This week’s activities

Following on from last week’s football inspired play, the children have taken the spark from the countries engaged in the Euros to explore flags from around the world. They used a reference book to find a particular country’s flag and then took inspiration from this to draw their own. Lots of lovely literacy development in this activity. Being able to retrieve information from different sources, understanding that books are either ‘non-fiction’ and give us facts or ‘fiction’ and tell us stories. They are learning the names for different parts of the book, such as the cover, the spine, the contents page and, in this case, the index. We also help children to understand that books are precious and we must handle them with care.

In their mark-making they have been using the chunky chalks outside, drawing on the floor and the pirate ship. The pirate ship is used as a tally-list. If they want to have a turn on the bike or the scooter they add their name (or mark) to the list. They cross it off when they have had their turn and the next child does the same, adding and crossing off each name as they go.  The sand timer is used to ensure fairness in the length of the turn.  This teaches the children numerous things; how time passes and it can be measured, how mark-making has meaning and can be used for various things, how taking-turns and being fair means that everyone has an equal go at something that lots of people enjoy doing.

The chalks have also been used to create different shapes and patterns on the ‘blue area’. These have encouraged the children to move in different ways. It could be hopping, jumping or balancing one foot at a time along a zigzag line. All of these activities help children to get out of breath, to begin to be able to control and co-ordinate their balance and to help strengthen their core – essential for sitting and concentrating.

We have been lucky enough to be able to access the ‘big school’ field this week, allowing them the space and freedom to engage in running races and moving in different ways in a large open space. They learn that it is good to feel their heart pounding and their breathing working hard and how important exercise is for keeping them well and healthy – both in body and mind.

In their mathematical development, they have been exploring numerals and learning what number they represent. They have been counting items one at a time and matching numeral to quantity, as well as developing an understanding of addition and subtraction by adding items or taking them away and then re-counting them to see if the quantity has changed.

To develop their observation, concentration and memory skills, they have engaged in a memory game. Several items are displayed, then covered over. When they re-appear, something is missing but can the children remember which one? They were then asked to describe the missing item using lots of lovely language.

In their sensory play they have mixed the powder paints with water and then added soap. Great for exploring what happens when different substances with different properties are mixed together. Lots of fun and probably something they wouldn’t get to experience at home – it is rather messy!

They have shown an onging interest in the natural world and in particular finding out where animals live, whether it be the savannahs of Africa, the deep oceans or the frozen artic.  Technology has been used to search for information, helping children understand that technology can be used for many purposes, not just playing games.

Whilst the animals they looked at were mainly from lands far away, closer to home, we continue to be lucky to have frogs in Wren Garden. The children found one which had strayed quite a way from the river, so they carefully helped transport it back home; learning about the importance of our natural world and how it is our responsibility to take care and nurture it.

Hopefully you will have noticed our allotment garden and how lush it is beginning to look, with a variety of herbs, vegetables and fruit. Some children have helped find the ripe strawberries and harvested them ready for tasting. Learning where some of your food comes from helps children understand the importance of looking after the world. The plants have been visited by bees and they learn not to be frightened of them but to respect them and appreciate the importance that they have in our eco systems.

Continuing their exploration of technology, they have access to the CD player on a daily basis. They choose the CD and learn how to make the CD player work, adjusting the volume as necessary. By having a variety of musical styles available, the children are exposed to different genres, from classical, to pop, to traditional Chinese. Music moves them in different ways, sometimes they want to dance, sometimes to sing or sometimes just to lay back and chill out.

We hope some of you took advantage of the Amazon Prime days this week. We certainly did and the children have benefited in unexpected ways. They always love a cardboard box and we happen to have had some large ones delivered this week. These have generated great opportunities to turn them into other things. One particularly large box has become a house and they are working on making cardboard people to live in it – so far, the family is made up of a superhero and a robot!

As always, this is just a snapshot of some of the things the children have been doing at the Pre-school.

Thank you.

The Pre-school Team