We're going on a bear hunt!

This week the pre-school and toddler children have been focussing on 'We're going on a bear hunt'. The children have enjoyed lots of activities related to this and have been on a bear hunt around the garden looking for the bear.  They showed great imagination whilst walking though the long wavy grass, Peter said "It’s hard to get through this grass!". 

Pre-school have been exploring in the garden in the sun and rain. Whilst the sun was shining the children have been enjoying the sand pit and have been jumping in and out seeing who could jump the highest. Amelie said "Watch me! I am going to the sky" as she jumped in the air putting her arms out. They have also been enjoying the big cardboard tube in the water area where they have been watching the water flow through pushing down pieces of bark. Ezra said "This is really tricky" as he scooped water into the tube. 

Toddlers have been enjoying the tufty tray in the toddler room exploring the different textures such as shaving foam and rice using the Happy Street people to spread it around. They have also been exploring cornflour with food colouring mixing it all together watching the colours disappear in the water.

Zachary really enjoyed putting the train track together moving the trains around the train track saying "Choo Choo". The children have enjoyed singing songs at carpet time and have been copying the actions to the ‘Wheels on the bus’ and ‘If your happy and you know it’. 

Babies have had a lovely week exploring different sensory bags which have been filled with custard, raisins and water. They used their hands to push the mixture around. They also enjoyed going for a walk around Imber court and watching the horses. Oscar was waving to the horses as they went past. They have all shown great confidence whilst climbing the baby gym this week showing great control as they go up and down the steps independently and crawling down the slide. 

Pirate Pete!

The children have had lots of fun  exploring and acting out some of the story book 'Pirate Pete’s Stinky Feet'. The children helped to make a pirate ship area and pirate Pete was even inside!! "It's the pirate!" announced Alex. Whilst inside the children were very excited to find a map and some treasure chests. Douglas was ecstatic "Treasure! Treasure! " he shouted, "Let's find it" he said, ushering his friends to the map pirate Pete left. Jenson stayed in the pirate ship a little longer and even discovered some hidden treasure ! He used the green horn to alert his friends that he had found some!

Sienna and Jasmin ran outside to follow their maps "Follow me" Sienna beckoned to the group, as they led the, through the trees, into the tree house and across the garden. But still no treasure!? However Josh and Damon took off to the sand pit where they uncovered a single piece of treasure, and digging unearthed even more! This lead to building pirate Pete’s ship. Will and Darcey loaded the blocks and bricks from under the tree house and brought them to there friends. Sami decided to add a long flat plank, "it's a bridge, look I'm balancing", he explained to his friends. Douglas rushed to take it seat, as his friends began to set sail " The water is coming" shouted Avyansh. "I need to jump in before it floats away! " Douglas said.

The toddlers have had great fun exploring all the elements. They began by exploring and mark making in the outdoor learning area. Thomas and Xanthe made various marks in the wood bark using sticks and other tools they had found in the garden. James added some wood bark into the fire pit to which the rest of the little ones joined in. Thomas began helping by digging and scooping up more wood bark and then collecting it in a watering can. Later the group were served "ice cream" by some of the older children who had set up a shop in the garden.

They then decided in the main garden to make a car wash. Thomas made a big splash in the water, and laughed as he managed to accidentally wet some of his friends. Xanthe and Freddie liked to explore the new water canons but needed some help to push the water out.

Yoga at Molesey!

This week the children have been exploring lots of different activities throughout the nursery showing great self confidence. Toddlers and pre-school have been for a walk around the fabulous Imber court grounds where they took part in a nature walk collecting leaves and twigs. They then used these on the tree to make different marks listening to the sounds they made, and Ezra said "It's a big stick with green bits on it". Whilst out for a walk they sat together to paint their surroundings, which was very relaxing and peaceful. They have taken part in the regular Yoga class in the garden this where they acted out "We're going on a bear hunt" doing different poses and actions for each part of the story. The older children have also been focusing on 'G' for the sound of the week where they have been forming letters in flour whilst also sounding out writing the letter 'G' in the air looking for objects the start with 'G'. Next week’s sound is ‘O’.

Toddlers have really enjoyed taking part in the jungle tufty tray where they all got messy mixing the different materials together such as flour, lentils, and pasta stomping the jungle animals through it. Hector was using the tiger as he roared, stomping through the flour. Whilst Ada used the gorilla repeating "stomp stomp stomp". Toddlers have also been showing great fine motor skills as they took part in a threading activity using different sized beads to thread. Ella was able to recognise some "Red square, green circle" -Well done!

The babies have had lots of fun taking part in activities within the baby room where they have been using the different musical instruments during music and movement as they shuffled and clapped their hands. They have also been make marking using yellow and red paint showing lots of physical control whilst holding the paint brushes. Some of the children have been starting to say simple words such as dad dad dad and mum mum mum, as a staff member walked into baby room Jack said "Hello" whilst smiling and waving.

Exploring in the garden at Molesey

This week the children have been looking at the letter 'P'. They practiced drawing the letter, while thinking of words that begin with the sound. Amelie said "P is for Peter! We have a Peter at nursery!" They also cleverly identified words such as pineapple, peas, pumpkin and pears, drawing their ideas and were very proud to show their peers. The children have also been for a walk through the Imber court grounds, searching around and in the bushes to see what they could find. Peter picked up a mysterious object and said "Look pears that have grown. They are not very big are they!" Holding them up for everyone to see.

Back at the nursery, the children explored the various plants and flowers that are in the nursery garden. They enjoyed investigating the smells, which Lily and Elodie thought were beautiful. They explored the colours and talked about which ones were their favourites. As they were looking, Hector spotted a bumblebee flying over their heads, which inspired them to go on a bug hunt with their magnifying glasses. They were very excited to see all kinds of small insects such as spiders and ants, crawling quickly along the ground.

Gardening and mini beasts

This week the children have been focusing on the environment around them and also the mini beasts that live there. The children have been exploring the outdoor learning area. They helped to water the plants and also do some weeding. Elara said "the water helps the vegetables grow." Joshua then replied with "I don't like vegetables.! The children have also been on a mini beast hunt where they found different insects and natural materials. Jasmin found a pine cone and shouted excitedly to her friends "Pine cone, that's p, the sound of the week!" They spoke about what shapes they could see when looking at the creatures. Dawid said "Look !, circle, snai!". Afterwards the children all spoke about what they had seen and spent time carefully drawing the bugs.

The toddlers also participated in the outdoor learning area fun! They spent time looking in the pond. They shouted excitedly "Fish! " The little ones also helped to water the plants by using the watering cans. They watched very closely as the water ran down the end of the watering can and made marks on the wooden edge of the planting beds below them.