Chinese New Year 2017

Due to the diversity of modern society it is important that children learn about cultural diversity from a young age. I aim to incorporate special celebrations of other cultures and this week we have been celebrating Chinese New Year. With a wide age range opresent this year I chose a variety of ways to ensure that children of all ages were able to participate in the Chinese New Year festivities. 

All children had a lovely time engaging in sensory play with noodles and chopsticks along with some colours, glitter and several other tools to develop imagination and fine motor skills. This play was extended for older children with some banners to enhance letter recognition and some glass pebbles in gold and red to promote counting and sorting. 

The older children particularly enjoyed dressing up in some Chinese clothes as well as watching a powerpoint presentation about Chinese New Year kindly provided by another childminder. We also read our Chinese New Year book showing pictures of the celebrations involving children. 

The favourite activity involved food where the children tried some egg fried rice, some noodles and some lovely vegetable spring rolls. We talked about what vegetables were used and the differences between the textures of the food.  

City Centre Opportunities

This morning was a particularly wet and dull day in Plymouth so we decided on a trip to the Central Plymouth Library. Our older children enjoyed looking at the books, listening to stories and doing some colouring. They also used the equipment in the library to help return the books. They shard the books and talked to each other about what they could see.

Our youngest who is just learning to walk was in his element as, as well as being able to access many of the books, there was plenty of colourful and low lying surfaces that enabled him to cruise around and even play peek-a-boo with us!

Upon leaving the library the children noticed that the large window looked out onto the bus station. We watched the people get on the bus and leave, talking about the fact they were going to London. We decided to walk down to the bus station and after looking at a map of the city, we went to see the bus. The bus driver let the children sit on the bus and the children took it in turns to have a sit in the driver's seat with one of the children even being allowed to beep the horn! On the way home one child initiated the song 'the wheels on the bus', we all joined in!

We think we made the most of a wet morning and our impromptu visits have covered all of the areas of learning:

Social Development: The children learnt to share the books and talk nicely to their peers and other adults.
Physical Development: Our youngest had good practice at developing his walking skills whilst the older children enjoyed a good walk in the rain.
Communication and Language: We introduced new language within the bus station, followed instructions and talked about what we could see.
Literacy: The children enjoyed both listening to stories and practising their pen holding skills through colouring.
Numeracy: We counted out the birds we could see at the bus station as well as looking at number books in the library:
Understanding the World: The children developed understanding of technology through returning the books as well as being involved within the community practices of utilising a library and a bus station.
Expressive art and design: The activities encouraged creative drawing and singing such as the wheels on the bus song

Christmas Crafts 2016

We have been extremely busy and having great fun over the last few weeks making some festive items to share with our families.  

Younger children have enjoyed the sensory experiences of moving pain around with both their hands and their feet as well as learning to hold brushes for mark making. Older children have used their developing dexterity to use finer brushes for painting, pick up and stick buttons as well as using their imaginations to create snowmen and Christmas trees. 

We produced several of our Christmas craft in a session with several other childminders and their minded their children all followed by a Christmas party so the children also had a lovely social time in their preparation for Christmas. 

Casper The Owl & Friends

We were lucky enough to be invited to another childminders house this morning where she had arranged a special visit from the local charity Casper the Owl & Friends. While we were waiting for the owls the children had the opportunity to stretch their legs and engage in some owl colouring activities. 

Once underway children ranging from 1 to 4 were fascinated by the talk about the 3 owls present, Gandalf, Indie and Albus. The children learnt about the owls habitat and how their body is adapted for the climates within which they reside. The children were then able to stroke the owls, feelings their feathers and examining their beaks! The older children were able to put on the glove and hold the owls themselves, something that they were very proud to describe to their parents. 

The highlight of the day for the children was a completely unplanned flight around the adjacent valley by the 'naughty' snowy owl, Albus! Luckily Albus returned when he had had enough! This had the children giggling for the rest of the day. 

At home to provide a more relaxed end to an exciting morning we engaged in some owl poetry, reading the owl and the pussycat together!