Nursery
The children in Highgrove have been enjoying the changeable weather this week, from water play in the sun to watching the leaves blowing in the wind.
Cottontails are continuing with their book theme of ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’ and have been creating their butterfly artwork, whilst also painting with fruit and vegetables. There has also been a focus on gross motor development with many of the younger Cottontails beginning to cruise or walk.
In Tiggywinkles, the children are using the book ‘A Squash and a Squeeze’ to support their learning. They have been developing their imagination through small-world play, feeding, and looking after the animals on the farm. The Tiggywinkles children are also continuing their interest in bugs and insects. They have been especially interested in the snails they find in the garden.
Puddleducks have been learning about their bodies. Exploring similarities and differences through mirror play, discovering their abilities through an obstacle course in the garden, and talking about bones in their bodies whilst creating skeletons. Puddleducks also had a hospital role-play this week and have been helping to take care of each other.
Minis
The children in Queen’s Minis have enjoyed the sunshine now that is finally here by making magical potions in the garden using a variety of herbs and foliage and testing their physical skills on the large outdoor equipment.
This week their onsite Forest School session focused on measuring and counting concepts with sticks as the children compared the size of them against their arms and legs and went off to find ten leaves to thread onto their sticks.There was great excitement when they realised that all the chrysalis’ had hatched into beautiful butterflies on Monday and once the pupils fed them with sugary fruit for a few days they will release them into the nursery garden later this week.
In the kitchen club, the children enthusiastically enjoyed decorating their own mini chocolate caterpillars with eyes, sugar laces and sprinkles. Once finished, the caterpillars were given names and placed in a paper ‘cocoon’ ready to take home. The lifecycle of a butterfly has further been consolidated with the creation of a life cycle timeline in a craft activity as we conclude this theme of learning for this half term.
