outdoors – Page 18 – Hecklegirth Nursery

Science in the Sun

As promised, we have had our first fire of the year with the afternoon children. It was a strange mix of an activity as we sat and ate ice lollies in the sun at the same time as enjoying the warmth of the fire.
However, this helped us to talk about hot and cold and we made our own little experiment as we predicted and tested what would happen if we put a piece of ice lolly on a bit of metal on the fire. We were quite surprised how long it took for the ice to melt and the children were also interested to hear the noise that it made as it melted. Good science brains boys and girls.
Click then click again to make the photos bigger.

Shimmering Shells

After hearing about the children decorating pebbles for our outdoor area, Leah’s Granny kindly gave us a box of shells to add to our display. As you can see, the children were enthusiastic to sponge various patterns on to their shells which they finished off with a dash of glitter. Thank you to Leah’s Granny for providing us with a fun activity which the children thoroughly enjoyed. Look out for our new shells in the garden any day soon.

First Fire

Last week some of the morning children enjoyed an outdoor fire for the first time. There were several very patient observers watching and waiting for the fire to take hold and, once it got going, they were not disappointed. It is amazing how calming and relaxing it can be simply watching the flames of a fire and the children certainly seemed to enjoy this experience to the extent that some were making an imaginary campfire the next day. Well done boys and girls for listening well and staying safe when we made our first fire. Hopefully we will have another one soon for the afternoon children.

Bug Hotel Pebbles

The pebbles that the children decorated so beautifully for our bug hotel area of the garden have now been put outdoors and we think that they look super. The children looked carefully at the area and decided for themselves where they thought the pebbles would look best. We think those bugs are very lucky to get such a beautifully decorated garden to play in. It would be lovely if you could take time to have a look at them with the children on your way home as they are rightly proud of their hard work.

Pebbles, Paint and Glitter

To make the area round the new bug hotel look more attractive, the children have been decorating pebbles to display in the soil. Everyone was enthusiastic to take part and the children used a wide range of colours and glitter to produce their own designs. Once the varnish has dried, we plan to put their beautiful pebbles out in the garden so you can ask the children to show you them on the way home from Nursery.

Bug Hotel

The afternoon children recently found some interesting visitors in a corner of the Nursery garden as a family of snails appeared on our mural. We had some discussions about where they live and how we could look after them which led to the children deciding to make a bug hotel for any passing minibeasts.
The children showed great teamwork and perseverance to help clear the area of weeds then they gathered together pieces of wood and found a basket in the garden to build their bug hotel which now looks very welcoming for all local bugs. This has become a great area of interest for the children who have been having regular checks to see if we have any visitors in their hotel. Well done boys and girls! You can see the difference in these photos that all your hard work has made.

Sunshine in the Nature Area

The children in the Sunshine Room love a visit to the school nature area and they had their first visit of the new year last week. It was exciting for them to rediscover and explore nature together. They even picked a ripe apple from the tree and enjoyed a taste of it when they went back to Nursery. It’s funny how an apple you’ve picked yourself from a tree always taste more delicious.

Outdoor Fun

Just like the morning children, those in the afternoon sessions have been experiencing a range of outdoor activities. Some investigated the sensory flower box that we planted last year and then decided to draw some of the plants, others tried out scooters or put the diggers into action in our mud area. We hope that everyone is enjoying seeing snapshots of the children happy and confident in the Nursery environment at the end of their first week.

Outdoor Play

As our first week has progressed, most of the children have taken the opportunity to explore the outdoor area so they are learning to change their shoes and put on outdoor suits when they are needed. Some are developing their confidence on the big climbing frame, others have practised their ball skills or made birthday cakes in the mud kitchen. The outdoor area is certainly a very popular place to play. Here are some of the morning children busy outdoors. We will post photos of the afternoon children soon.

Sunny Seats

Teamwork, creativity, imagination … there are so many exciting areas of learning that develop outdoors but sometimes on a sunny day it’s just good to have a rest and take it all in. These photos were taken on a lovely warm afternoon towards the end of term and show different ways the children took a little time out from their busy play to relax in the sun. Play is hard work and it’s good to have a seat and a rest at times.