Chicks News - 16th January 2026

The Orange Chicks had a fantastic week filled with busy learning, creativity, and fun! Throughout the week, the children explored a wide range of activities that supported their development across all areas of learning.

Our new starters have been settling in very well and it has been lovely to see the existing children make them feel at home as they joined the nursery, sharing their toys and showing them where to hang their coats. 

At the Round Table and messy tray, the children investigated dinosaurs, sea creatures, shaving foam, foam blocks, water, paint and natural materials. They built hideaways, made constructions using shaving foam as 'cement', brushed blocks to practise fine motor control, and created marks using painted cars. These activities encouraged curiosity, sensory exploration and communication as the children named objects and described what they observed.

On the rug, we focused on team-building, sharing, and turn-taking through small-world play with farms, fire stations, castles, dolls houses, Peppa Pig, Paw Patrol and the emergency vehicles. The children enjoyed storytelling, role play, and problem-solving while developing their social and language skills.

At the mark-making, maths, and fine motor tables, the children coloured, traced shapes, explored numbers, threaded cotton reels, used glue sticks, played with cloud dough and playdough, and explored sequencing discs. These activities helped strengthen hand–eye coordination, finger strength, and early writing skills.

Our Role Play Area was very busy, with children cooking meals in the Home Corner, caring for babies, making teas and coffees, and engaging in imaginative play together. In the Outdoor Learning Environment, the children built obstacle courses, balanced on beams, rode tricycles and cars, explored insects with magnifying glasses, built sandcastles, cooked in the Mud Kitchen, repaired bikes, played tennis and constructed with a variety of building resources. These activities supported the children's physical development, cooperation, and confidence.

The children took part in a range of Focus Times throughout the week which included scooping and transferring activities, PSED team games, Write Dance movements, and cookery sessions where they made courgette and tuna muffins while learning about healthy eating.

We also enjoyed Music and Sports sessions where the Chikcs developed their rhythm, coordination, balance, and teamwork skills. We’re looking forward to another week full of fun at 345 Wandsworth.