‘Be yourself and people will like you.’ Jeff Kinney – The Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Seedlings and Acorns:

This week, our Seedlings and Acorns have focused on the topics of nature and the weather.

We kicked activities off with a scavenger hunt, where the children scoured our garden for natural resources such as sticks and leaves. We will use them in an art project next week.

Next, the children enjoyed a spot of mark-making with modelling clay in autumnal shades. They loved cutting and manipulating it with a variety of tools. Using tools presented an opportunity to boost the youngsters’ palmar grasp and pincer grip.

We certainly embraced the wet weather by spending lots of time outdoors where the children particularly enjoyed the mud kitchen. Harvey sweetly asked if he could be filled up so he could water the plants. James and Leo set up a makeshift vessel, singing along to Row, Row, Row Your Boat as they got to work whilst Madison adored splashing in muddy puddles.

Stars Of the Week:

Seedlings Finn and Annabel – For starting to babble and make conversation.

Acorn Ernie – For beginning to pull himself up.

Saplings:

In Saplings this week, we continued to look at a myriad of colours.

We started off the week reading The Colour Monster by Anna Llenas. Inspired by this, we tasked the Saplings with placing coloured pom-poms into the corresponding jar. The children demonstrated effortful control while waiting for their turn.

Next, the Saplings created a bold and bright Elmer the elephant. The children transformed a milk carton into the mammal’s body before decorating it with colourful strips of tissue paper that had been dipped into PVA glue. Theo enjoyed telling his friends that elephants stomped as they walked.

We also spent time in the garden where we found natural objects to make our own paint brushes. The children chose feathers, leaves and twigs and had lots of fun mark making.

Good luck to our Saplings who are transitioning, we wish them all the best and look forward to watching them on their next learning journey.

Stars Of the Week:

All our Saplings – For participating in all of the activities so enthusiastically.

Lower Oaks:

The children have thoroughly enjoyed lots of messy play-based activities this week.

One saw the Lower Oaks make a tectonic plate using a ball. Ashlynn did very well to tear the paper into neat strips before placing it into glue and water. As she gently pressed the strips onto the ball, she mused that the glue and water were sticky.

During an engaging science experiment, the children had fun adding droplets of red food colouring to oat milk using pipettes. Finneas said that the colours had changed to ‘grey’ remarking that it was ‘very marbled’.

Star Of the Week:

Finneas – For expressing himself so eloquently during our science experiment.

Upper Oaks:

This week began with lots of excitement as we explored our brand-new tool bench, cleverly built from recycled materials.

William showed great focus as he carefully sawed through pieces of wood. It was such a joy to watch the youngsters’ creativity and teamwork shine through in play. By the end of the week, all the children were a dab hand at woodwork… maybe a career choice made early!

As we say goodbye to another wonderful preschool year, we celebrate the fantastic journey our children have taken with us. The Upper Oaks are now ready to spread their wings and begin their exciting adventures at their new schools. We couldn’t be prouder of each and every one of them – they are all so ready to take their next steps into education.

As an emotional week draws to an end, it has been an absolute pleasure to have taught this class. We will treasure the memories we’ve made and know each child will continue to shine brightly and achieve great things.

Stars Of the Week:

All our Upper Oaks – For being truly awesome.

Yours sincerely

The Broughton Team