Try this at home

Last week, I shared this story with all of the children in Group Times.  It is a lovely story about Barney the Bear, who just wants to eat his iced currant bun in peace and quiet.  The story really got us thinking about what we would do if somebody came to try and take something from us.  It gave us the opportunity to practice saying, “Stop. No! I don’t like that!”  which is what we encourage children to do if someone in Nursery is doing or saying something unkind to them.

Perhaps you could talk to them about what happened to Barney the Bear and help us reinforce the message at home too.

This week’s stories are all about bears.

Do you have any favourite bear stories?

Our rhymes for the week are Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear and Round and Round the Garden.

We had much excitement in Nursery on Thursday when the snow fell and the children gleefully made plans to build a snowman when we had enough snow. Alas, we were left with lots of ice today instead of snow.  We had a great time investigating the frozen landscape, but some of us still managed to make snowmen inside Nursery on our interactive white board.

Perhaps you could try the same activity at home.  It can be found by clicking here.

 You might like to print off your child’s snowman picture for their Learning Journal.

This week’s stories are all about shopping.  We have been enjoying the shop role-play area in the Blue Room, so we’ve planned in shopping stories to support our thinking.  We have been busy writing shopping lists, being customers choosing our shopping and shop assistants operating tills and checking prices.  Perhaps you could help your child set up a shop to play at home?

Our song of the week is all about robot bits and pieces – it’s to the same tune as ‘Five Currant Buns’ and the printable props for the rhyme can be downloaded here

Ten bits and pieces in a robot shop

10 bits and pieces in a robot shop,

cables, connectors, buttons ‘Go’ and ‘Stop’.

Along came …………

and chose a robot bit,

checked the instructions

to see where it would fit.

We’re hoping that in addition to teaching the children some new vocabulary, developing counting skills and awareness of shape, it will hit the spot with our robot enthusiasts!

This week, all our books are about animals.  Does your child have a favourite animal story?

Our song of the week is all about how animals move.

If I were

(Sung to: ” The Mulberry Bush”)

Oh, if I were a tiny snake,
A tiny snake, a tiny snake.
Oh, if I were a tiny snake,
I’d slither around the zoo.

Oh, if I were an elephant,
an elephant, an elephant.
Oh, if I were an elephant,
I’d march around the zoo.

Oh, if I were a kangaroo,
A kangaroo, a kangaroo.
Oh, if I were a kangaroo,
I’d hop around the zoo.

This website has some fantastic festive games for young children.

http://www.topmarks.co.uk/Christmas/ChristmasGames.aspx

This week we are keeping on with our ‘Weather’ theme for story time.  The weather has been so changeable that it is a constant source of fascination for the children.  Today we have had lots of chat about the snow some of us saw over the weekend, so our song of the week is a snowy one, and we have been dancing like the snowflakes too.

(To the tune of Frere Jacques)

Snowflakes, snowflakes, dance around,
Snowflakes, snowflakes, touch the ground
Snowflakes, snowflakes, in the air
Snowflakes, snowflakes, everywhere
Snowflakes, snowflakes, dance around
Snowflakes, snowflakes, touch the ground.

These are the books we will be reading this week.  If you have any favourite weather stories, please let us know!

This week, we will be having lots of stories about the weather.

Here is a great website with simple games for your child to try.  Scroll down to find Dressing Lecky. This simple activity will give you lots to talk about with your child.  Ask them to sing you our ‘What’s the weather’ song too!

Here are some of this week’s stories:

Great for exploring rhythm and rhyme.

Lots of great sounds to spot and copy.

A simple idea, but so exciting for the children to try and guess what the shadows in the foggy forest might be!

Our song of the week this week was chosen by Mrs Seeley and it’s all about the wind – very topical after the windy weekend weather we have had!

Wind
(sung to If You’re Happy and You Know It)

If you hear the whistling wind, cup your ears.
If you hear the whistling wind, cup your ears.
If you hear it in the trees making music with the leaves,
If you hear the whistling wind, cup your ears.

If you feel the blustery wind, whirl around
If you feel the blustery wind, whirl around.
If you feel it lift your hair like a kite up in the air,
If you feel the blustery wind, whirl around.