This week in the literacy area we have been exploring mark making people. This is part of the emergent writing skills for children. They have been developing the detail within their drawings and using mirrors to look at the details within their face to help them with their drawings. 

This week at Crookfur, the children have been exploring new foods and developing their confidence at snack time.
We made porridge for our afternoon snack. Some children had enjoyed porridge before and were excited to have a bowl, while others were unsure about trying something new. Everyone was encouraged to have a taste, with some children enjoying it so much that they asked for more! Others decided it wasn’t quite for them yet, but were praised for being brave and giving it a try.

On Wednesday, we made banana oat bars together. The children mashed the bananas, measured the oats using a cup and mixed all the ingredients together. They then spread the mixture onto a baking tray before it went into the oven. The children really enjoyed tasting what they had made and were proud to tell their friends that they had helped make the snack.

We will continue to provide opportunities for the children to explore, prepare and try new foods, supporting them to develop positive experiences and confidence around food.

Our children have been continuing to explore the wonderful world of woodwork! Using tools such as the Japanese pull saw, hammers, screwdrivers and sandpaper, they are developing practical skills while learning how to use tools safely and with increasing confidence.

Woodwork offers so much more than creating something to take home. As children saw, hammer, screw and sand, they are strengthening their hand and finger muscles, developing hand-eye coordination, building concentration and problem-solving skills, and learning to persevere when something doesn’t quite go to plan. It also provides wonderful opportunities for creativity, independence and pride as children see their ideas take shape through their own hands.

In our outdoor area the children have shown an interest in playing games, particularly basket ball with our new hoops. They have been challenging themselves to get the ball in each of the baskets and have been talking about how many points they have scored. In the outdoor classroom they have been developing their gross motor skills, balance and coordination by jumping over the hurdles, playing hopscotch and walking over the balance beams.

On the bikes the children have created a one way system and have been charging a ‘toll’ to cycle on the road. They have been discussing money and deciding how much they each have to pay.

“H i got it in the middle like this” TO

“I’m going to jump to do it” HG

“But you have to stand close” TO

“I got 1 point Miss Goldie” HMC

“I got 3 points I got the middles”. HG

“I nearly scored at the middle hoop, I got 7 points”. BH

“I can’t do this it’s soo tricky for me” LP

“He has to pay fourth ten” EHW

“E has to pay 10, it’s 10 monies” LP

“It’s 5 pennies” LMcP

“My machine said £7” HMcN

“It’s £3” LA

“Zero points” RJ

“I’ve to pay £5” ES

“$17” BH

The children have been planning and building different types of buildings within the block area this week. The children have been able to discuss in depth their constructions, “this is an aeroplane, we need a front” and explained it was important that it had an emergency button, in case the plane got into trouble for safety to save people (HG). 

Another group of children built a factory which they explained worked on batteries, the different pieces of small blocks had jobs such as food, communication and parts to run the factory. 

This week in the creative area we have been focusing on patterns. We have used patterned paper to practise cutting and sticking and different objects in the paint to create prints. 

Activities like these help children develop recognition of patterns in the environment building essential foundational skills in maths, cognition and fine motor control.

This week at the malleable area we have had lots of discussions to get children’s voice on what we want to do in the area. We have been talking about birthdays, cakes and the changing seasons. We have been creating cakes and cupcakes and using different materials to decorate our cakes. We have been using mathematical language when adding “candles” to our cakes, touch counting the straws and lollipop sticks. We have also been looking at the concept of “small”, “big” and “biggest” and looking at the length of the straws for our candles. 

In the home corner this week there has been a big focus on how we look after the babies. We have been building on our understanding of the needs of the babies and others, this is helping to build on personal connections to our own home life and real life experiences. We have been working on our social and emotional development by having conversations with friends and taking turns to feed the babies. 

“He’s eating because he’s hungry” – FBD

“I’m feeding him” – AT

“You can be the mother and i can be the sister” – ES

“We need lots of food or else we get hungry” – ES