This week our topic book was Billy and the Big New School by Laurence Anholt. The story is about a boy called Billy who is nervous about starting school. At first, he wishes he could stay at home but soon realises all of the fun he has at school. As we approach the end of the year we thought this would be a great book to support the children’s transition to their next school and to open up group discussion around emotions such as nervousness and any worries or questions the children might have about moving to new schools. The children were very excited to talk about their new schools and it was lovely to hear everything they are looking forward to doing when they start there.
During Free Play the children have been extremely excited by our new additions to the classroom - a collection of caterpillars! We have enjoyed observing the caterpillars turning into chrysalises and have discussed the different changes that will go through before they eventually turn into butterflies.
Messy play both indoors and outdoors has continued to be a big hit and the Fledglings have particularly enjoyed hunting for numbers in the sandpit and exploring for animals hidden in the soil. There has also been an array of delicious meals being made in the Mud Kitchen, from pies and cakes to spaghetti and cups of tea!
During Free Play the children continued to independently build on their knowledge of letters and sounds using fishing rods to pick out different letter cards. We extended this activity in our Focus Time where we practised rhyming, and listened out for which words rhymed and ones which did not. We extended the children’s mathematical knowledge in our Role-Play and Small World areas by providing toy coins and notes for the children to incorporate into their play. We also discussed what money is used for and how we earn money.
On Friday we had a fantastic day on the common celebrating Sports Day. It was made even more special by the parents being able to watch and cheer the children on. The Fledglings were amazing, and all showed a wonderful attitude and enthusiasm to the day. We celebrated with medals and healthy ice lollies! Everybody had a wonderful day and it was lovely to see the children’s excitement and energy throughout!
