During the last month, we’ve continued our nature and growth theme at Preschool. The children have collaged flower pictures and planted bedding plants, which they’re now looking after. This is providing opportunities to talk about what plants need to grow and use mathematical language about size. They have also been exploring paint using carrots!
We’re continuing the theme with a planned ‘Mr Potato Head’ activity. This is a great sensory activity, but also encourages talk about healthy eating as well as size, positioning, and facial and body features. No plastic features here–it’s a ‘green’ activity, using green beans, broccoli florets, carrot strips and other vegetables to build the limbs and faces! The weather has stayed mostly kind, so we’ve enjoyed plenty of walks to explore nature and our surroundings. Thank you to everyone who has stopped to talk to us when we are out and about, especially the lady walking her dog who told the children all about the moorhens in the Valley.
Our maths activities have focused on shape. Our tuff tray on the balcony has been filled with brightly coloured, translucent Perspex shapes that produce colourful shadows. The children have enjoyed looking through them and drawing around them. We’ve also provided pegboards and mosaic shapes for 2D picture-making.
On the balcony, following the children’s interests, we’ve established a included a very soapy car wash station outside for the toy cars! There’s a new foam hopscotch set to get the children active and help number recognition, and a new a quoits game to encourage throwing, hand and eye coordination, and turn-taking! Indoors, we’re sharing ‘The Colour Monster’ book again for Mental Health Week and making plans for National Tea Drinking Day, Father’s Day and of course the Queen’s Jubilee. Our Jubilee celebration is bound to include dressing up, a very special snack or lunch, and craft activities to produce a keepsake.