April Communication Top Tip of the Month
ECC Learning Week Commencing 23.3.26-27.3.26
I n d o o r s –
This week in zone one we continued to extend our knowledge of buildings by using the internet and visuals to explore famous buildings around the world, expanding on our vocabulary and understanding of the world around us. After discussion of what buildings looked like in the past, the children made a link with the houses from the 3 little pigs story book. The children were challenged to create their own houses from various materials and resources to see if they could withstand the big bad wolf. The children were able to recognise how strong each material was and enjoyed the process using electricity (hair dryer) to test if the wolf would blow the house down. This was a fun experience which presented the children with problem solving, resilience and team working skill development.
We also began planting this week. We started by planting some fruit and vegetables indoors as it’s still too cold for some plants and spoke about the components of a plant such as the seedling, the root, the stem and the leaves. We also planted carrots and peas in our outdoor space. The children will keep a close eye on these plants over the next few weeks and show their leadership with looking after living things. We spoke about what the plants need to survive and how long we think they would take to grow.
Curricular Areas;
Health and Well-being, Technology, Science, Social Studies, Literacy
This week in the creative area the children have been continuing to explore the famous artist Vincent Van Goch. You can find some of the children’s work displayed in the hall on our artist board 🎨😊 As part of our outdoor learning, we are beginning to explore planting. In the creative area some children have recently discussed the different parts of a flower including the seeds, leaf, stem and roots. We will be exploring this further through our upcoming planting opportunities 😊 Children have enjoyed exploring a variety of materials to create their own flowers using various mark making resources expressing creativity and design.
Links to the Curriculum; Expressive Arts, Science, Social Studies, Numeracy.
ECC Learning Week Commencing 16/03/26-20/03/26
I n d o o r s –
This week in zone one we extended our road safety learning a little further by role playing different scenarios. We used small world objects to recreate a village scene and recognised when it was safe or unsafe for our characters to cross. We used red and green man signals to recognise this. Furthermore, this extended in a small group where we recreated the scene on a larger scale, using our handmade traffic lights and the red/green man. The children engaged in this well and were able to confidently express when it was safe/unsafe to cross. We revisited our Ziggy road safety during this. Within small world, the children continued to create their own little worlds, using the roads and signposts throughout.
Also, within zone one, the children began to explore the concept of different types of buildings, this extended from interest in building towers. The children were challenged to see how tall they could make their towers and were introduced to different types of buildings via the internet – such as a skyscraper. We researched different types, how they are built, what materials they use and some history. The children recreated their own houses, cities, stables and skyscrapers.
In the creative area this week we have been further exploring a famous artist, Vincent Van Gough, focusing on his most famous paintings ‘Starry Night’ and ‘Sun Flowers’ and the children were able to recreate their own. The children were also fact finding about Vincent Van Gough too. At the playdough station the children were exploring their malleable skills whilst creating their own sunflowers.
Curricular areas; Health and Well-being, Technology, Numeracy, Social Studies, Expressive Arts.
O u t d o o r s –
The children were able to use their imaginative skills setting up the small world area outdoors which has recently been revamped. The children seemed to enjoy exploring in this area, interacting with their peers and descriptive language was used throughout.
Some children were using the outdoor risk assessment to risk assess the outdoor area and identify any risks or dangers that may need acted upon.
The challenge this week outdoors was to explore height, using mathematical language throughout and comparing height of our peers. We were able to do this using the building blocks to see how many blocks tall we are.
Many children enjoyed exploring in our new reading nook as a cosy shelter to read stories whilst outdoors.
Links to the Curriculum; Social Studies, Literacy, Numeracy, Health and Wellbeing.
Have a lovely weekend everyone, Cara.
ECC Learning Week Commencing 9.3.26-13.3.26
I n d o o r s –
Within the indoor learning environment, the children have continued to explore creating their own smoothies and healthy fruits by drawing their own mix of what a healthy smoothie may be. We had a variety of mixtures from spicy peanut butter to watermelon with pineapple. Some of the children were able to copy and write the fruit names from visual aid provided. The children’s learning was further extended as they made their own smoothies as part of their snack time experience.
The construction area continues to be popular area that the children seem to enjoy exploring in, with some children beginning to use constructed pieces in imaginative role play e.g. it’s a chair, you don’t drive it.
Almost all children know and understand the green cross code of road safety- you must wait at the red man and can cross when the man turns green. Most children known about using a zebra crossing to cross the road and finding a lollipop person on the way to nursery/school in order to help you cross the road. All children discussed and knew the importance of holding someone’s hand to keep safe when crossing the road.
Some children have been exploring an old iPhone, utilised for photographs only, to find out about taking their own pictures and some showing an interest in making their own videos.
In the creative area this week the children have continued to paint their own daffodil pictures from real life objects, in line with a famous artist Vincent Van Gogh. We will continue to extend children’s interests in relation to this next week, exploring other famous artist.
Some children created something special for Mothers Day/Someone Special.
Links to the Curriculum; Health and Wellbeing, Social Studies, Technology, Expressive Arts, Literacy.
O u t d o o r s –
This week in the outdoor area the children were focusing on sharing and turn taking through a variety of ring games and using the new resources outdoors. Click the link below;
Links to the Curriculum; Health and Wellbeing, Social Studies.
S T E M P a r e n t a l E n g a g e m e n t
Thank you to all our parents who attended the STEM parental engagement experience we hope you all enjoyed participating in a variety of experiments with our STEM champion.
Links to the Curriculum; Science, Technology.
Have a lovely weekend everyone, Cara.
ECC Learning Week Commencing 2.3.26-6.3.26
I n d o o r s –
This week, following from children’s interests, we created a smoothie café in the home corner. The children enjoyed making smoothies using a variety of fruits, different sized cups and using language and knowledge of healthy eating and measurement. Next week the children will be creating their own smoothies at the snack area.
In the small word area, following from interest of ziggy and ziggys road safety road show, the children have been extending their knowledge of road safety using small word resources with car mat. The children then extended their knowledge of road safety with a walk in the community with Fresh Air Friday, singing the road safety song and demonstrating how to cross the road safely.
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For World Book Day the children worked as part of a team to create our very own Supertato display. This is displayed in the ECC open area. Some children created their own stories for WBD and were able to mark make with great detail and scribe meaning to their marks.
Links to the Curriculum; Literacy, Expressive Arts, Health and Wellbeing, Social Studies.
O u t d o o r s –
This week in the outdoor area we have been focusing on sharing and turn taking with the new resources. Also further developing the children’s sharing and turn taking through ring games for example ‘What’s the time Mr Wolf’.
Following from WBD story ‘The tortoise Who Came to Tea’ the children had the opportunity to explore a sensory tortoise who came to tea party in the outdoor area.
Links to the Curriculum; Health and Wellbeing, Social Studies, Science.
Thank you to all the parents who volunteered to read a story to the children as part of WBD we really appreciate it and the children thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
Have a lovely weekend everyone, Cara.
March Communication Top Tip of the Month
ECC Learning Week Commencing 23.2.26-27.2.26
I n d o o r s –
This week the children have continued to explore People Who Help Us. We had Michael the lollipop man visiting the ECC to discuss with the children his role and how he keeps people safe when travelling to school. The children were keen to ask Michael a variety of questions to deepen their knowledge around the role. The children also worked as a team to create their own lollipop person, this is now displayed on our ECC learning wall.
Pre-school children attended Dean Park on Wednesday with the primary one children as part of transition. We participated in a variety of outdoor learning experiences- nature walk, creating our own bird pizzas, story time led by one of the Dean Park rangers and a visit to the farm to see all the animals. It was a fun day had by all.
All children attended the Burns assembly to recite their poem ‘My Hawf Sookit Sweetie’, huge well done to everyone.
Michael a firefighter and one of our ECC parents, visited the ECC on Thursday to share his role with all the children in the ECC. The children were able to ask questions and have discussions to deepen their knowledge around the role of a fire fighter and how they help us.
Links to the Curriculum; Health and Wellbeing, Social Studies, Science.
O u t d o o r s –
Outdoors this week the children have been revamping the outdoor area alongside Becca, utilising the new resources purchased to revamp the outdoor. We have a new shelter in the outdoor area and the children enjoyed utilising this for reading stories and exploring our new weather stones.
Links to the Curriculum; Health and Wellbeing, Social Studies.
ECC Learning Week Commencing 16.2.26-20.2.26
I n d o o r s –
This week indoors the children have been continuing to explore People Who Help Us. We adapted our home corner into a cafe, the children created their own menus and taking on the role of a waitress/waiter, applying their real life experiences to their imaginative play.
The children have also been creating their own stories in relation to People Who Help Us, developing their imaginative and fine motor skills.
In the creative area we have began to look at Chinese new year, making our own Chinese lanterns, challenging ourselves to create a pattern. We have also been using the internet to research and explore Chinese traditions, looking at dragon dances and the zodiac symbols for animals, learning it was the year of the horse.
Links to the Curriculum; RME, Literacy, Health and Wellbeing.
O u t d o o r s-
Outdoors this week the children have been working alongside Becca to revamp the outdoor area. The children have made clear defined areas outdoors, we have a new cosy shelter for children to explore in and some children have enjoyed a story in our cosy shelter. Some children enjoyed exploring with the small loose part materials in the small world area, using their imagination throughout.
Links to the Curriculum; Health and Wellbeing, Literacy, Social Studies.
This week the ECC had a special visitor- Ziggy and his Road Safety Roadshow. The children had the opportunity to enjoy songs and games based all around road safety and how to keep safe whilst travelling in the community. Each child received a Ziggy bag home to enjoy.
Links to the Curriculum; Health and Wellbeing, Expressive Arts.
W o o d l a n d W e d n e s d a y –
This week for ‘Woodland Wednesday’ we spent time exploring the woodland area – it was icy so the ground was hard but that meant there was ice puddles, the children enjoyed stepping on the ice to hear it crack. The children were also looking out for fallen trees and listening to the wildlife – they even found different footprints in the mud and discussed what these could be from. We also observed some spring snowdrops which was a lovely find on a cold winters day – with how cold and It was we made sure to look up into the vastness of the sky to see the trees swaying and leaves falling. On our way back to the ECC the children took part in further risky experiences where they crossed a small stream and then made their way up through the field and enjoyed the space to move and run. At the top of the field the children were presented with a challenge of climbing the gate.
Links to the Curriculum; Health and Wellbeing, Social Studies, Science.
Have a lovely weekend everyone, Cara.
ECC Learning Week Commencing 11.2.26-13.2.26
I n d o o r s –
This week the children have continued to explore ‘People Who Help Us’ through constructing their own models and designs, using their problem solving and imaginative skills. Some children created hospital beds using construction materials for their midwifery ward and were seen role playing with their peers.
Some children used the construction materials to retell the story of ‘The Billy Goats Gruff’.
The children had the opportunity to explore the valentines sensory tray ‘spreading the love’ as the children were saying. Creating different valentines potions.
The children have also enjoyed role playing in the home corner, as a cafe, serving one another food, applying their real life experiences to their imaginative play. To further extend children’s interests we will create a cafe in the home corner.
All children had the opportunity to create a valentine craft to take home to someone special.
Links to the Curriculum; Literacy, Technology, Social Studies, Science, Expressive Arts.
O u t d o o r s –
Outdoors this week the children created a valentines sensory tray – making a love bug potion, pouring and filling, mixing new colours, sharing and turn taking with their peers during sensory exploration.
In the construction area the children were making their own obstacle courses, it initially began with a few children in a small area before it extended throughout ECC garden, using lots of various parts of the garden for their obstacle course. Lots of children enjoyed and engaged well, developing their gross motor skills.
Huge thank you to ChipnLogs who delivered us bark for our outdoor area, it is greatly appreciated. The children worked together as team to unload the bark, working with friends to get the garden ready for spring. We also had plant pots donated by whisky bond, huge thanks to them it is very much appreciated. We will utilise these for our Eco Committee as we will plant fruit and vegetables in the ECC.
Links to the Curriculum; Science, Technology, Social Studies, Health and Wellbeing.
Have a lovely weekend everyone, Cara.
ECC Learning 2.2.26-6.2.26
I n d o o r s –
This week the children have been exploring People Who Help Us, exploring the different job roles and how their role might help us. They have enjoyed using their imaginative skills in the role play area, taking on the role of e.g. a doctor, police officer, fire fighter, applying their real life experiences to their imaginative play. All children have knowledge of People Who Help Us however, we explored the children’s learning in more depth with a focus on doctors and hospitals. Some children were able to identify body parts and the name for specific body parts, some children were exploring x-ray photographs on the light box.
For our STEM focus this week the children have been exploring direction using the bee-bots with Rebecca our STEM champion.
Links to the Curriculum; Health and Wellbeing, Social Studies, Science, Technology.
O u t d o o r s –
Outdoors this week we have had a focus on feelings, linking with the upcoming Mental Health Week. Whilst we had parents visiting, the children and their parents took part in a colour monster scavenger hunt, focusing on how being outdoors makes our bodies feel strong and our minds feel happy. The children have been exploring forces by creating their own vehicles and building race tracks to explore this. They also created their own data handling tally score in relation to how far something travels.
The children were also being very creative in the mud kitchen, working together as part of a team creating their own menus.
Links to the Curriculum; Health and Wellbeing, Science, Numeracy, Technology.
W o o d l a n d W e d n e s d a y-
This week the children were using their senses to explore, catching snow in their tongues, participating in risky play and challenge.
Have a lovely long weekend everyone, Cara.
