We have been really enjoying getting to know our new environment in Early Years! The children are settling in well to their new routines, and have already demonstrated their super listening skills on the carpet and during times of transition.
It was very exciting to meet our dance teacher for the term, Charlotte, at the beginning of the week! During this lesson, the children were able to follow instructions and count along to a beat of eight, all whilst breaking out some excellent dance moves! Charlotte was very impressed with how well all the children got on.
The outside area has been a thing of great interest and excitement this week, as the children have got to grips with the different learning areas, from exploring capacity in the water tray, to building narratives together in Jurassic Park! It has been lovely to see how engaged the children are with the provision adapted for them, based on their interests and fascinations.
We have also been learning lots during carpet times this week. We met Harold the Giraffe, who helps us to remember important things about being safe, caring, recognising our achievements, being resilient and building friendships. This week, we explored the topic ‘All About Me’, which gave us the opportunity to talk about our likes, dislikes, experiences and families. The children loved talking about their families including their many furry friends too, and drew pictures of their families to display proudly on our classroom wall!
We also met Cheeky Monkey who tried to catch us out with his cheeky counting! We helped him to remember the important rules about counting, such as starting from one, counting in the right order and counting with one-to-one correspondence.
This week, the children enjoyed their first PE lesson on the field, and what a fantastic time they had! They explored the space around them through running, jumping and moving in different ways. The children practised listening carefully to instructions, taking turns and working together with their friends. It was wonderful to see their confidence grow as they enjoyed being active outdoors and developing their gross motor skills.
On Friday, the children enjoyed their first Forest School session with Connor, and they had a wonderful time exploring our school forest! 🌿🍂
We were incredibly proud of how hard the children worked to independently put on their suits and wellies. It was fantastic to see them becoming more confident and independent as they got themselves ready for their outdoor adventure. Connor introduced the children to our Forest School rules and taught us how to safely sit around the fire circle, reminding us that we should never walk through it. He also showed us how to carry sticks safely, explaining that if a stick is longer than our arm, we should drag it behind us, and if it is taller than us, we should ask a friend to help us carry it.
The children also learnt why it is important to walk rather than run in the forest, helping us to stay safe when exploring the uneven ground. All of the children thoroughly enjoyed discovering and exploring the forest safely. They showed fantastic curiosity, independence and listening skills throughout the session, and we are already looking forward to our next Forest School adventure with Connor next week!
