Learning Zone

Please find attached some helpful information on our entry and exit to both playrooms. Thank you all for your patience and understanding with this system we are all learning together.

Ladybird room pick up

butterfly room pick up

Can we also please remind parents not to drop children off before their allocated start times. This is to support families in maintaining a 2 metre distance and also to ensure our staff/child ratios are maintained.

Can we please take this opportunity to say we are so pleased to have our children and families back with us, it has been lovely watching them play and be with their friends and ladies.

 

 

 

We would like to say a huge welcome and a warm welcome back to all of our children! We are so excited to have you back and we are so happy to meet all of the new boys and girls who are starting their journey in our nursery!

We can’t wait to have lots of fun, play in our garden, create pictures, build models and so much more!

While all of the ladies missed you so very much, there have been some changes happening to our nursery. Not only our new extension is under construction, but we have separated our nursery into two rooms and our garden into two playgrounds. This is all to keep the boys and girls as well as the ladies safe! It will be a bit different for now, but we’re all making the most of it playing with all of the lovely resources and toys!

You also might have seen a few new faces around – our two new deputes have been busy welcoming all of you at the gates of the nursery! Jackie Small and Nicola Anderson have been enjoying getting to know all of the children and families!

We would also like to ask the families who drop off/pick up the children to follow the safety guidelines and our ground markers to allow for 2m distance between each other. Thank you for your co-operation in these difficult times.

The first week back has been super busy and super fun – we are all getting used to our new routine and can’t wait to continue our exciting learning! Keep your eyes peeled on the blog for the new blog posts to keep up with what we have been up to!

Today, we are Engineers!

Morning boys and girls, we are going to get creative and use what we have around us to engineer and build wonderful constructions today! We are going to discover 2D and 3D shapes as well as problem solving and physical skills.

The best building activities do not need fancy or expensive supplies – You can do this fun and challenging activity at home with your family.

Let’s take two objects to connect and join and transform these into shapes, letters, numbers, buildings and so much more!

What you will need:-

For the stick:                                                      For the connector:

*Cocktail sticks                                                     *Marshmallows, jellybeans, gummy sweets

*Straws                                                                  *Peas

*Spaghetti                                                             *Pieces of apple

*Lollipop sticks                                                    *Play dough/ clay/ blue tac

Once you have chosen your objects, (try not to eat any!) you can start to construct your creation. If you are using cocktail sticks remember to risk assess and be safe!

 

 

Can you tell us what shape you have made? How many sticks did you need? How many connecting pieces did you use? How many do you need to make a square? Can you make the first letter of your name? Can you create a 3D shape?

Have fun Engineers!

For the grown ups

To build a solid structure you need a design, the right number of pieces, a solid base, creativity and imagination. These objects from around your house will encourage your child to think about their build, count how many pieces they need, talk about shape, number, make predictions, solve problems and HAVE FUN!

Teddy Bear is hungry and loves cookies and sweet treats. Can you use your counting skills to feed him ? How many treats does Teddy want ?  Can you recognise the number and count out loud the number of treats you are giving him ?

 

 

https://www.topmarks.co.uk/learning-to-count/teddy-numbers

How much cookie did teddy eat? Did you count them all ?

Hope you had fun.

Hello from the Discovery Zone!

We hope you are all having lots of fun and staying safe. We are missing you all so much and wanted to leave you some of our Discovery Zone activities for you and your family to enjoy this week. Make sure to leave us a comment and let us know how you get on.

From Annemarie and Claire xx

Today, we are Architects!

Your challenge: –

*To gather loose parts around your home and garden. These can be resources such as rope, cardboard boxes, string, wood, old sheets/material, pegs, branches/sticks, old bike wheels, tyres, empty plastic storage crates, off cuts of guttering etc.

* Look at what objects you have found and using paper and a pencil start to plan what you want to build. Look at what shapes you have, how will they fit together? Do you need something to hold it all together? Will it balance? Is it safe?

* NOW START TO BUILD, CREATE AND INVENT! We both know how good you all are at risk assessing so make sure you assess as you go and make your creation SAFE! Keep looking back at your plans you have made to check your build and HAVE FUN!

With your loose parts both indoors and outdoors you can create all sorts of fantastic creations! Whether it’s a den, a dolls house, a train, a volcano, a castle … We think it’s going to be AMAZING and cannot wait to see what you invent and create!

Information for the grown-ups!

(A ‘loose parts’ toy, is open-ended; children may use it in many ways and combine with other loose-parts through imagination and creativity.) These loose part objects offer limitless possibilities, they may seem like scrap materials and rubbish but to a child it is endless opportunities of adventure and play. They will take risks, learn from mistakes and problem solve throughout. This will increase creativity and imagination, be physical and active and communicate and negotiate with others.

Have fun and tell us all about your creations in the comments!

 

We all know how to blow up a balloon … but did you know you could blow it up with a chemical reaction?

Put your safety goggles on as you are about to become scientists!

What you need:-

• An empty plastic bottle
• A balloon
• Vinegar
• Bicarbonate of soda
• A funnel

This experiment is excellent for showing off to your family through video call, that you have a trick to blow up a balloon!

Here’s what to do…

• Pour some vinegar into the plastic bottle (about 1/5 of the way)
• Insert the funnel into the balloon and carefully add 2 tablespoons of bicarb inside
• Carefully fit the balloon over the top of the bottle (Be careful not to spill any bicarb in yet!!)
• Once the balloon is secure, hold up the balloon – pouring the bicarb into the vinegar
• Watch as your balloon starts to inflate!

This happens because of the gas produced when the vinegar and bicarb mix together to cause a chemical reaction.

Some things to think about during your experimenting:-

• Predict what you think will happen before you carry out your experiment
• Why did this happen?
• Does it work with other ingredients? e.g. oil? baking powder? salt? water?
• Why does the balloon stop blowing up?
• How tall is your balloon? (Use a measuring tape or ruler to measure the height of your balloon)

This is a great experiment to promote inquiry, prediction, observation skills, critical thinking and don’t forget measuring!

As an extra, I like to draw funny faces on the balloons first so that when they blow up they make my family laugh! Have a race with your family to see who’s balloon will blow up first!

Enjoy being scientists and don’t forget to leave a comment and tell us all about your results!

Have fun!!

 

Morning Everyone, it is the outdoor people again.

We all know that you all like to run around, climb, jump and dance when outdoors. We know that physical exercise is good for you and keeps you fit and your body healthy.

We know It is not so easy to get outside that at this time. So here’s a few psychical exercises to get you moving and grooving and get your wiggles out!!

Spell out your name and do all the exercises for each letter!! Good luck if you have a long name!!!

Here’s a Link for jump start Jonny – his free energiser videos will get your blood pumping!! The one rule with jump start Jonny is that you have to get everyone involved! Including mum and dad!!!

https://www.jumpstartjonny.co.uk/free-stuff

Here is a link to get set Tokyo – This is a programmed created by the British Olympics and Paralympics to get people moving! The link has multiple activities online where you can log and track your activities!

https://www.getset.co.uk/travel-tokyo

Please send us a picture or leave a comment if you take part in any of these exercises and tell us what one was your favourite!

Also let us know if there’s any other exercises that you have been taking part in that you have been loving!!

Scones 

Scones are yummy and so easy to make.  Did you know you can develop mathematical concepts just by making them?  Use the recipe below to measure and weigh your ingredients, adding more or less ingredients if needed.  What happens to the dry ingredients when we add milk? How many scones can we make from our ingredients?  Are some of our scones bigger than the others ?  Have you made enough to share with everyone in your family ? Go on try these today and share your scone experience with us all.

This is the recipe that we use in the nursery.

1. 350 g of self raising flour

2. Quarter tea spoon of salt

3. 1 tea spoon of baking powder

4. 85 g of cubed butter

5. 3 table spoons of caster sugar

6. 175 ml of milk

7. 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

8. Mix all together and shape

9 Place on a baking tray

10. Bake for 10 mins at 160 C until golden

11. Enjoy 🙂

What fillings are you going to put on your scones I like jam