Robin Bubble
The children have explored and created lots of items from our self-selection art area. They had recently learnt that a triangle has 3 sides and that if you put 3 sticks together, or draw 3 lines together, you make a triangle. One child used this new found knowledge to glue three lolly sticks together to create a triangle, he then added pompom baubles and tissue paper leaves and lights to create his very own Christmas tree. The shape was taught by the adult, but the creativity was all his own. Having self-selection art resources, without pre-determined ideas of what you should make, allows children to let their imaginations take them wherever they want and create whatever they choose. Arts and crafts also happen outside, where the natural world gives inspiration.
Whilst outside the children have used the large wooden blocks to build fire engines to support their role play. They also constructed sturdy walls, learning how to use bricks in different ways to make a stronger structure.
They used the long wooden plank and the tyres to create balancing beams. This helps with their physical co-ordination but also helps them with naming 3D shapes, learning about symmetry, as well as how weight distribution impacts on objects.
Developing on their mathematical understanding, they have been measuring themselves to see who is the tallest, measured their feet and looked at their shoes to see what number shoe size it relates to, and compared their feet to others, including the adults.They have also talked about the different parts that make up a shoe, such as the ‘tongue’.
Lego has been very popular and they have worked independently to see who could build the tallest tower, but also co-operatively to help each other keep the tower standing.
Finally, they have played lots of circle games in small and whole groups, both inside and out, including ‘In and Out the Dusty Bluebells’ and ‘What’s the time Mr Wolf?’
Wren Bubble
As we haven’t had the heavy rain this week, the ground in Wren Garden has been dry enough for the children to access this garden instead of part of Robin Garden. This has given them the freedom to really embrace the fresh air, engage in large physical activities and notice the changes happening in nature at this time of year.
They have been looking for bugs – seeing if any have taken up residence in our five star ‘bug hotel’, talked about where they live, what might happen to them in the winter and what they eat.
This linked into being kind to nature, taking care of our natural environment and progressed to being kind and caring to each other and considering other’s feelings – a very big developmental step for young children.
They have continued to spend a long time playing with the Lego. As Lego is an open-ended resource, the children create all sorts of things, from rocket ships, to houses, to cars, to dinosaurs.
Whilst we cannot decorate our setting in our usual Christmas fashion – Christmas trees and decorations are just too tempting for little ones not to want to touch and we sadly can’t keep them clean – we are still spreading some Christmas cheer by talking about the festive season, as well as creating some of our own decorations to decorate the walls. The adults created a large paper Christmas tree, then the children ‘decorated’ it with ideas from their imagination.
The children are always busy creating and making fantastic things with the use of paper, pens, glue, scissors, wool, card, cellotape, paint, chalk, whatever they choose – the important thing is the process, not the product.