Monday
There was much excitement this morning when the children first set eyes on our new climbing frame! It was VERY popular (as is to be expected) so we had to impose a limit on how many children used it at any one time. All the children were very mature and waited their turns patiently. When we finally managed to prise them away from the new play area, the children had a great time learning how to do hand stands in their gymnastics session. We were very impressed at how hard they tried when faced with learning such a tricky skill.
Tuesday
It was all aboard this morning - one of the children got out the train tracks, which resulted in many of the children collaborating to make an enormous track which snaked all over the nursery! Outside, the children used the hilltops and river stones to make an obstacle course; one of our practitioners added road signs, which the children decided to use as protest signs and had a protest march. Down with this sort of thing! Some of the children found a spider and observed its movements, which led to a discussion about spiders' diet and environment. Later, the Tidy Up Song resulted in the children trying out some line dancing (a great way for them to develop their coordination, as well as practise following instructions).
Wednesday
To support our healthy eating theme, today we organised a "cooking" drop box filled with real cooking equipment (a set of scales, a timer, bowls, whisks, spoons, etc.) and flour. The children explored the available resources, using their imaginations, taking turns as there weren't enough implements for everyone. Some made birthday cakes, talking about the ingredients and method; others made pancakes and decided to run a pancake shop. Elsewhere, the children were practising their fine motor skills by drawing with stencils or writing their numbers to 10.
Thursday
All the children were very busy today with our focus craft, which was making dream catchers out of paper plates and ribbons. These tested their fine motor skills, as they needed to thread the ribbons through the holes, as well as bringing out their creativity. The children also enjoyed an exercise class today - regular group physical activity is another focus this term, and our practitioners have recently attended training on how to engage children in more physically active play.
Friday
We were celebrating the birthdays of two of our lovely children today, so at snack time we had some delicious cakes and later we celebrated with more line dancing. The children also made birthday cards, drawing and decorating them with craft materials. What a lovely way to round off the week!