JASPER'S BEAN & JACK & THE BEAN STALK

We went for a lovely spring walk on Monday . The children listened to the safety talk and held the ribbon well to the path with the gate - then they could run down the path exploring 'all things growing' and they did from butterflies, a tiny snail shell, to ants galore, to forest picnic and to  a 'man locked in a cage' ( -actually a man fixing a door behind a gate!).

The children explored music rhythm and dance through a variety of action songs and group activities. They especially enjoyed the action game " Baked Beans" responding to adult instruction and managing their bodies to create intended movements, they also were able to remember the words and actions to a song that became familiar to them throughout the week "We are going to plant a Bean". We also created sounds by tapping sticks together ,tapping out simple repeated rhythms , nursery rhymes, and this inspired some children to sing familiar songs as well as make up their own and confidently sing to the whole group.

We are all really enjoying the lovely warm sunny weather and love spending time outside enjoying water play and of course construction.  The children have also enjoyed eating snack outdoors and there has been a lot of association between the nice weather with holidays they have had. Lots of children loved playing in the water play, working together thinking of own ideas on how they could get the water to flow out the plastic tube, great communication and listening to each other’s ideas 

Impressive thinking and problem solving skills were observed this week when the Towerview children were constructing an obstacle course and play park uses plastic covered mats for slides, crates and planks to build seesaws and obstacle courses.

AT BROADWAY PLAYSCHOOL 

Here the children are really enjoying water play at the moment. They have also been involved in planting lettuces in the flowerbeds particularly enjoying watering them!

AT FOREST SCHOOL 
The children enjoyed the cover of the long cowslips at forest school for hiding in our game of “one two three where are you?”  There was also lots of cheerful participation in  the mud kitchen with milkshakes, soup and cakes on the menu. 

SO YOU MAY ASK - 'HOW DOES ALL THIS HELP MY CHILD LEARN ?'

THE CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE LEARNING that over arch the EYFS 
PLAY & EXPLORING (is  one characteristic) 
As you can see from the above activities, this week, your child has had the opportunity to play and explore - to engage with the environment and other people. These opportunities are vital to early learning and helps them to develop skills such as noticing, studying and developing that curiosity and interest in living things. Engaging in the open ended activities offered helps them to develop focus. It supports them to challenge themselves and others and initiate ideas and offer solutions - all through their play and exploration. All the children have engaged in new experiences, had a go, taken risks, assessed how safe things are and shown a 'can do' attitude fundamental to learning.