Another busy week in Nursery.  Our key text this week has been “The Little Red Hen” we have used this story to take about being kind and helpful to others.  We have talked about what we could do to help others and how different situations make us feel.  We have also read the book “Dogs Don’t do ballet” as part of the Personal Development Programme.  The children were able to use this to talk about what they enjoy, can do, would like to learn as well as about how the dog might be feeling and what the girl could do to help him.

We have been lucky enough to enjoy a PE session with Elliott on the school field this week in addition to our usual PE session.  We have had lots of fun practising for Sports Day! Of course, running races and football games are also very popular too.

Our school ready children, who are coming to Verwood First, have had their first taster session in Oak base.  We have loved hearing all about the exciting things that they have done in big school, and continue to include starting school in many of our daily conversations.

We have been looking at how people feel and how we might be able to help them, by looking at pictures of children in different scenarios and asking why they might feel sad, and what could we do to help.  The children have had some great answers, including “Get them a plaster”, “Call and ambulance” and “Share the ball”. 

We have made bread just like the Hen in the story, and sandwiches to enjoy. Playdough has also allowed the children to practice their bread making skills and we have had some fantastic re-enactments of the story at the playdough table. This has allowed us to develop increasing control in holding, using and manipulating tools.

We have continued to make the most of the warm weather by using the outside areas for all aspects of learning as much as possible.  Activities have included mark making with resources such as chalk, paint and pens.  We have observed how the crayons melted and were not a good idea. 

Use of the whiteboard continues to develop name and number recognition and writing skills.  We have enjoyed “Rhyming Bingo.”  This has been played in small groups with an adult and the game adapted to the stages of the children within the groups.  We have had a try at thinking of things which rhyme with our own first names – which can be a bit tricky sometimes!

During our maths focus time we have focused upon being more precise about the order of numbers to 5, for example by counting how many friends are in the line, or how many cups of water are on the tray.  Our snack café provides an excellent opportunity for the children to practice these skills in an everyday situation, and we always have many willing helpers.  

We continue to enjoy Happy Land, train set and other small world resources.  These provide fantastic opportunities to act out a range of scenarios and stories.

We continue to practice for next week’s Sports Day and the upcoming Graduation event.