Firstly, we would like to wish Felix a very happy birthday as he turns 2 on Sunday; we hope you have a fantastic day celebrating. We would also like to take this opportunity to wish Ella and her family best wishes for the future as they move to their new home and we welcome Adrian who joined us this week.

This week, the Oaks have been exploring fireworks and the history behind bonfire night recognised on the 5th of November. They described the sounds and colours they emit as they explode: ‘crackle’, ‘pop’, ‘fizz’, ‘bang’, ‘sizzle’, ‘flash’, ‘bright’, ‘sparkle’ etc were all offered.  Initially, the children discussed what they already knew about the topic. It was identified that fireworks are hot and therefore very dangerous. Imogen also pointed out that animals don’t like the noise and are frightened by the blasts. The children created their own firework pictures using forks to create explosive marks. They experimented with colour mixing, discussing which blends would create an authentic, realistic image and using visual aids, the Oaks considered how they could move the forks in varying ways to redistribute the paint in order to accurately reflect the visual image.

To continue their sensory experience, the Oaks have created firework gloop, using cornflour, food colouring and glitter. In a similar fashion to the above, the children used various utensils to achieve different marks and indentations in the gloop aiding fine motor skills.

Following on from this, the Oaks have developed their own fireworks song (to the tune of ‘Frere Jacques’), with actions to accompany it. The children considered what instruments would be most appropriate for our new song and the keyboard was the most popular opinion. You can find the lyrics below;

“Fireworks, Fireworks,

Up they go, up they go,

Rockets in the sky, Rockets in the sky,

Whizz, Bang, Pop, Whizz Bang Pop”

This got the children really interested in playing new instruments, so with some guidance, the Oaks took it in turns to learn some simple tunes, such as ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’. First, the children scaled the length of the keyboard, pressing each individual key as they went. Then they watched as Paige showed them a simple tune which Belle, Evie and Rowan were able to emulate when shown which keys to press. This allowed the children to enhance their technological skills, as well as encouraging them to take risks, learning by trial and error.

Some of the children were lucky enough to go out for an afternoon walk. Since it had recently rained, the path was very muddy! The children discovered many different footprints along the way including hoof prints and dog prints, – although some questioned that these might have been left by a giant and his dog! The children had to negotiate some of the spaces as the paths changed in height and width, many of whom commented on how walking uphill was much harder than walking somewhere flat. As the sun began to set behind us the children discussed how it made everything look orange, the trees and the land around them had been engulfed in the light of the sun, they also pointed out that as it had begun to get dark, the cars all had their lights on. This triggered a conversation surrounding road safety and how important this is to help keep us safe.

This week in Saplings, we have been learning about bonfire night. We discussed our own experiences with fireworks and spoke about the sounds and colours they create. We have been creating our own firework pictures using a range of media and materials. We used different tools to make marks and effects, including straws, forks and paint brushes. Using these utensils, we not only observed the varying marks achieved but also used them to create splatter paintings which enhanced their gross motor skills. The children chose colours they thought might be a good representation many of which were mixed together to create other colours not apparent to them at the start.

The Saplings have also been discussing some of the risks and dangers that accompany watching fireworks if they are not sensible. Some of the children observed that it wouldn’t be a good idea to get too close to the fireworks because they might burn you. They have also talked about their feelings towards fireworks, how they make us feel as well as talking about our experiences with family and friends. To follow on from this, the children took part in making their very own rockets after identifying the shape of most fireworks. Using a range of materials such as tubes, paint, tissue paper, and sparkly sequins, the children concentrated on holding the glue spreader in a palmar grasp and used their fine motor skills to rip the tissue paper up and stick it where they envisioned it should go.

To finish the week with a bang, the children took part in a science experiment involving baking soda, vinegar, food colouring and glitter to create a their very own firework display. The reaction of the baking soda and vinegar meant that the liquid rose in an explosive fashion, the children were fascinated and exclaimed with excitement as the reaction occurred. The children later explored the sensory delights, textures and colours, using different tools to make marks in the ‘erupted’ foam.

The Acorns and Seedlings have also continued with this very topical theme. The children made rockets using lollipop sticks and tissue paper, helping to tear the paper into smaller pieces as a representation of fire. They looked at colours and textures, exploring how these can be differentiated dependent on how they are mixed. In preparation for Remembrance Sunday, the Acorns painted pictures of poppies using apples showing dexterity as they daubed the paper.

Stars of the week:

Oaks – Nauris – for interacting with his friends and showing confidence to talk out in front of a larger group.

Saplings – Elsie-Mae – for interacting and demonstrating confidence when engaging in a larger group.

Seedings – Thomas – for demonstrating his yoga poses so splendidly.

Acorns – Leo – for showing confidence to walk across the garden with a walker.

Messages:

To celebrate Children in Need on Friday, we have decided to get involved and support this worthy cause. The children will be able to dress up in their pyjamas on Friday – those that wish to can do so before then, on the days they are in. Should anyone wish to give a small donation please let a member of staff know but note that this is not compulsory.

Once again, just a quick reminder about appropriate clothing now that the weather is icy in the mornings and last thing in the evening, hats and gloves are just some of the essentials. Please name anything that comes into nursery to prevent them from being misplaced.

Have a fantastic week,

The Team at Broughton.