New sand pit

Dear Parents and Carers

We’ve had a busy old week at the nursery, resulting in a fantastic new sandpit in the garden which the children are making full use of in this muggy weather.

Next week sees the return of our assistant cook, Wendy, who has been recuperating after a major operation.  It will be lovely to have her back on board again.

Leanne is on annual leave until Wednesday July 3^rd, however if any parent has any queries regarding invoicing/monies, please do not hesitate to talk to me and I shall endeavour to answer any questions you may have.

Snails

For the next few weeks, the babies shall be concentrating on their gross motor skills through encouragement to practice large movements such as climbing and moving to music.  This shall be achieved by using the soft play for the children to climb over, whilst tunnels and hoops will provide opportunities for the children to crawl and roll.

Days off Jenni – Thursday     

Caterpillars

Continuing with physical development, this week the children shall experience body painting, exploring the texture of the paint on their skin.

Buggies and push along toys shall be available to encourage the non walkers onto their feet, whilst the children shall be given large open spaces to roll, stretch and crawl around the room.

Jamie – Day off Tuesday                                               

Ladybirds

Physical development will also be centred around the theme of activities this week, for the Ladybirds. The children will practice throwing and catching balls, in the garden.  They will also use the soft play to explore their gross motor skills.

Art activities, such as football painting shall be carried out this week whilst fine motor skills shall be encouraged within the role play area, using the small kitchen utensils, such as bowls, whisks and spoons within their play.

 Days off   Julie – Monday   Abi - Thursday

Bumblebees

This week, in the Bumblebees, ‘Emotions’ shall be the focus of activities planned.  Different emotions shall be discussed at circle time and the possible catalysts for certain feelings.

Group times shall focus on the ‘emotion cards’ where children will be encouraged to remember when they were happy, sad, cross etc.

During creative play, the children will have the opportunity to draw faces showing different emotions whilst books read at story time will concentrate on emotions, such as the ‘First experience’ books by Dorsley and Kingsley and ‘When I feel sad’.

Tash – Day off, Friday      Krissi – Monday       

Butterflies

Continuing with the theme of the farm, this week, the role play area in the pre school shall be turned into a farm shop.  The children will use playdough to duplicate models of food that they like to eat.  Building blocks can be used to create farm yards with outhouses for the animals and tasting sessions shall take place surrounding dairy foods.

Discussions during the tasting sessions will focus on the differences in taste from different alternatives such as goats/cows/sheep’s/rice/soya milk, for example.

Days Off: Jo – Tuesday   Stani – Friday

Lee Annual Leave: June 17^th – June 28^th.  There will be no Forest School on these 2 weeks due to Lee’s absence, however this has been planned for within the time frame for each set of sessions and therefore will not impact on the 6 week blocks.

Dear Parents and Carers

WOW!! What a tremendous attendance for our pre school graduation party and Father’s day breakfast.  Many thanks to you all for making them both such great successes. Whilst we understand that not all parents are able to make these events, it makes all the organising worthwhile when we see such a great response.  So thank you once again.

Our next event is the nursery outing to Hobbledown Farm on July 5^th.  Thank you for being so prompt in returning your payments prior to Leanne’s annual leave.  (Leanne is on annual leave until Wednesday July 3^rd)

Snails

This week the babies shall continue to explore sounds and a focus shall be put upon gross motor skills as the babies are currently becoming mobile.  The practitioners shall encourage the children to clap their hands and assist the children as they try to manoeuvre onto their feet.

Song times shall incorporate lyrics which include animal noises whilst creative activities shall be centred around noises they can make by using different mediums such as table painting and water play.

Days off Jenni – Thursday     

Caterpillars

Promoting physical development shall be at the hub of planned activities this week for the Caterpillars as the children explore, both their environment and their large motor skill capabilities.  The team shall be encouraging the children to roll and to move their bodies to music, ensuring access to wide, open spaces.  Tents and tunnels shall also be used to encourage the children to explore.  Pull along toys shall be used to extend children’s confidence in this area whilst those who are not yet mobile shall be involved in tummy time to promote this area of physical development.

Jamie – Day off friday                                           

Ladybirds

The Ladybirds shall continue with the theme of ‘Music’ this week as the children are still showing interest in songs and rhymes and instruments.  This week the children will have the opportunity to make different sounds, using their feet, on the big keyboard.  They shall also be making their own musical instruments out of tubes and dried rice.

 Days off   Julie – Thursday   Abi - Monday

Bumblebees

Farms, crops and produce shall continue to be the focus this week.  The team will discuss planting and growth of vegetables with the children, using books as a support.  The children will be asked to draw their herbs and what they think the plants may look like as they grow.

Tash – Day off, Tuesday  Krissi – Monday       

Butterflies

‘The farm’ shall be the focus of activities for the pre school this week, and where our food originates from.  The children shall listen to animal noises to see if they can identify each animal and discussions shall be held with the children surrounding the origins of items such as milk and bacon.

The children shall make milkshakes using different types of fruit after discussions have taken place surrounding how the fruit grows (i.e.) on trees, bushes, vines etc.

Days Off: Jo – Tuesday   Stani – Friday

Lee Annual Leave: June 17^th – June 28^th.  There will be no Forest School on these 2 weeks due to Lee’s absence, however this has been planned for within the time frame for each set of sessions and therefore will not impact on the 6 week blocks.

Father Day Breakfast and Graduation Party

Dear Parents and Carers

In our pre school, this Wednesday, we are holding our graduation party for our school leavers (3pm – 5pm).  The event is open to all those children and parents in pre school whether they normally attend on Wednesdays or not, however if the children do not normally attend, they must be accompanied by an adult.  Please could you advise a staff member if you would like to join us.

Just to remind parents that this Friday June 14^th , is our Father’s Day breakfast for all of the daddies. Breakfast shall be served between 8am – 9am to enable dads to drop off their children and stay for a spot of breakfast with them before going to work.  Please could you advise a staff member in your child’s room whether you are able to attend the event, in order that we can cater for the correct quantity of people.  Thank you.

Could we please ask parents to provide a clean spare set of clothes for their children on a daily basis as we are very short of spare clothes at nursery, especially clothes suitable for the hot weather.  Thank you.

Snails

This week the babies shall continue to explore sounds and a focus shall be put upon gross motor skills as the babies are currently becoming mobile.  The practitioners shall encourage the children to clap their hands and assist the children as they try to manoeuvre onto their feet.

Song times shall incorporate lyrics which include animal noises whilst creative activities shall be centred around noises they can make by using different mediums such as table painting and water play.

Days off Jenni – Thursday     

Caterpillars

Sensory play shall be the focus of activities in the Caterpillars this week as the children have thoroughly enjoyed table painting and playing in the paddling pool during the hot weather.

This week the children will be able to explore ice, wet coloured sand and coloured water.  They will also be painting using feathers and continue to cool off in the paddling pool should this scorching weather continue.

Jamie – Day off Tuesday                                               

Ladybirds

According to observations of the children this week, their interest is captivated by music and therefore the children shall be making their own musical shakers, singing action rhyme songs and exploring the sounds that the musical instruments make.

The Ladybirds shall Days off   Julie – Monday   Abi - Thursday

 Elly Annual Leave  Thurs & Fri

Bumblebees

Farms, crops and produce shall be focused upon this week to support the children’s interests.  The children shall plant herbs to watch them grow and look at pictures of different types of vegetables, discussing the different colours and shapes.

Art activities shall include vegetable printing and crayon drawings of vegetables.

The children shall play ‘What’s in my bag’ as a member of staff describes different vegetables hidden in a bag that the children have to try and guess the identification of.

Tash – Day off, Monday  Krissi – Monday       

Butterflies

The theme of ‘Growth’ shall continue to be the focus this week as the children got very excited when they found out that we would be looking after an egg in a incubator to watch the hatching process, courtesy of one of our parents.  Thank you Ellie for giving the children the opportunity to experience this.  Also the pre school shall be looking at the growth of plants and vegetables.  The children shall measure the herbs that they have planted on an ongoing basis to record the growth made.  The team shall also discuss ‘how we grow’ with the children.  To support this could we ask parents to provide a baby photo of their child to support this activity.  (Photo’s will be returned)

Also this week school shall be a focus point of discussion as many of the children prepare to move on to their next stage of education and development. 

Days Off: Jo – Tuesday   Stani - Friday