We based our learning this week around the story ‘Jack and the Beanstalk.’  The children enjoyed listening to story and we able to answer lots of questions about how the characters were feeling. They could make some predictions about what might happen next in the story. We read several different versions of the story and compared them looking for similarities and differences.

We learnt about the life cycle of a plant, how a bean germinates and begins to sprout and grow to produce a flower which them produces new beans and the cycle begins again. The children were amazed when watching a time lapse of a beans growth. We acted out the life cycle of a bean, curling into a ball for a seed, stretching out legs for roots, and then growing up tall, using our hands for leaves and flowers. We also learnt what plants need to grow. We then planted our own beans. The children were able to name the things they need and what will happen to them.  We are waiting to observe what happens.

This week, the children have been busy preparing for Mother’s Day through a range of thoughtful and creative activities. As part of our MyHappyMind – Being Kind focus, the children shared what makes their mums special by completing “I love my Mum because…” speech bubbles. This supported their communication and language skills, helping them to express their thoughts, feelings and appreciation for others. The children also enjoyed taking part in a lovely photo activity, holding hearts and smiling for pictures. This helped to build confidence and self-esteem, as well as encouraging a sense of belonging and connection. To create their Mother’s Day cards, the children practised cutting and decorating hearts, developing their fine motor skills and hand control. They showed great creativity and care in making something special for their loved ones. In addition, we have been practising our Mother’s Day song, supporting memory, listening and attention, and confidence in performance. It has been a heart-warming week, full of kindness, creativity and celebration as the children prepared to show how much they care!

Healthy Living Days

On Thursday and Friday, we enjoyed our Healthy Living Days, focusing on keeping our bodies active and making healthy choices. The children took part in exciting physical activities including boxing and hockey, helping to develop their gross motor skills, coordination and teamwork. These activities also supported their understanding of how exercise helps to keep our bodies strong and healthy. As part of our healthy eating focus, the children made their own fruit kebabs, exploring different fruits through tasting, touching and smelling. This encouraged independence, fine motor skills, and willingness to try new foods, as well as developing language to describe what they experienced (e.g. sweet, crunchy, soft).

During our SCARF PSHE session on Looking After Myself, we used a teddy bear picnic to help children understand the difference between healthy foods and “sometimes” treats. The children sorted foods, learned how different foods help their bodies (e.g. strong muscles, healthy teeth, energy), and joined in with actions to reinforce their learning. We also discussed the importance of good hygiene, especially washing our hands before eating. The children practised handwashing using a fun song, learning how to clean their hands thoroughly to keep germs away. These activities supported a wide range of skills including understanding the world, personal, social and emotional development, communication and language, and physical development. It was a fun and active few days, helping the children to understand how to look after their bodies and make healthy choices!

The children created shape collage pictures, developing their fine motor skills, including cutting, sticking and hand control. This also supported their creativity and decision-making. In maths, we focused on 2D shapes, where children developed shape recognition, sorting and matching skills, and began to describe properties using mathematical language such as “sides” and “corners”.

This week, the children have been introduced to the ‘s’ sound as part of our early phonics learning. The children practised saying the sound clearly and confidently, linking it to words such as “snake”, “sun” and “sock”. They enjoyed joining in with fun listening & oral blending activities. Through games and exploration, the children began to identify objects that start with the ‘s’ sound, supporting their listening and attention skills and developing their awareness of sounds in words. These activities help to build strong foundations for early reading and writing, as children begin to understand that words are made up of different sounds. They also support communication and language development, encouraging children to speak clearly and confidently.