Bells Brae Nursery

Week Beginning: 2nd December 2024

Our story of the week is Puffin Peter by Petr Horacek.

Click on the link below to view and listen to the story being read by the author.

Our rhyme of the week is There Once Was a Puffin.

Oh, there once was a puffin

Just the shape of a muffin,

And he lived on an island

In the bright blue sea!

He ate little fishes,

That were most delicious,

And he had them for supper

And he had them for tea.

Pudsey came to visit!

We were very lucky to meet Pudsey when he came to visit the school during his incredibly busy day visiting lots of schools and nurseries on Children in Need day!

“It’s all of us”.     “Pudsey Bear helps people”.   “It’s Pudsey Day”!    “It’s Pudsey bear”.    “He helps us”.

Primary 6 held a toy and book sale to raise money for Children in Need so we went for a walk all the way through the school to visit their shop and donate money, helping to raise money for Children in Need. The children did very well waiting for their turn to visit the shop and helped to choose some books and toys to take back to Nursery for everyone to share.

“At the school to look at toys, cause they set up some toys on Pudsey Day”.    “The toy sale”. “Bringing money in”.    “It’s the toy shop”.

On Children in Need day and during the week we discussed who Pudsey is and what he represents. Children also had the opportunity to create their very own Pudsey ears headband!

“Making Pudsey ears”!    “Making a Pudsey hat”.

Week Beginning: 25th November 2024

Our story of the week is The Runaway Pea Washed Away by Kjartan Poskitt.

Click on the link below to view and listen to the story.

Our rhyme of the week is Carrots, Peas and Broccoli (to the tune of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star).

Carrots, peas and broccoli,

Vegetables are good for me,

For my snack and in my lunch,

Veggie sticks are great to munch,

Carrots, peas and broccoli,

Vegetables are good for me.

The children enjoyed taking part in a variety of activities for Road Safety Week.

We got ready for our road safety walk by making sure that we were dressed in warm, winter clothes before putting on a Hi-Viz vest.

‘We need our boots today.’

‘The cars will see my yellow vest.’

When leaving the nursery, we made sure that everyone was holding their partner’s hand. There was some snow on the pavements so we walked carefully and took our time.

‘A slushy puddle.’

Before crossing Gilbertson Road, we followed the Green Cross Code by stopping at the kerb before looking and listening for traffic.

‘Wait, I can hear a car.’

‘We can cross the road now.’

When it was safe to cross, we held hands and crossed the road while remembering to keep looking and listening.

‘No cars are coming.’

On our way back to the nursery, we noticed the words – Stop, Look and Listen on the pavement next to the school.

‘The words tell us what to do.’

At together time, we met Ziggy who is the Road Safety Scotland mascot. Mrs Goodlad read a story about Ziggy learning to cross the road safely with the lollipop lady. We then learned a new action song which reminded us to use our eyes and ears before using our toes to cross the road.

The children also enjoyed playing interactive online games on the Road Safety Scotland website.

Go Safe with Ziggy – Road Safety Scotland

Halloween Party

Everyone had lots of fun at our Nursery Halloween party! Some children enjoyed dressing up in costumes from home or tried various dressing up costumes available to use at Nursery. They demonstrated team work and developed their turn taking and listening skills whilst playing various group games including corners, musical statues and pass the pumpkin.

Week Beginning: 18th November 2024

Our story of the week is Ziggy and the Lollipop by Lynda Kennedy.

Click on the link below to view and listen to the story.

Our rhyme of the week is Stop, Look and Listen (to the tune of Ten Green Bottles).

Stop, look and listen before you cross the road,

Stop, look and listen before you cross the road,

Use your eyes and your ears before you use your toes,

Stop, look and listen before you cross the road.

The children have engaged in a variety of activities relating to World Nursery Rhyme Week. They really enjoyed listening to our story of the week, Dear Mother Goose written by Michael Rosen. In the book, several well-known nursery rhyme characters write to Mother Goose asking for help with their problems. Mother Goose writes back with humorous advice for each character which is revealed by lifting the flaps on each page.

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

The children consolidated their understanding of positional language when placing a star finger puppet in different locations throughout the nursery.

‘In the basket.’

‘On the shelf.’

‘Behind the bin.’

‘Under the table.’

‘Between the tables.’

Old MacDonald Had a Farm

The children enjoyed using instruments when signing Old MacDonald Had a Farm. A different instrument was chosen for each animal sound and a clapping rhythm was used when singing E I E I O.

‘Making music is fun!’

‘Can we sing it faster?’

The Big Ship Sails

The children engaged in imaginative role-play while using the boat’s oars to go on seafaring adventures.

‘We are pirates looking for treasure.’

‘A shark is coming!’

‘The waves are getting bigger.’

The children also worked together to build boats of different shapes and sizes using the wooden blocks.

Incy Wincy Spider

The children had great fun playing with Incy Wincy Spider in the water tray. They washed a plastic spider out of a pipe while singing the nursery rhyme.

‘Incy is stuck in the pipe.’

‘Fill the bottle with more water.’

Five Currant Buns

The children practised number recognition and counting when placing currants into numbered baking cases. They also enjoyed making buns and rolling currants using playdough.

‘I made a big bun.’

‘1, 2 , 3 currants on my bun.’

Week Beginning: 11th November 2024

Our story of the week is Dear Mother Goose by Michael Rosen.

Click on the link below to listen to the story.

World Nursery Rhyme Week was launched in 2013 and is taking place this year from the 11th to 15th November. It promotes the importance of nursery rhymes in early childhood development and education. Nursery rhymes are excellent teaching tools and can help to develop skills in literacy and numeracy in addition to contributing to social, physical and emotional wellbeing.

This year’s ‘Rhyme a Day’ challenge will focus on each of the rhymes below:

• Twinkle Twinkle
• Old Macdonald
• The Big Ship Sails
• Incy Wincy Spider
• Five Currant Buns