The Garden 02/09/2022

In the garden we have a digging spot for the children to dig using variety of tools as they take on various interests of imagination. They seek buried treasure that could be below the ground. “I found something under the mud, I wonder if it’s treasure!” The children use the digging spot to collect mud for the mud kitchen and search for mini beasts. “What is that?, it looks like a green bug”

The children have been following their own interest of concocting mud pies, cakes, potions and pizzas in the mud kitchen. Different variety of utensils and tools were set up along with fruits for the children to enhance their imagination and come with creative ways to bring their ideas alive. “This is my cupcake, I will put them in the oven to bake.” The children explored the garden to collect leaves, twigs, berries, stones and grass to add to their mud pies and pizza. “We are making the dough for the pizza, this is the sauce and I add it to the pan” As the children interests were progressed we added more loose parts such as brambles, shells and water to maintain spark of imagination and enhance the play.

We have been exploring road safety on the road track as the children follow the risk assessment of putting on helmets before choosing a bike or car. Each vehicle is parked on a numeral. “ I park the car on the number one, next to number two bike”. The children ask what type of transport they would like each day which is provided and with the use of a  timer we discuss the importance of cooperating and sharing the resources with our peers. -Ellie

 

 

Garden continued 05/09/2022

The children have been busy building both their team work and their fine motor skills in our newly created water area and have spent time pouring, filling and emptying water using jugs, funnels and bottles. We have also been using gutters and pipes to channel the flowing water into containers before starting all over again. Laura

We have rebuilt our obstacle area using pallets, tyres, cable reels and stepping stones so the children have been busy balancing, jumping and climbing to reach the end destination of the slide.

The area is more sheltered by trees, so even on rainy days the children still come together for the challenge. Laura

The children have been busy exploring natural resources in the garden. We have been making cakes and ice cream using sand and sticks, and making stones sticks and leaves for printing.

The children are enjoying exploring the construction area where they can draw up their plans and build various structures using a wide range of resources on offer.

Using high visibility vests and the white board the children have been role playing real life experiences as a builder on a building site.

Creativity Room 29.08.2022

Welcome to our first weekly blog.

This week we are showing what experiences we have had on offer in the creativity Room. Many of which has come from the children’s interests and our skilled staff have taken their interests and developed on these further.

The children have been following a recent interest in bird watching and endangered animals. Books on birds and endangered animals were set up at the mark making table along side various mark making resources and some toy animals to allow the children to draw, explore and read about endangered animals. -Rachel

We have also been working on number recognition in the Stem area, the children were taking part in identifying the number and after identifying each number the children used magnets to pick and count lids to put on the corresponding number. -Angela C

In the transient art area this week I was asked “what is this for?” “Can I make a picture ?“ “is it for making pictures?”

In the area provocations were set up including loose parts with mixtures of stones sticks  bolts for children to freely choose their own direction of play along with a larger selection of materials on the transient art station .

We are looking at shapes in our group time and I observed children making their own pictures from the loose parts with shapes so I introduced the artist  Kandinsky who works with circles and squares. -Debbie

We have been looking after the babies in the deconstructed roleplay area. We have been giving them a bath, dressing them and then feeding the babies. We used open ended resources such as boxes and crates to make a cot for the babies “they need to be cosy” and “baby will get cold, it needs clothes and a blanket”. -Lorna

Curious learners.

Our Staff have been working to develop an environment that offers a wide range of experiences for our little learners. With vast research around children learning through play we hope to offer experiences where children have the freedom to explore, think creatively,  take on responsibility, develop leadership and feel safe, secure and happy.

Here is a sample of some of the resources we have on offer for our learners at Castlehill.

Our sensory Baskets

Children have the freedom to find resources they require to support with their sensory development. These are found within quite spaces within the nursery for children to explore.

Our curious suitcase

Within our suitcase there is a large variety of materials, clothing shoes that allow children to explore and become imaginative in their play.

Our Curiosity station 

Full of different loose parts, children can spend time selecting their own resources and creating wonderful structures/ models and many other items with a variety of undefined items.

Our Curiosity cube

Full of wonder if our cube that changes with different items sparking interest from our children. Encouraging them to ask questions and find out more information about what they can see inside the cube.

Welcome

Hello,

Welcome to our Castlehill Early years centre blog.

The purpose of our blog is to showcase the vast range of experiences our highly skilled staff create for our children, this gives parents the opportunity to discuss the experiences that have been on offer and see if this ‘sparks’ conversation between you and your little one about what they have been learning.

We hope you find this useful and will appreciate any feedback from this as we build our profile.

 

Many thanks, Team Castlehill.

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