We emptied our ECC Post Box today and found lots of lovely letters, cards and drawings from some of the children addressed to friends and staff at the centre. Thank you so much for dropping them in to us, we thoroughly enjoyed reading them 🙂

If you haven’t managed yet but would still like to, then don’t worry, our post box will be out all next week for any more mail 🙂

Obstacle courses are a favourite activity in our house.

Who doesn’t love the floor is lava game?

Or an obstacle course?

This can be done in or outdoors.

Continue reading “Thursday 4th February”

Please may we ask all parent/carers to take a few moments to complete our short questionnaire. This helps us, as a provision, to get things right. It gives you a voice and helps us to improve our practice. It shouldn’t take any longer than around 5 minutes but, as always, if you would like to address any other issues that you feel are not on this form please feel free to email your child’s keyworker or alana.speirs@eastayrshire.org.uk

Thank you in advance for your time.

Click to complete

As this is Children’s mental health week I have attached some activities for you all to have a look at whilst at home.  Emotional wellbeing is so important in early years as it allows children to learn new skills and develop socially therefore building their self-esteem and  their confidence.   Practicing good strategies in mental health, learning how to talk, listen and manage our emotions builds resilience in how we cope with stressful situations.

I have a few activity ideas for you, let’s see if you could choose at least 3 things to challenge yourselves with over the course of the week.

 

Are you home schooling this week? Help your child to explore the different ways they can express themselves by taking part in #ChildrensMentalHealthWeek.

You can take a look at the free activity ideas for parents and carers by clicking on the link:

https://www.childrensmentalhealthweek.org.uk/

Hi everyone I hope you are all enjoying the fun posts that we have been putting up for you.

Today we are going to focus on identifying and understanding the initial sounds of words.

Below are a few fun ideas to try.

The first challenge is to go on a scavenger hunt to find a variety of different objects and items.

Next, encourage your child to name the object and attempt to identify the initial sound e.g a doll starts with a “d”. To challenge your child you can ask them to think of another word starting with the sound and draw a picture starting with the same sound e.g draw a dog.

 

How many things can you find around your house starting with the first sound of your name?

Here is what I managed to find …….

Jj for Julie –           jug          jam          jar         jellyfish

Can you send me a photo of what you found using the first letter of your name?

 

Here is a fun video to get you moving & singing.

Curricular Areas

Literacy – explore and play with the patterns and sounds of words, discovering how they work together, listening, speech sounds, pencil control and letter formation when drawing. 

Health & Wellbeing – moving your body physically during video while learning about letters.

Any pictures you have could you please send them to my email address stated below thanks.

julie.nohar@eastayrshire.gov.uk

 

Good morning boys and girls, I told you on my daily task post that I had a surprise for you and here it is😊. As your Literacy Champion here at Catrine ECC I am going to be delivering a block of online learning regarding my new initiative which is Concept Cat. I am sure you will all love it as much as me and enjoy taking part!

 

What is Concept Cat?

Concept Cat is a very clever cat that helps children to learn lots of new concepts. This helps to develop and build children’s vocabulary and also giving them an understanding of the words. I will be posting weekly Concept Cat videos with a new concept each week. Now… for the fun part, below is our first week of Concept Cat which also includes your challenges👏!!

I hope you have enjoyed Concept Cat’s word of the week and that you have learned something new. Remember to send in your pictures, videos and work that you have completed based upon the challenges to leoni.gilmour@eastayrshire.org.uk

 

Curricular Areas Covered:

Literacy- listening to a story, recalling story through own experiences, clapping out words, identifying and recognising syllables, learning new words by listening for useful information, uses new vocabulary within various situations and joins in with rhymes (missing word)

Numeracy- counting out, making a tally sheet, groups objects by criteria, use of mathematical language, collects and organises objects for a specific purpose

Expressive Arts-takes on a role within a real situation to re-enact a story and participating within rhymes.

 

Good morning everyone, I hope you are all doing well😊 Today my post is a little bit different to usual as I have a surprise for you all later! Below I have attached both the PDF file with the super fun activity and the benefits it has on us. I have also attached a picture in case there are any problems accessing the file.

MC Bowling

 

I hope you all have so much fun doing this activity, remember to send me in photos and/or videos of you and your family participating in it🤞❤:

ealeoni.gilmour@eastayrshire.org.uk

Who ordered pizza?? 🍕

Here is a fun numeracy activity you can create together. This activity is good for counting, number recognition, early foundations for fractions  & subitising (this simply means to recognise a small amount of items without needing to count them)

All you need is cardboard to make the two circle & pens.
You can draw on the circles or use stickers if you have them, I also used bingo dabbers to create dots.

In the examples below we used numbers 1-8, depending on your child’s individual learning stage you can make this activity more challenging by talking about odd and even numbers, go up in 10’s (10,20,30…..), numbers 10 & up and begin to talk about simple fractions,  half & whole, use the pizza slices to create calculations e.g. 2 + 3 = 5

You can include this activity within role play, pretend you are in a cafe, provide your child with paper & pens for taking your order (mark making), you may also want to use money to pay for your order & talk about the different coins.

Can I have a pizza slice with 5 dots?? How much is it for number 3 & 8??

Curricular Areas 

MNU – Exploring numbers, understanding that they represent quantities and can use them to order. Developing an awareness of how money is used. I can match and sort objects/numbers.

LIT – Developing an awareness of when to talk and when to listen, taking turns within play & conversations.
Writing to record experiences during play.

DIY playdough packs have been made up for our children while they are learning from home. They will be placed in our foyer area beside our ECC Post Box from Monday to Friday this week. Collections can be made between 10am and 2pm. Please ensure only one family is in the foyer area at any one time. 

And as always – send us in your pictures and videos 🙂 

Have fun – love, Team Catrine ECC

Well, its Friday again !!! And again we are chuffed to bits with everyone’s efforts.

Scroll down to see how busy the children of CATRINE ECC have been this week.

 

So this little Super Star is Emily’s little sister. Libby should have been starting with us on Monday, after just turning a big 3 this month – so a massive well done for learning all of that Scottish poem Libby. We hope to see you soon 🙂

Great observation skills Logan – a lovely wee video.

Counting out 0 – 15  – what a clever wee cookie 🙂

What a busy week we have had. We are all super proud of everyone. 

Keep your pictures and videos coming in and don’t forget to pop us some cards and letters into our post box next week. 

It’s now been a whole 42 days since we saw the majority of our children – and STILL not even met some of our wee newbies 🙁

The staff and children within the centre would love to hear from you all.

So, while some of us have been in the centre we have made a special Catrine ECC Post Box.

Your task for today is to help us to fill it.

We would love nothing more than for the children to :-

• make handmade cards

• write letters (scribe your child’s words for them or encourage them to copy some words if they are beginning to show an interest in letters)

• tell us their news (as above)

• draw us a picture of what they have been doing or who they are missing from the ECC

• post us a photograph, or

• anything else you can think of that will fit in our post box that can be shared with children and staff

….and to deliver them to the ECC. Our post box will be sitting outside our main entrance on dry days, and in our foyer area on wet days.

By giving your child a purpose to write can give them motivation and a better understanding of both our written and spoken language with it being put into context for them.

Encourage them as often as you can to make marks on paper, in sand, with shaving foam (recognisable or not – this does not matter).

Below you can see that each stage of mark making is as important as the next and part of a super special process each child will go through.

You can talk to your child while they mark make about a range of different things – long/short words, the initial letter in familiar names like the A in Alana and the M in Mum etc.

Whilst drawing encourage your child to add detail, eyes, hair, windows on houses etc. All of these little conversations stimulate so much learning and development – and remember, if it doesn’t quite look like a goat to you, it certainly does to them 🙂 so praise their fabulous drawing of a goat and give them a big hug for working so hard 🙂

We cannot wait to start receiving your post – and when we do, look out for some videos of us opening them up to read aloud to everyone 🙂

And just to give you all that Friday feeling, here is a great wee tune you can dance along to.

Can you copy the dancers cool moves?

More importantly ……. can your mum or dad?

Uploaded dance videos will be much appreciated for our GLOW posts while we wait for the surprises of your post to arrive 🙂

alana.speirs@eastayrshire.org.uk

Some curricular areas covered

Literacy – early writing skills, drawing, fine motor development, ability to discuss past experiences and share news with peers, quality conversations and interaction with adults

Expressive Arts – design and creativity making cards, expressing selves through drawings/art/craft, moving rhythmically through music and dance

Health & Wellbeing – understanding of job roles (the postman), fresh air and a relaxing walk to the post box, express their feelings appropriately about who or what they may be missing throughout lockdown.

 

 

Following Rena’s post from yesterday about bedtime routines, I am going to talk about what happens before going to bed.

Before bedtime your mum or dad will give you a time and this is when you start to get ready for bed.

Once it gets to this time you will be asked to brush your teeth and put on your pyjamas.

When in bed your mum or dad might read you a nice relaxing story.

As a nice wee treat tonight I have recorded my own wee story for you all to enjoy – so at bedtime, sit back, relax and have a wee cuddle while you listen to one of my favourite stories.

 

In the morning as a wee extension, can you draw me a picture of your favourite animal from the story along with some twinkling stars and count how many stars you have in your picture.

Please send in any pictures to my email address : julie.nohar@eastayrshire.org.uk

 

Sweet dreams everyone 🙂

 

Curriculum areas covered:

Communication/Literacy: listening and asking questions, pencil control and mark making.

Numeracy: discussing the time on the clock, getting the child to recognise the number.

Health and Wellbeing: hygiene brushing teeth before bed.

So last week Achieving Apple set us the challenge of filling a reading diary with all of our favourite stories we have been reading at home with our grown ups.  I am so proud of you all because I have received some wonderful photographs of your diaries and of you reading your favourite story books.  I hope you can keep up all your hard work, I really do miss our daily story times here at the ECC.  Remember if you are out your daily walk you are welcome to pop into the foyer to choose a book to take home.

Logan and his brother Harris have been super busy in their house, great counting Logan ♥

Thank you everyone and take care ♥

Good morning boys and girls, hope you are all healthy, happy and well.

Today we are going to talk about our daily routine and what we do.

Today I got up at 6.45am.  I went for a  shower and then had a cup of coffee.

What do you do first, next and last in your morning routine?

What time do you get up at?

How do you know it’s morning?

What’s the difference between morning and night?

What is your routine for the day, because it might be different to your mum’s, dad’s or other family members?

Is your morning routine the same as your night routine?

What do you do first, next and last in your night time routine?

Can you draw daytime and night time pictures, including some of your day’s routine?

Some curricular areas covered

Communication/Language – discussing your day, listen to and respond to one task at a time, opportunities to talk and listen, drawing, pencil control, expanding on vocabulary.

Numeracy – exploring routine and time sequence, anticipates time based activities, eg snack, lunch, suggest what happens (first, next, last)

HWB – recognising we have differences but are all unique, learning to look after myself independently and who can help me.

Use the clock to further explore number by playing “What’s the time Mr Wolf?” with your family or toys.

https://youtu.be/bKYF7LnctQE

Have lots of fun and please send in any comments and pictures

rena.dornan@eastayrshire.org.uk

 

 

 

 

I hope everyone’s staying safe and enjoying the fun activities we have posted so far.

In my last activity we used a torch to search for objects. The torch created a light to allow us to see the objects in the dark. When using the torch you might have noticed that when the light from the torch hit the object it creates a shadow behind the object.

Today’s activity is exploring shadows. Let’s find out what a shadow is and how a shadow is created. Use an ipad, computer or phone to search and find out some facts about shadows. Here are some videos that I found:

Shadow | The Dr. Binocs Show | Educational Videos For Kids – YouTube

How to Make Shadow Puppets (Sesame Studios) – YouTube

A poem called My Shadow

We are going to create our own shadows!

So first we need a light source. Ask your child if they can think of different types of light sources ?                                      (torch, sun or a lamp)

Here are some activities you can try to create shadows.

1. Create you own shadow show. Place your light source  on the floor, on a table or get someone else to hold it for you (unless you’re using the sun which is hopefully shining brightly today) and shine it towards the wall. You can move your hands closer or further away from the light source to see what happens to the shadow.  Use your hands to create different character/animal shadows on the wall. Use your imagination to create a story for your shadow. Here are some ideas of how to create some different shadow animals:
2. Find some items in your house that you want to create the shadow of and then try to draw around the shadow it creates. You will need paper and pens or pencils for this one. Use your light source to create a shadow of your object onto the paper, use your pen/pencil to try and draw around the shadow. (You will need to make sure you don’t block your source of light or the shadow will disappear) You can also count the items, discuss the size of the items and could try to order them by size.

1. If the sun is out you could go outside and create shadows with your body on the ground. You could use your shadow to create a shadow dance or play shadow tig with a family member.

1. Try and create some shadow letters, numbers or shapes. You could use your hands or draw the shape on paper and cut it out to create your shadow when you place it in front of the light. Ask your child if they can identify what letter, number or shape they have made.
   Remember to send any videos or photos of your work to my email : sherrie.devlin@eastayrshire.org.uk

Have fun!

Curricular areas covered:

Technology – discussing/use of different items to search information about shadows. Discussing how shadows are created and different types of light sources.

Literacy – using their imagination to create shadows, characters and shows. Recognising letters.

Numeracy -discussing the size of the shadows they make when moving closer or further away. Discussing  the size of the items they have used to create shadows and draw around. Sort in size order. Recognising numbers/shapes.

 

An enormous WELL DONE and THANK YOU to everyone that sent in fab videos for our Scottish songs and poems task.

Each of you (parents/carers included) have done so well and put in so much hard work to learn and recite these in such a short period of time.

You are all Super Stars 🙂

So sit back, relax, enjoy being part of an online audience and see which of your friends you can recognise.

It was very difficult to pick a winner as everyone was genuinely outstanding.

So I opted not to …… and asked Cole (my big boy) and Halle (my wee girl) to decide 🙂

Cole’s reason (although opted not to be filmed LOL) was because of her microphone and the bananas on her big feet 🙂

I liked your actions and expression.

Super effort Olivia – huge congratulations – please collect your winning box of Scottish shortbread from the ECC at a time that suits best.

Again – big thanks you to everyone.

Happy Burns Day everyone 🙂 

If anyone is celebrating in anyway throughout the day don’t forget to send in your pictures and videos to see them on GLOW this Friday.

 

 

Celebrate Robert Burns Day with this music medley . Have your own Scottish party in the house. The BIG YINS can join in with the WEE YINS too. I have created a mix of songs for you to listen to on this special day. Can you join in with any?

Can you send me some pictures of your own Scottish party?

Email them to Carrie.hamilton@eastayrshire.org.uk

Curriculum areas covered

Expressive arts – singing and expressing yourself through music
Dance and movement – explore ways to move in time to the rhythm.

Literacy – Participates in songs and rhymes. Learning the meaning of new Scottish words.

Press on the sway link below.

Scots Music Medley

Celebrate Robert Burns day with this music medley.

Go to this Sway

If you are in need of a wee rest after all that dancing, here is a wee Scottish clip to relax to – Annie and Ben helping in the search for the Loch Ness Monster.

https://youtu.be/k-8QukW3_dE

 

Week 2 of Home Learning at Catrine ECC – done and dusted and we would just like to say an enormous

WELL DONE

to each and every one of you – parents as well, as we know it can be tough at times 🙂

 

Michelle has confirmed the winner of the Bird Feeder challenge as

CLARA – Huge congratulations!!!!

Big well done to everyone who took part, they were all fantastic and the birds will truly love you all 🙂

Michelle wanted me to let you know that your prize is waiting for you in Janet’s office so drop by anytime that suits. 

Here are some pictures that were sent in to the practitioners this week.

Logan on his scavenger hunt – the darkness and torches clearly added extra excitement 🙂 Brilliant work.

Have a super weekend everyone.

From all at Team Catrine 🙂 ♥