Technology (Monday-Friday)

The bairns have been making creative models at the workbench, using real tools and problem solving to develop their critical thinking skills.  We have also been finding our houses on Google maps by staring at nursery and using the street view to travel along the road.  Topmarks is a numeracy and literacy site with lots of games for bairns – they often revisit counting and shape games.

Learning to Count with these fun Counting Games – Topmarks

Outdoor Play (Monday-Friday)

The bairns have been sorting out the garden this week.  They have helped to clear out the cupboards, organise the resources into labelled baskets and filled in a muddy puddle on the way to the mud kitchen using the stones from the stone pit.  We also spent some time at the playpark so that Trevor could use his ripsnorter saw in the garden.  He has removed our broken climbing wall and is building us a new one.  Mr and Mrs Malcolmson built a new music wall, using ideas from the bairns.  “Jingle bells!”  “Something to bang on.”  “We could use bits like we use at music.”  “Something bumpy like dat pipe.”  They have been exploring the sounds, using different utensils and materials.

Trip to the Lerwick Library (Thursday)

We took a small group up on the service bus to Lerwick to visit the library.  The bairns played I Spy while we waited for the bus.  Once we were in Lerwick, we made the short walk from King Harald Street to the library.  We stopped to look at the leaves falling from the trees and discussed what happens when the seasons change.  We heard the Town Hall clock striking and talked about the different sounds it makes at every 15 minutes.  When we arrived at the library, we returned three books we had borrowed from the library van.  Then we headed inside, straight to the bairns’ books.  Everybody explored the books and toys, before selecting a book to read and a couple to take back to nursery.  We read stories together and noticed what was outside from our high vantage point.  Soon, it was time for snack and play in the activities room.  The bairns made jigsaws, played matching games and counted rainbow caterpillars.  On our way back to the bus, we wondered what the bairns though about their trip to the library – “it’s good”  “fun”  “awesome”.

Stay and Play (Friday)

Thank you to everyone who attended our Term 1 Stay and Play.  The bairns were very excited to show their grown-ups their favourite parts of nursery.

Muddy Puddle Fun (Thursday-Friday)

The wet weather played in our favour this week.  The bairns explored cause and effect jumping in the giant muddy puddle in the garden.  They added run ups to see if they could make a bigger splash.  “Yun is deep.  It’s covering my boots.”  They also noticed the patterns in the water from the raindrops.

Library Van (Tuesday)

The new Library Van came by for a visit and we learned that its name is ‘Tammy Stories’.  The bairns selected books about animals, being kind and Halloween.  They have frequently chosen to read these books throughout the week.

Numeracy (Monday-Friday)

There are numeracy invitations and opportunities across all the areas of the setting.  The bairns have been using clay sprinkles to fill number shapes.  They have built shapes with the Kapla sticks and the magnetic blocks, often creating farms for the magnetic animals.  They have explored height using towers made from blocks and cups.  The bairns often ask for counting games on the smart board.  Our numeracy table has featured ten frames, loose parts and numbered tiles to promote counting, ordering and quantity recognition.

Circuits and Electricity (Monday-Friday)

The bairns have been interested in learning about electricity.  We found some interactive games on the internet related to electricity, hazards and energy.  The bairns have also been testing the circuit boards, making the fans spin and lights shine.  This also supports numeracy development in relation to number, placement and shape.

Sensory Jars (Tuesday-Wednesday)

One of the bairns wondered how to make bubbles in a sensory timer so we made our own.  The bairns added oil, water, food colouring and confetti stars to their jars, before gently swirling the ingredients together.  The bairns discussed when they would use their jars.  “It helps you, the way you feel.  It made me feel happy.”

Story Dough (Tuesday)

The bairns made a big batch of green playdough to use for Story Dough.  The dough was placed on the centre of the table and the bairns marched around it, singing the wake up song.  Once the story dough had woken up, it was time to divide it up and create our own characters, and use our imagination to invent stories about them.  Mrs Malcolmson sprinkled in many unique describing words to add a bit of nonsense and fun to support language development.