Spring is in the air: Planting Sunflowers!
We are so excited to announce that next week, the children will be starting their very own sunflower project! To help our little gardeners get started, could we please ask you to bring in a clean, empty pot for your child next week? We will be filling these with soil and planting our sunflower seeds together. It is a fantastic way for the children to learn about nature, patience, and how plants grow. We can’t wait to see whose sunflower grows the tallest!
Ready for Sunny Days!
With the warmer weather finally arriving, we want to make sure everyone is ready for outdoor play! To keep our little ones safe and happy in the sun, could we please ask for your help with a couple of things:
Suncream: Please ensure you have applied a layer of suncream to your child before they arrive at nursery.
Labelled Hats: Please send your child in with a sun hat, and do make sure it is clearly labelled with their name so we can make sure it stays with the right person!
Thank you for helping us keep our outdoor adventures safe and sun-protected!
A Little Help with Our "Water Play" Wardrobe!
As the warmer weather arrives, our outdoor water and sensory play are in full swing! We believe that getting hands-on, and a bit messy, is vital for your child’s learning, sensory development, and confidence. Please expect some grass stains or wet clothes as evidence of their fun-filled days!
To keep everyone comfortable and help us manage frequent outfit changes, could you please:
Check the Peg: Ensure a full, named spare set of clothes (including underwear and socks) is on their peg at all times.
Label Everything: Please clearly label all clothing, hats, and coats. This helps us ensure your child’s belongings always find their way back home.
Thank you for your support in helping us provide these rich, tactile learning experiences.
Exploring Symmetry in Art!
This week in our art sessions, the children have been busy exploring the concept of symmetry through printing.
They started by painting colourful designs on one side of their paper, then carefully folded it over to create a perfect mirror image of their butterfly. It was wonderful to see them experimenting with patterns and colours, all while learning about how things can balance on either side of a middle point. Their finished butterflies look absolutely beautiful!
This week, our "Little Explorers" have been busy creating a variety of mini-beasts using playdough. Before getting started, we took a closer look at some real-life photos to observe the fine details, comparing the different body shapes and counting the legs of our insect friends.
It was fantastic to see the children applying what they observed to their creations. This activity is a brilliant way to build fine motor skills while introducing early scientific concepts like observation, classification, and anatomy. We are so proud of the detail they put into their doughy creations!
Making the Most of the Sunshine!
We have been absolutely loving the recent sunshine, and our outdoor space has become a hive of activity! It has been wonderful to see the children fully engaged in their environment, learning through play.
From building intricate structures and creating beautiful patterns, to drawing and tending to our plants, there has been no shortage of discovery. We’ve also seen some fantastic collaborative play, with the children using our various vehicles to transport resources around the garden. It is a brilliant way to develop their physical coordination, problem-solving, and teamwork skills!
The Stages of Learning to Cut
Children typically progress through these stages. Understanding this helps parents know where their child is in their development:
Snipping: The child learns to open and close the scissors to make single snips on paper.
Fringing: The child makes multiple snips along the edge of a paper (creating a "fringe").
Cutting across a straight line: Moving from one side of the paper to the other.
Cutting simple shapes: Moving to curved lines, then corners (squares/triangles), and eventually complex shapes.
Fine Motor Fun: Threading Fruits
This week, we have been working on our fine motor skills by threading wooden fruits. This activity might look simple, but it is actually a fantastic workout for the children's hands!
As they concentrate on guiding the lace through the small holes, they are developing:
Hand-eye coordination: Focusing on the target and moving their hands to meet it.
Pincer grip: Using those tiny muscles between the thumb and forefinger, which is essential for later writing skills.
Concentration & Patience: Learning to slow down and focus on a task until it's complete.
It was wonderful to see the children so engaged, the pride on their faces when they completed a full "fruit kebab" was a joy to witness!
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