Kindergarten One enjoyed a morning of discovery and imaginative play outdoors at Peacock Lodge. Through pouring, filling and emptying containers of water, the children explored cause and effect while practising turn-taking and cooperation. Activities such as pushing wheelbarrows, digging in the soil, balancing on planks and crawling through tunnels helped to develop important gross motor skills.
Reception continued their learning about spiders this week, discovering fascinating facts about these eight-legged creatures. They learnt how spiders use spinnerets to produce silk for their webs and that baby spiders are called spiderlings. The children strengthened their fine motor skills by rescuing bugs and spiders from a web and used wool to create their own intricate spider webs.
Inspired by the story Sally and the Limpet, Kindergarten Two painted large-scale beach-themed pictures, used moulds to create sand animals and enjoyed “fishing” for sea creatures. The story also sparked discussions about shells, where they can be found and the creatures that live inside them. The children were fascinated to learn that a limpet can spend up to 20 years living on the same rock.
Reception also braved the rain showers to enjoy Forest School this week. The recent mix of sunshine and rain has encouraged the wildflowers to flourish, creating an exciting new area to explore. The children continued their minibeast hunt, showing growing enthusiasm as they discovered a variety of creatures. Using log slices, they drew their favourite minibeasts and created their own minibeast medallions.
At Forest School, Kindergarten One noticed how much the plants had grown and were amazed to find some now taller than themselves. After listening to the story Summer, they discussed the sights and feelings associated with the season. The children enjoyed cooking “sausages” in the mud kitchen, exploring sensory playdough mixed with leaves, herbs and petals, and using chalk to make marks and create their own artwork.
It has been wonderful to see the children’s curiosity, confidence and enthusiasm flourish throughout the week. Whether investigating minibeasts, creating artwork, developing physical skills or engaging in imaginative play, every experience has supported their learning and development. We look forward to another exciting week of exploration and discovery ahead.
