What are we doing in Dolphins in March?We have started growing caterpillars and will be watching them transform into cocoons and butterflies over the next month. The children are really excited by this and fascinated by the current tiny caterpillars. We will be having a focus on lifecycles of a range of living things this month.
This month will also see St David’s Day, St Patricks Day, Shrove Tuesday and red nose day. March will be busy!
The activities this month will be based around the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) areas of learning:
KUW-discovery, PSED- looking at how we change, MD- size, shape, pattern. CLL naming, discussing, PD- moving our bodies like caterpillars and butterflies, CD- arts and crafts.
What are we doing at the nursery to support this:
• Laura Jeffrey will be having circle times to monitor the progress of the caterpillars and reading about lifecycles.
• Christine and Lan will be doing some arts and crafts around The Hungry Caterpillar story.
• Lan will be making pancakes with the children for pancake day.
• Laura Z is going to be making some different bugs with the children.
• Laura W is planning on allowing children to create and improvise with their own artwork based on what they have seen.
• Jenny is going to be recording the development of the butterflies with the children by taking photos and making a progress display.
• Jenny will be taking the children on a bug hunt to see what bugs and mini beasts they can find in our nursery garden and beyond.
• Emily will be leading the children in some creative dancing being butterflies and caterpillars.
What could you do to support the children and reinforce what they have experienced at the nursery?
• Take them on a bug hunt, talk about the bugs you saw, then draw pictures of them.
• Do some research on different bugs with them. Try to find a really unusual bug and bring it to nursery to share with their friends.
• Go to the library and get some books out about lifecycles.
• Read the Hungry Caterpillar (again!)
• Show your child pictures of you when you were a baby, child, teenager and talk to them about growing up and human lifecycles.
What are we doing in Starfish for March?
This month, we will be having a focus on food. Fruit, vegetables, different food types, etc. Food is really motivating for children and a great way to include lots of repetition of language, learning words for different things they enjoy and are important to them.
• Laura Jeffrey will be having circle times to monitor the progress of the caterpillars and reading about lifecycles.
• Christine and Lan will be doing some arts and crafts around The Hungry Caterpillar story.
• Lan will be making pancakes with the children for pancake day.
• Laura Z is going to be making some different bugs with the children.
• Laura W is planning on allowing children to create and improvise with their own artwork based on what they have seen.
• Jenny is going to be recording the development of the butterflies with the children by taking photos and making a progress display.
• Jenny will be taking the children on a bug hunt to see what bugs and mini beasts they can find in our nursery garden and beyond.
• Emily will be leading the children in some creative dancing being butterflies and caterpillars.
What could you do to support the children and reinforce what they have experienced at the nursery?
• Take them on a bug hunt, talk about the bugs you saw, then draw pictures of them.
• Do some research on different bugs with them. Try to find a really unusual bug and bring it to nursery to share with their friends.
• Go to the library and get some books out about lifecycles.
• Read the Hungry Caterpillar (again!)
• Show your child pictures of you when you were a baby, child, teenager and talk to them about growing up and human lifecycles.
What are we doing in Starfish for March?
This month, we will be having a focus on food. Fruit, vegetables, different food types, etc. Food is really motivating for children and a great way to include lots of repetition of language, learning words for different things they enjoy and are important to them.
The activities this month will be based around the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) areas of learning:
KUW-discovery, PSED- how we feel about food, MD- size, shape, pattern. CLL naming, discussing, PD- looking after our health, CD- arts and crafts.
KUW-discovery, PSED- how we feel about food, MD- size, shape, pattern. CLL naming, discussing, PD- looking after our health, CD- arts and crafts.
Some of the activities we will be doing this month will involve:
• Lily will be making some smell pots for the children to smell different food smells and try to name a few.
• Sarah will be setting up art with different food types for the children to explore colour, images and shapes.
• Sarah will be introducing some new books with food in them to talk about different foods, point and name.
• Manjit will be introducing the children to different fruits that we don’t normally eat like dragon fruit, papaya, passion fruit and lychees.
• The team will display photos of different foods in the home corner. E.g. fruit stands, supermarket displays, food types, etc.
• The team will use some food catalogues and magazines to use the pictures to make food collages. • The team will introduce some new food toys into the home corner to extend the play already taking place.
Some ideas to support your children at home:
• Let your child help you to unpack your groceries. It takes longer, but they love helping and you can name the different foods as you unpack them
• Play language repetition games like ‘I like…’ You say ‘I like strawberries, you like strawberries’. Continue with all sorts of food types and eventually they will start to join in- great for language.
• Look through some cookery books with them and point out foods you like and they like. Get them to choose a dish and make it for them or with them.
• Use language such as favourite, best, more, etc when talking about food. E.g. ‘My favourite food is roast chicken, Daddy’s favourite food is ice cream, your favourite food is grapes’.
What are we doing in Seahorses in March?
This month we will continue to introduce the babies to experiences that expose them to different types of textures and experiences. We will set up some activities that are new to the current babies such as playdough, cornflour play and some bigger soft play equipment to challenge their confidence to explore in new ways.
The activities this month will be based around the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) areas of learning:
KUW-discovery, PSED- trying new things, MD- feeling different sizes and shapes CLL hearing new words PD- moving around the activities and obstacles, CD- exploring in self-initiated creative ways
KUW-discovery, PSED- trying new things, MD- feeling different sizes and shapes CLL hearing new words PD- moving around the activities and obstacles, CD- exploring in self-initiated creative ways
What are we doing at the nursery to support this:
• Making playdough for the babies.
• Setting up some painting and sticking of different textures.
• Water play using rubber toys such as ducks, crabs, boats, etc.
• Explorer boxes
• Wood and soft blocks, bottles and balls.
• Sensory toys and stacking rings.
• Soft play climbing equipment
• Setting up the toys and equipment in new and interesting ways to challenge their senses and expectations.
What could you do to support the children and reinforce what they have experienced at the nursery?
• Rearrange their toys at home. Set them up in new ways, make them look different.
• Hide toys in boxes so they have to search for them.
• Set them up inside with some towels and a bowl of water to splash around in by leaning into, to experience water in new ways other than the bath..
• Very messy, but wonderfully fun; set them up with a bowl of flour to play in. It is really soft and powdery and they love the texture. – Possibly better in summer in the garden!
• Making playdough for the babies.
• Setting up some painting and sticking of different textures.
• Water play using rubber toys such as ducks, crabs, boats, etc.
• Explorer boxes
• Wood and soft blocks, bottles and balls.
• Sensory toys and stacking rings.
• Soft play climbing equipment
• Setting up the toys and equipment in new and interesting ways to challenge their senses and expectations.
What could you do to support the children and reinforce what they have experienced at the nursery?
• Rearrange their toys at home. Set them up in new ways, make them look different.
• Hide toys in boxes so they have to search for them.
• Set them up inside with some towels and a bowl of water to splash around in by leaning into, to experience water in new ways other than the bath..
• Very messy, but wonderfully fun; set them up with a bowl of flour to play in. It is really soft and powdery and they love the texture. – Possibly better in summer in the garden!
