Here at Murrayfield ELC setting we believe that children should be given the opportunity to learn and play outdoors in all types of weather, even in all this rain.

With all this wet weather over the last few days, its given the children to explore the outdoor area and the changes the rain can make to our outdoor environment.  The children

talked about the what makes puddles, how they feel when they jump into muddy puddles and overall the changes in weather due to it being Autumn.

The children were splashing about in the muddy puddle, were sliding down our wet slide and some children even wanted to make a fishing rods to catch some fish in this wet weather! Lacey told us that she ‘loves splashing in the puddles with her wellies on.’. Hayden-Rose joined into the conversation by saying ‘I enjoyed going down the slide in my water proof trousers.’. Later on Alfie said ‘It’s autumn now and its very rainy.’

As much as we love the rain it would still be nice to see some sunshine 🙂

Miss McClory, Miss Clarke and the ELC team,

This week we launched Word Boost within the setting. Word Boost allows us to aid and develop the children’s vocabulary by introducing specific words for the children to hear and hopefully allowing them to gain an understanding of these words through stories and their play. Each week the children will be read a story that relates to the specific topic we are learning about, this is currently Autumn. Within the story we shall pick out four key words for the children to hear and hopefully use in different situations. The children are encouraged to try and use these words as often as possible.

This week at story time we are reading What a Mess!! which is about a mouse and a bear playing inside their house due to the Autumn weather. As part of the story the words the practitioners are focusing on Swerve, Trembled, Enormous and Bustling.

Each week, a copy of the words are placed on the Word Boost displays. Keep a look out for these words and perhaps you can use them with your child outwith the ELC setting.

Miss McClory

Today was the first day we went out of the nursery to a small forest area within Blackburn. Within our small groups we built dens, climbed trees and explored the area to find some autumn items like leaves and sticks.

When in the woods the children talked about how the autumn weather had turned the leaves different colours and how they have fallen off the trees. ‘The leaves are now turning red, yellow and black.’ said Jessica and Zak.

The children enjoyed climbing the trees with James saying that he was a monkey swinging in the trees. Callum was sitting in the trees saying that this was his couch and he was watching everyone below him. Once they helped build a den, the children described how they would like to have a picnic with marshmallows, strawberries and sandwiches.
All the children then hunted for good sticks that would allow them to toast marshmallows on. Zak said he found an enormous stick which means its a really big stick.

Harris decided to hide on the trees saying ‘I am a chameleon and I am camouflaged which means I am invisible against the tree’.

Today showed the children showed  taking part in risky play, good investigation skills and fantastic team working. We hope to take more children out over the next few weeks but most of all they LOVED IT!!

Was a great day.

Miss McClory. Miss Clarke, Mrs Watson, Miss MacDonald, Mrs Buckle and Miss Bennett