy, the teacher

We spent the whole month of December in the spirit of Christmas.

We began with Advent, talking about the traditions we observe on each Sunday of Advent and the significance of the four Sundays of Advent. We talked a lot about Christmas wishes and what everyone was hoping for from Baby Jesus.

We learnt about the typical features of Christmas here in the Czech Republic in a fun way. We read Advent stories and played various drama games – such as a pantomime of Christmas customs. During our active play session, we danced like snowflakes, enjoyed a ‘Devil’s Disco’, listened to Christmas carols, and played movement games such as ‘Linzer biscuits’, where the pupils ‘stuck’ to each other as if with Linzer jam.

During our Christmas discussions and storytelling sessions, we also looked at how Christmas is celebrated in other countries. We learnt lots of new things about where and how Christmas is celebrated around the world, what traditions are observed, who brings the presents, what typical dishes are prepared, and what is baked.

Some of the pupils had already experienced Christmas in another country, so they shared their own experiences too.

During the last week of school in December, we baked Christmas biscuits at our after-school care event, ‘Christmas Baking’. We managed to make three types – Linzer biscuits, gingerbread and no-bake Lotus biscuit balls. Some Christmas wishes also came true at our after-school care when Father Christmas paid us a visit a little earlier than usual on Thursday and gave the pupils fun new games and building sets, which we explored together and enjoyed on the last day of school this year. Overall, together with the pupils, we enjoyed a cosy pre-Christmas atmosphere – singing carols accompanied by the piano, Christmas riddles and quizzes, and making not just Christmas cards.

All in all, December flew by and we bid farewell to 2024.

I wish everyone a wonderful Christmas, good health, happiness and peace, and I look forward to seeing you all again in the new year, 2025, when more adventures and experiences await us together.

Vendy, the teacher

In November, we moved on to another continent: Asia.

The first country we visited was Russia, where we learnt about their customs and traditions; we acted out the fairy tale ‘The Golden Fish’, listened to Russian musical rhythms, painted Russian patterns and ornaments, and played a movement game involving bears.

Thanks to the help of one of the mums, we had the chance to see and try out authentic traditional items from Russia.

In the second week of November, we visited Japan. We read the fairy tale ‘Momotaro – The Peach Boy’. During our music sessions, we listened to traditional Japanese music. We really enjoy doing crafts together, so we tried our hand at the Japanese art of origami. We stretched our bodies with a traditional Japanese martial art.

In the third week, we explored the theme of China. We read the Chinese fairy tale ‘The Legend of the White Snake’, learnt the song ‘Jasmine Flower’ and a Chinese rhythm, and made paper lanterns. The highlight was eating with Chinese chopsticks, which we used to try and pick up Chinese noodles. To round off the week, we tried our hand at the martial art of Tai Chi.

In the fourth week, we visited India, where we read about Indian myths and legends, created mandalas, staged a play set in an ‘Indian market’, and as part of our music and movement activities, we listened to the song ‘Raghupati Raghova’ and danced traditional Indian dances.

Throughout November, we worked together to make items for the Christmas fair.

The all-group November event was a kite-flying day, which, due to the bad weather, had to take place indoors. Even so, we enjoyed the event together; we tried our hand at the unusual experience of flying kites inside the school building, made little kites out of ceramic clay, and also created large kites together, working as a whole group.

I’m looking forward to next month, when we’ll be learning about Christmas around the world.

Vendy, the teacher

During October, we explored the continent of Europe. We visited the following countries: Slovakia – we read the fairy tale “Cinderella”, learnt about the “Legend of Jánošík”, danced to the song “Tancúj, tancúj, vykrúcaj”, and also overcame obstacles as we conquered the Tatra Mountains.

Italy – we listened to the song ‘Bella Ciao’, created a mosaic of Roman monuments, played the traditional game of bocce (similar to pétanque), and, of course, no trip to Italy would be complete without a culinary experience in the form of baking pizza.

The Netherlands – we were introduced to classical music, chatted about products from the Netherlands, made a windmill out of ice lolly sticks, folded origami tulips, and also had a right good laugh fighting windmills.

As part of our year-long programme, the pupils have already stuck three flags into their passports.

As well as activities linked to our year-long programme, the pupils also come up with their own activities, such as ironing pictures made from beads, building with magnetic construction sets – the most popular game of late is ‘bank’, which they’ve thought through in great detail – as well as various board games, table tennis and so on.

Thanks to the lovely weather, we’ve also spent a lot of time outdoors on the school playground, where everyone chooses activities according to their interests – dodgeball, hula hooping, skipping challenges, and building little houses from natural materials.

At the end of the month, we had a school-wide Halloween event. In after-school care, we solved Halloween-themed quizzes and puzzles.

Next month, I’m looking forward to us travelling to Asia together.

Vendy, the after-school care teacher

September was a month of reunions at our after-school care following the summer holidays. We were all looking forward to seeing each other again. We also welcomed some new friends who had just started in Year 1. We spent the beginning of the month mainly on establishing group rules, building relationships and laying the foundations together for a smooth and enjoyable school year.

Right from the start, we focused on icebreaker activities that helped the children get to know one another better and begin to form friendships. Rules are an integral part of ensuring the whole group functions in a pleasant and safe way. The rules were devised by the pupils themselves, so that we could all (including the adults) accept and respect them.

During September, we launched the year-long project ‘Travelling the World’. This project aims to introduce the pupils to different cultures, countries and interesting places around the world. September was devoted to the introduction – getting to know the world map, discussing which countries we’d like to visit, how and with what we could travel, and so on. This project will continue in the coming months, when we’ll focus on specific countries, their traditions and points of interest.

Thanks to the lovely September weather, we spent as much time as possible outdoors in the afternoons, on the school playground, where the pupils enjoyed being out in the fresh air, which helped them recharge their batteries after lessons. Being outdoors is not only fun for the pupils, but also important for their physical development and health. The pupils have the opportunity to engage in free play – sporting and movement games, arts and crafts at tables, or drawing with chalk on the pavement. For those who prefer quieter activities, we also take things like board games outside with us.

September was a month of relaxation, learning new things and exploring new topics.

At the end of the month, we organised a whole-after-school-club event for the pupils called the ‘Chocolate Get-together’. Through a story, we learnt about the history of chocolate and took part in activities where chocolate was a must – a chocolate obstacle course, an English-language word search and counting sweets, a Tetris game with chocolate pieces, guessing the types of chocolate we were tasting, and, to top it all off, a chocolate fountain with fruit.

We’re already looking forward to what the coming month of October will bring!

After-school care teacher Vendy

WELCOME TO THE 2024/2025 SCHOOL YEAR

The summer holidays are behind us and I warmly welcome you to the new school year! I’m delighted to welcome you back to our after-school care, where plenty of fun and adventure await you this year. The overarching theme for the whole school year will be ‘A Journey Around the World’. Together, we’ll set off on a journey around the world, during which we’ll get to know different countries, their cultures, points of interest and traditions. I’m looking forward to discovering the world together, and I’m sure we’ll have plenty of unforgettable experiences!

Vendy, the after-school care teacher

Well, that’s it then! The most eagerly awaited month of June has flown by and we’re already looking forward to the summer holidays! We kicked off the first week of June with a disco with the nursery school to mark Children’s Day. After that, we explored the underwater world. We read lots of stories with a maritime theme and looked through various encyclopaedias. We listened to music with a maritime theme and made up rhythms to go with it on Boomwhackers and Drumbeny. On the obstacle course, we focused on coordination; using pantomime, we acted out the underwater world and its creatures, and we made some beautiful jellyfish. In the second week, we explored theatre, looking at how a theatre operates and how a stage set is created. We sang well-known songs from plays, tried our hand at stage dance, and acted out simple plays through dramatisation. We also made puppets for a shadow theatre and tried to act out a short made-up story using the characters the children had created. The following week, we went on a school trip, which we thoroughly enjoyed. In the final week, the only topic left was the summer holidays. We chatted about where everyone was going and what they would be getting up to. We also learnt about what happens in nature over the summer. We listened to and sang modern songs requested by the children, took part in a few athletics events (running, jumping, throwing) and played games chosen by the children. Then all that remained was the grand finale of our year-long Harry Potter game and making our own soaps. And now, off to the holidays!

Teacher Renča

This month, we studied “The Fables of Bard Beedley” in detail; we acted out lots of scenes from them and drew a freehand illustration of the fable we liked best. We made fireflies as our task of the week, and some of them looked really lifelike. We also held two big Quidditch tournaments to round off our year-long game, which the children really enjoyed. In the first week, we linked emotions with music, created an abstract drawing and played a big outdoor game of Catan across the house. In the second week, we held after-school care-wide event – ‘Easy Start Primary School’s Got Talent’ – where we saw lots of original performances. We also focused on our final subject, Clairvoyance, where we tried our hand at fortune-telling using a crystal ball and palm reading through role-play, and we read our horoscopes. We made our own dorm ties, practised ‘magician’s yoga’, sang May songs and used cork to create a painting of a blossoming tree. In the third week, we focused on friendship: what it is, what it means to each of us, who a friend is, and what friendship entails. We read lots of stories about friendship, sang a song and added a little dance to it, and acted out sketches about friendship with our classmates, which turned out really well. In the final week, we focused on family. We read stories with a family theme, talked about our families – how many members they have, what they mean to us and what we like doing together. We drew a portrait of our family, sang a song about family and even acted it out. At the end of the week, we held another after-school care event: Children’s Day. Despite the bad weather, we enjoyed the afternoon; the children collected stamps at the various stations and completed new and interesting tasks. At the end, once they’d completed all the activities, the children were presented with a certificate, a toy and a sweet treat, and light refreshments were provided for everyone. And now, on to the final month of this school year!

Teacher Renča

And so another month has come to an end, with our final theme being Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. In the first week, we focused on creating 3D models of the Deathly Hallows, with each child approaching the task in their own original way. We played a relay game of ‘Chinese whispers’ in the houses, which the children really enjoy. We explored another subject – astronomy – where we focused on constellations, the equinoxes and the solstices, and of course the children created their own zodiac signs. In the second week, we revisited the songs from Harry Potter and accompanied them by playing the Boomwhackers. We had a team competition of live noughts and crosses, which had us in fits of laughter. We drew all the Horcruxes we’d collected over the year, cracked an important code and came up with our own house skit. The following week, we focused on baby animals in spring, sang a few animal-themed songs and accompanied them with body movements. We exercised with overballs, painted a chosen baby animal, acted out our favourite animal using pantomime, and played the quiz game ‘Pupil, show us what you know’ in our house groups. The following week was devoted to ecology, as 22 April was Earth Day. We accompanied songs with an ecological theme by clapping rhythms on sticks and even added a little dance to the song ‘Popeláři’. We made a collage using sorted waste, explored ecology, waste sorting and environmental protection, and tried to depict various situations from an ecological context. We also completed the task of the week – making a 3D ‘Wise Hat’ – which some children approached in a very unusual way. The final week brought witches and 1 May. We made a witch effigy to be burnt, read witch stories and listened to witchy songs. We held after-school care event – a witches’ party with parents – which went very well. There was a treasure hunt with tasks, a game involving all the families, crossword puzzles, and, as a reward, we roasted sausages. After the public holiday, we simply took down the Maypole and celebrated Sun Day, when we tried out shading with warm-coloured pastels.

Teacher Renča

March is now behind us, and with it the theme of “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince”. In the first week, we played at being musicians, accompanied by percussion instruments, and broke records in the categories of ‘furthest’, ‘fastest’ and ‘most accurate’. We acted out the process of making our own potions and described what they were used for; we then drew them using watercolour pencils, and a house competition took place – a themed quiz on the sixth Harry Potter book. In the second week, we practised singing our favourite songs both solo and in a choir, and we did very well. Each house was tasked with devising its own sporting discipline for the house tournament, which the children really enjoyed. We worked together on a painting of Severus Snape as the Half-Blood Prince, followed by an analysis of the character and skits based on him. We were also introduced to a new subject – Number Magic (Sudoku, brain teasers, codes). In the third week, we welcomed spring by singing spring-themed songs and adding some movement. We held a house dodgeball tournament, did freehand drawings of spring flowers and baby animals, played a nature-themed Q&A game, and acted out spring activities through pantomime. We talked about changes in nature, animals coming out of hibernation, the return of birds and spring flowers. An Easter fair was also held this week, for which we’d been making various crafts throughout the month. We also had a go at baking waffle lollipops, which the children really enjoyed, and they all turned out brilliantly. In the final week, we spent our time getting ready for Easter. We discussed Easter customs and traditions, the significance of each day, and read a few Easter stories. We drew lovely postcards with Easter motifs and sang Easter carols. This week, just before the holidays, we rounded off with after-school care event – ‘My Book’ – where the children brought in their favourite book and told us all about it. We’re looking forward to the Easter holidays and the coming month!

Teacher Renča

And so our shortest month of the year, themed around Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, is now behind us. At the start of the month, we played at being Drumbeny and kept the beat to our favourite songs, practised magical yoga and drew the Ministry of Magic in our dormitories. We were introduced to another subject – this time, Care of Magical Creatures – where we learnt about treating wounds and first aid. We also acted out a few scenarios where someone needs to administer first aid. The children really enjoyed being carried from place to place on a ‘living chair’, and overall this topic captured their interest. The following week, we competed for house points by guessing well-known tunes; we played a few movement games involving dancing and sticks; we drew pictures and talked about the Phoenix, which was very important to Albus Dumbledore. This week, we explored the senses, did a few activities to help the children recognise them, and performed a pantomime on the topic. In our drama sessions, we also focused on sketches featuring the Dementors, which the children really enjoyed. The following week was the spring half-term, when we had time to rest and enjoy ourselves. In the final week, all that remained was Shrovetide. We learnt about Shrovetide traditions, read a few stories on the topic, sang Shrovetide songs and played a movement game. We made our own masks and used pantomime to act out our favourite masks. This week also saw after-school care event – the Carnival – which the children really enjoyed. We took part in a Shrovetide trail, fun competitions and dancing. And now, on to the next month!

Teacher Renča

The theme for the first month was Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. In the first week, we talked about Christmas at home – what it was like and all the things we got up to. We didn’t forget about the Three Kings either; we sang a song about them and acted out their story. The following week, we came up with a house cheer or song and tried our hand at a broomstick slalom. We focused on analysing the Triwizard Cup, which we’d made together in our houses, and finally we dramatised the duels between our favourite characters. In the third week, we practised rhythmic exercises; the Battle of the Three Wizards took place, during which we navigated a maze blindfolded; we painted the Death Eaters’ emblem; and we devised and solved Harry Potter-themed riddles. This week also saw after-school care event – an art workshop. The children had the chance to try marbling with shaving foam, paint their own names using the salt technique, and complete their portraits using axial symmetry. The children really enjoyed this event and their creations turned out brilliantly. The following week brought a film extravaganza at the boarding house, where the children guessed famous lines from various films and fairy tales. We made a 3D golden ‘dragon’s egg’ for the house, had a themed quiz summarising the fourth instalment, and got to know Nagini, along with skits involving transforming into her. This week also saw a shopping trip to Gringotts and the house score-settling. In the final week, all that remained was the Winter Olympics, where we sang winter-themed songs and the Czech national anthem. We had a competition to see who could dress up best in winter clothes, drew pictures of our favourite winter sports, learnt about the most famous winter sportspeople, and rounded it all off with a pantomime of winter sports. In our spare time, we played ‘Drumbeny’, had fun in the snow, made a 3D owl called Hedvika, read together and danced. We really enjoyed this month and are already looking forward to the next one!

Teacher Renča

Well, here we are! The last month of the year – December – is behind us, and with it we’ve finished the third Harry Potter book (The Prisoner of Azkaban). At the start of the month, we accompanied Sirius Black’s song on percussion instruments, drew pictures and discussed what Azkaban is, completed lots of themed worksheets and were introduced to the fourth subject – Care of Magical Creatures. This week, we didn’t forget about St Nicholas either; we recited a few poems, learnt some facts about him and played a few games of ‘chasing the devil’. In the second week, we focused on the fifth subject – Aragogy (rope and skipping activities); we drew Harry Potter’s Patronus – a stag; acted out scenes using the Time-Turner; and we even wrote a letter to Father Christmas. This week also saw after-school care-wide event – Christmas baking – where we baked gingerbread biscuits, whipped cream biscuits and no-bake butter balls. The children really enjoyed this activity and loved the taste of all the different types. This month saw the voluntary ‘Task of the Week’, where the aim was to create a 3D model of Hogwarts; a big thank you to the parents for helping with the creations – it turned out wonderfully. In the final week, we were just looking forward to Father Christmas, and we held a big house competition themed around the water elements, which was preceded by a shopping trip to Gringotts Bank to shake up the points tally for each house. We sang lots of carols and a Christmas canon, listened to Christmas songs on request, and played Christmas-themed games (collecting gingerbread biscuits, ‘snowball fight’). Father Christmas didn’t forget us either and brought us a lovely haul of new games, building sets and various activities. Then we simply went through the December (Christmas) weather proverbs, traditions and customs, and discussed which ones we know and observe at home. We rounded off the month with a Christmas photo corner to create some lovely memories. Now we’re just looking forward to our presents at home and New Year 2024!

I wish you all a peaceful Christmas and a happy New Year :)

Teacher Renča

Our next month was themed around Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, which we eventually managed to open through various tasks and defeat the Basilisk. Right from the first week, we practised the serpent’s tongue and a song so that we’d be well prepared for the battle with the Basilisk. We used non-woven fabric to create Aragog and the Dementor as decorations, and we also drew Godric Gryffindor’s sword. We explored the character of Dobby in depth, and even voluntarily made a 3D model of him as part of the week’s task. We were introduced to our third subject – Defence Against the Dark Arts – which requires maximum concentration on positive thoughts, and practising this task proved quite difficult. In the second week, we focused on gathering information about the Chamber of Secrets, passing on secret information, and taking part in a slalom and relay race across the houses. We modelled the Whomping Willow or the Basilisk, each according to their own preference. In the following week, we obtained the first Horcrux – Tom Riddle’s diary – which helped us gather clues to open the Chamber of Secrets. We also staged dramatisations of certain scenes from the second book, without which we could not have completed the next stage of our year-long game. This month, we held a whole-after-school-club event, the ‘Kite Festival’, with parents in Lobez Park, which we consider to have been a great success. The event went very well; the weather was on our side, and both children and parents thoroughly enjoyed themselves, taking part in all the organised activities with great enthusiasm. In the final week, we practised a celebratory dance to a favourite song, defeated the Basilisk in a tug-of-war across the houses, and thereby opened the Chamber of Secrets, which we coloured in according to our own imaginations. We rounded off the month with a quiz on the second book, by making our own Polyjuice Potion, and by drawing a portrait of Moaning Myrtle. We also spent November making crafts for the Christmas market, which I hope you’ll really enjoy. And now we’re all looking forward to the most eagerly awaited month of the year – December – and to Father Christmas.

Renča, after-school care teacher

In October, we studied the first Harry Potter book, “The Philosopher’s Stone”, which we were subsequently awarded at the end of the month for completing various tasks. In the first week, we focused on the first subject, which was Herbology, and an integral part of this was making a mandrake and then acting out a scene with it. This week also saw Animal Day, when we drew our favourite animal, and the following day we conjured up smiles on others’ faces with cheerful little notes (International Smile Day). The second week featured the ‘Magic Formulas’ subject, where we learnt basic spells and cast magic using wands we’d made ourselves. We started a herbology book, which we’ll gradually add to throughout the year, just like our spell book. We also held an obstacle course across the houses, practised songs for Halloween and danced with non-woven fabric. We learnt the song ‘The Monster’, which we incorporated into a movement game, followed by a ghost pantomime. We organised our first themed quiz on the Philosopher’s Stone, in which all the houses took part, and every child received a gold coin and points towards the year-long game. We also set about making Halloween decorations to ensure our classroom was nicely decorated. We played the movement game ‘Ghosts and Bogeymen, Get Moving!’ and danced to Dáda Patrasová’s song ‘Spooky’. Every week, there was a house competition, a task of the week and a game of ‘Music Stop’. Before the autumn half-term, there was a school-wide Halloween event, for which we practised a musical performance, carved pumpkins for decoration and created a large themed picture. We really enjoyed this month and are looking forward to the next one.

Teacher Renča

The first month of school is behind us and it’s flown by! We spent the first week playing icebreaker games and drawing up house rules. Last but not least, we had to familiarise ourselves with this year’s theme, which is inspired by Harry Potter, though it’s officially called ‘The Battle for the House Cup and the Individual Cup’. Each pupil received a letter with a ticket to Hogwarts, and the following day was sorted into a house by the Sorting Hat, which we discussed in detail. In the second week, we began learning the Hogwarts anthem, did some stretching with ‘magic yoga’, drew our favourite thing from Hogwarts, got to know the professors and main characters, and acted out our favourite scenes from Harry Potter. The following week, we added playing Orff instruments to the Hogwarts anthem, followed by movement activities. We played a Hogwarts post relay race, drew our house crest or flag, and came up with house chants. This week also saw all of after-school care event ‘Heart Day’, which was dedicated to celebrating the heart. At the event, the children learnt lots of new things, took part in various interesting activities, we took a lovely group photo, and wrote loads of lovely messages for their loved ones. In the final week, we played ball games and took part in other activities across the houses, and we learnt about St Wenceslas. During the first month, as part of our year-long game, there were two house competitions and two weekly challenges, for which pupils can earn house points and gold coins towards the individual cup.

After-school care teacher Renča

June is all about the children. Not just because the very first day of the month is International Children’s Day, which we celebrated in style in after-school care. During the following week in June, we played shop, drew pictures of our shopping and generally chatted and discussed shopping. We didn’t forget to relax, reading the serialised book “Broučci”. The theme of the penultimate week was travel, as the summer holidays were fast approaching and travelling is an integral part of the holidays. So, once again, we chatted about where everyone had already been, or where they were planning to go. We certainly travelled on paper too, as we really enjoyed drawing all sorts of modes of transport. Equally important was learning about road safety and revising all the important first-aid telephone numbers. In the last week of June, the scent of the summer holidays was truly in the air, and we were really looking forward to them. Although we’re not happy that we won’t be seeing each other for the next two months – something is coming to an end – something wonderful is also beginning, because we’ll be back here in two months’ time and the fun can start all over again. So, let’s go – off to the holidays, and then straight on to September, which is already shining brightly on the horizon…

Magda, the teacher

The word ‘flower’ is right there in the name ‘May’, and, like blossoming buds, we spent the whole month experiencing nature to the full. In the first week of May, we talked about how we spend our free time in the great outdoors. We learnt about another goddess, Artemis, the goddess of the hunt. We continued reading the book “Broučci”. We played games to explore our senses, as well as many other pair games, board games and relaxation games. In the second week of May, ‘Mother’s Day’ came round, which of course didn’t leave us unmoved, and we marked the occasion in style with a card for this special day dedicated to the people we love most of all – our mums. The children were very skilful and creative. We listened to songs about mums – of which there are many – but for us, there’s only one mum… In the third week of May, we went to the woods with our after-school care group. We were there not just to chat and draw, but also to reflect. Many of us are familiar with the woods from our days off, and we also discussed how to behave properly in the woods and why we actually need nature. We now know that the forest is full of scents and beauty, and that it also provides us with plenty of fruit – though not all of it is edible for humans. That’s why, for example, we looked through a mushroom guide that Maty M. brought along to show us. The following week, we looked at animals in more detail; we drew pictures of the soft toys, played with them, and talked again about the real ones, discussing how we should treat them properly. We went outside a lot, to the school playground – after all, the weather was finally lovely. In the last week of May, we learnt about the messenger of the gods, Hermes, and we even played a game where we took on the role of the ‘messenger’ who carries messages from the gods to people. All in all, we spent the whole of May celebrating spring – not just at the whole-school event, but throughout the month here in our second after-school care group. And now we’re smoothly moving into the next month, so hurray, we’re heading into June…

Magda, after-school care leader

April is the ‘April Fools’ month’ and the weather certainly reflected that. But we don’t mind at all – quite the opposite! Even inside after-school care, we can appreciate the beauty of nature and play various games and solve puzzles on this theme. At the start of the month, we also learnt about the goddess Demeter. We drew Easter-themed pictures, and after the Easter holidays we had plenty of discussions, played games, did crafts, relaxed and played some more. There’s never a dull moment in after-school care, even when the sun isn’t shining. We have plenty of board games in after-school care, and we had plenty of fun on the carpet too. The children were thrilled by the narrative pantomime. It was also interesting to talk about ‘what will I be when I grow up?’. We acted out our future professions and even depicted them through art. We read about another god from Greek mythology: Hephaestus, the god who ruled over craftsmen, blacksmiths and fire. Music also accompanied us throughout the month; we played it to help us relax. In the final days of April, nature ‘drew’ us back into after-school care – after all, 22 April was Earth Day. We talked about why we need to protect nature. We’ve covered the basics of ecology and now know how to sort waste, both in theory and in practice. On the theme of nature, we made, cut out and drew a memory game; it turned out really well and, of course, we played it the very next day. We also completed a nature-themed crossword, and we know lots of songs about nature. During after-school care’s ‘art workshop’ event, we tried our hand at drawing still lifes with dry pastels and abstract painting.

But now, hurray! May is knocking at our door and we’re really looking forward to it...

Magda, the after-school care teacher.

Another month has come to an end, so it’s time to look back on our activities in March. In the first few days of March, we explored folk sayings with the children. We explained the difference between a weather saying and a proverb, and the children worked in small groups to try and form complete proverbs from individual phrases, which they then drew on boards within a time limit and attempted to act out through mime, so that the other group of children could guess which Czech proverb it was. Over the following days, we returned once more to our ancient heroes, and as March is the first month of spring and we are all already looking forward to putting away our winter down coats with the first rays of spring sunshine, we couldn’t have chosen anyone else for this month with the children but the god Apollo – the god of the Sun and protector of life. We shared some basic information about his origins and character traits, and we also showed the children where Apollo’s temple, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is located in the Czech Republic. The following week, we talked about the individual constellations and signs of the zodiac. We discussed how every constellation in the sky has its own story and how they were named after the tales of mythical heroes and monsters from Greek mythology. The children drew their own constellations corresponding to their zodiac signs, discussed the characteristics of each zodiac sign and, last but not least, tried their hand at putting together their own horoscopes to find out what the future holds for them :-). And as March is Book Month, we focused on books this time as part of our after-school care event. The children introduced us to their favourite books, told us captivating stories, and some even brought along small props to make this cultural experience even more enjoyable :-). The children did a brilliant job with the book presentations, and I’m absolutely delighted that they enjoy reading so much :-). In the last week of March, we decorated after-school care with spring flowers and Easter bunnies, we made little gifts for the Easter fair, and as I’d promised the children that we’d repeat their much-loved themed afternoons in the new year, they had another chance to make the most of their creativity :-). The boys brought along their favourite Rubik’s Cubes and built various things with Lego, whilst the girls, as well as having their hair done beautifully, tried their hand at being models and put on a unique fashion show for us. I think everyone thoroughly enjoyed the whole event, and the children are already looking forward to the upcoming activities in April :-).

I wish you lovely spring days full of sunshine and a peaceful Easter :-).

Ivča, after-school care teacher

The shortest month of the year is now behind us, and as it draws to a close, here is a brief summary of our after-school care activities. At the start of the month, we focused on character traits and how an individual’s personality is categorised according to temperament. The children tried out various psychological personality tests and, based on the results, tried to match individual traits to the correct personality type. Their next task was to draw an animal that best reflected their character, and as part of our physical education activities, they also tried their hand at expressive dance, in which they tried to convey specific emotions in a given situation. The following week, we returned once more to our ancient heroes, and this time we talked about Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty; we searched for her lost golden apple and even drank from Aphrodite’s magical spring, thanks to which we will remain forever young and beautiful :-). After the spring half-term, the children returned to their school desks well-rested and in high spirits, so we immediately had to tell each other where and how we’d spent our holidays and what we’d enjoyed most :-). The following week, we focused mainly on the theme of family – the children brought in family photos and we shared our fondest memories with our parents, as well as what family means to us and how important it is to have someone in our lives who loves us, even when we’re sulking at the whole world :-). The last week of February was all about the carnival. We learnt a little about the history of the carnival, chatted about the different masks we might see in a carnival parade, and organised our very own after-school care carnival. The children came in beautiful masks and together we had lots of fun taking part in all sorts of themed competitions. Sweet treats were prepared for the children and, all in all, we really enjoyed the whole day.

Now we’re all looking forward to March and the first days of spring, which we hope to welcome very soon :-).

Wishing you all lovely days :-).

Ivča, after-school care teacher

The first month of the new year is over, so it’s time once again to look back on everything we’ve been up to with the children at our after-school care this month :-). The children had lots of new experiences after Christmas that they wanted to share, so we started by talking about how their Christmas Eve went, what Santa had brought them under the tree, and how they’d enjoyed the Christmas holidays overall. And because every new year brings something new, we decided, together with the children, to set our New Year’s resolutions, which the children will do their very best to stick to throughout the school year :-). At the start of the month, we explored the story of the Three Kings; we talked about the Three Kings’ Collection and also about the traditions associated with this festival. The following week, we returned once more to our ancient gods; this time, we focused on two deities who were known on Mount Olympus primarily for their battles and wars – namely the goddess Athena, the goddess of wisdom, justice and victorious war, and the god Ares, who loved brutal combat, the clang of weapons and gladly seized any opportunity to stand on the front line on the battlefield. We discussed historical facts, war heroes, and military conflicts of the past and their causes; at the same time, we explained that not everything can always be resolved through weapons and rash decisions, and that it is always good to try to find a more sensible solution :-). The children also tried their hand at retelling and dramatising the story of “The Golden Fleece”, played various strategy games, completed various tasks to develop logical thinking, and, as part of their art activities, drew their own wise owl and their favourite war hero. In the final week, we focused primarily on developing our motor skills. The children tried their hand at dancing short choreographed routines in various dance styles, put together a memory game featuring dance terms, expanded their existing knowledge of standard and Latin American dances in a dance quiz, and, last but not least, they also tried their hand at improvising and expressing their inner selves and their own emotions through dance.

I think we all really enjoyed January’s activities with the children and we’re already looking forward to seeing what new things February has in store for us :-).

Wishing you lovely, relaxing days, Ivča, the teacher

The last month of this year has come to an end, and with it our December activities. This month, as part of our year-long programme, we explored Dionysus, the god of wine, celebrations and merriment. We shared some basic information about his origins and character traits, and we also looked at which symbols are associated with this god and how we can connect him to today’s modern world. In the following weeks, we focused mainly on Christmas activities and preparations for the most wonderful time of the year. We read Christmas stories and fairy tales, talked about the significance of Advent candles, and discussed Christmas traditions observed not only in the Czech lands but also abroad. The children shared how each of them celebrates Christmas, what traditions are observed in their own homes, and what they would most like to receive from Father Christmas. Together, we made an Advent calendar, completed Christmas tasks, and happily counted down the days to Christmas Eve. We also made little angels out of cotton, sang Christmas carols and, to make the run-up to Christmas as enjoyable as possible for the children, I decided to organise themed afternoons for both the boys and the girls. With the boys, we organised a table football tournament; they were also able to bring their own fingerboards and, on the ramps we’d set up, they showed us the tricks they’d learnt. Last but not least, we built all sorts of structures out of Lego. In return, we had a lovely girls’ afternoon with the girls. The girls brought face paints, hair ties, jewellery and all sorts of make-up, and together we played at being models, created beautiful hairstyles and, all in all, had a brilliant time all afternoon. The children really enjoyed the themed day, so I promised them we’d do it again soon :-). As part of our December after-school care event, we worked with the children to make Christmas cards using various techniques; the children did a brilliant job and hopefully they’ll bring a smile to their loved ones’ faces under the Christmas tree. When the weather allowed, we went out onto the school playground, where the children welcomed the first snow and built a couple of little snowmen.

Now we’re just looking forward to spending time together with our loved ones whilst watching fairy tales :-).

I wish you all a wonderful Christmas and, above all, good health in the New Year.

Ivča, after-school care teacher

Another month has come to an end :-). The main theme for November was cooperation and communication, so we talked with the children about how important it is to support one another, help one another and appreciate everything we have in our lives – and that we shouldn’t always take it for granted. We also talked about how to avoid stressful situations, how important it is to overcome our fears, and what we can do to achieve this. And perhaps it was precisely because of this theme that I decided to set up our own ‘Chat Corner’ for the children in after-school care, complete with envelopes they’d made themselves, where the children can freely write and exchange lovely messages to cheer each other up. I’m delighted that the children are getting involved and checking their envelopes every day :-).

The following week, we returned to our ancient gods and added two new figures to our annual collection: Hades, the god of the underworld, and his wife, the goddess Persephone. The children split into smaller groups and, with the help of riddles, tried to find the correct entrance to the underworld, bribe the ferryman Charon and cross the River Styx safely with him, get past the three-headed dog Cerberus, and save their souls from Hades’ clutches. The children really enjoyed this game, and together we had a good laugh at the situations where the children let their imaginations run wild and tried in all sorts of creative ways to save their little souls from the underworld :-). The following week, we were all looking forward to St Martin arriving on his white steed and bringing us this year’s first dusting of snow. Unfortunately, this didn’t come to pass, even though we tried very hard to summon him with our songs and rhymes. We were all in perfect rhythm, but perhaps our canon wasn’t as pure as freshly fallen snow, so St Martin probably decided that, given our performance, he’d make us wait a little longer for the real winter :-). We’re not bothered by it – the main thing is that we had a good time. However, we decided it would be better to take a different tack and instead focused on making items for our Christmas fair. Together with the children, we made gift tags – naturally, to give Father Christmas a bit of a hand, as he’ll have so much to do :-) – and then we made beautiful candle holders from preserving jars and wooden rounds. Surprisingly, it wasn’t just the girls who enjoyed this activity; the boys were happy to get involved too, and I must admit I’m really proud of how well all their creations turned out :-). In the penultimate week, we focused mainly on etiquette and social behaviour, and the children tried out role-play scenarios for themselves, such as who enters the theatre first, who offers to use the informal ‘tykání’ form of address, and what the correct way is to address and greet people in society. The children really enjoyed this topic too, and I think they’re well prepared for the upcoming ball season :-). And what sort of end to the whole month would it be without our after-school care event? Now that the children know how to sing and behave in company, all that was missing was a touch of real culture, so the children put on a theatre performance, spruced up their costumes, and together we found ourselves for a moment on the stage that means the world. Our children simply love the theatre, and it certainly showed :-).

I wish you all a wonderful Advent season.

Ivča, the teacher

At the start of October, together with the children, we learnt about another god from the mighty Trio: Poseidon – the god of the seas, the oceans and all the waters of the Earth. We shared some basic information about his origins and character traits, and we also looked at which symbols are associated with this god and how we can relate him to today’s modern world. The following week, we focused more on life in the ocean and its mysteries. We also seized the opportunity to play a few themed games together; the children’s favourites were the movement game ‘Sharks’, ‘Live Memory’ and, last but not least, ‘Clean Up the Ocean’, in which the children demonstrated not only their physical abilities but, above all, their dexterity, attention to detail and ability to rely on one another. As part of the art and craft session, the children worked together to create their own underwater kingdom, which turned out really well, and they also made paper boats, which we used to decorate after-school care. This time, our relaxation activities included games to develop auditory perception, in which the children tried to identify which animal made a particular sound from short clips; we also worked together to complete a quiz on the most common aquatic creatures living here in Bohemia, and we learnt how to use a map whilst deepening our knowledge of Czech rivers and ponds. In the last week, as is now tradition, we made masks for the school’s Halloween party; we decorated after-school care with spooky bats and pictures of pumpkins, and we talked about traditional Halloween customs observed around the world. We had lots of fun with the children during our after-school care event, and we’re already looking forward to seeing what the coming days will bring.

I wish you all a lovely, sunny autumn.

Ivča, after-school care teacher

The holidays have flown by and a new school year has begun for all of us. Our theme for this year is ‘Ancient Gods’. We’ll be talking not only about the greatest figures who once lived on Mount Olympus, but also about their origins, character traits and the symbols associated with them; we’ll also gradually explore all the stories from ancient Greek myths and legends, in which we’ll look for lessons to be learnt, whilst also trying to connect the ancient world full of myths, legends and tales with today’s modern world through historical monuments and all sorts of interesting facts.

At the start of September, we drew up some after-school care rules with the children, played icebreaker games and, overall, tried to strengthen our relationships with one another and ensure everyone played together. The children enthusiastically told me about their extraordinary experiences from the summer holidays, and I just hope that they’ll take away equally rich experiences from this year, which we’ll spend together. And because every story has to start somewhere, we couldn’t begin our year-long adventure with the ‘Big 12’ in any other way than by talking about the supreme god, Zeus, and his wife, the goddess Hera. Together with the children, we explored the origins of Greek mythology through these early tales; we explained the difference between the terms ‘fables’, ‘myths’ and ‘legends’, and focused more on the origins, characteristics and symbolism of the god Zeus and his wife, the goddess Hera. The children also learnt about the musical instruments that were widely used in Greece long ago, tried out several traditional Greek dances and painted their own portrait of the god Zeus. Some let their imaginations run wild and even ‘modernised’ him, depicting him as they thought he might look today. I must admit they were really imaginative, and I’m curious to see what they’ll come up with next :-).

I hope the children will enjoy the ‘Ancient Gods’ theme, learn some new and interesting facts, and that we’ll have a wonderful time together in after-school care all year round :-).

Wishing you lovely autumn days, Ivča, the after-school care teacher

Here we are – the final month of this school year is slowly drawing to a close, and it’s time to say goodbye for a while. But before we do, let’s take a look together at the new experiences we’ve had with the children this month :-). At the start of the month, we celebrated Children’s Day together. Together with our other teacher, Magda, we set up several activity stations for the children, where they completed all sorts of tasks – from playing hopscotch to throwing a ball at a target; they also had a go at the obstacle course, picking up a small ball without using their hands, using a spoon tied to a string, and of course, face painting was a must as a reward; all the children took home a well-deserved medal, a certificate and a small gift of their own choosing. The children really enjoyed everything and apparently said that events like this could take place every week, so we’ll see what we can do about that by the next school year :-). The following week, we focused on books and reading. The children learnt how a book is actually created and all the steps that take place before we can buy a finished copy from a shop. We also talked about the different literary genres, and the children brought their favourite books from home; together we discussed who the authors were, what the plot was about, and who the main character was in each book. I must admit that the children brought in lots of interesting books, and there are some that I’d love to read myself or recommend to others :-). As part of Reading Week, the children used their own imagination to make beautiful bookmarks, which they were then able to keep and continue to use. Last but not least, we tried our hand at telling a fairy tale as part of a theatre performance. The children put their acting talents to good use and learnt just how important it is to work on their voices; they also focused on clear articulation and their overall delivery. They really gave it their all, and I was delighted to see how well they were doing and how hard they were trying :-). Even before the children set off for their school trip, we chatted about their hobbies and how they most enjoy spending their free time. We also used the English vocabulary the children had already learnt in a variety of games, and we had great fun together playing a movement-based memory game, where the children hunted for cards with pictures and the specific sport associated with each picture. And to refresh our knowledge, we also had a go at a quiz to find out which sports our most successful athletes practise. I believe the children had a lovely time and I had the chance to learn something new about them :-). During the last week, we mainly chatted about the upcoming holidays; the children shared where and with whom they’ll be spending their time off, and we also went on a bit of a virtual trip, looking at the most beautiful landmarks from around the world and discussing their most interesting features. And now we’re really drawing to a close; we’re wrapping up another chapter together, and I wish you all a wonderful summer full of sunshine, relaxation and unique experiences. I look forward to seeing you all again in the next school year.

Wishing you a lovely holiday, your teacher Ivča

At the start of May, we decided we’d had enough of lazing about, so it was time to get moving a bit, because exercise is the best thing we can do for ourselves after a long winter to make us feel great. We demonstrated and explained the correct technique for exercising on balance boards to the children; outside on the playground, we set up an obstacle course where the children used both skipping ropes and balls to improve their motor skills. We also tried out various relaxation exercises and rounded off the session by playing guessing games to identify famous sports personalities and a wide range of sports. As part of our physical education activities, we try to spend as much time as possible on the playground, where the children can play as their imagination dictates whilst also having the chance to play together with children from the other after-school care. In our art sessions, we mainly focused on preparations for the spring festival. Together with the children, we made spring garlands featuring flowers, birds and other beautiful decorations, which the children did a lovely job of creating. The following week, we focused on family relationships; we talked about the importance of family, how we need to strengthen family bonds, what the roles and responsibilities of parents are, as well as those of children, and we also practised the names of individual family members; the children even showed me family photographs with their siblings and other relatives, for example from various outings and trips together. We also prepared carefully for Mother’s Day, for which the children made beautiful cards and even came up with an original poem for their mums. I really must praise them, because they did a brilliant job with both and I hope they made their mums very happy. The following week, we focused on developing musical awareness and also on fostering an interest in Czech flora and fauna. Together with the children, we looked up examples of trees found here in Bohemia in an encyclopaedia; we talked about how to behave in the forest, what animals we might find there, and how to look after them properly. The children also had a go at matching individual forest tracks to specific animals. They really enjoyed this activity, and I was pleasantly surprised by the extent of their knowledge. In the last week of May, we focused on drama activities, mainly theatre games, during which the children really let their creativity run wild. We played lots of new games, which we’ll definitely play again with the children sometime, because we had such a great time together and had a good laugh from the bottom of our hearts :-).

We’re now in the final month of this school year and we’re already looking forward to the new experiences it will bring :-).

Wishing you a lovely summer, Ivča, the teacher

At the start of this month, we threw ourselves wholeheartedly into the Easter preparations with the children. Together, we began practising not only spring-themed poems, but also Easter carols and rhymes, which the children put to use straight away during their carol singing on Monday :-). As part of our art activities, the children painted Easter bunnies, which they decorated themselves, and I must admit they turned out really well, so we had to put them up on our after-school care noticeboard straight away. The following week, we continued with the Easter theme; we talked about the traditions and significance of Easter, as well as how these festivities are celebrated, particularly here and in the village. As part of our creative activities, we also made Easter cards with the children, which they were delighted to take home. After the Easter holidays, we returned to after-school care feeling refreshed; the children immediately told me how much they’d enjoyed their time off, and together we threw ourselves into the next week in April. A new project for all of after-school care was waiting for us, to mark International Earth Day. First, we went through the basics of how to sort waste properly with the children, we watched several educational videos with practical tips for a sustainable lifestyle, and the children came up with and performed a lovely themed play about what nature should and shouldn’t look like, adding their own ideas on how we can all contribute to keeping the environment clean. The children got really involved in this project and I’m truly proud of them for how well they look after their surroundings and realise how important it is, especially nowadays, to look after not only ourselves but also the natural world around us. In the last week of April, we focused on the theme ‘A healthy mind in a healthy body’; we mainly talked about the principles of a healthy lifestyle, what foods we should eat, and what we should do overall to feel healthy both physically and mentally. We drew up our own meal plans and discussed how healthy eating isn’t just about food, but also about exercise, and we immediately put this into practice by doing some group exercises incorporating elements of yoga and bodyweight training; we also danced and sang as part of our next project called StarDance, or ‘When Children Dance’ :-). I really enjoyed it with the children and I’m sure we’ll come up with another similar project together soon :-).

I wish you lovely spring days full of smiles and positive energy.

Teacher Ivča

Time really does fly, doesn’t it? Another month has gone by; winter is, hopefully, finally beginning to hand over the reins to spring, and we and the children can’t wait to see what new things the coming weeks have in store for us. At the start of March, we could already feel the real scent of spring in the air, so we decided straight away to take down the winter decorations and replace them with cheerful spring colours. The children drew beautiful flowers in a vase, created a garden out of paper featuring the first spring blossoms and little birds, and, using coloured wire, made a lovely spring meadow. They did a brilliant job, and it’s already made after-school care a much cheerier place :-). We also talked about how nature changes in spring and which animals return to us from warmer climes. The children had a go at imitating the sounds of different animals, and we had a good laugh together doing so :-). This month, we also focused mainly on developing imagination, creativity and musical awareness. I prepared various puzzles and word games with a dance theme for the children; they danced an improvised dance to various music clips, matched Czech and international artists with their most famous global hits, and identified different musical genres from the clips. We also focused on the children’s ability to work together as a group, and we talked about the importance of listening and reaching mutual compromises. Last but not least, together with the children, we prepared little gifts for the Easter fair in April, which you are welcome to come and see next Wednesday. We rounded off the month with after-school care event – a board game tournament – which the children thoroughly enjoyed. We also regularly go out to the playground, where the children play with a ball, play dodgeball or draw with chalk on the pavement.

I wish you lovely spring days, good cheer and a smile on your face :-).

Ivča, the after-school care teacher

Another month has passed and winter is (hopefully) slowly drawing to a close :-). All the children returned safely from their spring half-term, so we had to find out straight away what new experiences they’d had, where they’d spent their holidays, what new things they’d tried out and how they’d enjoyed their holidays overall. And as the first day back from the holidays fell on Valentine’s Day, we immediately decorated after-school care with Valentine’s cards and hearts, which the children did a really lovely job of making. Over the following days, we mainly focused on group games, in which the children had to work together in smaller or larger groups to reach a final solution. The children particularly enjoyed the games designed to develop their musical awareness, especially when we played clips from films or TV series and the children had to recognise which film or TV theme tune it was. The following week, we were all happily getting ready for the Shrovetide carnival; we talked about the history and origins of carnivals around the world, watched videos about how Shrovetide is actually celebrated, what elements are essential to the festivities, and what sort of masks we might see in the parade. As part of after-school care event on this theme, we organised our own carnival, where the children each presented their masks, and then we played various themed games focusing mainly on observation, creativity and memory, but also on physical activity and developing teamwork. We all had a brilliant time and the children didn’t even want to go home :-).

Now we’re all looking forward to March and the first days of spring, which we hope to welcome very soon.

Wishing you all lovely days :-).

Ivča, after-school care teacher

The first month of this year is over, so it’s time once again to look back on everything we’ve been up to with the children at our after-school care this month :-). The children had lots of new experiences after Christmas that they wanted to share, so we started by talking about how their Christmas Eve went, what presents Father Christmas had brought them under the tree, and how they’d enjoyed the Christmas holidays overall. In our usual circle, everyone told us what they’d enjoyed most about the Christmas holidays, and then the children drew the loveliest Christmas present that had brought them the greatest joy under the tree. And because Father Christmas paid a visit to after-school care too, the children received lots of lovely new games, which they had to try out straight away and immediately found their favourites – these definitely included Lego sets, table football and trivia memory games based on fairy tales, film quotes and sport. Over the following days, we watched the story of the Three Wise Men, talked about the traditions associated with this festival, and the children tried their hand at retelling the story and putting on a play based on this theme. The following week, we focused mainly on winter sports; we discussed the rules of each sport and also learnt a little about how the Winter Olympics, which are due to start in just a few days, are organised. As part of after-school care activity on this theme, the children drew their favourite winter sport, which they then acted out using mime, whilst the other children guessed which sport it was.

When the weather is nice, we go out to the playground, where the children play with a ball or make up their own games, or we go for walks, during which we watch the birds at the feeders and pass the time by chatting about the lives of different animals in winter, whilst the children try to solve riddles and answer quiz questions on various topics set by our inquisitive teacher :-).

Next week we’ve got the spring half-term, and I’m already looking forward to seeing what other February activities await us and the children in the days to come.

Wishing you lovely days.

Ivča, after-school care teacher

The last month of this year is almost over, and together with the children we’re already eagerly looking forward to the bell ringing and Father Christmas coming to visit us :-). We’ve been enjoying the Christmas preparations with the children right from the start :-) – first, we received pre-Christmas treats from St Nicholas, the Angel, and the occasional piece of coal from the Devil too (surely just to warm us up :-)), then we put up our after-school care Christmas tree together and, of course, made an Advent calendar with tasks that the children came up with themselves and which they diligently completed every day :-). And because St Martin just wouldn’t turn up, we decided to give him a bit of a helping hand, and the children used various techniques to draw their own winter landscapes, complete with snowflakes, as well as snowmen, decorated trees and even magnificent reindeer and sleighs that even Father Frost himself would certainly be proud of :-). And when luck finally smiled on us and the first snow fell, we eagerly headed outside to build not only Mr Snowman, but also Mrs Snowman and their little Snowman :-). And because the children also wanted to give presents to their loved ones to put under the tree, we made cards and little gifts together, which the children then happily took home. And because Christmas isn’t just about singing carols but also about making all sorts of tasty treats, we chatted about what a typical Christmas Eve dinner used to be like and what Christmas Eve is like for us today :-). Throughout the month, we also talked about the meaning of Advent, why we make Advent wreaths and what they should look like, what each candle symbolises, and we also talked about the Christmas traditions we follow and how Christmas is celebrated not only here but also in other countries. Of course, we couldn’t miss out on reading fairy tales, singing Christmas carols, and we also reminded ourselves that Christmas should, above all, be a festival of love, joy and fulfilled wishes – and that the most important thing is that we’re all together, and that’s where the true magic of Christmas lies :-).

I wish you all a wonderful, relaxing and peaceful Christmas with your loved ones, and for the New Year I wish you good health, optimism and high spirits :-).

Ivča, after-school care teacher

Another month of this year has come to an end, so I’d like to share with you, at least briefly, everything we’ve been up to with the children in after-school care during November :-). In the first few days of November, we commemorated All Souls’ Day; we told each other stories and chatted about the traditions observed on All Souls’ Day. In the days that followed, we made the most of the lovely weather and, on our afternoon walks, collected the last of the colourful leaves and used them to create Mráček the dragon, which we displayed on the noticeboard. And because you can never have too many colours, we also decided to paint various leaves and use them to create our shared autumn Tree of Life. A few days later, we celebrated St Martin’s Day; we read the whole story of how Martin became a saint and talked about why eating St Martin’s goose is associated with this festival :-). The children then retold the whole story in their own words, and straight afterwards we decided to put on an impromptu play on this theme. The children divided up the roles and within a few minutes they’d rehearsed a lovely little play :-). We also talked about traditional St Martin’s Day sayings, solved all sorts of St Martin’s Day riddles, and some children even tried drawing their own picture of Saint Martin on a white horse or made their own Saint Martin’s Day puppet using glue, a skewer and paper cuttings. As part of our quiet time, we tried out various relaxation exercises with the children, and as well as reading a serialised story, I also played them clips of songs from fairy tales, where the children had to guess which fairy tale it was from, and then we sang the whole song together. We also chatted about their favourite fairy-tale characters, as well as their character traits and how these are expressed in the story.

As well as indoor activities, where the children love to draw or play all sorts of board games, we also go out to the playground, where they play ball games or use the climbing frames. We also go on regular walks around the local area and take part in various autumn activities, whether they be physical or observation games, or watching birds fly to the feeders. And because I’d already realised during the Halloween event that the children really love singing, I decided to organise after-school care ‘SuperStar’ for them. And I must admit that the children took to it very well and prepared for the whole competition with great care. They practised their dance routines diligently, learnt the lyrics to the songs, and also took great care with the decorations – both for their individual competition performances and for the ‘judges’, for whom they created scorecards with individual numerical scores, and to lend the whole competition afternoon the right sense of formality, they also took great care with their dress code – the boys even turned up in jackets and ties :-). We all thoroughly enjoyed the whole singing and dancing competition together, and the children are already begging me to do it again as soon as possible :-). Last but not least, we also had a November after-school care event: the Board Games Tournament. The children brought their own board games from home – ones we don’t yet have in after-school care – so we got to try out something new together with them, and the children took home well-deserved certificates for taking part.

In the coming weeks, we’ll start getting ready for the most wonderful time of the year; we’ll be making Christmas decorations, singing Christmas carols and enjoying the run-up to Christmas together :-). I hope you’re all keeping well and enjoying a lovely Advent :-).

Ivča, the teacher

My name is Ivča and I’m the new after-school care teacher :-). I’m in charge of the children in Years 2 and 4. Last week, we got to know each other through some fun icebreaker games – I learnt what the children like best at school, which clubs they attend, and how they most enjoy spending their free time, both in after-school care and elsewhere :-). Last week, the children were allowed to bring their pets to school, so we learnt together in after-school care which animals belong in a house, which on a farm, and which in the woods, and how to look after them properly so that they’re happy with us. The children are very clever and love all sorts of party games on a wide variety of themes :-).

Halloween is coming up next week, so we’re practising our poems together, making Halloween decorations, decorating the classroom with them, and deciding who’ll dress up as which spooky character :-).

And when the weather permits, we always head out to the school playground to breathe in some fresh air and have some more fun :-).

We’re having a great time together in after-school care and we’re looking forward to all the exciting things we’ll experience in November :-).

Have a lovely autumn, Ivča, the after-school care teacher

Welcome to the new school year. I hope the whole year will be full of joy and happy experiences. Our second class is made up of children from Years 2 and 4. This school year, we’ll be exploring the cycle of the seasons. Throughout September, we’ll be drawing up after-school care rules together, learning to work as a team, building team spirit, chatting and discussing important matters...

I’m sure you’ll enjoy your time in after-school care. :-)

Have a lovely day!