Next term, the Kindy students will be having an incursion run by the Association for the Welfare of Children in Hospital. AWCH is a not-for-profit organisation that exists to promote the welfare of children, especially their emotional and social well-being within hospitals and other health care services.
The incursion is a great way to increase children’s knowledge and reduce their anxiety about hospitalisation and medical care, the Hospital Familiarisation Program (HFP) is offered to children from Kindy to Year 3 throughout the metropolitan area. The program employs and trains presenters with early childhood qualifications.
On Thursday, 20th July, an HFP presenter will visit our Kindy classroom for a two hour session consisting of :
- Interactive mat talk– the presenter has a wide range of medical equipment to demonstrate on our life sized doll.
- Film – called “Amelia Goes to Hospital” which further prepares children by following a young girl going to hospital for surgery. There are young children role-playing at being in hospital too.
- Role-Play– the children will have plenty of time to dress up in hospital uniforms and use medical equipment on our life sized doll. They can also have a turn on our wheel chair and crutches and play with our hospital play-sets and hospital puzzles and books.
Please let me know if your child has any particular fears about hospitalisation so the presenter can be better prepared.
Amanda Muniandy
Kindy Teacher