In the nursery, our approach to development and learning is a mixture of focused activities and child-centred, play-based learning.
The value of quality play in early child development is well documented, and we provide children with rich and meaningful play experiences through a responsive and flexible learning environment, supported by caring and skilful interactions from nursery practitioners.
Children are encouraged to develop and learn through play, exploration, active involvement, risk-taking, problem-solving, and creative thinking. They are encouraged to be independent by accessing resources freely, making choices, and taking responsibility for their own learning within a supportive environment.
The value of this approach is evidenced in the overall progress children make from their initial starting points in the seven areas of learning within The Early Years Foundation Stage Framework.
Term 1 - Exploring Autumn
What a fantastic start to our nursery year! We have been exploring everything autumn using a range of activities to extend the children’s knowledge and learning.
This project teaches children about the natural changes that happen during the season of autumn, including how the weather changes, why trees lose their leaves and how wild animals prepare for winter.
We are able to develop the children’s knowledge by providing a range of activities that support the seven areas of learning within the birth to five matters frame work.
Autumn focused Stories– The Enormous Turnip, Walters wonderful Web, Stickman, The Little Acorn.
Term 2 - Once upon a Time
Over term 2 the children had the opportunity to explore the wonderful world of fairy tale stories, songs and rhymes. We used a range of resources to extend the children knowledge and learning. They were able to use their imaginations to create their own stories and recreate the fairy tales we were learning through their play. We had a focus on story structures, learning that a story has a beginning, a middle and an end!
Fairy tale focused stories – The Three Little Pigs, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, The Way I feel.
The Nursery Team wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New year!
Term 1 and 2 photos
Starry Night
We have been exploring what happens during the night whilst we are asleep!
This project explores the differences in the world at night compared to during the day. It teaches children about the importance of a good night’s sleep, and helps them to discover what is happening in the world while they are sleeping, including finding out about nocturnal animals.
Owl Playdough: The children used the dough to create their own owls. They used a range of materials to make eyes, feathers, beaks and wings. We were then able to recreate our Owl Babies story with Sarah, Percy and Bill.
Tuff Trays: The children explored a range of sensory tuff trays. They explored winter, space and stars. Developing their fine motor skills, maths, turn taking and understanding the world.
Owl Drawings: The children created some fab drawings of owls, developing their pencil control.
Astronauts and Space Rockets: We read the book How to catch a star by Oliver Jeffers, the children then explored through a range of activities about space, astronauts, the moon, stars and rockets. We even had a dark den to pretend we were in space.
By the end of term 3 the children had learnt that nocturnal animals such as bats, owls, foxes and badgers are awake at night, that some people work at night (emergency services, airport, restaurants, cleaners), that it gets dark on planet earth at night because our part of the earth faces away from the sun, that the moon and stars come out at night. They also talked about bedtime routines and why it is important to get a good night’s sleep.
Dangerous Dinosaurs
We have been exploring the world of Dinosaurs and how they lived in the past millions of years ago.
This exciting project teaches children about the different animals that roamed Earth millions of years ago and how they are related to animals that live on Earth today.
Pancake Day: The children had the best time creating faces on their pancakes using a range of fruit. “they were yummy!” “the blueberries and bananas make us so healthy” “I love these”.
Dinosaur Tuff Trays: The children had fun exploring a wide range of tuff tray play. They were able to create their own narrative with the small world dinosaurs, making volcanoes whilst extending their vocabulary and developing a range of skills.
Dinosaur Drawings: The children had ago at observational drawings, looking at the different shape, size and features of the dinosaurs.
Cave Drawings: We read the story Cave Baby by ** ** Julia Donaldson. The children then explored cave drawings and had ago at making their own using the charcoal.
Dinosaurs Love Underpants: The children designed their ** ** own underpants after we read the story Dinosaurs Love Underpants by Claire Freedman and Ben Cort.
The children were really enthusiastic whilst learning about the dinosaurs. By the end of term 4 they remembered that the word dinosaur means terrible lizard, that carnivores eat meat and herbivores eat plants, that dinosaurs lived in the past millions of years ago and that the scientists who find dinosaur fossils are called palaeontologists.
Sunshine and Sunflowers
This seasonal project provides opportunities for outdoor learning and teaches children how to care for the plants and animals in their local environment and how to stay safe in the sun.
The Hungry Caterpillar Story Table and Snack: We made a hungry caterpillar story table, the children were able to explore and retell the story independently using the book and props. We also made a hungry caterpillar themed snack, which the children ate all up….. but they were still hungry!
“ate five oranges” “yep! It’s a cake and watermelon…. Yep, yep!” “butterfly, butterfly, I’ve got the cocoon, butterfly comes out, flutter, flutter, flutter.”
Natural art: The children went exploring during one of their forest school sessions to find some natural resources to create pieces of art work. They also had scavenger sheets to tick off items on their lists.
“I like looking at the list” “I like outside” “We found worms.”
Shark in the Park: After reading shark in the Park by nick Sharrett. ** ** The children made telescopes to go exploring around the environment to see what they could find.
Mud Kitchen: Over the Easter break we had a new mud kitchen area installed. The children worked together to make their mudtastic creation.
Discovery Tables and Bug Trays: The children have had a range of discovery activities over the term. They explored bugs, poems, bee’s, also the king’s coronation where we had a picnic all together to celebrate.
“the king will get his crown” “it’s the coronation”.
The Hungry Caterpillar Art Attack: The children worked together to create a huge art attack that represented the story of the hungry caterpillar for the playroom.
Planting and Cia Seed slime: The children planted flower seeds at the beginning of the term, then they were able to water them and keep track on how they were growing each week. They also made slime using chia seeds mixed in water. This was brilliant slimy fun!
“its colourful” “I can draw in it” “it’s soft and amazing”.
By the end of term 5 the children had learnt that a plant is a living thing. That plants need air, warmth, water, sunlight and nutrients from the soil to grow. That an animal is a living thing. That plants have roots, a stem, leaves, flowers and petals and that on a hot day it is important to wear sun cream, sun hats, sun glasses and drink plenty of water.
