Category: The Orchard Room

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Tuesday’s Storybook – The Gruffalo, Re-imaged – Emotional Understanding

Hello Everyone,

Today’s suggested Storybook is the Gruffalo – Reimaged.

The story has been created to support children’s understanding of the current situation with Coronavirus restrictions in place. As we know it’s difficult enough for adults to understand and deal with all that is going on, never mind our children. Suddenly they aren’t going to nursery, trips outside are limited to once a day and it can be very scary. To help, The Gruffalo author Juila Donaldson and illustrator Alex Scheffler have reimagined some of their most famous characters with messages about what is currently going on. Pictures include The Gruffalo social distancing, Charlie Cook staying at home, The Smartest Giant in Town washing his hands and the grandparents from The Smeds and the Smoos keeping in touch on the phone. This Storybook should provide the opportunity for you to naturally have discussions with your child regarding their feelings and emotions. Last week we suggested discussing feelings and emotions through stories and texts to promote communication and emotional understanding, we would encourage this to be a regular discussion. The easiest way to enhance children’s knowledge and understanding of feelings and emotions and how to cope with these is through repetition and regular discussions.

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Did you know reading to your child promotes curiosity, imagination and aids their communication skills .. 

Reading to a child can increase their willingness to express themselves and communicate their thoughts and feelings. Ask them to talk to you about the story and characters in the story; to suggest the role each character has and to tell you why they think the character has behaved in a particular way.

When storytelling, you should actively encourage children to ask questions and to talk about how they feel.

Reading is a great way to broaden their vocabulary, as a child will pick up new words as they hear them. If they don’t understand a word, they will more than likely ask for an explanation, so always encourage this kind of questioning.

Storytelling also encourages children to be creative and use their imagination to picture the setting, the characters, and the story as it unfolds.

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Friday’s Suggested Activity – Create a Birdfeeder – Act of Kindness

Hello Everyone,

Today’s suggested activity is to create a bird feeder for the birds in the garden. The children in the nursery have been interested in watching the birds and feeding them some bread and left over snacks. Making homemade bird feeders for your garden is a fun way for you and your kids to get to know which birds are native to your area, and a great way to help out your feathered friends when their food sources are limited in winter time. By encouraging the children to feed the birds you are developing their ability to be kind as they are learning to care for an animal.

Why don’t you have a go …

Step 1

Mush together the seeds, lard, cheese and raisins in a mixing bowl.

Step 2

Tie a string to your pine cone then cover it with the mix. Don’t forget to fill the holes!

Step 3

Pop it in the fridge until set, then it’s ready for the birds!

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Thursday’s Suggested Activity, Creating Icicles – Learning to Co-operate

Todays suggested activity is ice decorations, this has come from observations taken of the children within the nursery as they explore the snow/ice which has fallen overnight.  You could try putting natural materials in a plastic bowl, drape over a piece of string, and filling the bowl with water. Put it outside to see if it freezes (or put it in the freezer). By supporting your child on this task together, they will develop their skills to co-operate as they are taking turns and working closely with you. Your child will also learn about the properties of water and how it freezes in cold temperatures, deepening their understanding of the world around them.

Did you know …

Why sharing is important

Children need to learn to share so they can make and keep friends, play cooperatively, take turns, negotiate and cope with disappointment. Sharing teaches children about compromise and fairness. They learn that if we give a little to others, we can get some of what we want too.

Sharing is a key part of getting along with others, so it becomes more and more important when your child starts having playdates and going to child care, preschool or kindergarten.

Helping your child learn about sharing

Children learn a lot from just watching what their parents do. When you model good sharing and turn-taking in your family, it gives your children a great example to follow.

Children also need opportunities to learn about and practise sharing. Here are some ways to encourage sharing in everyday life:

  • Talk about why sharing is good for your child and others. You can say something like, ‘When you share your toys with your friend, everyone gets to have fun’.
  • Point out good sharing in others. For example, ‘Your friend was sharing her toys really well. That was very kind of her’.
  • When you see your child trying to share or take turns, give your child plenty of praise  and attention. For example, ‘I liked the way you let  your friend play with your train. Great sharing!’
  • Play games with your child that involve sharing and turn-taking. Talk your child through the steps, saying things like, ‘Now it’s my turn to build the tower, then it’s your turn. You share the red blocks with me, and I’ll share the green blocks with you’.

 

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