Good morning to every single member of our nursery community. Week 2- that means we are 2 weeks nearer to the end of this!! It’s not yet become a normality – it still feels very strange.
All our staff are missing your children (and you too!) so much! We know what a tough job it is to keep children feeling happy, secure and busy when you have them at home 24/7. It tests family relationships to the max and keeping everyone happy can be very stressful. We would like to give you a big virtual hug and tell you that YOU are doing an amazing job! There is no blueprint for this, no manual of instructions – though there is a wealth of internet advice, which can either make you feel supported, or completely inadequate, depending on how you are feeling. Do what you feel is the right thing! Parents are always the experts on their children and you usually, instinctively know what is right for your wee ones. If you can feel confident and can keep calm at this time, your children will be able to, as well.
Fun is really, really important! The more fun you have, the faster time passes. Be assured that the more play you can encourage your child to have just now, the more they will learn. You do not need to be constantly playing with them – they need independent play where they can think their own thoughts and direct their energies themselves, as well as play with siblings and adults,where negotiation and compromise are hopefully learned!! Try to think of different things to play with – not just toys! We are very keen on loose parts play in nursery. This involves playing with stuff that looks like junk to other people, things like clothes pegs, bits of material, sticks, buttons, old boxes etc. It can look quite messy, but the benefits are well worth a temporary guddle! Imagination is stimulated, so is problem solving. The child has to work out the properties of things to use them and this stimulates the brain in the way that familiar toys and construction sets just don’t do. It is sometimes fun to put loose parts out with lego or duplo or blocks as this really extends the play. Sheets can make a great den, plastic food boxes are fun too for filling, emptying and transporting things, as are pots and pans. Anything that is not obviously dangerous to your child or to other wee ones in the household can be used for play. Learning to tidy this away again is all part of loose parts play – a real life skill! Try it today – you will be amazed by what comes out of it!
Many thanks to everyone who has contributed to our learning journals over the past week. It has been lovely to see all the different things our wee people, and their very supportive mums and dads, have been doing! Our staff have been looking at their group’s learning journals too-adding photos and stories from material they have found on their ipads. Why not take a few minutes in the next week to show your child their learning journal and go through and look at what they have on it. It is a great reminder of the life of our nursery- friends, activities, staff and environment and might help keep us all in touch. It is really easy to upload a photo and comment of what you are doing at home – it then becomes a diary of what you have been doing too- great for looking back on in future years. If you have any trouble posting to your learning journal, please just get in touch and help will be at hand!!!
This week our staff are going to read stories and post the videos for your wee one to watch. We are hoping that this will help your child remember us – particularly for the wee new ones who have not been with us for very long. We really hope you enjoy the stories!
To contact us at any time just email: office@milngavie.e-dunbarton.sch.uk
Stay safe and have a great day
Lots of love from all our nursery staff!
