This half term we have explored the autumn leaves and trees through sensory, painting and learning. Lots of different colours and textures. The children have colour matched, picked their own leaves and made beautiful art work.
Learning about Autumn
Category : Understanding the world
Harry Saves the Ocean – F2 outdoor provision
Take a look at some of the fantastic learning we have been completing in our choosing time this week! We have been looking at the story of ‘Harry Saves the Ocean’ and discussing sea creatures, plastic pollution and everything related to the sea. We cooked up a storm in the mud kitchen, weighing out or ingredients at the sea front restaurant, taking orders from the customers, giving them change when they paid, and making sure they had great service. We drew sea creatures on the playground, made submarines, ‘polluted’ the water tray, and used the den building and construction materials to create sea creatures such as jellyfish and whales!
Expedition
In expedition, we have been looking at the impact of pollution on the ocean and the things that live in it. We discussed different sea creatures and how they are adapted to their habitat. We then spent time sorting different animals into the categories of ‘land’ or ‘sea’.
Puppet Show
During Case Study 1, we talked about how the seaside is a special place, especially for families in the past. Puppet shows were, and still are, an important element of entertainment at the seaside. We watched some examples and decided to put on our own performance!
Cricket!
This week, Crew Frost were given another exciting opportunity to take part in a PE session with Legacy. The children showed fantastic enthusiasm and engagement throughout the session as they developed a range of important physical and social skills through team games and ball activities.
The stages of learning were carefully scaffolded to support the children’s understanding and confidence. We first began by practising simple rolling skills, working in teams to roll the ball back and forth to one another. Once the children became more confident, we moved on to practising aiming and throwing the balls at pins to score points for their teams, helping to develop hand-eye coordination, control, and turn-taking skills.
Finally, the children were introduced to bats and learned about the role of a bowler, including fetching the ball after it had been hit. The children absolutely loved this part of the activity and showed great excitement as they explored the different roles within the game. It was wonderful to see many of the children making links to their own past experiences and confidently talking about games and sports they have played before.
Activities like these help to build important skills for Reception, including listening and attention, following instructions, teamwork, coordination, and resilience. We were incredibly proud of the children’s amazing listening skills, positive attitudes, and encouragement towards one another throughout the session. Well done, Crew Frost!
Exploring Nature Around Our School
Today we explored the school grounds to see what plants we could identify. We found Daisy, Bluebell, Dandelion and Buttercup.
We blew the dandelions and talked about how the tiny seeds we blow away will eventually settle into the soil and grow into new dandelions. It was fascinating to watch the seeds float through the air!
We also tried the old wives’ tale with the buttercup under our chins to see if we like butter… and guess what? We do! Everyone loved seeing the yellow reflection shine under their chin.
While exploring the forest school area, we spotted some new plants beginning to grow. We carefully observed their leaves and stems and wondered what they might become. We can’t wait to keep watching them grow and see if we can identify them over the next few weeks!
Milkshake, Yummy!
Last week, we planted some strawberry seeds, we learned how the seeds will eventually grow into strawberries. Today, we used some store-bought strawberries to make a delicious strawberry milkshake by chopping them into small pieces and adding them to the blender with milk. We spoke about how we can hopefully use our plants in the future too!
Think we did a great job!
Plant Progress.
After a week the beans started to sprout! Look how excited we are 🙂
This was them after 2 weeks! Look how tall they are! Notice the difference with 4 days? WOW! We measure each day and write it on our chart. We’re excited to see how much they grow over the weekend.
The seeds we harvested from our tomatoes have even started to grow! Amazing!
Flower Power.
Over the past week, the children have sequenced the stages of plant growth and made and labelled their own flowers, all doing a fantastic job! Not only did they love creating the flowers, but they were also enthusiastic when talking through how plants grow. They are showing great interest and knowledge within the Growth and Change topic.
Building up our stories
During our expedition “When the Sea Meets the Shore,” we have been exploring the story The Singing Mermaid. The children began by sharing their ideas and predictions, thinking carefully about where the mermaid might travel next and what adventures she might have along the way. This gave them the opportunity to express their own thoughts and build on each other’s ideas.
We then used these suggestions to create visual prompts, which were taken to the water tray to enhance our play. The children used these prompts to guide their storytelling, developing their vocabulary and deepening their understanding of “who,” “what,” and “where.” Through this, they created imaginative and detailed narratives, bringing the mermaid’s journey to life in their own unique ways.
This activity supported their communication and language development, as well as encouraging creativity and collaboration. It was also a lovely way to engage in meaningful, hands-on learning, especially in the warm weather.
Well done for working so hard, Crew Frost!
Coral Reef
During our expedition “When the Sea Meets the Shore,” the children have been learning all about coral reefs and how this environment differs from their own. They explored the wide range of colours and textures found in coral reef habitats and then applied this knowledge in our playdough area, where they created their own reef-inspired models.
This activity provided a great opportunity to develop fine motor skills, while also supporting language development as the children described their creations and shared ideas. It also helped build their understanding of boundaries, particularly when using food-based resources for creative purposes rather than for eating.
Well done, Crew Frost!
