“That is the way a summer rain can take hold in you- like a new heart, beating in time with another’s.”
― Muriel Barbery, The Elegance Of The Hedgehog
Saplings:
This week, Saplings have taken part in car-themed activities reflecting their interests.
First of all, the children made red, amber and green traffic light ice cubes. Willow liked pouring the green paint into the ice cube container while proudly repeating the name of the colour.
A second colourful activity saw the Saplings push cars through paint to create collages before we challenged the children to make ‘traffic light soup’. To do the latter, the Saplings stirred ice with ladles and fish slices, watching as the water changed colour gradually whilst the cubes melted.
We also played a fun game with the children that involved guessing the sounds of different cars. Avery thought the racing car was the best as it was really loud.
We’d love more sparkly, shiny objects to add to our sensory baskets and would be grateful for any donations you may have at home but no longer need.
Star Of the Week:
Alice – For helping her younger friends while visiting the room.
Seedlings and Acorns:
In Seedlings and Acorns, we continue our ‘in the moment’ planning which led to some wonderful activities.
Early in the week, James excitedly told his friends about his trip to Tractor Fest. Inspired by this, we decided we’d do some tractor mark-making. The children had so much fun rolling the tractors back and forth through paint, then pressing the tires onto paper to see the different patterns they could create.
The children have also been enjoying a lot of free play. They’ve especially loved exploring their new role-play kitchen area, with many of them eagerly washing fruit and vegetables in the sink.
Looking ahead, we have a special event planned for next Tuesday. May we ask that the children come dressed in their best party clothes as we’ll be having a goodbye celebration for Vickie and Kianna.
Stars Of The Week:
Ashlynn (Seedlings) – For her fantastic dance moves. Harvey (Acorns) – For vocalising more.
Oaks 1:
As many of our children are leaving to start school soon, it feels like the perfect moment to reflect on the year we’ve shared. Each week, our newsletter highlights what the children have learned, but today, we want to share what we have learned from them.
Throughout the year, we’ve designed activities around the children’s interests, aiming to boost their skills in different areas. But as we engage with them and listen to their thoughts, it’s clear they’ve taught us invaluable lessons— how to be patient, to appreciate the small things, and to stay positive even when challenges arise.
Ronnie has been a shining example of the notion that ‘anything can be everything.’ We watched in awe as he transformed a bucket and a wheelbarrow into a rocket ship for a galactic adventure with Freddie, who smartly quipped that we can’t stay too long on the moon because we can’t breathe in space.
We’ve also been inspired by Charlie’s maturity, Theo’s determination and Rosie’s confidence. Ottie’s creativity, Thomas’s remarkable memory for details and Margo’s love of beautiful things have truly blossomed during their time in Oaks 1. Raife’s courage, Ralph’s spirit, Sebbie’s happy demeanour, Oscar’s strong will, Bodhi’s kind spirit, Sonnie’s helpfulness and Jamie’s positive outlook on life are all wonderful traits we’ve seen emerge.
These children have all played a vital role in ensuring that we, as practitioners, continue to learn and grow alongside them. Most importantly, they teach us to slow down and appreciate the little things in life because no one is happier than a preschooler waving at a helicopter flying overhead.
Good luck to all our leavers – we hope you enjoy your time at big school! You will be fabulous.
Oaks 2:
This week in Oaks 2, we’ve been taking a closer look at how things work.
The children took part in activities focused on exploring different ways vehicles move. Inside the classroom, we set up an activity where the children compared the movements of a car, bike and lorry to that of a boat. Next, we created a mini racing track on the floor. The children used both fine and gross motor skills to build their own cars with Mobilo and Lego, racing them around the track to see who had designed the fastest vehicle. Helgi’s car won the race, and he proudly explained: “My car is fast because it has 4 wheels, and his has 2.” This led to a discussion about how having four wheels makes a car faster and more stable when driving on the road.
Out in the garden, we set a new challenge: finding natural resources to see which items would float or sink. The children happily gathered a selection of twigs, leaves and stones. One of the children impressed us when they stated ‘This leaf will stay on top of the water. That stone will sink.” We filled the Tuff Tray up and everyone placed their items in to observe what would happen. William recalled playing a game of Pooh Sticks, stating: “I have put sticks in the water at the park.”
We would like to end with a special shoutout to the children from Saplings who have transitioned into the room—you’ve all settled in beautifully and have made many new friends.
Star Of the Week:
Tamsin – For becoming more comfortable in her new room and beginning to make new friends.
Yours sincerely
The Broughton Team