News & Results
Focusing on Water Safety and Active Fun
Active fun involving the whole family and water safety have been a focus for Healthy Active Learning schools.
Elastics are making a come back as a way encourage physical activity that the whole family can be involved in and Swimming New Zealand carried out a water skills lesson at Reporoa Primary School, which teachers from Broadlands, Waikite, Mihi and Ngakuru took part in.
Some of those involved have shared their feedback.
Elastics are back
The Healthy Active Learning team has been supporting the Rotorua Library and Central Kids, sending 300 Busy Bags to families during the school holidays that included physical activity options for students in emergency housing.
Whānau who have used the elastics:
“The elastics were fun because often mum joined in as it brought back memories for her and doing elastics in her childhood. It also meant they were doing physical activity. The timing was good for them too, before Christmas and having something to do."
Marylouise Macpherson-Hall - Kaingaroa Forest School principal:
“I have heard that tamariki loved sharing their busy bag activities with their whanau who visited in the holidays. Some whānau said it helped keep the tamariki busy because they could just 'go for it' together. Some parents said the elastics were a "flashback" to their childhoods! They loved sharing their stories and memories with their tamariki, lots of laughs as keen adults joined in with their tamariki.”
Check out these videos of the students at Kaingaroa Forest School on how to play ‘England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales’.
If you would like a copy of this elastics resource, email Healthy Active Learning Regional Lead Debbie Garea [email protected]
Water Skills for Life
Richelle McDonald, Reporoa Primary School:
Wendy Smith from Swimming NZ, Water Skills for Life, came to our school and took each class swimming so our teachers could learn from her. Visiting teachers from Mihi, Broadlands, Waikite and Ngakuru came for an after school session with the focus on teachers being able to teach children how to swim safely in moving water and get themselves out of any tricky situations. Cherie Hill (deputy principal) is working on our swimming planning, resources and assessment to align with the Water Safety programme. Our lessons will have more focus in Water Safety and less on the technical aspects of swimming stroke (which children can receive by attending swimming lessons – we encourage this).
To set this up in your school, contact Healthy Active Learning Advisor Amy McMahon [email protected]
Meg Fisher
Healthy Active Learning Project Lead
027 315 7987
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