Category Archives: Imaginative thinking

Clay Play

 

The children have been exploring the great benefits of clay since returning to nursery after the holidays.

Clay modelling helps to spark the brain’s creativity and problem solving skills.  The children have been expressing their thoughts and emotions through the clay modelling, boosting their imagination and creativity.

”The mermaids are stuck in the mud”

Some of the younger children begin by exploring the texture of the clay and quickly realised the imaginative aspects of clay play.

“Ice Cream”

The children squeeze and pinch the clay with their hands, helping to develop their fine motor skills.

“I’m making a snowman.”

The clay provides lots of play based learning, as the children count and sort materials when decorating their clay.

“1,2,3,4……..”

The children use a variety of tools when using clay such as rolling pins and wooden and metal clay tools, ensuring that they keep themselves and others safe when using the tools.

The tools allow the children to roll, cut and make patterns in the clay.

As the children develop their clay skills, they can roll clay into balls to make clay lollipops.

The clay provides a great opportunity for children to express detail in their artwork.

“This is my dog”.

We even created our own Cart Mill Forest!

The clay is a fantastic social activity as the children share ideas and learn from one another.

UNCRC Article 31 Every child has the right to relax and play.

 

X marks the Spots

This week in the creative area we have been exploring patterns. We have been using different utensils to create these patterns. Today we used different circular resources from our junk modelling area. We used tubes, corks and lids dipped in paint to make our spotty prints.

We noticed the paper was in the shape of an X. “X marks the spots.”

Meanwhile In our Junk modelling area we were gifted a large box.

We didn’t know what we could do with it. Could we fit inside?

Yes we could it was so big! If X marks the spot maybe we could make a pirate ship! We soon got to work. We used our technology skills to look for ideas for our ship on the iPad.
We decided we needed a pirate flag. We worked together to problem solve how to attach it to our ship.

Once we had secured it with tape and ribbon, we got to work making the windows and shape of the boat.

We used our safety skills to cut the box with scissors.

We needed to paint it next. It was such a huge box it took lots of us to paint it.

One of our children spotted that we can’t have a pirate ship without a steering wheel!

We used paper straws to make “the jaggy bits the pirate captain holds to drive the boat.” We tried lots of different ways to attach the wheel so we could still turn it. Luckily we tried pipe cleaners and it worked!

It was time to set sail on the seas to hunt for pirate treasure! At the writing table, we had the fantastic idea of creating a telescope for our adventures!

At group time today we found a book in the story area about pirates and decided tomorrow we will make a treasure map to give us directions to the treasure.

Our learning experience and ideas went on a journey and crossed all over the nursery today using different areas to add to our initial idea.

We can’t wait to see how our treasure maps turnout and if x really did mark the spot!

Christmas at the tinker table….🌲

This month we have introduced a new tool. We talked about the safety rules and the best way to use our saw. This can be a tricky tool to master but with lots of practise we were able to start sawing different materials. This will help strengthen hand and arm muscles and also develop hand and eye coordination skills.

As we have wooden craft sticks at the tinker table some of the children wanted to make a Christmas tree 🎄. The children discussed the best way of making the shape and decided to draw it out first then using glue they followed the line they had made and pressed the sticks on. “ it does look like a tree”. The girls and boys were able to then self select their own materials to decorate the tree.

We also had some coloured craft sticks which we were able to stick together ,decorate and hang on our tree . “Beautiful “.

We had a very frosty week and the boys and girls were excited to see the ice 🧊. “Maybe it will snow and we can make snow men”. Our clever children talked about what they could use to make a snow man at the tinker table. We had white card board tubes but they were quite long “so we can cut them” a very good idea to get some sawing practise !. We decorated our snowmen and used our fine motor skills to thread through our pipe cleaner arms.

The craft sticks were brought back out this week. We made some different shapes with them and then the girls and boys decided the favourite was a Christmas star ⭐️ and a snow flake. They stuck the craft sticks together with wood glue and the have used very “sparkly “ resources to make them shine bight. The children have hung them on our Christmas tree and they look great and they might “ twinkle” when it gets

dark.

Here is a collection of the childrens great work . You maybe able to spot all the boys and girls hard work for Christmas in all our rooms when you are visiting the nursery.

Article 13 .. we have the right to play and explore.

Ship Ahoy!!

Last week in the Discovery Room the children were fascinated with Aeroplanes! This stemmed from one child talking about his Daddy being an engineer for an Airline! The children watched clips of planes landing and then designed and built their own aeroplane using the blocks!

Following on from this, we had a discussion about different modes of transport and today the children decided to design and build their own boat! We looked at clips of different types of boats on the screen and got to work creating our masterpiece!

“This boat needs big sides!”
“Don’t forget a steering wheel!”

Once the Cartmill Cruise Ship was complete the children wasted no time jumping on board and playing in it!

“There’s too many people, it might sink!”

The children used their imaginations and went on holiday to many places from Glasgow to as far away as Canada!

”My Gran goes on a cruise ship!”

When we were in bed sleeping the sea got a bit choppy which the children thought was scary!

”Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!”

The children then used the iPad to scan the QR code for our five little boats song which they enjoyed singing along to!

Once we had travelled the world in our boat the children decided they wanted to make their own little boats to race in the water tray! It was agreed that tinfoil would create the best boats.

“Tinfoil is light, because it’s light it stays on top of the water!”

“The sides are going up to stop the water going in!”

”Mine is a big boat with a little boat inside!”

The children had great fun racing their boats, they also decided to use empty butter tubs which they discovered also floated and they covered the lids in tinfoil to make a life raft!

“Ah, mine has sunk, my floating bits have come off!”

”Oh no, I have a leak, it’s sprung a leak!”

”There’s been a Tsunami which caused a whirlpool!”

We explained to the children their boats had capsized! They had not heard this expression before so we looked it up on the iPad to show them images of what it meant!

A lot of fun was had by the children starting with them being so imaginative in the block area. Block play encourages the children’s creativity whilst learning to take turns and share materials. They are learning to cooperate whilst playing and communicating with their friends!

Well done to the Cartmill designers and builders!

Article  31 – Children have the right to play.

Superworm at Book Week Scotland 2024

Last week in our playdough area we were celebrating Book Week Scotland by reading “Superworm”.

Engaging with our favourite stories and finding joy in reading helps to strengthen our children’s literacy skills and comprehension abilities whilst having fun. Reading books with our children also helps them to enhance their cognitive abilities such as memory retention, critical thinking and problem solving.

Today we had the curiosity cube in our playdough area and who was inside? Our very own Superworm!

We made pink playdough and had a go at creating our very own Superworm. We used some of our dough disco moves we have been practicing to help us roll the playdough into a sausage to make our Superworm .

We found some googly eyes and some sticky stickers to add to our Playdough just like the real Superworm .

We enjoyed making our Superworm and some of our children even wanted to make lots of friends for Superworm.

We counted them as we made them, promoting our numeracy learning through our play experiences.

Our older children wanted to make different characters from the story. Some children chose their favourite baby toad to create.

We decided to retell the story of Superworm using our playdough creations.  Some of us decided to change the story and create their own.

We had Super worm with his friends, Superworm saving the princess in the castle, Superworm with the zoo animals and Superworm the flying worm.

We shared our ideas with our friends and discussed different characters and events in our story. Storytelling provokes conversations between our children of different ages and stages of development.

Here is a look at some of our own Superworms.

We read the story of Superworm and used Superworm and one of our playdough toads to help retell the story.

“Superworm is super long.”

”Superworm is super strong.”

“watch him wiggle.”

”see him squirm.”

”Hip hip hooray for Superworm.”

I wonder what characters from our favourite stories will be in our curiosity cube tomorrow?  Don’t forget to help yourself to a book at our front door to share with your children at home as part of our Book week Scotland.

Creative Cars and Crafts

This week in the junk modelling the children have continued to use their imagination to create their own creations. They have been using a variety of materials  and glue and cellotape to connect the different resources together. The children have helped each other and shared resources and ideas with each other.

” I am making a car”

”oh I want to make a car”

” we can make a car we both can go in”

” cellotape is stronger”

” glue is easier , but sometimes doesn’t stay on”

some of the children were making boxes for jewellery, making trains & decorating their boxes with lots of different colours.. they were able to use the glue and pick their own resources

A few of the other children had so much fun creating their own cars. They talked to each other on  what they would need for the cars and got to work. A few of the children added great detail to their cars.

“ 4 wheels”

” steering wheel”

” I need a coffee cup & cup holder”

” oh I want a coffee cup too”

I am putting a horn on my wheel”

” I need lights on mine”

Th children then had lots of fun in the cars, some then turned into choo choo trains.

“ we are going a shopping & taking the baby”

“ I am going to the beach”

” I am going to the park”

The children continued their play in the or cars and shared  them with their friends so everyone could have a turn.

Super Soup

As part of celebrating all things autumnal, the children have been experimenting in making soup using seasonal vegetables.

During this activity the children were developing their gross motor skills when peeling and chopping the vegetables.

Firstly, the children peeled the carrots and parsnips.  The children are using their problem solving skills when using the peeler.

“This is white and this orange”

Then they chopped the vegetables into small chunks, so that we could cook them.  The children are developing their confidence when using the knife.

“I did it!”

Once the vegetable mix was chopped and washed, we added it to the soup pot with stock cubes and boiling water to cook.

The children were able to sample the soup at snack time and we discussed the taste, temperature, and texture of the soup.  Children learn with their senses and during this activity, they were able to enhance their communication, language and social skills.


“It’s good”.  “It’s hot”. “Yummy”.  “I don’t like it”

This cooking activity allowed the children to develop a healthy relationship with food and be more adventurous by sampling different tastes.

The children were able to feel competent and were proud of their ability to get involved in preparing the soup mix.  This also benefits the children from a nutrition, growth and development perspective.

The soup making allowed the children to explore their curiosity about the vegetables they were preparing (carrots, parsnips, butternut squash) and ask questions.

UNCRC Article 27 children have the right to food.

 

 

The wonder of Wood 🪵

As our new term begins we are introducing our tinker table and tools to our new children . To help develop fine motor skills and hand/eye coordination we are starting with hammers, pool noodles and golf tees this gives the children a opportunity to hammer 🔨 successfully and improve their cofidence

We also explore different types of wooden resources such as pegs,cork, craft sticks,wood shavings and many more. This gives our children the chance to be creative using nails or glue to make their own models.

The tinker table loose parts can be used to help plan what our older children can make using wood,nails,screws,hammers. “ I am going to make a house “

Our “big girls and boys” enjoy the challenge of creating their own recognisable model, they are confident to explore and experiment with a variety of materials,  demonstrate  problem solving skills and complete tasks.  They have made boats,ferries, spider man cars,houses the list goes on……..

The children are very keen to continue with their wood work projects and” wood “be very grateful if we have or know of anyone who could donate them some wood off cuts. Thank you.

Article 13 – you have the right to explore and share new experiences.

Time flies when you’re having fun 😃

We can’t believe its the end of week 4 of our summer term!  Time definitely flies when you’re having fun 🤩

This week we have had home made cupcakes and flapjacks for a delicious snack along with some lovely fruit. Our star bakers have been very busy learning how to measure in weight rather than scoops. They used the scales to measure the ingredients looking at the numbers as they go up.

“It’s a 2 and an 8 and a 5”

“What does the ‘g’ mean?”

“I know, it means grams”.

Check out our fabulous clay pictures! We are using our hand muscles to manipulate the clay into different shapes and create our own ideas, while developing our fine motor and early writing skills.

“I made letters with clay”.
“Mines is a spidey web”.


The sun did make an appearance for a little while, just enough time to  observe the clouds using our imagination and find different shapes in the sky.  It was quite tricky and we soon discovered that everyone had different ideas. We took some pictures and printed them out.  Then we outlined the shapes that we could see to create our pictures.

“Mine looks like a monster”.

”It looks like a rabbit”.

Water play is always a favourite in Cart Mill. This week we  have been engineers by working together to investigate how to connect the pipes and move the water from one place to another.  We decided to construct a huge water slide and explored sending different volumes of water down the big slide to see who can make the biggest splash!

“This is going to be the biggest slide”

“The pipes need to go this way to catch the water”

Yet again we have had an exciting, fun filled week with lots of learning experiences. We can’t wait to see what’s in store for us next week. We hope you all have a lovely weekend🥳.

All aboard the Cart Mill train!

“All aboard the Cart Mill train”, has been the cry throughout another fun filled week!  Holidays have been a hot topic of conversation, with much discussion over where we are going on holiday and how we are going to get there! This has led to a natural progression of our interest in forces through using personal experiences to explore different ways of travelling from one place to another!

In our garden “the floor is lava!”.  Using our problem solving skills we worked together to design our own obstacle course so that we could travel across the “lava without getting on fire” by climbing, balancing and jumping! It was lots of fun to explore balance further through using our “wobble” board to move from sided to side and up and down! Using our knowledge of forces, we explored different ways to transport water to “put out the lava” using hoses, pipes and funnels!

In our discovery room and studio we have demonstrated wonderful creativity through designing our own mode of transport on our interactive board and constructing  planes, trains, cars and boats using junk modelling and a fabulous kit donated by one of our families.

“It’s a boat.  I’m going on holiday to Ireland on a boat with my family”. “I maked a train. I love trains. I go’d on a train”.

Trains have been a firm favourite and we have been so busy in our block area constructing our own “Cart Mill station”  and “trains”which have been picking up passengers and dropping them at exciting destinations! “The train leaving platform 3 is for Spain”.


“I maked a bridge for the trains to go under”.  “My train is East Kilbride”.

Role play is another favourite activity! This week we have made our very own “bus” which took us on a journey full of fun, laughter and much excitement “to school”.

“I drived the bus. To school”. “I readed  a book”. “Beep beep”.

Of course one of our favourite ways to travel around Cart Mill is by bike! Lots of us have bikes and scooters at home. Gail very kindly brought us some bikes in and we had so much fun investigating how they work and using real tools to take them apart and using our problem skills to try and put them back together again!

Of course we had to bring out our Cart Mill bikes so that we could race each other round our garden!  What a fun filled, action packed week! We can’t wait for more adventures next week.

Article 13 – Freedom of expression

Artice 28 – Right to an education

Article 31 – Leisure, play and culture