{"id":32212,"date":"2026-02-27T08:23:27","date_gmt":"2026-02-27T08:23:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/er\/crookfurnursery\/?p=32212"},"modified":"2026-02-27T14:51:28","modified_gmt":"2026-02-27T14:51:28","slug":"jewellery-making-story-creating-and-dancing-popcorn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/er\/crookfurnursery\/2026\/02\/27\/jewellery-making-story-creating-and-dancing-popcorn\/","title":{"rendered":"Jewellery Making, Story Creating and Dancing Popcorn!"},"content":{"rendered":"

The children have been busy in the woodwork area, exploring real tools and natural materials to design and create their own models. What started as a pile of wood offcuts, nails and hammers quickly became rockets, birdhouses, robots and a minecraft axe. Its been wonderful to see such creativity and imagination where the children have been bringing their ideas to life. Some have carefully thought out their designs before selecting their materials and others have experimented adapting their ideas as we go.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Using the real tools has provided meaningful opportunities in a wide range of areas from strengthening fine motor skills, testing our problem solving skills and learning to risk assess in our play.<\/span><\/p>\n

We cant wait to see what they will create next.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou need to do gentle taps\u201d CS<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLook I can do it like this and then he can have hands\u201d JK<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf I put red on there it will look like fire\u201d SW<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c I know know I need to make it look like a minecraft axe\u201d JW<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The children have been enjoying our new bike area in the garden. This week they have been counting their laps and marking it up on the chalkboard. We have had cheerleading stations where they have been giving lots of encouragement to their friends as they ride around the track. The timer was introduced for the children to visually see when time is up, indicating a changeover for the next group’s turn. As the week progressed it got a little more competitive with who finished first, second and third and it’s been nice to hear them use this language in their play. Most of the children have a good understanding about how to be safe on the bikes and for those that don’t they have been reminded by their peers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

SB – She doesn\u2019t have a helmet on.<\/span><\/p>\n

FM – Time is up, time to swap the bikes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

JG – I saw the timer, its nearly up, 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1,0<\/span><\/p>\n

MB – No you\u2019re second, I\u2019m first and he’s third\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

JMcC – I got 368 laps\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

IS – I won, you got second<\/span><\/p>\n

AA – I might be the winner next time<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

As we have looked at Lunar New Year and Ramadan the children have been discussing the costumes and outfits they have seen, they have talking about jewellery and decorations, they have extended upon their pom poms from last week adding colours mid way in the process making the pom pom more interesting and adding decoration to pom poms.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The children have also experimented with making their own jewellery out of wool, making bracelets using a plaiting method or twisting method. Some children also made hair decorations using the same methods.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

This week at the malleable area the children have been exploring different reactions with water. They have continued their interest in absorption by making their own walking rainbow where colour transitions from one container to another and have explored colour blending. The children also explored chemical reactions and were able to add different materials to water to make their popcorn dance! They were able to use their observation skills to compare and contrast mixtures and were able to use descriptive language to illustrate this. Through experimentation the children were able to look at the variables and conclude which ingredients caused the reaction.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Child observations:<\/span><\/p>\n

SC \u201c Shiny glass can make a rainbow-it tells you on the\u00a0 back of the smoothie packet\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

DM \u201cAbsorption means its soaking up\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Child observations on dancing pop corn:<\/span><\/p>\n

DM\u00a0 \u201cthe powder is making them go back up\u201d (popcorn)<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cThe powder is making them dance again\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

JK \u201cthe bubbles are making them move up and down\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI have vinegar on my crisps\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

RM \u201c like a balloon it pops then it goes to the bottom\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe bubbles at the bottom of the jar pushes them right up\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

J \u201cits making a beautiful noise\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI’m making a tornado\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c its exploding like a volcano\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

This week in block play, the children have developed their knowledge of positional language, whilst playing with the cars.<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition, the children have been investigating how to build secure structures, with the large loose parts. They discovered that having a larger structure area, on the bottom, helped to secure their models. The children currently have a keen interest in \u2018People who help us\u2019 and role played doctors and created houses and aeroplanes also.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Inspired by the story, \u2018 Tiddles moves out\u2019, the children opted to create beds and bunk beds from the wooden blocks. They worked together to share ideas and described their own beds at home.<\/span><\/p>\n

Furthermore, the children used the small loose parts to create birthday cakes and \u2018large mountains\u2019 for the jungle animals. We discussed the months of the year and identified our birthday month.\u00a0 The children then divided the small loose parts amongst themselves and were challenged to divide a quantity equally amount a group of 2-5 children. Some of our children imagined that the corks were sausages.. one realised that they were sharing the \u2018jellybeans\u2019 just like the dinosaur in the story \u2018The really, really, really big dinosaur\u2019.\u00a0 The children recalled key themes of the story, then role played \u2018sharing out jellybeans\u2019.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

This week in the literacy area, the children became authors and storytellers, creating their own imaginative stories. Some children drew upon their real-life experiences, incorporating the names of their pets, family members and places they have visited on holiday. This demonstrated their ability to connect personal experiences to storytelling, supporting early narrative development and sense of identity.<\/p>\n

Other children used the story prompt cards, independently selecting characters, settings and props such as a magic wand, fairy wings, a throne or a crown. They confidently made creative choices, showing imagination and decision-making skills.<\/p>\n

Each child verbally shared their story with Mr McIntosh, explaining:<\/p>\n