We thought that you might enjoy some story time with the staff. Click on the green text links below and enjoy!
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.
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;
By using kitchen resources I created a filling and pouring station for Erin. There is no need to have a tuff tray to do this as this can be done on a smaller scale on an oven tray, inside a cardboard box, a plastic box from under the bed…anything really that will contain the mess. I collected various items from the kitchen rice, cous cous, tea leaves out of teabags, cornflakes, cheerios, spices, herbs, oats, a crushed up biscuit, spaghetti…the list is endless. You only need a small quantity of each to enable pouring and scooping between containers so don’t worry about using up lots of food. Then add to the tray any utensils and bowls to aid scooping and pouring; different sized spoons, measuring cups and spoons, sieves, pots and pans…make sure nothing sharp is placed in the tray that could pose a hazard. Filling, scooping and pouring activities help develop fine motor skills in under 5s as well as using concepts such as less and more. Adding scales to your pouring and filling tub can also introduce the concept of weight. These tasks help children coordinate their hand movements with what they are seeing and feeling.
Today we have been dipping in and out of threading. It’s amazing what resources you will already have in your house. We used spaghetti held up by blue tac with cheerios and cut up straws, different sized curtain hoops and chiffon scarves, a colander to thread spaghetti through, pasta and string, a bridge from a train set and ribbons, a chain strap on a handbag and the rubber anti slip mat from under a rug with shoe laces. Do you have anything different in your house you can thread with? How about spare buttons and thread for an extra challenge of threading? I have attached a link that explains in more depth all the benefits of threading (specifically beads but any threading counts ) for all ages, so everybody in the house can get involved.
http://blog.sensoryedge.com/threading-beads-benefits-children-seniors/
Today Erin and I have been busy using our problem solving skills to make our own jigsaws. I thought with the recycling bins not being able to be emptied at the moment it would be a good way to do our bit to help recycle. We used photos we had lying about, birthday cards people have sent us, leaflets that have come through the door, brochures and magazines. With adult supervision children could try cutting out shapes by themselves to practise their cutting. Why not even try making a collage or transient art from pieces you cut out? 
Hi everybody, Mrs Reynolds here, I hope you are all keeping well and staying safe. I was reading Mrs MacLeod’s post about going on a rainbow nature hunt and I knew my little girl Erin would love to do that, so I thought I would share what we did. I made Erin a grid from string and cardboard and placed different colours onto it for her to find on our walk. For older children you could add different numbers to each colour of how many items to collect for a numeracy experience and write the colour names on it to promote literacy. Erin really enjoyed collecting the items and placing them under the string to take them home with her. Maybe some of you could try this on your next walk and send us a photo of what you managed to collect. Keep an eye on the blog to see more of what Erin and I are up to and please keep sharing your ideas with us as well.
Below are some examples of outdoor Transient Art by the British environmental artist Andy Goldworthy. You might get some ideas from him…
This website/Twitter page has lots of simple but fun activity ideas.
Please let us know if you try any of them out…
Learning at Home
Below are some fun activity ideas that could be done at home.
If you wish, you could share pictures of your learning in your learning journal.
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Act Out a Story Act out a scene from one of your favourite books. You could use costumes, props, make your own puppets and even set up a stage! |
Mark-Making
Find interesting materials to draw and write with. These could be messy materials like paint and mud. |
Make Play-Dough
Make playdough with 2 cups of flour, 1 tsp. salt, 1 tbs. oil and 1 cup water. Add food colouring, glitter or herbs and spices. |
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Missing Number Write out a line of numbers (e.g. 0-10). The adult should cover a number for the child to figure out which number is missing. |
Loose Parts
Find interesting objects like bolts, marbles and pine cones. Use them to make groups of 5s etc. |
Junk Modelling Use up some of the items in your recycling bin to make models. These could be robots, buildings or inventions. |
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Counting Games Counting tins in the cupboard, estimate the number pasta shells in the jar and count the steps in the house. |
Threading Pasta
Make some jewellery using string and pasta. You can decorate your shells with paint or glue and glitter. |
Watch the Clock Keep an eye on the clock for o’clock times. Have a think about the time of day that you do different things like have your meals and go to bed. |
| Matching Coins
Find some money and sort the coins into matching groups. Can you recognise the £1 coin? Practise spending your money at the shops. |
Sensory Play
Fill bowls with different sensory materials like rice, jelly, gloop (cornflour and water), soapy water and cereal. Play in them all, try to describe how they feel. |
Take Photographs Take photos of different scenes. This could be family, your toys, plants or interesting patterns. |
Below are some useful links for online resources:
https://www.storylineonline.net/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/school-radio/nursery-rhymes-songs-index/zhwdgwx
https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/games/get-squiggling-letters-mobile
https://www.teachyourmonstertoread.com/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/curations/nursery-rhymes
https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/3-5-years/counting
https://www.nasa.gov/kidsclub/index.html
http://www.bobthebuilder.com/en-gb/activities/more
http://www.kidspsych.org/index1.html
https://www.science-sparks.com/science-and-stem-challenge-cards/
http://www.bigbrownbear.co.uk/magneticletters/index.html
https://resource-bank.scholastic.co.uk/
https://www.learningandexploringthroughplay.com/
https://www.youtube.com/user/CosmicKidsYoga
https://www.abcearlyyears.org.uk/index2.html
https://www.robinhoodmat.co.uk/learning-projects/
Apps
The Hello Atlas
Bookbug
BBC iPlayer Kids
Alphablocks
Numberblocks
Local author (and Busby Nursery mum!) Breea Keenan and illustrator David Nichol will be taking part in World Book Day celebrations, presenting their brand new rhyming picture book Nessie’s Selfie on Friday 6 March.
Breea will read the story to Busby Nursery and Primary One pupils and lead a discussion around its themes of inclusion, equality and friendships. David will talk through the book’s map of Scotland and will also show the children some of Nessie’s Selfie concept artwork.
The children will then be able to colour in their own Nessie monster which they can bring home – so please make room on the fridge for some new Nessie artwork!
To order a signed copy of the book for your child, which costs £7.99, please email: hello@newsofnessie.co.uk to arrange a bank transfer. A signed copy of the book will be delivered to the nursery/school.
