Forest School Activity

Ice Shapes

Mrs Allen has enjoyed hiding objects in ice this week and you have enjoyed working out how to get them out!  You also enjoyed rubbing chalks together into an ice tray, waiting for them to freeze and then using for mark making around the Forest School.  The change in weather also made Forest School fun as you enjoyed trying to dig the ice sand!

Write Dance

(Gross Motor)

We can do anything

A revisited song with a twist.  Now we have our Write Dance songs practised, we move on to dancing them on the tables.  Not with your feet mind, with your hands!  Write Dance is all about making “movement drawings to music”.  The children stand behind a chair, listen to each part of the song and make the matching marks.  We began this week with soap and water on the tables as the children created handprints, vertical lines, horizontal lines and squiggles to match each action in the song.  It does get messy, be prepared!

Computing

Battery Toys

The children have loved bringing in their battery toys, explaining how they work and then having time to share with friends.  As we are a non-technology nursery, this is a great way to cover part of our computing curriculum about how toys work.  We talked about the role of the battery, switches/buttons and decided whether the toy moves, lights up or makes a noise! In Lily’s case, all three, every single day!

Maths

Snowmen Arrangements and Counting Sounds

This week, we have enjoyed revisiting a game of sorting our snowmen bodies showing different arrangements.  Once we were all settled, we played a game as a whole class and then with our friends by closing our eyes and counting the beads dropping in to the bucket.  We soon discovered it was easier to place the number on our fingers every time we heard it to be more accurate.  Hearing and counting sounds will help us with our syllable clapping.

Communication and Language

The Storm Whale in Winter, Benji Davies

As we move into our Winter topic, Mrs Allen has enjoyed sharing her winter photos of all things cold with you!  You enjoyed making a boat from wooden blocks to match the one in the story and listening and talking about the story of Noi and a storm whale.  Please do have a hunt this weekend in your book selection and bring in any winter stories you have.  Look for signs on the front cover – snow, ice and naked trees!

Dough Disco

(Fine Motor)

Spinning Around, Kylie Minogue

Thank you Jess for choosing a song from an artist from a new country for us to talk about – Australia.  We have enjoyed chatting about Kylie and laughing at the photo of her with a funny hat on.  Can you remember why it is so funny?  We have been spinning the dough in circles and pinching it (mostly to warm up those fingers after an afternoon in the cold)

A message for parents – many thanks for sending the children in this week prepared for our first cold snap this Winter.  The temperature is set to drop even further next week and yes, we do still go out for a “play and explore” twice a day.  Please ensure they are doubled up on layers, warm coats, hats and gloves.  Please please send in with mittens if they cannot put their own gloves on.

Mrs Mander, Mrs Allen and Mrs Franklin X