What Sea Turtles got up to in June 2014

This month in sea-turtles we have been exploring movement by creating flashcards with the children. The children got really involved in the physical movement such as running, jumping, bending, reaching, climbing and dancing to the tune of the music. Children have loved creating movement, and looking back at their movements on the camera.

We've made our own musical instruments by using a variety of materials and we have tested them out in circle-times with our peers.  The children explored the different sounds they could make with bottles of rice by shaking, tapping and banging. 

We used up our recycling resources to create a bus out of junk modelling. The children created a bus by painting the boxes red.  Children made props by using old tickets to pretend they are on the bus.  Children learnt the actions to the wheel s on the bus.

Children have loved the Gruffalo story sack, learning all the animals in the book and what movements they make. Children have learnt about colours according to the Gruffalo story. Children have enjoyed going on a walk through the forest we created in the “Gruffalo” corner. 

June in Dolphins 2014

This month we looked at travelling and different types of transport.

The children have enjoyed exploring different materials to make a varied range of artwork relating to their favourite modes of transport.

They have used stencils, made prints using train tracks car wheels, and even made a ship using a range of different shaped and sized cardboard. boxes! 

We've had a few different group projects going on, building and painting the ship, and also making a life sized airplane.

 We celebrated International Mud Day by opening a permanent mud kitchen in the playground and spending a day get mucky and muddy!

Preschoolers went on a trip on the train to Waterloo to boat watch along the River Thames.

Children have been having fun on our new climbing frame.

What are we doing in Dolphins in July?

We have been talking about travel, transport and holiday destinations, with our Hawaiian themed Summer BBQ coming up we have decided to take a closer look at Hawaii. We will look at its culture, food, scenery and the people and animals that live on the islands. 

The activities this month will be based around the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) areas of learning:

Prime areas:

PSED: Can usually adapt behaviour to different events, social situations and changes in the routine. PD: Use simple tools to effect changes to materials. C&L Use talk to connect ideas, explain what is happening and anticipate what might happen next, to recall and relive past experiences.

Specific areas:

L: Enjoy rhyming and rhythmic activities. M: Show an interest in shape by sustained construction activity by talking about shapes or arrangements. UW: Recognise and describe special times or events for family or friends EA&D: Enjoy dancing and joining in with ring games.

Some of the activities we will be doing this month to support this will be:

·         Giant volcano. Manjit will be assisting the pre-schoolers to build a giant volcano using a variety of materials and medias.

·         Hawaiian fruit salad & smoothies. Shilpi will be introducing Hawaiian fruits for the children to taste chop and make into a fruit salad and fruit smoothies.

·         Junk Modelling. Matt will assist the children to make a large Tikki pole from boxes, Tubes, card and paint.

·          Paper flower Lei’s. Christine will be supporting the children to create their own paper flower lei’s to wear at the BBQ.

·         Beach scene. Marie Claire will work with the children to create a large beach scene using drawings of themselves, animals and other objects found on a Hawaiian beach.

·         Hula Dancing. Abongi will being showing the children clips of people hula dancing and helping the children to make their own grass skirts and to practice their own hula dances.

·         Head dressers. Emma will assist the children to create and decorate their own Hawaiian head dressers to wear at the BBQ.

What you could do to support your children at home:

·         Talk about Hawaii. Visit the library at look at books about Hawaii, if you have access to the internet look up some websites about Hawaii and it traditions.

·         Get moving. Watch video clips of Hula dancers and move around the living room or garden doing your own hula dances.

·         Get creative. Make your very own grass skirts with your child to wear at the BBQ.

·         Extend their vocab. Learn some simple Hawaiian words and phrases with you child, such as:                       Mahalo - Thank You,   Aloha – Greetings-Hello/Good-bye,  Hula - The dance of Hawaii

http://hawaiian-words.com/common/ this is a link to a site where you can listen to common words and phrases. 

What are we doing in Sea Turtles in July?

With our Hawaiian themed BBQ this month we will be getting the children involved by getting

them to create decorations to put up at the BBQ and learning more about Hawaii and its Traditions, animals, foods and music.

With our Hawaiian themed BBQ this month we will be getting the children involved by getting them to create decorations to put up at the BBQ and learning more about Hawaii and its Traditions, animals, foods and music.

The activities this month will be based around the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) areas of learning:

Prime areas:

PSED: Gain attention in a variety of ways, drawing others into social interaction. PD: Develop likes and dislikes in food and drink. C&L: Concentrates intently on an objector activity of own choosing for short periods.

Specific areas:

M: Enjoy filling and empting containers UW: Explore objects by linking together different approaches, shaking, hitting etc. EA&D: Express self through physical actions and songs

Some of the activities we will be doing this month will involve:

·         Pineapples, coconuts and other fruits. Sarah will support the children to create a variety of paper fruit decorations to display at the BBQ.

·         Hand prints. Alice will support the children to make palm trees and Tropical fish using their hand prints.

·         Exploring Hawaiian Fruits. Laura will introduce different Hawaiian fruits such as Pineapples, coconuts, mangoes and papayas for the children to taste, explore and paint with.

·         Paper flower pictures. Afia will support the children to create flower pictures using different coloured tissue paper.

·         Paper Lei’s. Christina will be exploring colour with the children as they use different coloured paper to make their own paper Lei.

·         Music and movement. The children will explore movements large and small to Hawaiian music in the garden.

Some ideas to support your children at home:

·         Get moving. Have some fun listening to tradition Hawaiian music and hula dance around the room with you child.

·         Take a trip to the supermarket. Choose some different unusual fruit that grows in Hawaii to try together.

·         Be creative. make your own  Pu’ili – Hawaiian rhythm sticks with your child.