Circle Time
At Fareacres circle time is embedded in the daily routine for all rooms. Circle time is not merely a time when the children sit in a circle, it is a time when as a collective, the children gather with an adult or various adults and participate in a variety of activities. These activities have learning intentions that are far reaching and cover the entire Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum (EYFS). Some of the activities include:
- Story time (with supporting props such as puppets or masks)
- Show and tell
- What’s in the box?
- Song time (with music, instruments or the song bag)
- Look, listen, do
- Daily calendar time
Circle times are differentiated between the rooms as the children’s ages and needs vary. The outcomes and expectations for circle time increase as the children get older. Circle time is very beneficial in preparing children for the day ahead and also for key events, such as the transition into school. Practitioners understand it is important that the expectations for circle time are realistic and make sure the experience is as stimulating and valuable as possible. It is important to ensure all the children are supported and know what is expected of them from the beginning of circle time, and they are never expected to sit for long periods of time, which is unrealistic for their age and stage.
At Fareacres children are given opportunities to share their thoughts and ideas in a safe, encouraging environment. Through this the children learn that they are valued, capable, and important members of the group. Children experience and develop important social skills, as they learn how to take turns, respect the rights of others, and understand the need for rules.
Learning opportunities that occur during circle times are plentiful. One of the important things that circle times can develop is a love of literature. Stories are not just read, they are shared, and they are brought to life with the props and resources at hand. This will encourage the children to have a desire to want to look through books, and eventually to read. From circle times, children are encouraged to take these experiences further and participate in other linked activities such as games or mark making based on stories shared. An example of this is in the Sharks’ Room, South Woodford, ‘Book of the Week’ is the ‘The Hungry Caterpillar’. The children have thoroughly enjoyed this, which has led to ‘The Hungry Caterpillar’ Board Game being played. In this game children go on a journey of learning and transformation. They see their caterpillar develop from an egg to a butterfly. Children experience colour recognition, counting, developing fine motor skills and turn taking. This game is in the process of being turned into a Home Learning Sack.
Hungry Caterpillar Game
Circle Time GH
Circle Time GH
Circle Time GH
Circle Time GH
Circle Time GH
Circle Time GH
Circle Time GH
Circle Time SW
Circle Time SW
Circle Time SW
Circle Time SW
Circle Time SW
Weekly Experiences
In both Fareacres the children have been on outings to the local library. This gave the children an opportunity to look at the different variety of books that the library offer. The children are also introduced to the use of technology by scanning the books out or returning previously borrowed books. Outings are encouraged within the EYFS to extend the children’s learning opportunities in the local community.
Library Visit GH
Library Visit GH
Library Visit GH
Library Visit GH
Library Visit GH
Library Visit GH
Library Visit SW
Library Visit SW
In both Fareacres, children have been participating in cooking activities. 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, to name just a few. Children in Rainbow Fish, South Woodford, have made gingerbread playdough this week, this activity was planned to help a child to develop their turn taking skills. The children have used resources which will in turn help their fine motor skills i.e. a variety of rollers, cutters etc. Rainbow Fish have also made Vegan Chocolate Cookies. This activity was planned to help with a child’s next step of listening to and carrying out basic instructions.
Cooking Activity SW
If you would like to try out this recipe at home, please follow the link below:
At Gants Hill, children made Mini beast biscuits. This is an activity that ties in with the ‘The great outdoors’ theme. The children were able to explore the different textures and colours and develop their own creativity to create their own bug. Mathematics was used in the preparation of the ingredients and the subsequent mixing and cooking. The children enjoyed this activity and were excited to show their parents the finished results.
Ingredients
- 250g softened butter
- 140g caster sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 300g plain flour
Method
- Mix 250g softened butter and 140g caster sugar in a large bowl with a wooden spoon, then add 1 egg yolk and 2 tsp vanilla extract and briefly beat to combine. Sift over 300g plain flour and stir until the mixture is well combined – you might need to get your hands in at the end to give everything a really good mix and press the dough together.
Cooking Activity GH
Cooking Activity GH
Cooking Activity GH
Cooking Activity GH
Cooking Activity GH
At Fareacres we are big believers in finding a learning experience at every given opportunity. After having a recent delivery of nursery resources, the children had lots of fun exploring the boxes. They negotiated taking turns sitting in them, they communicated what the boxes were representing and they used their gross motor skills climbing in and out of them. A great time was had by all!
Fun with boxes
Fun with boxes
Fun with boxes
Fun with boxes
Stingrays in South Woodford were learning some basic self-help skills. The children practiced putting on and taking off their coats. This will help to boost the children’s self-esteem and confidence and also assist them in their physical development. The children also prepared their decorations for Chinese New Year by making lanterns with adult help enhancing their listening, speaking and sticking skills. The children have been exploring the book ‘See how I feel. This Book takes children on a journey to explore emotions. The children were encouraged to look into the mirror inside the book and show ‘sad’ and ‘happy’ faces
“silly face” – Clara
“happy” – Sam
In Gants Hill, Crawling Cats have been painting using Duplo bricks. The children were given the freedom to use the bricks as well as the traditional use of paint brushes. The children enjoyed using the bricks to print onto the paper and also to make marks by dragging the bricks across the paper. The children enjoyed this so much; they even began to paint their hands and hair. The children were all encouraged to explore the colours used, listen to instructions and develop their fine motor skills.
Painting Activity GH
Painting Activity GH
Activity of the week
Activity of the week was won by Kelly Preston (SW) Kelly has planned a great competitive activity that is appropriate for the pre-school age called ‘Zipper Relay’. Adding the element of competition can encourage the children to not only participate, but to also actively try to complete the skill required in a fun way. The fastening of zippers is an important aspect of independent care that will be required of them when entering school.
Zipper Relay SW
Top 5 Children’s Quotes of the week
“I went on a huge aeroplane to see my family” – Reva
“I am happy Sarah” – Davin
“I can ice skate now” – Kassie
“I am very full” – Vanishka
“Pasta is not cold – ice-cream is cold” – Sriya
Quote of the Week:
‘The wider the range of possibilities we offer children, the more intense will be their motivations and the richer their experiences.’
– Loris Malaguzzi (Itailian Educator – founder of Reggio Emilia educational philosophy)
Please remember to look in your cupboards to see if you have any items to donate for our food bank.
Thank you for taking a glimpse into our Fareacres Learning Community
Until next time...
