Category: Latest News

Good morning everyone and a very warm welcome back to our blog.  We hope everyone has had a lovely break with their family and made lots of special memories together.

The ELCC staff have been supporting in the various Hubs over the holiday period. They are missing you all so it would be great if you can leave your comments and let them know how you are getting on.

Please check our blog for suggested activities to engage your children at home. We aim to post daily.

We left you with this video last time –

Did you manage to use your singing hands? Please share with us – all the staff are interested to know how you got on with this challenge.

The Rainbow Children

The history books will talk of now,
That time the world stood still.
When every family stayed at home,
Waved out from windowsills-
At those they loved but could not hold,
Because they loved them so.
Yet, whilst they did they noticed all the flowers start to grow.

The sun came out, they can recall,
And windows, rainbows filled.
They kicked a football in their yards,
Until the night drew in.
They walked each day but not too close,
That time the world stood still.
When people walked straight down the roads,
That once the cars did fill.

They saw that people became ill,
They knew the world was scared.
But whilst the world stood still they saw,
How much the whole world cared.
They clapped on Thursdays from their doors,
They cheered for the brave.
For people who would risk their lives,
So others could be saved.

The schools closed down, they missed their friends,
They missed their teachers so.
Their Mums and Dads helped with their work,
They helped their minds to grow.
The parents used to worry that,
As schools were put on hold,
Their children wouldn’t have the tools,
They’d need as they grew old.

But history books will talk of them,
Now adults, fully grown.
Those little boys and girls back then,
The ones who stayed at home.
They’ll tell you that they fixed this world,
Of all they would fulfill.
The RAINBOW children building dreams,
They’d dreamed whilst time stood still

Someone shared this poem with me today and I thought it would be something nice to share with you all. Author of this is unknown.

This can link in with the story of the Rainbow fish. We read this story in nursery as part of our PAThS group. The Rainbow Fish is a lovely story that embodies the simple message, sharing makes us happy. When the other fish see him, they want shimmering scales too, but Rainbow Fish keeps the beautiful scales to himself. His choice not to share soon makes Rainbow Fish a lonely fish.

The other fish give the rainbow fish compliments at the beginning. You and your child could give compliments to each other, a nice way to help keep building positive thoughts and feelings. Maybe make this a daily tradition of your family.

 

Have fun and stay safe. Remember please share your experiences with us on our Facebook page or leave your comments.

 

How to grow a rainbow

You will need;

• Kitchen roll/paper roll
• felt pens
• two small bowls of water
• paper clip
• thread

1. Cut your kitchen roll into the shape of a rainbow.
2. Colour a rainbow with felt pens about 2 cm up on both sides.
3. Attach you paper clip to the top and tie a piece of thread to it. This will give you something to hold your rainbow with.
4. Fill each small container with water.
5. Hold your rainbow with the ends slightly submerged in the water then watch your rainbow grow.

 

Good Luck!!

Talk to your child about what happens during this experiment.  You could ask –

“I wonder why……..?” or “That was interesting when………”

We would like to wish everyone a happy and safe time during the Spring Break. We hope you are staying safe and taking care of each other. Remember there are lots of ideas for you to do at home on the blog – just scroll down! We miss you very much and hope to see you again very soon! Take care, have fun and stay safe!

This is the last post as we stop for Easter break.

All the staff are missing the children  and families and are thinking of you all at this time. Please take care and remember boys and girls, to help around the home, just as you all do in our early learning class.

 

If you go out on your daily walk, why not enjoy a number hunt…

On the first day, how many 0’s can you find?  Then work your way up the number line. This is something that can be adapted to suit all age groups. You could record how many you see when you get home. What number had the highest count? What was the lowest?

Please re-visit our previous posts – visit favourites or try out some that you haven’t experienced yet.

Take photos and send them to our facebook page – all the staff love to see what you are doing.

Parent Club Scotland may give you some tips for learning at home and some  useful ideas to entertain your children, especially with the two week spring break approaching 🙂

https://www.parentclub.scot/child

Here is something a bit different for you all to learn – Sign Share/Makaton. There are lots of clips available and a great tool for you and your child to learn and develop your skills.

We were beginning to learn this in ELCC before we stopped. Why not record your child/children/family and share with us on our Facebook page. This would be lovely for us all to share and celebrate achievements.  You have all the holidays to ‘give it a go’!

Please search Williamsburgh Primary School on Facebook.

Happy signing……………………..Have fun, we miss you all – the ELCC team.x

Lots of fun and games to engage your child today. Check out the link below. Children will enjoy repeating games and activities……it’s how they learn.

 

https://www.topmarks.co.uk/

 

Pamper day

• You can experiment as face scrubs and masks can be made from simple household ingredients or even just use a face/moisture cream. Take time together, pampering skins and perhaps painting toes and fingers.

Gardening

• For those of you who have a garden, weeding the garden can get the whole family involved and have the garden looking great.  Talk to the children about planting and how we can help our plants to survive. Sometimes the jobs that we as adults least like are the ones that the children love.

Obstacle course

•  This could be either indoors or in the garden.  Use items around the home to set up a course. You might choose to use; ropes, buckets, pots, old sheets, spoons, balls, plastic plates and toys to name just a few. Ask your child what they want to use. Children will be very creative with their ideas. They could draw a plan of their course and count the objects as they set out and change their course. They may choose to keep a score with tally marks that they can count to find a winner.

Circuits

• Circuits could be an idea too as this helps the  adults during this time where we cannot access the gyms or other clubs.  Your phone could be used as a stopwatch or set an alarm for a set time.  Add in activities like sprinting up and down garden/stairs.
  • skipping ropes
  • burpees
  • push ups
  • sit ups
  • squats
  • squat kicks
  • star jumps
  • high knees
  • lunges                                                                                                                                                You could put all these ideas into a cup and each of you pull one or two out to make up your list of exercises. Again encourage your child to offer their ideas and plan what they want to happen.

Let’s start with a favourite this morning!

 

Have fun with numbers

• Count objects around the home.
• Choose a number, then count on.
• Choose a number, then count back.
• Adults can count and miss out a number – encourage your child to say the missing number.
• Write numbers and encourage your child to match with objects or draw.

 

Literacy – Read together every day

• Talk about interesting words and what is happening in the story.
• Talk about reading from left to right and show your child by pointing, how to trace the words.
• Make mistakes in familiar songs and rhymes…..have fun as your child corrects you!
• Take time to listen to your child’s ideas and opinions.

Yesterday we posted the Gruffalo. Today you can listen to the ‘Glasgow’ version read by Elaine C Smith-

 

Some games to try –        https://www.funbrain.com/

 

Talent Show

• The children loved doing this in our ELCC. If the children enjoy dancing… karate… football… tricks… magic… jokes… singing…. have them rehearse a wee show of their own making…. make a little stage area in house and have them dress up and put on a show for the family. This is great to build their confidence and self-esteem.

Material fun

•  …. any old bedding, curtains, old clothes. You can cut these up to give the children scraps to be creative with – collage creations, making outfits for dolls/figures, dressing up  themselves…..or making tents and dens. They will be limited only by their imagination!