Weekly Experiences
In Gants Hill this week the children have been exploring the song bag. Singing is embedded as part of the nursery routine due to the fundamental skills taught to the children. As children grow, singing helps them learn other fundamentals of language, such as rhyme and phonemic awareness (differentiating the sounds within words). The addition of some singing props to everyday singing brings the songs to life and helps develop further skills too, such as recognizing and naming objects and basic motor grasp.
Song Bag GH
The children in rainbowfish had a teddy bear’s picnic to celebrate ‘Children in need’ and Pudsy bear, Ianis said “Yumm”. The children enjoyed sitting together to eat their tea. Meal times serve a dual purpose. They are a time when children enjoy the nutritious food, cooked fresh on site for them each day, however, they are also a perfect opportunity for learning. Children can learn to develop their personal, social and emotional skills, communication and language and their physical development. Skilled practitioners will then introduce mathematical terms and place mats add a literacy element. The learning opportunities are endless.
Teddy Bear Picnic SW
Teddy Bear Picnic SW
In Gants Hill the children have been practicing their yoga skills. Mani led the session using the space in the base room, this gave the children an awareness of personal space. There are many benefits to this activity, baby yoga helps the children develop through yoga poses, which can aid in their gross and fine motor skills. The activity created a balance between strength and flexibility in the children’s developing bodies, so they grow strong and maintain their flexibility. This was a great activity to initiate social interaction in a non-competitive environment for the children.
Yoga GH
Yoga GH
The children in Stingrays made green playdough. They enjoyed the making the playdoh from its beginning stage. The children added the ingredients and mixed it together until it formed the recognisable playdough. They commented, "That rubs pancake and chocolate" - Rafe
"Wow" - Anna
"Wow" - Wren
The use of playdough has so many benefits for learning. The main benefit is for the physical development of fine motor skills. Through manipulating the playdoh children are developing the same muscles they will later use to write.
Making Playdough SW
Making Playdough SW
In Gants Hill the children have been leaf printing. This creative activity has enabled the children to engage with a sensory form of making marks with a desired effect. The children were given the freedom to use the leaves as well as the traditional use of paint brushes. The children enjoyed using the leaves to print onto the paper and also to make marks by dragging the leaves across the paper. The children enjoyed this so much. The children were all encouraged to explore the colours used, listen to instructions and develop their fine motor skills.
Painting Leaves GH
Painting Leaves GH
The children in Sharks have also got into the spirit of ‘Children in need’ and have been making Pudsy bear faces. They have been using paper plates to paint and have decorated them with the famous Pudsy patch. These activities are great to develop creative skills through how the children use a range of different resources to create the desired effect.
The children commented,
"Painting yellow" - Xavi
"Teddy Bear" - Izzie
"I see Pudsey on TV" - Aaron
"Two fluffy ears" - Frederika
Pudsey Bear SW
Pudsey Bear 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.
Mr Wolf GH
The children in starfish have been using a clever experiment to observe what happens when colours mix. They used skittles in water to see what would happen when the colours run. This is a lovely activity which clearly display to children the mixing of colours and help them understand the primary and secondary colours.
Here are some comments made by the children
"We are going to add some water it is colourful water" - Isla CP
"Rainbow water I can see yellow and red" - Mae
"Its melting" - Laith
"Its making lots of colours" - Saanvi
"A pretty rainbow" - Daisy
Mixing colours SW
Mixing colours SW
Top 5 Children’s Quotes of the week:
“My baby sister is blue” – Luke
"I can count all the way to 20, well nearly" - Noah
“I’m four, I went to Paris” – Maya
"I went grandad Peter's and played with the chickens" - Jayce
“I am eating” - Cayden
Quote of the Week:
“Nothing lights up a child’s brain like play”
- Dr Stuart Brown (Founder of the National Institute for Play)
Thank you for taking a glimpse into our Fareacres Learning Community
Until next time...
