A message from Joan in Durban

We received a lovely email from Joan in Durban today, who has started to use the Shine games at her centre. I thought I would  post an extract: 'Thank you for all the amazing games...I have been meaning to take photo's of the volunteers and kids with the new games but keep getting distracted because we are all having so much fun! Most volunteers have been a little reluctant to start at Game one. There is a wonderful attitude of "My child is FAR too clever for this!" I think that really shows what wonderful relationships have been built between our learning partners. I have, however insisted they do start at the beginning and work through them all even though 'their' child is exceptional! 

What amazes me is the amount of thought that has gone into these games. Most of the children were able to say the sound that a particular letter makes and yet still needed Game two to enforce the beginning sounds.... Every game seems to give them more than what I could hope. What a privilege to have access to such amazing resources and to be able to invest them in these kids. Thanks again!

We are very happy to be able to share our resources with others: we are in the process of working with others so that they can become Shine Chapters: we just want to get our methods and resources out to others who are doing the same kind of work as us, and the games are a wonderful vehicle for this. 

A wipe sheet 

First sound lotto

End sound safari 

Fun and games

Thanks to the dedication of the wonderful centre managers and their 'head girls,' who very ably and willingly prepared the games into files, D-day has arrived. A special mention to Leigh Anne at Zonnebloem, who spent a long time sorting and filing over the last few days so that we could get cracking. No time like the present! We have another training planned next week for our managers: the key to using the games is by helping all our volunteers to get very familiar with them: they are too precious a tool not to use in every session! 

I taught this morning, as normal, at my 9.00am slot at Zonnebloem. It is always one of the most rewarding parts of my week: I love being able to keep in touch with the children, and to know what works and what doesn't. I also find it is easier to relate to the frustrations of the volunteers and the centre managers, and of course, it keeps the teacher in me alive and kicking! 

This morning was a very special morning, as we were able to start using the long- awaited games. I so enjoyed playing the 'first sounds lotto' with Vincent, my little boy. The time we have spent putting these together has all been worth it.... his little face lit up at the almost edible pictures and delicious colours. Oh, happy days!

The importance of play

Boxed and ready to roll...

A selection of the appendices: teaching aids to enhance and consolidate the learning taking place.

Our games have been printed.... a sneak preview

Shine never sleeps. We have been working through the latest holiday to ensure that the games go to print and are ready for delivery for the beginning of the new term. We had had the most fantastic team working on them: Nat and Bryan from B Design have been our highly creative inspiration, and Elizabeth and Kathryn have worked on the content, with the help of a small editing team when needed. Developing the new games has been a long, yet very inspiring, process, and we are proud to be able to deliver a truly South African product to our centres, and to our Outreach centres and beyond. The whole process has taken almost a year from the very first designs to packaging, but we really believe what has been created is truly worth the wait, and we are so looking forward to using them in the centres with our children.  We have been helped along the way by some caring and visionary sponsors, whom we are very grateful to. Thank you to the Mac family, the Ackerman family, the Torres family, the MAID foundation and the Finch family for helping to make this project possible. 

Strawberry Fun, Crab Grab, Lily Pad Hop, Last Sound Safari, the rainbow and Letter Sound Worm...some of the delights that
we have prepared for our children and their learning partners.

A variety of the new board games.... delicious graphics!

'Fun'

'Hug'

'Mum'

The Word Tree...helping children understand the double 'ee' sound

Last Sound Safari.....

Laminated Wipe Sheets 

Another sneak peak at our new Shine Games. Watch this space!

A board game 

Wipe sheet

lotto

The tree game

'hum'

'Mum'

'sit'