Let’s celebrate each other.
At Fareacres we strive to deliver a curriculum that celebrates cultural and ethnic diversity as it is vital to reflect our multicultural, multi-ethnic society in a positive way. Young children of every cultural or ethnic background need to develop a secure and positive sense of their own identity. Children’s family life will be the most significant source of that identity. There are many simple ways to help children to develop positive perspectives on other cultures in which we use at Fareacres.
Food is a wonderful way to introduce children to different cultures. Many cookery books contain simple recipes that can be used with young children and most ingredients are now readily available in supermarkets, with a wide range of fruits and vegetables. The children will take part in trips to the shops to help buy the ingredients for the food.
At Fareacres we try to make sure our book corners include fiction and non-fiction books that reflect other cultures and parts of the world. The settings are lucky to have some books in dual language. This is a fantastic way to demonstrate to children different scripts from around the world. We encourage both staff and parents to read a story in their mother tongue so the children have the opportunity to listen to a story in a different language.
Children need no encouragement to get involved in activities such as cooking or making cards, presents or decorations, which are features of almost all celebrations. There are many festivals throughout the year, so the setting chooses the main festivals that the children in your settings would relate to most easily.
If you have any items at home you would like to donate, we at Fareacres will be very grateful. Any multi-cultural clothing that doesn’t fit your child, any newspapers or books in different languages or any cooking and eating equipment for the home corner.
Weekly Experiences
The children in Rainbow fish in South Woodford have been making biscuits. Cooking activities are a great resource that staff can utilise to help children develop in a variety of areas of learning. Through the process of cooking, children are able to develop skills such as, turn taking, counting, fine motor skills, speaking, listening and attention, just to name a few. Children in Rainbow Fish, South Woodford, have been making gingerbread playdough this week, this activity is planned to help a child to develop their relationships with peers.
In the baby room at Gants Hill the children have been exploring the outdoor environment. The weather this time of year is mild, but the children have been making the most of the change in weather and all available resources. The benefits of outdoor play span across the entire Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum. It ranges from physical development to personal, social and emotional development. At Fareacres we believe that children of all ages should have access to the learning opportunities in the outdoors and that they should experience this daily.
Garden Time GH
Garden Time GH
Garden Time GH
Garden Time GH
The children in Stingrays in South Woodford have been making the most of the weather and hiding animals in the garden and encouraging the children to find them. Through encouragement from practitioners the children will name all the animals or be introduced to new vocabulary including the names of animals.
Finding the animals SW
Finding the animals SW
Finding the animals SW
In Gants Hill the children have been playing ‘What’s the time Mr Wolf?’ It is a great way to help children learn the concept of telling the time. It also helps to extend the children’s understanding strategy and develop their balance and muscle control. One player is the wolf and everyone else is one of the piggies who ask him/her “What’s the time Mr Wolf”. Whatever time the wolf says, the pigs move forward that many footsteps. The wolf has his back to the piggies so cannot see where they are, but at some point can shout ‘Dinnertime’ in response to the question and try to catch one of the pigs.
What's the time Mr Wolf? GH
What's the time Mr Wolf? GH
The children in Sharks in South Woodford have been making fairy cakes. This helps the children to develop their literacy and mathematical development in a practical way that uses an environment that they are familiar with. Whilst making the cakes, children were using their gross motor skills to mix and scoop the ingredients. The children were encouraged to wait their turn before mixing the cake mix.
"Mixing" - Xavi
"Making little cakes" - Daniel
"Flour and egg" - Saanvi
"Cupcake" - Zach
"I'm eat it" – Aaron
Cooking SW
Cooking SW
Cooking SW
Cooking SW
Cooking SW
In Fareacres Gants Hill all the children have been exploring malleable play. Malleable play uses all 5 senses, it encourages children to manipulate and mould materials on their own. Children need to explore their environment by using all their senses as children learn primarily through play. Play that incorporates textural material allows children to express their emotions through manipulation. The older children have been playing with a construction site and the younger children have been exploring moon sand.
Malleable Play GH
Malleable Play GH
Malleable Play GH
Malleable Play GH
Malleable Play GH
The children in Starfish in South Woodford have been using sponge letters to print their name using paint. This is a good way of encouraging the children to recognise the letters in their name and then be able to place them in the correct order in preparation for the transition into primary school.
"Look two L's" - Millie
"A J for Jessica" - Jessica
"My name"- Reva
"Look my name EVE” - Eve
Printing letters SW
Printing letters SW
Printing letters SW
Top 5 Children’s Quotes of the week:
- “I am going for an injection” - Mae
- “We went to Chessington and I saw the Gruffalo” – Maya
- "You got blue eye like me” –Angelica
- “Daddy’s coming soon” – Amaiya
- “T rex are my favourite cos they are really big” - Andreas
Quote of the Week:
‘Share our similarities, celebrate our differences’
- Morgan Scott Peck (American psychiatrist and best-selling author)
Thank you for taking a glimpse into our Fareacres Learning Community
Until next time...
