THE LITTLE RED HEN & THE THREE LITTLE PIGS !

At Broadway Playschool it was lovely seeing how well the little ones are settling now and how well they recall the three pigs and big bad wolfs refrain ! 

Thanks to Bob who came in to help the children at Towerview Playschool on Tuesday, plant runner beans and peas. He will be bringing them back in soon so the children can see how much they have grown. I was so impressed how much all the children showed an interest.   

We have been making  grass heads - looking forward to cutting their 'hair' ! 

Some of the children enjoyed and got involved in welly and hand mud printing. Along with some interesting role play using sticks to make a stick house and a large branch which acted as the 'bad wolf'. There was also lots of cooking going on in the mud kitchen from 'chocolate' leaves 'soup' to 'tea and cake'.

The children have enjoyed playing with small world play (-playmobile), playing independently and alongside others who are engaged in the same theme, engaging in imaginative role play based on their own first hand experiences. It is so nice to see how the older children are really getting into role play with each other and lovely to see them all coming into the setting happy and settled.

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

THE CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE LEARNING that over arch the EYFS 

ACTIVE LEARNING  ( one of the characteristics) 

They have been involved and concentrated - the children at whatever their age and stage have begun to develop focus through the activities offered . They have shown high levels of energy and interest and have paid attention to  how to look after their seeds and beans. They have been motivated to create 'worlds' with their friends and been proud of the results of their work. These characteristics of active learning will support their learning throughout their lives.

AFTER THE EASTER BREAK !

we were proud to see how well children remembered the routine and visual timetable after Easter break. They were keen to help clear flower beds in preparation for veg planting.

The children enjoyed listening to the story of 'Harry and the Hazelnut', setting up the display showing curiousty and interest in the features of objects and describing and talking about what they saw.They all joined in with the action nursery rhyme " I had a little hazel nut" listening to, and following the adults instruction and actions.What lovely hazel nut trees we grew into! 

We had lots of fun on Tuesday with each child planting and watering their own lettuce.  They are very keen to see them grow and eventually get to eat them. Funny how 22 children remember which one is theirs!!!! 

It was nice to see on Wednesday how the older children settled into the setting really easily even after 2 weeks off. Also how calmly and happily they were all playing together in different groups inside and out.

The Towerview Playschool children were so impressive  when we took them to watch willow fencing being made.  They walked so well and listened to adults to keep themselves safe.
The children enjoyed the bottom Forest School, exploring the foliage change. There was much excitement finding snails and watching  how they move about.

Nice to see the little ones at Broadway Playschool settle so well into play on their first week back. We were lucky enough with the weather to have water play outside which proved to be very popular.

CLOSED BANK HOLIDAY MONDAY 6TH MAY 

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE !

The children have been very busy this week with all things Easter. From collage on egg shapes, making Easter nests out of melted chocolate, shredded wheat and mini eggs. They have made Easter bunny cards and helped to make an Easter display-  finding items in the setting that relate to Easter.

At Forest school we had a real fire and toasted hot cross buns - everyone had a go at holding the bun over the fire on a hazel stick. The Easter bunny had been so a lot of collecting of eggs and counting went on - we found 39 !!!   It was lovely to sit in the spring sunshine and enjoy Easter snacks. 

At Broadway Playschool the little ones also enjoyed making chocolate nests and collage eggs and having their own egg hunt. 

All the staff would like to wish all our families a very happy Easter ! 

PLAYSCHOOL IS BACK ON MONDAY 29TH APRIL 

GOLDILOCKS !

The children enjoyed listening to and taking part in the story of Goldilocks and the three bears using props from the story sack. The children used mathematical language such as little, middle-sized and big when comparing the sizes of porridge bowls , chairs and beds. The children were able to predict was going to happen next in the story and also retell narratives in the correct sequence drawing on the language pattern of the story.

 At Towerview Playschool we discussed how to get all the sand play back outside. The children then did a fab job of moving the sand back outside. They thought about what to do, they swept,dug sand into buckets Carried and then sat back and admired their work.

Loved the imagination evolving this week, we provided the group with cardboard packaging, at the beginning of the week it was a roof, then a tunnel and by the end of the week a group was using it as a slide!

We enjoyed a lovely walk through the fields with the 2-3yr group, the were all delighted to see the lambs with their mothers. We watched them play together, feed from their mums and saw one little one trying to stand and balance on his mother' back. The children coped really well with preparing to leave and listening to instructions on the walk - well done guys! you did brilliantly !

The older children have enjoyed playing with the playdough this week and they did really well  following the sequence to create their Mothering Sunday cards.

NURSERY RHYMES

We have been introducing a nursery rhyme a week - this weeks is 'Tommy Thumb" This week we have been looking at shapes and letters. The children were enjoying looking at the magnetic letters and 3d shapes. Some children transferred their recognition of these in to chalk mark making outside.  The younger children accessed the big blocks which were used in tunnel building. They were connecting both the train tracks and the big blocks in their constructions.

The children enjoyed taking part in ring games outdoors,'The farmers in his den', 'Ring o roses' and 'Jack in the box'.The children followed adult instruction, held hands, formed a circle and responded to rhythm and song by means of gesture and movement. The children delighted in being ' Jack in the box ' crouching down quiet and still, then  jumping up, when adult said will he come out now, yes he will !

At Forest School the children have really enjoyed tree climbing and digging in the mud kitchen this week.

NEW STAFF FOR SPRING !

Welcome to Annelise our newest member of staff ! 

She introduced herself using 'Quackers' the puppet on her first day and noticed later that some children found the hand puppets such as bumble bee and dragon and used them imaginatively; recreating sounds of the bee and breathing fire from the dragon. The children engaged in action songs and rhymes most able to listen to and followed instructions and actions.

Great play using the wooden blocks making cars, boats and hovercrafts using the same amount of blocks, just changing the positioning of them. It was great to see a group of children accessing helmets as a safety precaution as their tower of blocks became wobbly as they built it as 'tall as themselves' !

We have noticed this week how all the children are really beginning to enjoy playing and interacting together. There has been a lot of great role play together and caring towards each other. Some of the children were playing in the outside area on the tractor tyre, pretending to be in a boat, using the oars and going off to 'Goldilocks land'. When they reached it they were trying out the beds and eating  porridge! Great imaginations and beautiful singing,  'row,row, row your boat'.

There was some great big build construction going on alongside chalk  mark making. Drawing around shapes and their hands.  The younger children enjoyed the shaving foam in the tuff tray- “driving the cars in the snow”

It was lovely to see the children's delight at making cress boxes to take home - they enjoyed sprinkling on the seed and watering - thanks to our lovely volunteer helper who organised this and who helped the children achieve this. 

fine spring weather !

The children have been introduced to our new topic to start next week - nursery rhymes. They transferred these nursery rhymes into forest school, where they climbed the tree and sang a nursery rhyme whilst sat or stood at the top. 

Many thanks to a child's grandparent who bought in some bracelets to celebrate a Bulgarian tradition of ‘Baba Marta’ day 

The children have really enjoyed the lovely warm weather this week and happily played outside asking for water as they needed to paint.  The children showed good mark making skills and did a lot of ‘good sharing’ too.

It was interesting to see the girls making a boat out of the crates and taking themselves off on a dream holiday, whilst the boys made a boat out of tyres and planks of wood - all being ‘super heroes’ and saving each other from the ‘crocodiles’!

The children at Broadway Playschool have spent most of their time outside in the sunshine this week. They have been involved in role play using the tools to 'fix' the play house.  They have also started to take an interest in the flowerbeds and daffodils which have just started to flower.

FROM Tara - 'The children also shared a piece of cake with me this week as I say good bye to all the children and will miss them all dearly.

Love Tarah x'

Tara will still be doing some supply work for us – and we all wish her well in her new post .