The children wanted to share what they love most about Cart Mill.
The life cycle of a butterfly 🦋
Today we had a very exciting delivery in our nursery! The children were very excited to see what was inside the special box. It’s time to learn about… the life cycle of a butterfly 🦋
First we had a little look at our new caterpillar friends, which sparked some interesting and thought provoking questions.
“It’s like a teeny wee baby worm. Is it a caterpillar?”
“Why does it have a web around it?”
We talked about all the different stages the caterpillar goes through…
“They go into a cocoon first. That helps them get all cosy and grow big and strong”
“When they hang upside down, that’s when they are a chrysalis. They’re nearly ready to pop out then!”
The children showed great curiosity, and came up with some interesting suggestions on what we thought might happen next, using the pictures as clues.
“Maybe the big box is for when they’re butterflies. Because they will need lots of space”
“They might want some snacks too”
“What do butterflies eat?”
Seeing how living things grow and develop over time with proper care in our very own playrooms is a great opportunity for our children to explore and develop life skills. We are so excited to learn how to take care of our new creatures, and watch them transform into beautiful butterflies 🦋
People who help us
In the home corner, the children have enjoyed exploring role play experiences acting out different jobs that people have. The children were able to describe some of the different kinds of work that people do in the community and have been exploring the wider world of work.
To begin with, some of the children enjoyed exploring playing in a restaurant and being the “cooks”. They decided that the speciality of the day was pasta bolognese!
“In a restaurant, they bring the food to your table for you to eat it” L
“They bring you cups of juice too, I like orange” K
Some other children decided they wanted to be workmen.
“Workmen phone important people, like my grandpa” P
“I have to write down what we need” A
“My daddy does work on a computer at school” P
One of the most popular jobs to pretend to be was a police officer. We found a police officers hat in our resource cupboard and the children enjoyed “searching for the stolen hat”. It really was an important case to solve!
Let’s get baking 🥧
What an experience we had today making our very own vegan rhubarb scones from scratch with the rhubarb we’ve grown at nursery.
We went to our garden to see the rhubarb we previously planted that we have been taking care of by watering it regularly. It was now time to be picked and used. 
“This one is very big.”
”I’m so strong, I can pull the rhubarb out.”
After picking the rhubarb we washed it and cut it into small pieces, adding some water and 2 teaspoons of sugar, the next step was to put it into the microwave which we discussed the safety rules for.
“I help my mum at home to cut up.”
“I’ll put one more little bit in.”
The children can independently select the ingredients needed as they follow our visual recipe. Firstly we measured out the amounts required using mathematical language of more and less. Once we made our ingredients into a dough we rolled it out developing our fine motor skills and lastly we put the scones in the oven taking great care with the times as we don’t want the firemen to visit 🫢.
“I’ll put all the butter in.”
”Its at number 10, we need more.”
“It smells like sweeties.”
“I’m going to roll it into a ball.”
The children take great pride in using the produce they have grown and are so proud to take these home and share with their families, why don’t you try this at home, discover the joy of watching your vegetables grow and create something you can all enjoy!!!😃
Here are the children’s delicious rhubarb vegan scones. Yum!!
Meet Bob
Today in the studio the children worked together as a team to create a wonderful work of art.
The children had a chat and decided to make a robot that they named Bob. We each chose some pieces of junk and set to work.
“ I want to use the biggest box”
“He needs some arms”
It wasn’t easy to attach the arms the cellotape wasn’t working so we looked around and found some wool, tied on the arms before cello taping them on, great problem solving boys and girls.
One of the children noticed the reflection of light making a circle on the box “Look it shows light, I can use it as a torch”
Junk modelling offers opportunities for developing children’s creativity, as well as their fine and gross motor skills, encourages imagination and teaches children about reduce, recycle and reuse.
What do you think you could you create at home using junk modelling you can find?
Article 29 right to education
Splat painting
Today in the garden we have been splat painting.
The children wanted to use sponges but we couldn’t find any so they decided to search for something else to use. They decided on colourful balls and cotton wool balls.
They selected 4 colours of paint and squeezed them onto a tray and in the bowl of balls, developing their hand muscles.
“I want pink and yellow”
“ blue, orange”
We pegged an old table cloth up and took 5 steps back “1,2,3,4,5”.
The children took turns throwing the balls and cotton balls on to the table cloth, they watched the colours explode and create a lovely painting.
This experience allows us to develop our gross motor skills, improving our hand eye co-ordination, learning how to move our bodies carefully and building their confidence.
Creativity in the sewing area 😍 Meet Bob and Mouse 🐻🐭
Today in the studio we were developing our hand eye coordination finger dexterity and building our self confidence through our love of sewing.
“I want to sew on some buttons “ “Im choosing pink ones and pink material would look nice too” “It’s quite tricky for me to sew, but I can do it”
“I want to sew buttons on to” “I want to sew on four” “I’m choosing blue material, I like it best”
”I want to make a little teddy bear” “ I’m making him yellow” “ I think it would be easiest to draw him out first “ “He has a big head” “I think he looks like a Bob, “Yes Bob bear”
“I would like to make a cuddly mouse” “ I need to see what a mouse looks like first can I look on the I-pad? “ I’m going to copy the mouse from the I-pad” “ I need brownish material “”sewing takes quite a long time but I’m excited to see my finished mouse” “ The stuffing is soft and bouncy” “ I love my mouse he is very squeaky and small”
Well done everyone I can’t wait to see what fab ideas you have for the sewing area tomorrow.
Bookbug 😁
Today Bookbug came to visit, the children enjoy singing the welcome song ‘Hello Everyone’ and giving Bookbug a wee cuddle!
The children decided that they wanted to sing ‘Old Macdonald had a farm’ and they chose the animal they wanted to pick.
We had ducks, horses, pigs, sheep, sheepdogs and cows 🦆🐴🐷🐑🐶🐄
We all enjoyed our story and joining in with all the animals.
If this looks like something you or your wee one would enjoy why don’t you come along to nursery at 9.00 or 4.00 to join in the fun on Friday 5th May!🥰
Jump, Jump, Jump!
In the garden, we have been developing the skill of jumping! Jumping requires power and balance and children can develop this skill by showing they can bend their knees when landing, having their head up looking straight forward and using their arms to balance if they need to.
The children have been demonstrating their jumping skills from a height over a low beam.
They then increased the difficulty and the height of the beam and assessed whether they felt safe or not and as their confidence grew, the children were encouraged to jump from a greater height.
The children were able to guide their learning and decide how high they were able to feel comfortable and felt safe to jump over.
Some children then decided to use their problem solving skills and different materials to create a seesaw with equipment from the obstacle course. The children have decided that the next steps they want to take is practicing balancing and jumping on one foot.
What ways can you develop your jumping and balancing skills at home? Feel free to share your learning with us via twitter @cartmillcentre and email at schoolmail@cartmill.e-renfrew.sch.uk
Article 31: every child has the right to play and take part in a wide range of activities.
Loose parts play
The children have extended their imaginative play from the block area to loose parts to recreate the story of Jack and the Beanstalk.
They have used their imagination creating various beanstalks using a variety of loose parts media such as corks, wooden circles, shells and smaller blocks.
Loose parts can become anything, it particularly supports our younger children with their schemas such as connecting and transforming. Loose parts are the ideal tools for children developing creative and imaginative thinking skills.
“
It’s getting big and wobbly”
“I’ve made the castle in the sky”
What stories can you recreate with loose parts in your house?
Share your photos on twitter @cartmillcentre.
