Category: Our Learning

Good morning everyone!!!

We are running a day behind with the workouts with Joe Wicks. So the session we are accessing today was from Monday, I hope that this does not cause too much confusion with your little ones. Access this session through the following link:

In this yoga session Jaime talks about mindful eating. Instead of gobbling up our food without thinking, we savour every second. Have a small piece of something tasty handy for this one so you can join in!

Creative Activities

Tissue box monsters

You can use an empty tissue box to create your own tissue box monster. You can paint or cover your box in colour. Once you have done this you can begin to build the features of your monster. I wonder what different items you could use to make your monster individual and unique!!!

Share your creations in your Online Learning Journal.

Sensory Play activities

Cook spaghetti pasta and drain when cooked. As the pasta is cooling add a little cooking oil, this stops it from sticking together. Once it has cooled, add a few drops of food colouring or lay onto a tray and let the children paint it themselves! Your children will enjoy the experience of the pasta in their hands. Talk about how it feels and describe the texture. They can make pictures, such as faces, with it or create abstract pictures, covering your paper with glue and allowing it to dry after they have finished adding their pasta.

This can also be done with tube pasta and once dried used to make a necklace or a bracelet.

Story

“My Five Senses” by Aliki is a book about our five senses; see, hear, smell, taste and touch. Enjoy!

Senses video

A lively, educational video to help kids learn about the five senses we use to experience the world around us. Kids will love singing this catchy sing-along song. Teaches about the sense of sight, hearing, smell, touch, and taste. This is the link to the video:

Numeracy

Let’s Compare is an interactive comparison game which focuses on the comparative vocabulary of biggest, smallest, shortest, longest and tallest

https://www.topmarks.co.uk/early-years/lets-compare

Have a great Tuesday everyone!!!

Another Monday morning, lets shake of those Monday blues with Joe Wicks. This session is from Saturday and can be accessed through this link:

Another physical activity you could do today is to spell out your name then do the activity relating to each of the letters in your name. Once you have completed this for yourself why not spell out the names of all your family members and get them to join in to!!!

Stories

This is the link to another Jigsaw activity that you can do with your child. The story is The Switch Watch, the other activities in the link are designed to promote discussion around the story and develop your child’s comprehension skills.  This is the link for this activity:

https://families.jigsawpshe.com/stuck-at-home-2/

Lets get creative

Bird feeder

Here is another idea for a fun bird feeder project that can be done with children of all ages with little support. This project gives a plastic milk jug a new purpose while simultaneously helping the wildlife, all this allows children to have fun while connecting with nature!

Make a Hobby Horse

A challenge for this week. Get a long stick and an old sock. Sew or glue some buttons on for eyes, add some scraps of felt or other material for nose and ears.
If you make two you can have races. The grown-ups can join in too.
Here’s a little poem to help you along.

The Sock

I used to be so handsome,
My colours were so bright
Me and my brother were twins
I was left and he was right.

One day someone bought us
They took us from the shop
They put us on their smelly feet
Then began to run and hop

One day we were in a Welly
In the forest finding sticks
The next day we were in a trainer
Exercising with Joe Wicks

Every single day we were worn
We never got a wash
We were used for every kind of sport
Football, cricket, squash

My brother was unlucky
He couldn’t stand the pace
A toenail went right through him
In a 100 metre race

Now our time was over
We were destined for the bin
No more being the favourites
It really was a sin

My brother was casually thrown away
They treated him so mean
I was treated differently
I went in the washing machine

I had a wash and came out clean
Then got pegged on the line to dry
After a while they took me in
I was scared, I started to cry

They filled me full of stuffing
That’s when I knew, of course
They were going to tie me too a stick
And make a “Hobby Horse”

Homemade moon sand recipe

A fun way to make your own play sand is to use flour and oil (this can be olive/vegetable oil or even baby oil)… simple!

8 cups flour

1 cup oil

(Measurements can be halved, quartered even doubled depending on how much you would like to make)

It’s as simple as mixing the ingredients together in a bowl and its ready to play with! If you don’t have any sand moulds at home, you could use bowls, cups, whisks and other utensils for your little ones to explore and have fun!

Songs

Fives senses song teaches the children about the five senses and what they are. To access the song use this link:

Some information for parents

Remember that school lunches are available from 12 noon to 1.30 at the main entrance of the school. Hot lunch choices today are fish finger sub with chips or Mac’n’cheese. Packed lunches are also available.

Have a good day everyone!!!

Almost the end of another week!!

Remember you can access lunches for the children between 12 noon and 1.30pm  Monday to Friday at the main door of the school. The school app is updated daily with the hot lunch choices. Packed lunches are available daily as well.

Keeping Active

Today’s Joe Wicks session is available through this link:

And tomorrows link is

Lets do some yoga today. Popcorn the Dolphin is another yoga session from Cosmic Kids Yoga. Enjoy!

A game for devices

Buds Garden Game

With this game, children will be able to join Bud the bee, explore his magical garden and practise recognising numbers, counting, sequencing and much more!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zjkphbk/articles/zd4b382

Story

“Seeing people wearing masks” is a simple story that explains to children why people are wearing masks. It is only a few pages long and is very easy to read so please take the time to do this with your child. This may lead to them asking you some more questions that may help them to understand what is happening in their world at the moment. This is the link to the story:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1B2FEF1DTXpmgH8ZL79Vg7E_Bu7ZOkB0A/view

“Dolphins” is a factual story about dolphins. It is under 5 minutes long and will teach your child lots of different information about dolphins including how and where they live, what the eat, how they communicate along with other interesting information. Use this link to access the story:

Literacy

Jigsaw Activity

Fowley’s Wings is an audio story that explores dreams and goals, roles in families, people’s strengths and feelings, how brothers and sisters get on together etc. The link below will take you to the Jigsaw website where you can listen to the story in two parts. In between the two parts and at the end of the story there are activities that you can use to strengthen your child’s understanding of the story and the emotions related to the characters in the story.

https://families.jigsawpshe.com/stuck-at-home-1/

Numeracy

Symmetry

This Top Marks Maths  matching game which will help develop their understanding of symmetry. Your child will be able to explore symmetry using pictures, shapes and pattern as the criteria. Start with the pictures first and as your child becomes confident with the concept of symmetry move through the shape and pattern criteria.

https://www.topmarks.co.uk/symmetry/symmetry-matching

Number songs

Alice the Camel is a song that introduces numbers to children through song. The link to this and other songs is:

Have a great weekend everyone!!!

Good morning all!!

Keeping Active

Today’s Joe Wicks session is available through this link:

A fitness activity for all the family “Have a blast with this family fun cardio workout!” Why not give it a try using the link below:

Games to play on devices

It’s your first day at school!

This is a great game to play with your child particularly if they are starting school after the summer holidays. Help your child create his/her character and pick a school jumper, then explore the school and find all the different activities to play.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zhtcvk7/articles/znc9vk7

Dinosaur discovery

While you are playing this game you will be ‘working scientifically’ – that means thinking like a scientist! You will make predictions, use scientific equipment and perform experiments to find the answers to lots of questions about dinosaurs.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zdp4382/articles/znc3y9q

For those moments when it’s all too much

For those moments when thing are getting too much for your child Save the Children have published some easy activities that you could use to help calm the down. Doing these along with your child can be beneficial for everyone. Here is the link to these activities:

https://www.savethechildren.org/us/what-we-do/emergency-response/coronavirus-outbreak/resources/easy-at-home-relaxation-activities-to-help-calm-kids

Activities

Cloud pictures

When playing in the garden or out on a walk, take some time to stop and look at the clouds. Ask your little ones what they can see and remember to bring your imagination along and who knows what they might see in the clouds. Can they see shapes? Can they see an animal?  This activity is also very good for taking a little breather the busyness of the day and just focus on the quiet and calm.

Family Pictures

A nice activity for all the family to be involved in is making a family hand print pictures. You can do this using either paint or different coloured paper. Starting with the person with the largest hand first place their hand on a blank piece of paper first working through the family from largest to smallest. You can also use this opportunity to have a discussion about largest and smallest using the language of pre-measure. This would make a nice picture to frame and keep or gift to a family member.

You could also do this activity using your feet!!!

Story

“Max and the Tag-Along Moon” is another story being told by Dolly Parton. To access this story use the  link below:

Have a great day doing things you all enjoy!

Good morning everyone and Happy Tuesday!!!

Today’s session for Joe Wicks is accessible through the following link:

I Can Move My Body Like Anything is another action song that encourages your child to move their bodies in different ways. Here is the link to the song:

Simon Says is another action song where the children have to follow the instructions given to them. This is the link to Patty Shuckla playing the Simon Says game:

Road Safety

With nursery being off at the moment we are missing our Road Safety walks with the children. It is important that all children learn about road safety and how to cross the road properly to keep themselves safe. Just click on the Ziggy Toolkit link bellow where you will have access to lots of information, stories and games that you can use with your child to help develop their awareness of road safety:

Ziggy Toolkit

Information for Parents

With all our children being stuck at home at present the Child Accident Prevention Trust have produced a Parents Pack that gives practical advice on how to prevent accidents within the home. The booklet is full of useful information about helping to keep our young ones safe and there is even some activities that your child could do to help develop their awareness of their safety in the home. This is the link to the trust and just click on the parents booklet to access the information:

https://www.capt.org.uk/Listing/Category/safety-in-lockdown?fbclid=IwAR3mpQBBH3N4QUShftGLxMG2TerNI18Am17FaJGJ_pnqvkKQWCpEl6eEuEI

Literacy

This is a link to a literacy activity that helps to develop your child develop their awareness of letters sounds and names. To access this use this link:

Numeracy

The following link is to a game about shape. It will help develop your child’s understanding of shape names and properties. To access this game use this link:

Stepping Stones

• Cut out 12 shapes from an old newspaper, wallpaper or if you have normal paper
• Number the shapes with a pen, 1-12
• Place them on the floor in a circle
• Have your child pretend that if he steps between the stones, he will get covered in mud, or get wet (encourage the use of imagination)
• Have your child step on the different stones, calling out its number, encouraging counting
• You can make it harder by asking your child to find a number to step on and follow your instruction
• You can make it harder or easier by making the stones far apart or closer together
• You can adapt this game by then adding in other objects from your house to turn it into a mini obstacle course

Drawing Activity

Drawing pictures of a child’s favourite toy outside using the toy to create a shadow onto a piece of paper. You can speak about making the character bigger by moving the  toy further away or smaller by moving it closer to the paper. This can also be extended by leaving the toy in the same place throughout the day and going back at different times in the day (an hour or so apart) and redrawing the picture using a different colour. You can speak about how the image is a different size each time you return starting smaller in the morning, larger in the middle of the day and reducing in size again as it gets later on in the day.

Stories

Be Brave Little Fish is a story about a fish that has lost his friends. He goes on an adventure to find his friends. This is the link to the book:

Have a good day everyone. Remember lunches are available at the main entrance of the school between 12 noon and 1.30pm. There will be a choice of a hot lunch (options on the school app) or packed lunch.

Stay safe!!!

Good morning everyone! I hope you have had a good weekend.

Keeping Active

Today’s Joe Wicks session can be found using the following link:

We use lots of songs from the “The Learning Station” in the nursery. This one is an  exercise song which encourages children to move their  body in different ways as they follow the instructions in the song. Here is the link to this song:

Items of interest

Have you visited Edinburgh Zoo lately to watch the animals in their enclosures. You can watch the following animals through the live webcams: panda, penguins, tigers, koala and the Rockhopper penguins. Here is the link to the zoo:

https://www.edinburghzoo.org.uk/webcams/koala-cam/#koalacam

Fun activites

An easy indoor bowling game

You can use any empty juice bottles to make the skittles (you can even decorate them before using them) and rolled up socks for a ball! You can count the number bottles that you and your child knock over to see who manages to knock over the most over a number of turns. Use the language of you have scored more or I have scored less to help develop you childs’ understanding of number and quantity.

Memory game/Kims Game

Have a look around your home and gather some items together household items or even some of your child’s favourite items, place them on a tray, cover them with a tea towel and see how many they can remember! You could then try taking an item away at a time and see if your child can work out what is missing?

Lets get creative with junk modelling

Have a look at these photos posted below and see some junk modelling ideas using recyclable materials from in and around your home. What materials do you have…? I wonder what you could make. Maybe you could add some pictures to your learning journal of your completed work!

Grow your own tomatoes

• Fill a pot with soil and put slices of tomatoes on the soil.
• Cover the tomato slices in more soil and water.
• In 2-3 weeks small seedlings should appear.
• Then transfer them into a bigger pot and watch them grow.
• Maybe parents could take photographs as the plants grow and upload these to your Learners Journey.

Useful tips for parents 

Here are some useful tips on things they could try with their kids if they are having any problems with; sleeping, toilet training and independence.

How to deal with sleep problems.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zk2t2sg

Top tips for toilet training.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zdv9382

How to help your child be independent.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zrg8gwx

This is the link to West Lothian library membership enabling you to access books online:

https://www.westlothian.gov.uk/article/33637/Library-membership?fbclid=IwAR2UZGE2HaQoW5vzmRM816_QfYkksjvq6wTozqu6RaCSndAFkv7867QjEtU

Have a good day everyone and stay safe!!

Almost at the end of another week!! Hopefully everyone is continuing to keep well and stay safe.

Keeping active

This is the link to today’s Joe Wicks session:

https://www.youtube.com/results?sp=mAEB&search_query=joe+wicks

Another way to keep fit and healthy is to dance. So why not try to learn a new dance  with your children today if you are stuck indoors! This is the link to a Zumba for Kids dance session:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePMn7maSoxs

Numeracy

This is a nice game that will develop your child’s number recognition, counting and forward and backward number sequences. If you have a dice you can take turns to roll it and the number it lands on is the activity you need to do.  If you don’t have a dice just ask your child to choose a number between 1-6 or write the numbers down an pull then out a bag. When you are doing the exercises you can count the amount forward and backwards, remember to include zero when counting. This activity will also help develop your child’s coordination and gross motor skills.

Story

“Peace at last” is a really nice story which you can access from this link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9U9y35kWBvM

This is Mrs Lindie’s favourite story!!!

Phonics

This link takes you to a Youtube page that will help develop your child’s awareness of letter sound and names. To access this use the link below:

https://youtu.be/xJSVrq-6-jc(phonics-spelling/letters)

Health and Wellbeing songs

Happy Wednesday!!!

Keeping active

Today’s work out from Joe Wicks can be found using this link:

Cosmic Kids Yoga  session Coco the Butterfly is available through this link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pT-s1-phgxs

Activites

When you are out for your daily exercise of just playing in the garden why dont you have a scavenger hunt. The ideas in this scavenger hunt all relate to springtime. See how any things that you can tick off on the list.

What about a wee bit of baking. You can make these Grufallo biscuits easily.

The recipe for these can be found using the following link:

https://bethbutcher.wordpress.com/2016/03/01/gruffalo-biscuits-recipe/amp/?fbclid=IwAR2Z96Z9gdnVRbfvQhYbYF-44ffMFY8AkU-1lCHTd_DuYToZquhETtB2qkg

If you don’t have the ingredients to make these you could make these ones instead.

You can use a digestive biscuit, top it with chocolate spread or melted chocolate (if you have any Easter eggs left). Use Smarties and chocolate buttons to decorate the face and Rice Krispies for the teeth and horns.

Story

Llama Llama Red Pajama is a story read by Dolly Parton. There is lots of rhyme in the story and I am sure your child will love listening to the story while looking at the pictures. The link for this book is:

https://www.facebook.com/DollyParton/videos/156405639084259/?v=156405639084259&external_log_id=fcd559eba4a62e1f153c14043847d4db&q=dolly%20parton

Numeracy

The children really enjoy playing numeracy games on the smart board in the nursery. Underwater Counting is one of the games they particularly like. The link for this is:

https://www.topmarks.co.uk/learning-to-count/underwater-counting

Have a great day doing lots of fun activities.

Good morning everyone.

Keeping active

Today’s link for the Joe Wicks workout is :

School closings, sick friends and family members, isolation at home – these and other factors can cause anxiety and stress for children. Save the Children have produced a website that gives lots of different suggestions on ways to calm children down by focusing on simple exercises. You can access these through the following link:

https://www.savethechildren.org/us/what-we-do/emergency-response/coronavirus-outbreak/resources/easy-at-home-relaxation-activities-to-help-calm-kids

Activities

The Woodland Trust

The Woodland Trust has published more activities that you could do with your child both indoors or outdoors. To access these activities please us the following link:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/blog/2020/04/nature-activities-for-kids-to-do-at-home-part-two/#.Xp4ORrUsIFE.whatsapp

Scottish SPCA education resources.

Our first Scottish SPCA Adventure Tails (online learning resource pack) for primary pupils has arrived. Whilst we are not currently visiting schools, we will be releasing free online resources for pupils so we can still support teachers and parents/carers over the coming weeks. So keep checking this page and our social media channels too.

To access this website use this link:

https://www.scottishspca.org/our-work/our-work-with-young-people/education-resources

Make a dinosaur

You can make a dinosaur using paper plates or what ever you have lying around your house. Encourage the children to cut out the shapes themselves developing their fine motor skills while developing their understanding of size and shape. They are really easy to make.

For further instructions use the link below:

https://www.madetobeamomma.com/PAPER-PLATE-DINOSAUR/

Stories

The CBeebies have told the story “If I had a Dinosaur”. This links in with the above craft activity and lots of learning that had been happening in the nursery before we had to close. To access this story use the following link.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?c=og9xn8WoyDs

Numeracy

Counting dinosaurs within 10 and introducing the names of some of the dinosaurs. It is a really catch tune that your child will pick up very quickly.

If you have taken photos of your child doing activities you can add them and a little description of what you have been doing on to your child’s online Learning Journal. The staff regularly access these and we would love to see what you have been up to during your time off nursery.

Have a great Tuesday.

Don’t forget you can collect a lunch from the school for your child.

I hope Monday finds you all well!

Keeping our children safe

We have been asked if you could post some activities relating to “Stranger Danger” on the Blog by parents.

The video “A friendly stranger” is about young children being approached by a friendly stranger and how to react to this situation. It gives a clear description of a stranger in child friendly terms.

The video can be accessed through this link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SY7RhBszp0k

Patty Shukla has a lovely simple song about “stranger danger” that is easy to learn and teaches children what they should do in a couple of different scenarios. The link for this is:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92HCKfYakLU

In the nursery we encourage the children to use the hand signal for stop when something is happening they don’t like along with the phrase “Stop, I don’t like that!” this can be adapted to shouting “No, I don’t know you!”.

We will do a focus on “Stranger Danger” when we return back to nursery to reinforce what you have been doing at home with your children.

While we are focusing on safety for our children we thought it would be a good idea to introduce some internet safety at this time. Our children are spending more time on devices during these times so it is important that they are keeping themselves safe there as well. This “Think You Know” resource provides different activities for the children to do that will teach your children about safety while online. You can access this resource through:

https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents/Support-tools/home-activity-worksheets/early-years/?utm_source=Thinkuknow&utm_campaign=03f521e658-TUK_ONLINE_SAFETY_AT_HOME_21_04_20&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_0b54505554-03f521e658-64809149

Keeping Active

Today’s Joe Wicks session is available through this link:

Activites

West Lothian Council have published a website page that offers a range of activities that are suitable for all members of the family. You can access these through the following link:

https://www.westlothian.gov.uk/article/54233/Digital-Resources-for-everyone?fbclid=IwAR1giEXBPr9Lz50h-aFaRlOlOdwzeVS0bbjtKyQTPl3vQI9SABEQv7JK2Do

Outdoor fun

Making use of any natural materials collected outdoors:

Many of us are spending more time exploring our local woodlands and nature trails collecting lots of bits and pieces while doing so, attached you will find pictures of some nice ideas to make good use of materials collected. First we have a fun mark making activity using sticks along with other natural materials to create paint brushes, this allows us to explore different marks, textures and shapes whilst using our senses!

Frozen flowers:

Making use of some leftover pieces such as daisy’s, petals or even grass you could add it to a bowl or cup of water and allow to freeze over for a good fun science activity. I wonder what might happen if there is some warm water or salt added?

Sensory play

This is the link to a website where you can access a variety of sensory recipes you can use with your children including the play dough recipe we use in nursery. Here is the link:

https://mailchi.mp/89e346c118ac/sensoryrecipes?fbclid=IwAR11Vu1BMUATwPlVUMMCyyVddDTlsFVkNUj-Q_M6DW9sbrvKu_cdwDsiPAY

Recycling

West Lothian Council have also produced a webpage that gives you lots of ideas for activities that you can do recycling lots of different materials and things you will have at home. So before that trip out to the bin have a wee look and see if you could use some of your “rubbish” to create something with your children.

The link for this is:

https://www.westlothian.gov.uk/article/32079/Recycling-Activities-to-Try-at-Home?fbclid=IwAR2f4-MdQ_jaHIZQv7CTbx3taRK55VBjhuf5Co-gthcxMxkKZJPpYOUA15U

Something of interest for parents

Remember lunches can be collected from the school main entrance of the school from 12 noon to 1.30PM .

Have a great day everyone and stay safe.