What a fantastic week we have had in Nursery! Our little Ducklings have been busy learning all about hedgehogs and discovering how these fascinating little creatures prepare for the winter months. We cannot believe that the children have only been at school for a little over six weeks. The progress they are making in their learning, confidence and independence is wonderful to see, and we are so proud of them!
This week, we have been putting our Literacy skills to good use as we researched facts about hedgehogs. The
children have been finding out all sorts of interesting information and working together to create our very own class fact book. Remembering how we made our flap books a few weeks ago, the children have been building on those skills and using what they already know to help us create a much bigger book together!
The excitement did not stop there. The children then became authors in their own right and created their very own hedgehog fact books. They used pictures to illustrate the facts they wanted to share and carefully drew their own front covers. It has been lovely to see them thinking about what they wanted to include and using their pictures to communicate their ideas. Their finished books look absolutely amazing and we are incredibly proud of the effort, creativity and growing confidence they have shown. It is wonderful to see our little Ducklings beginning to understand that they can use pictures and marks to share information with others.
In Maths, we have continued to develop our understanding of numbers. The children have been practising counting accurately, forming numerals and matching numbers of objects to the correct numeral. We have enjoyed a mixture of whole class activities, where we can learn together and share our ideas, as well as opportunities for the children to have a go independently.
It has been lovely to see the children growing in confidence as they attempt these activities for themselves. We are encouraging them to take their time, count each object carefully and think about which numeral matches the number of things they have counted. These are important skills that we will continue to practise through our daily activities, songs and play.
As part of our hedgehog learning, the children worked together to create a cosy den to help our little prickly friends prepare for their long winter hibernation. We gathered lots of crispy leaves, pine cones and conkers, and even added some pretend worms to make sure our hedgehogs had everything they needed! The children thought carefully about how they could make a warm, sheltered space and enjoyed working together to build their den.
There was lots of lovely conversation as the children shared their ideas and decided where different natural materials should go. We have been talking about why hedgehogs need somewhere safe and warm to rest during the winter and how the natural world changes as the weather gets colder.
Our creative table has also been a very busy place this week! The children have loved making their own hedgehogs and hoglets using playdough. They carefully shaped their little creatures and took great care when adding their prickly spikes, making sure they did not prick their fingers! There was lots of concentration as they worked on the tiny details and thought about how to make their hedgehogs look just right.
These activities have provided wonderful opportunities to develop those little hand muscles, practise controlling the playdough and use our imaginations. It has been lovely to see the children returning to their creations, adding more details and proudly showing their finished hedgehogs to their friends and teachers.
It really has been a very busy week, and it has been wonderful to see how much effort the children have put into their learning. From researching facts and creating their own books to exploring numbers and building a cosy hedgehog den, they have shown such enthusiasm and curiosity. Most importantly, we have been talking about our environment and how we can help to care for the little creatures that need us. We are so proud of our Ducklings and the care and interest they are developing for the world around them.
How you can help at home:
Look at a picture book or find out a little more about hedgehogs together. Can your child remember any of the facts we have learned? Talk about what hedgehogs eat, where they sleep and why they hibernate during the winter.
Count everyday objects such as toys, pieces of fruit or steps as you walk upstairs. Encourage your child to touch each object as they count so that they practise counting accurately. You could also write numerals on small pieces of paper and ask your child to match them to the correct number of objects.
When you are out for a walk, look for crispy leaves, pine cones and conkers. Talk about the changes you can see as autumn arrives and think about how these natural materials might help animals find shelter. You could also chat about how we can help to protect wildlife and why we should be gentle and careful around their homes.
We hope you all have a lovely, restful weekend after such a busy week and enjoy some special family time together. Thank you for your continued support as our little Ducklings grow in confidence and develop their love of learning. We are so proud of everything they have achieved in such a short time and look forward to another week of playing, learning and exploring together!
Have a wonderful weekend everyone! 😊