Category Archives: Creativity

Block building, Creativity, Digital Technology, emotional literacy, Outdoor Learning

Welcome back everyone 🥰

January 8, 2024 Miss Mitchell Leave a comment

It’s lovely to see everyone and get settled well back into our nursery routine. Today we have enjoyed a variety of interesting learning experiences. We have made play dough, following an adult’s instructions to measure, mix, knead and roll. We then used it to make 3D shapes and discuss the properties of the different shapes. We got straight back to building wonderful creations including big towers so we could count how many bricks we had added. We investigated technologies and used our fine motor skills to make different drawings.

We also spent time problem solving to complete a pirate jigsaw and to build a new garage, which allowed us lots of imaginative play for our toy cars.

With everything being frozen, we decided it was a perfect time to role play with the artic animals.

And this is just the start of our first full week! Who knows what else we will do in Cart Mill this January?

Creativity

Being Festive with Loose Parts

December 11, 2023 Mr Edwards Leave a comment

In the discovery room the children have been provided with resources to explore some Christmas themed loose parts play.

Using loose parts such as blocks, fabric, or natural materials encourages open-ended exploration and creativity. This unstructured play fosters problem-solving skills, spatial awareness, and enhances fine motor skills. It promotes imaginative thinking, as children can manipulate these parts in countless ways.

Some children showcased their creativity by crafting unique Christmas tree designs using triangles and an assortment of loose parts.

Using large blocks, some children explored concepts of size, sparking discussions as they navigated the process of filling the Christmas tree design on the floor. This hands-on activity prompted them to problem-solve, choosing which bricks to use and determining what would fit seamlessly into their creation.

Creativity, Expressive Arts, Special Event

Christmas Clay and Glitter Decorations

December 8, 2023 Miss Keith Leave a comment

In the studio this week the Christmas excitement is growing. We had a think about what decoration we could make. “Can we make decorations for the tree”.
We had a think and thought that using the clay would be a good idea. We gathered together the materials we would need. We then had to use our strong hand and arm muscles to roll out the clay and make it big enough for our cutter.

We have chosen a round cutter so that it will look like a bauble for the tree. We pushed the cutter into the clay and it made our circle “ Look mines big enough”

We then carefully used a pencil to make a hole in the top of our bauble for the ribbon to go through so it would hang on the tree.

We then had to let our clay dry for two sleeps 🛌.

Now it’s ready to decorate

The children were able to self select their own materials .” I will use jewels and it will make it ✨ sparkle.

Of course we had to use lots and lots of biodegradable glitter. We spoke about our favourite colours of glitter and which one would shine the brightest.

Our decorations are now drying and will be ready to take home to shine bright on your very own trees 🌲.

Article 29

Your education should help you develop your talents and abilities.

Creativity, Expressive Arts, Literacy

Holidays are coming 🌲

December 7, 2023 Miss Brown Leave a comment

Yesterday in the studio the children explored marbling ink. They selected different colours to create their own unique art.

Adding the marbling ink to the water and swirling it around to make cool patterns, the children added their paper to the water and we all counted to 10. After 10 we lifted the paper out and looked at patterns that had transferred onto the paper.

“ Wow! That’s so cool , my colours pink and yellow are on the paper now”

“ Can I make a Christmas card on mine”

“ Me too can I make one?”

We put our pictures over to the drying rack and left them to dry over night.

Today the children collected different things to create their Christmas cards.

Jewels, sequins, pom-poms etc were glued on to create lovely Christmas cards, the children cut out their marbling ink pictures and added to red card.

The children practiced their writing skills as they wrote out their cards. Some for Santa, aunties, uncles, mums,dads, brothers and sisters.

We hope everyone has a lovely Christmas and a Happy New Year🎅 🌲

Article 29 – I have the right to an education which develops my personality, respect for others rights and the environment.

Article 12 – I have the right to be listened to

Creativity

Shaping shaving foam

November 22, 2023 Mrs Miles Leave a comment

Within the sensory area we have been experimenting with mark making using a variety of resources. Today we chose shaving foam and have been using it to create shapes in different ways.

This has involved painting the shapes with the foam, drawing with fingers and paint brushes and even printing the shapes in our hands.

“I’m painting a triangle.”
”I can make a circle, a square, a triangle and an oval.”
“A circle, he’s a curly one.”
“I made a diamond on my hand.”

For some of our younger children, they enjoyed the feel of the foam, naming the colours and learning the names of the shapes. It is super, messy fun whatever age you are!

Article 13- You have the right to find out things and share what you think with others by talking, drawing and writing.

Block building, Creativity, Expressive Arts, Literacy, Social Studies

“Let’s make the biggest train track in the world”

November 15, 2023 Miss Brown Leave a comment

We have been reading lots of stories this week and this has sparked some great ideas for the block area.

“I want to make a big office like that, I will need lots of blocks. My mum goes to the office”

The children decided to choose their favourite book first and then make something from the book. We made a chart where each child ticked the side of their favourite book.

Fergus’s Scary night was the favourite! They decided on making a dogs bed for ‘Fergus’ to hide when he is scared.

“It’s triangle and square beds, Fergus not scared in here”. The children worked well together to build the dogs beds.

“We are building the biggest train track like Thomas, and a bridge look we can go under too”

Finally, the children built some of the buildings and structures from the story ‘All through the night’. “I’m building the digger with a snow shovel that can lift snow and rocks, it has a train track under it”.

“This ones mummy’s office”

The children have loved creating things from their favour stories this week, using their imagination and problem solving to fit the pieces together.

Creative movement, Creativity, Expressive Arts, Outdoor Learning, Social Studies, Special Event

Diwali Celebrations!

November 13, 2023 Mr Edwards Leave a comment

Diwali is a Hindu festival celebrated with much excitement and light. It usually involves the lighting of lamps or diyas, symbolizing the triumph of light over darkness and good over evil. People also exchange gifts, clean and decorate their homes, and participate in various cultural and religious activities during this festival.

Take a look at some of the activities we have been doing as we learn about Diwali.

Today in the garden we used power paint to create our own rangoli patterns. It was a great gross motor art activity that got our bodies moving. Using bright colours the children selected their painting tools and got busy. Rangoli patterns are traditional Indian art created on the ground usually during festivals and special occasions. Rangoli involves using coloured powders, rice, flour, or flower petals to make intricate and vibrant designs. Rangoli is believed to bring good luck and positive energy to the surroundings.

On Friday we had a camp fire in the garden with Val. We helped to make some pakora and cooked them on the fire. Outdoor cooking with a fire is great fun and our children at Cart Mill love to take part. The crackling flames create an exciting setting as the children prepare simple recipes connecting them with nature and basic cooking methods. Whether it’s toasting marshmallows, baking bread on sticks, or cooking pakora the open fire becomes an engaging tool for learning teamwork, patience, safety and an appreciation for the environment.

UNCRC

ARTICLE 2 – Non- discrimination.

ARTICLE 31 – Leisure, play and culture

Creativity, Expressive Arts, Special Event

Firework and Diwali Designs at the tinker table..

November 10, 2023 Miss Keith Leave a comment

This week at the tinker table we have been creating some firework and Diwali designs using nails, golf tees and coloured elastic bands.

This experience will help the children with their fine motor skills, hand and eye coordination whilst building self esteem and confidence while they are using the tinker table ⚒️.

Some of the children preferred to use the log which already has the nails in place. They were able to create some lovely designs and also recognise some of the shapes they had created. “Mine is a triangle”.

”We choose the colours of the fireworks that we seen in the sky” . “They were very loud”. “I choose red because I seen red ones and that’s my favourite colour”.

At Cartmill Family Centre we wish all our friends a very Happy Diwali this weekend.

Article 13 – We have the right to find out things and share what we know.

Baking, Block building, Creativity, Expressive Arts, Snack, Special Event

Happy Halloween 🎃

October 31, 2023 Miss Campbell Leave a comment

It’s a Hallowe’en fangtastic day here at Cart Mill. We have taken part in a variety of autumn learning experiences across each of our play rooms and garden.

We made spooky mud pie potions in our mud kitchen.

We also turned our water tray into a witches and wizards’ caldron using food colouring, shaving foam and different sized containers to create more potions.

We had opportunities to create Hallowe’en coloured crafts in our gross motor art area

In our Home Room we sang Hallowe’en songs and made Frankenstein’s green and purple sparkle playdough. We used our fine motor skills and imagination to mould our playdough into different shapes.