Sunday 14 December 2014

Merry Xmas!

As we enter this last week of term  it will be full steam ahead as we continue with our Xmas activities.

In the kitchen the children will all be decorating  Xmas gingerbread men to take home. There will also be a drawing and sticking special activity.

We will continue to enjoy looking and reading Xmas stories, and sing and play along to the Xmas songs with jingle bell shakers!

As you will now know, our pre -school year one Xmas party is on this Thursday 18th. A list of food options to bring in is on the wall as you come in, thank you so much. As well as enjoying this party food we will be playing Xmas games, with more singing and dancing guaranteed !

The new term will commence again on Monday 5th January. In the meantime, we would like to wish you all a Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year. We look forward to seeing you all again in 2015!
                                                        Best wishes from Helen and Kathryn.

                                                            

Sunday 7 December 2014

Xmas Crafts

This week we'll be concentrating on making some lovely Xmas themed crafts to put on display around the classroom.

Activities will include Xmas shaped sponge
painting, marble painting and sticking. We will also be using plenty of glitter and sparkle to make red Santa boots and decorate little Xmas trees.

The books we will be looking at this week are The Very Special Xmas, Baby Christmas and Spot's Magical Christmas. We will also finish each session by singing some festive Xmas themed songs!

A warm welcome to all of our new children and parents, please do fill in a wow slip to tell us about any festive fun you've already been up to.


                                                             

Sunday 30 November 2014

Nativity

It's hard to believe that there's only just under three weeks of this term left, before the Xmas break!
With this in mind we will be turning our attention to everything to do with Xmas in the coming weeks!
Our theme this week therefore is the Nativity.
 
Firstly we will be reading and discussing the story, prior to all of the children having a chance to dress up in the role play room to reenact the scene.

We will also be making and decorating crowns as worn by the three kings. As we do this we will be focussing on the number three.

In the main kitchen this week we will be making savoury scones, which the children will be taking home.

                                                          

Sunday 23 November 2014

The Five Senses

Last week the children were very excited to welcome Prince Charles to the school, as we all celebrated it's 20th anniversary.There was lots of flag waving, which Prince Charles reminded them were Union Jacks! We were so impressed at how well all of our pre-school children behaved, patiently waited for HRH to come out and even more excited about spotting his helicopter outside!

All of the children will have an opportunity to explore  the sensory bus which is visiting us this week. This ties in nicely with our theme The Five Senses. Last week we played the missing object game ( sight ) and this week we will look at hearing , smell , taste and touch.

Each will be playing games including taking turns to feel different objects and textures in bags; using noses to smell different fragrances; listening to and guessing what instrument is being played with your eyes shut,
and discussing taste at snacktime.

Just a kindly  reminder to ask all parents to return their session request forms asap to facilitate planning in the new year, thank you.                        

                                                        

Sunday 16 November 2014

Let's play a game

The children all had fun last week looking at the book The Blue Balloon, and much fun was had as we blew up a blue balloon, let it go and watch it whizz around the room!

This week we'll be playing lots of games. As well as board games, we'll be going into the hall to play more physical games eg  What's the time Mr Wolf, Musical statues and Duck, Duck, Goose.

In small groups we will be playing an observational game called Remember, Remember. This involves naming different objects, placing them in a bag and then trying to remember, in turn, what was put in.

Books we will be looking at are Postman Pat, Hide and seek with Jess, Teddy's Party and What's the time Mr. Wolf.

Finally, each child will be drawing their own picture using felt tips. We will then laminate it and cut it into big pieces to create their own jigsaw to take home.

Just a note to inform you that our colleague Kayley Pitfield will be joining our staff quota, twice a week, as we welcome new children to pre-school.

                                                               

Sunday 9 November 2014

The Blue Balloon

All of the children enjoyed making firework pictures last week, and used some super words to describe the noise fireworks make, and how they look in the sky.
This week we're looking at and discussing the book The Blue Balloon by Mick Inkpen.
This is a lovely book which will enable us to talk about colours,shapes and things that float.
As the week progresses, it's always nice to see how the children can recall the story and tell us what happens.
To tie in with the theme this week, the children will be marble painting their own blue balloon.
In the kitchen we will be making pizzas with a choice of toppings which include our own homemade tomato puree ( using tomatoes grown at pre-school ) cheese, pineapple and red peppers.
                                                        
                                                          

Monday 3 November 2014

Fireworks!

Welcome back from the half term break, we hope you all had a nice time, these weeks seem to be flying by !
As firework night is upon us we will be focusing on this subject for the remainder of the week.
Using bright colours and lots of glitter the children will be making a firework display. This will include making rockets, whilst discussing shapes and colours.
Recalling fireworks we may have seen, we will discuss the noise they make, the patterns we see and what time of day we see them. We will also remind everyone about keeping safe, for ourselves and our pets.
We would love to see your wow comments on any displays you may have gone to, please do keep them coming.
The Jigsaw theme this week is " What I Am Good At. "

                                                                


Saturday 18 October 2014

Leaves, conkers etc!

All of the children enjoyed going on their nature walks, each with basket in hand scouring the school grounds! We returned with plenty of colourful differently shaped leaves, twigs etc which we looked at on our return.
This week we will be using some of those leaves to create a hedgehog, whilst every child will be doing their own leaf sponge painting picture.
As mentioned previously, we will be doing a conker counting activity during the week and would still welcome any more donations of conkers. A big thank you to those parents who have already brought in their Autumnal finds when out and about, the children love to look at them.
I'm aware this was mentioned in the newsletter, but just a reminder that our student on a Thursday this term  is Tiffany.
As it is half term next week, term will resume on Tues 8th November ( training day on Mon 3rd )
We all hope you enjoy the break and look forward to seeing you on our return.
                                                      
                                                             

Friday 10 October 2014

Autumn

All of the children had fun trying musical instruments last week. We were also impressed at how well they could all stand still during musical statues, plus we witnessed some super dancing!
As Autumn is upon us we will be spending these last two weeks of term learning about and exploring the changes that we see around us.
Firstly we will be going on a nature walk around the school grounds, collecting different types of leaves,twigs etc, looking at colours, textures, size and shapes.Some of these leaves will then be used to make a hedgehog during the following week!
Our adult focused activity this week will be pumpkin card threading, which , on completion, will be hung up on display.
Books which we will be looking at are Leaves, Ferdie and the falling leaves and The Wind Blew.
We would be grateful if any of you could bring in any conkers you may have found whilst out and about, as we'll be using them for a forthcoming counting activity, many thanks in advance!
                                                            
                                                        


Wednesday 8 October 2014

Music

Music is always a popular theme, and one which we will return to during the year.
All of the children will have the opportunity to try out different musical instruments, sharing and exchanging them. We will be listening to the different sounds that can be made, and take turns playing and listening to each other.
We will also be playing instruments in time to music, as well as dancing and playing musical statues!
Everyone will be making their own shaker to take home.
The books we'll be looking are The Ding Dong Bag, Noisy and Tanka Tanka Skunk.
During the week we 'll  be making fruit jelly with the children preparing peaches, grapes and and satsumas.
Just a reminder to all parents to please use the side gate to access the pre- school rather than climbing over the fence, which happened last week. The children are led by example and we actively discourage this, Many Thanks.                                                  

                                                           

Kind Hands

This week we're turning our attention to the subject of kind hands.

We will be discussing the importance of being kind to our friends, taking turns and sharing. ( PSED ) We have already witnessed some lovely exchanges between the children, whether it be moving aside to let another child get out of the ballpit in soft play, or actively approaching and talking to another child to make friends.

To put these subjects into practice we will be playing games which  will  require waiting and taking turns. The children have already been displaying this as they pass our soft toy, Jenie Jigsaw, to each other at storytime. Whoever is holding it can share their thoughts, whilst the other children will listen.She is already a popular character, and more information about Jigsaw PSHE learning is to follow.

At snacktime, we'll be reinforcing the the importance of good manners, and discussing times when it's important to say "please" and " thank you. "

All of the children will be taking part in a handpainting activity to create a poster for display, with lots of messy fun!

The books we will be looking at and sharing this week are called "Be Gentle" and "Sharing A Shell."



                                                                         

                                                                       

Sunday 21 September 2014

Teddy Bears!

This week our theme is " A Teddy Bear's Picnic."
We will be discussing what we would like to take and eat on a picnic, and looking at the books The Bears Picnic, Having A Picnic and Where's My Teddy?
The children can have fun with our role play bear picnic area!
Activities will include sponge painting bears, looking at different sized bears and discussing their textures, as well as teddy bear threading, sorting and matching games.
To extend the picnic theme the children will then all be preparing their own sandwiches for snacktime, choosing between honey, jam, marmite, or cheese fillings, or just butter if they prefer. We will also of course be emphasising the need for healthy fruit on a picnic as well!
Perhaps you might like to tell us, on a wow slip, about a picnic you've been on with your child.