​This week has been one of growing up! The lady came to take the graduation photos on the field for the school leavers. She brought along the cap and gown, and they all had a single photo taken, then had another photo all together. These photos will be in the paper soon, we’ll let you know when we know.
We have been making lots of food this week as well, some of the children got to make a pizza using breakfast muffins, and some made ginger cake! Both looked amazing, none for Joe this time though, unfortunately.
The children have been interested in different textures this week, so we’ve made sure that we’ve had lots of different materials and other interesting things out that they can explore using their fingers.  We’ve had pasta and spaghetti, rice and lentils, shaving foam, a large tray of bubble mixture, flour (that got messy) all different ways to get the children talking about, and experiencing texture.
Lots of the children have enjoyed the Hungry Caterpillar story again this week, along with the Bear Hunt story, too.  The younger children have been using our hand painted story stones to retell the Bear Hunt story.  Each stone has a key point or character from the book.  By the end of the week, the children could tell the story without much involvement from the adults. It’s a firm favourite.
The preschool children have been looking at More and Less in their circle time, using many different objects to demonstrate the difference.  Maybe at home, you could use this language during your time together, such at tea time, looking who has more on their plate, for example.
Shapes have been something of interest this week, too.  We’ve been using shape counters that can be used to make pictures with, and also noticing shapes in the environment.  The children will notice that their sandwich is cut in a certain shape, or the shape of their plate.  It is a fun game to play when out and about, playing eye spy for shapes. 
Hannah played a game outside using numbered jigsaw pieces that were hidden throughout the garden and field. The children then came back to put the whole thing together, great for number recognition and special awareness.

This week in Mucky Pups, we have been loving being outside and making the most of the sunshine.  This has really brought out most of the children, some of whom would normally want to stay inside have ventured out!  We have been enjoying stories out there, especially in conjunction with what we’ve been finding in the garden.  Some of the children have been spotting ladybirds all over the place, so we read the story ‘What the Ladybird Heard’ outside.  We also found a caterpillar in the leaf bin, so we gave it some fresh leaves, and have been reading ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’.  We also sang our song of the month, as it’s the life cycle of a caterpillar, if you don’t know the words, please refer back to our May newsletter.
As it has been nice and warm, we have had lots of different water activities outside.  We first had lots of paint brushes and buckets of water around the playground for the children to experiment with different mark making.  Not only that, but some of the children used the paint rollers to clean down the house and benches.
 
This week we have been making food again.  Some children have made their own pizza! They used a breakfast muffin cut in half, spread with tomato puree, then topped with cheese, peppers, and pepperoni.  They were brilliant.  Some children went a little overboard with cheese, if that is even possible.
We have also been baking some coconut cupcakes with yellow icing.  There was even one left over for Joe, which keeps him very happy.
Diddi Dance again was a hit this week with lots of the children joining in more and getting to know the steps. 
The ducks have been back yet again, and the children have been feeding them birdseed and making sure they have water in the water tray for a bath.
 
During circle time this week, the preschool children have been looking at the letter T.  Jean has been using the Jolly Phonics video with them to get them used to the kind of thing they will be doing in phonics over at school and we have been looking at the alphablocks video for the first letter sounds the children will be learning for phonics. The children have been looking at different alliteration using the letter T.  Sentences such as The Terrible T-Rex Tiptoed Tonight.  Give it a go with your children at home, see what they come up with, and see if they can find things around the house, or out on a walk that begin with the letter sound ‘t’.
 
The younger group have been doing lots of music and movement in the hall using Sticky Kids.  Before we start, Joe asks the children to feel their heartbeat, listen to their breathing, and feel if they are cold or warm.  Then, after a run around the hall with jumps, touching the ground and spins, we test our heartbeats again.  This is getting the children to realise that exercise has an effect on our bodies.  We’ve been listening to the songs – Let’s Go Walking, Stand Up Sit Down, Funky Monkey, and Head Shoulders Knees and Toes. 

Lots of fun this week with loads of activity outside. The children and Joe have been using all of the wood we have in the construction area to make a really long and winding balance area. We had it going up and down over long bridges and through tyres. 
We've had a repeat visit from our resident ducks.  In fact, we've noticed we have two sets of Ducks that take it in turns to visit.  Hannah has been taming them with a mix of peas and rice crispies, and now they eat from the children’s' hands.
In circle times this week, we have been looking at shapes!  Both groups have been doing different shape activities, with the older children using mark making to draw the shapes they have talked about, and the younger children have been spotting different shapes in the environments. This is the video that we've been using.
We have taken the shape activities outside as well for the children to draw shapes on the ground and play games around them.  
Inside, the children have been heavily into playing with the dinosaurs and zoo animals with lots of dinosaur stories in the snug as well. 
The children have been really enjoying mark making everywhere as well this week, with lot of pictures going in their trays, so make sure you check those out for the fridge at home!
In the glue and stick area, we have used lots of different containers, boxes and interesting shaped packaging to create new works of art. 
In the tough tray this week, we have had different combinations of rice and lentils for pouring and filling and mark making in, or shaving foam, which has been an absolute favourite, getting really messy, and smelling quite nice.
We've also been really interested in playing with jigsaws, both peg style for the younger ones, and some more difficult ones for our pre-schoolers. 

Can I also remind everyone about graduation photos on the 21st!
Any child who is leaving us for big school is invited to have their photo taken in cap and gown, even if you don't come on that day.  Just make sure you are here for 9 o'clock. Any questions, please speak to Jean or Steph. 

And a quick note to say, that one of our grandparents has a travel cot going spare, so if you need one, let us know, and we'll sort that out for you. 

Hope you all have a great weekend, don't forget to leave a comment, we'd love to hear from you. 

​Joe

This week has seen some of our new starters after the Easter break starting to settle in now.  Our children have, as usual, been fantastic at helping the new children, whether its showing them the routine and what to do during snack times, being a friend, or somthing as simple as remembering their names to include them.  

We have also done more baking! This week, Steph has made heart shaped shortbread biscuits with added chocolate chips.  The children get to do everything other than put them in the oven, so it's really all down to them.  

It is important to have activites that are for all children at all different stages of development, but one of those activites that works for all children is threading.  We used pasta and cheerio hoops, so there was a difference in hole size.  This is great for fine motor skills.

Diddi Dance was back again, and we have been salsa dancing, ribbon twirling and learning some big stretches. It's great to have Alison back again teaching dance!

Outside, we have been really busy.  We have been making potions in the mud kitchen using different herbs and flowers, bird watching as usual as well.  In fact, we saw the return of the ducks.  3 Boys and 1 Girl.  The children are getting very good at learning which is male and felmale in ducks and blackbirds.  

We also had loads of seagulls today come to get the bread we put out that the ducks left.  

In circle times, we have been looking at the letter A with the pre school children.  We first watch a little video which they will use in school, then look for examples of the letter in the room on lables etc.  We then practiced writing the letter. Link to the video.

The younger children have been looking at living things in the garden and how to look after and protect them.  We've been talking about all the fruit that we can grow in the garden (apple tree, pear tree and cherry trees).

The children have really been enjoying the swing Hannah made and getting better at climing up themselves.  We've also been talking a lot about turn taking from this activity. 

We have been practicing our name writing on the tough tray in chalk using their name cards too.

Some of the children may have mentioned Ryan this week, he's been helping out over lunch time.  The children know him anyway from Kids Club, and he'll be back next week, too!

Last thing, a reminder for the pre school leavers, that we will be having the graduation photos taken on the 14th of May.  If you don't come on this day usually, you are more than welcome to come and have your childs photo taken.  For more information, speak to Jean, and consult your newsletter. 

Enjoy your long weekend!
​Joe 
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