Category Archives: Gardening

Creative Arts, Eco Learning, Fine motor skills, Fun, Gardening, Imaginary Play, Life Skills, Literacy, Numeracy & Mathematics, Outdoor Learning, Technology & Construction

September Learning Adventures

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Interactive Storytelling
Inviting children to take part in a story increases their engagement and stimulates their imaginations. It also leads to retellings, which further increases understanding and language development.

The Tiger who came to Tea: Here the children participated in the Tiger’s tea party as the story was read to them. They were excited to make their own props and recreate the story themselves.

Through Commotion in the Ocean, the children were inspired to draw many ocean scenes and to create their own puppets, which they then used to take on roles in the storytelling.

Different Ways to Sort
In Numeracy we have been focusing on sorting and matching. Here are a few different ways the children have tried sorting, matching and categorising:

Sorting by length

Sorting superheroes & Matching 3D shapes to their outlines

 Matching dots to written numerals

Sorting by colour & Matching pieces
At home you could now try asking your child to sort out the cutlery or their sock drawer…
Technology
The children have been cool with tools and concentrating hard, as they learn how to  use a hammer and nails safely, and create wooden hedgehogs and other creatures.

 

From Little Acorns…
We’ve been looking at autumn treasures in a Treasure Box and talking about the changes that happen outside in Autumn.
The children have identified acorns, conkers and pine cones and have been learning how trees shed their seeds at this time of year. They know that “Squirrels eat acorns”, but we also thought about what would happen to the acorns that squirrel forgot.. We looked at a tiny plant grown from an acorn, and together we planted this tiny oak tree in the Eco Garden and watered it.


Maybe one day it will grow into a Great Oak…

Eco Learning, Fine motor skills, Fun, Gardening, Group Green, Group Pink, Group Red, Group Yellow, Natural World, Numeracy & Mathematics, Outdoor Learning, Science

Green Fingers

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The children have been busy working  with staff doing all kinds of Planting and Growing. We have created a Herb Garden and an outdoor and indoor Vegetable Garden, which are all thriving.
Take a look at this poster in our front window to find out more!

The children have grown Grassheads (“We cut their hair with scissors ‘cos it was growing too long”), and have planted rosemary, basil, radishes, carrots, courgettes, peas, tomatoes, spring onions, potatoes and runner beans, plus marigolds and bluebells for butterflies. They have been excited to watch the plants grow and have been watering and measuring them.
“We need sun, water and soil.”
“Butterflies like marigolds.”
“We looked after them.”





See how they’ve grown…

 

 

Creative Arts, Eco Learning, Fine motor skills, Fun, Gardening, Group Green, Group Red, Health & Wellbeing, Imaginary Play, Natural World, Outdoor Learning, Science, Technology & Construction

Creative Creatures

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The Busby Bug Hotel is Open for Business!


The Red and Green groups have been busy packing our bug hotel with leaves, damp wood and straw to attract some new guests. They also planted marigolds around it. So far some wood lice and a spider have visited!

Studying the spider and role playing with “Worm World.”

Splendid Sunflowers
The children have also been excitedly watching the sunflower seeds they planted starting to grow, as well as measuring them.


Later they tried some Transient Art to create beautiful sunflower pictures.

The children have also been showing off their creative talents in their Block Play, in the sand pits and in  junk modelling. They are building increasingly complex structures as they work imaginatively and cooperatively in teams. They have recently constructed walkways, animal homes and a giant robot costume! WOW!



 

 

Creative Arts, Eco Learning, Fine motor skills, Gardening, Group Pink, Group Yellow, Imaginary Play, Literacy, Natural World, Numeracy & Mathematics, Outdoor Learning, Science, Sensory Play, Technology & Construction

Science Adventures: Space and Planting

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The Wonders of Space

The children in Pink and Yellow groups have recently showed an interest in learning about Space, so they have been designing rockets and reading the story of Little Moon in the Story Box to find out more about planets and black holes…


Exploring the Story Box and experimenting with different sphere shapes


Rocket Number Games and Play Dough Aliens


Creating Rocket Designs and Junk Modelling

We also tried making some paper mâché planets by mixing up a paste of water and flour, dipping in newspaper strips and tissue paper, then wrapping them around balloons.

“I think that one looks like our planet – Earth.”
“This one looks like Mars and that one is the sun.”
“Rover is on Mars.”
“Craters are on the moon.”
Earth has “more water” than land.
“That’s a gas giant!”

The children also began some other experiments with balloons and discovered static electricity when they found they could rub the balloons and make them stick to the walls.

Planting and Growing

Mrs McInnes has been showing the children how to plant grass seeds to make Grass Heads, and they have been learning what a plant needs to grow.

We have been carefully watering the plants for 2 weeks and look how quickly the grassy hair grew!


Time for a hair cut!

Some other outdoor fun in the sun!


 

Gardening, Group Blue, Group Purple, Group Red, Health & Wellbeing, Imaginary Play, Literacy, Mark Making, Outdoor Learning, Science

Fun in the Sun

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The children in the Purple, Blue, Green and Red groups have settled well back into nursery. We have been taking advantage of the lovely weather with lots of exciting outdoor learning experiences such as pouring/ filling in water tray, painting, planting, reading and developing our gross motor skills on the bikes.

Creative Arts, Culture & Traditions, Fine motor skills, Fun, Gardening, Group Pink, Group Red, Group Yellow, Imaginary Play, Literacy, Mark Making, Natural World, Outdoor Learning, Science

⭐️ Shining Stars ⭐️

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In Arran the children have been getting into the Christmas spirit – role-playing and hammering in the elves’ workshop, potting their hyacinths in silver pots, creating seasonal artwork, using clay to design decorations of their choice, counting penguins, making cards, calendars, lanterns and much more…
What a busy bunch!
Outdoors we have been exploring the properties of ice and enjoying frosty walks to Busby church gardens.
Role Play: “It’s a polar landscape.”

Literacy: In the Story Box,  The Gruffalo’s Child has been very popular, with the children keen to act out the story and make up their own versions using the props for character and setting.
Stick Man has been another seasonal favourite story to explore.

We also read Little Owl and the Christmas Star and looked at different types of stars, before the children designed their own.

Rolling, moulding, cutting, imprinting: the Red, Yellow & Pink groups experimented with clay and water to create stars, snowmen and other decorations,  using beads and various implements to make patterns, then metallic paints with varnish to finish them off.


“I’m going to make mine so pretty!”


The children were very proud of their different shining stars. We hope you enjoy hanging them on your tree or around the house!

Science: Planting & Growing: We have been watching the hyacinth bulbs that we planted start to grow. The children repotted them in silver pots for you and hope you enjoy the flowers later at home.

Science: Watch us mixing up fake snow using baking soda and hair conditioner…

Science: Ice Experiments: nature has kindly provided us with lots of thick ice shapes to investigate and experiment with.



Outdoors the children had great fun rolling down hills and investigating bugs found under logs

“I want to hold the wood louse… we have to be gentle. I’m going to put him back.” “Look, black beetles!” “A centipede!”

We have been gradually adding to our Kindness/ Christmas Tree with snowflake decorations, sunshine sticks and kind deeds.

“Share my lego with friends.”  “I helped with lunch.”

Making lanterns to light up Busby


Numeracy: Christmas counting games


The children have also been offering ideas for a new nursery logo and then voting for their favourites to create a simple pictogram.




We’ve seen some fabulous Christmas outfits!

We wish a Merry Christmas to all our star children and their families!
We hope you have a very happy time together during the break.

Community, Food & Cookery, Gardening, Learning at home, Science, Videos with ELCC Staff

Get Skilled up with Skills Academy!

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Hello everyone!
If you are looking for some fun challenges and ways to learn new skills with the nursery staff,  then you can take part in our brand new online Skills Academy lessons below.
So far we have 4 handy video lessons in Gardening & Science with Mrs Small, and 2 scroll-down Cooking demonstrations from Mrs MacLeod  – try making gingerbread or a quick easy pizza.
To access the lesson just click on the Green text link above each picture.
Have fun, whatever you choose!

Eco Planting with Mrs Small

Community Skills Planting herbs with Mrs Small

Science Skills Academy with Mrs Small

Science Outcome 1

Cooking – Easy Pizza

Baking Gingerbread

 

Community, Gardening, Health & Wellbeing, Learning at home, Natural World, Outdoor Learning

Cool with Tools by Mrs Small

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Mrs Small  noticed that lots of people are out enjoying gardens and green spaces. Click on the links below to watch videos of Mrs Small giving us tips on how to be safe.

Cool with Tools Part 1

Cool with Tools Part 2

Remember to let us know how you are getting on with your community spaces and gardens!

If you need help to identify birdsong click on the link below;

Identify Bird Song

 

Community, Creative Arts, Eco Learning, Gardening, Literacy, Mark Making, Natural World

Bring on Spring!

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The children have been learning all about how things grow, as we look forward to Spring and also our Spring Event next Thursday morning, March 5th.

The children used cupcake cases, paper quilling, chalk, pen, scissors, crayon and glue to create their individual daffodil designs:
“I know a different way to do it.”
“All I did was fold it in and cut it like this.”

“The trumpet part is orange.”
“I’m going to twist it round by myself.” (quilling)

Planting Iris Bulbs: we have planted indoors and outdoors, and are comparing how quickly bulbs grow in the different environments.
“Put a seed in, water it and wait till the sun comes.”
“One of my iris bulbs turned into a white flower.
The other one was yellow.”
“The bulb is round.”
“It has roots.”
“Mine has grown big.”


Singing “Ten Little Daffodils” and imitating how they grow.

 

Eco Learning, Food & Cookery, Gardening, Natural World, Outdoor Learning

Lots of Learning in January

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Learning about the life cycle Plants need sun and water
Measuring just the right amount Mrs Ahmed helping the gardening team
Balance skills Teamwork- investigating forces
Traditional Scottish food Measuring, chopping and cooking
Learning about vegetables And in to the hot…