Spring Term Week 5

We have had a change in focus this week with our planning and we have re organised ourselves a bit to offer lots of great activities around pre-school with a focus on learning really good play skills in our continuous provision areas. This is a vital approach that we use in Early Years to support children to build skills and to explore and to support the development of independent learning which is child led. We have set out thoughtful areas and designed the activities and environment to support fostering independence and this allows children in the future to engage with familiar materials, learning opportunities and activities at their own pace.

The sun room has had playdough, painting and pens and paper – all with adults supporting, encouraging and teaching. Outside we have had small world play and sand play and we have also had puzzles and understanding the world boxes as additional activities. The staff have not written any observations this week to ensure that they are all full present and in the moment with the children, listening, modelling language, wondering together how to make something or to be able to follow a new idea. The interactions have been very good, the atmosphere has been calm and the children have been engaged so we are going to continue this next week as well with more painting ideas, a collage table and very basic role play, with water outside and construction too.

We are also really looking forward to welcoming grandparents in on Tuesday morning!

Our circles last week had a really active theme to support gross motor skills with some very imaginative ideas from our brilliant group leaders! Ball balancing games, skiing and curling, moving around a spider’s web, parachute games, maypole dancing, yoga moves, musical statues, stilts and hula hoop ball games, Sticky Kids CD moves, over and under hula hoops, animal movements and ribbon dancing! We are now ready to have a go at fine motor skills to see where we still need some practice or strength building work!

Next week is the last week before half term where normal sessions are closed – we are open for Holiday Club on Tuesday and Wednesday so please call the office to book in if you would like to! We take siblings as well as long as they are under 8 years old.