February 2017 Newsletter....

Outdoor Clothing

Please can you bring  suitable clothing for children to play outdoors . Also please can you make sure your children have spare clothes in case they need to be changed.

Thank You

Help at Home 

Baby Room

PSED - Self confidence and self awareness

Place mirrors where babies can see their reflection. Talk with them about what they see.

Tweenie Room

C&L– Speaking

Plan to talk through and comment on some activities to highlight specific vocabulary or language structures, e.g. “You’ve caught the ball. I’ve caught the ball. Nasima’s caught the ball”.

Pre School

Physical - Health and self care

Support children’s growing independence as they do things for themselves, such as pulling up their pants after toileting , putting on their own coat etc.

Please send photos of your child’s home learning to :

l.parkinson@stmarysblackburn.ac.uk

 Mr Tumble Week

W/c 13th February 2017

Safety Message:“Be careful around medicine”

Healthy message:“Make an eat well plate”

Free Flexible Entitlement Term Dates

Half Term: Week Commencing 13th February 2017

 Shrove Tuesday 

Tuesday, 28th February

The children will take part in making and tasting pancakes. 

Mathematics in Pre School

Look at all the development matters staff can observe for Mathematics during continuous provision and planned activities.....  

•Uses some number names and number language spontaneously

 •Uses some number names accurately in play •Recites numbers in order to 10 •Knows that numbers identify how many objects are in a set •Sometimes matches numeral and quantity correctly •Shows curiosity about numbers by offering comments or asking questions •Compares two groups of objects, saying when they have the same number •Shows an interest in number problems •Separates a group of three or four objects in different ways, beginning to recognise that the total is still the same

•Shows an interest in numerals in the environment •Realises not only objects, but anything can be counted, including steps, claps or jumps •Counts objects to 10

•Shows an interest in shape and space by playing with shapes or making arrangements with objects •Shows awareness of similarities of shapes in the environment •Uses positional language •Shows interest in shape by sustained construction activity or by talking about shapes or arrangements •Shows interest in shapes in the environment •Uses shapes appropriately for tasks •Beginning to talk about the shapes of everyday objects, e.g. ‘round’ and ‘tall’

Messy fun in the Baby Room ......

Fun in a cardboard box.....

The babies had endless fun playing peek a boo in a large cardboard box.....

Pencil control

Some of the Pre school children have been practicing their pencil control during group time.

Development matters staff were looking out for in Physical Development - Moving and Handling:
- Draws lines and circles using gross motor movements
- Holds pencil between thumb and two fingers, no longer using whole-hand grasp
- Holds pencil near point between first two fingers and thumb and uses it with good control
- Can copy some letters, e.g. letters from their name
- Shows a preference for a dominant hand
- Begins to form recognisable letters

The water has frozen .....

Exploring what happens to ice when it's left in the warm room......

"It's very cold" 

"My hands are wet" 

"I like watching Elsa and Anna in Frozen" 

TWEENIES THEME

We are exploring Transport in our Tweenie Room as a number of the children were wanting to bring in cars/ fire engines from home. 

                        Over the next few weeks we will be focusing on the following Areas of Learning:

Communication and Language - Speaking 
Mathematics - Numbers
Expressive Arts and Design - Exploring Media and Materials 
Personal, Social and Emotional - Making Relationships
Expressive Arts and Design - Being Imaginative 
Understanding the World - People and Communities 
Mathematics - Shape, Space and Measure

Please take some time to look at the planning, if you have any ideas please discuss them with your child's key worker.

Spiderweb of Friendship .....

In PE the children have been making 'Spiderman's Web of Friendship'. The spiders (aka children) needed to get through the spiderweb without getting stuck!

PRE SCHOOL THEME...

Following a child's interest and discussions with the Pre School children we are exploring Superhero's and Fairy-tale's.

                        Over the next few weeks we will be focusing on the following Areas of Learning:

Communication and Language - Speaking 

Personal, Social and Emotional - Managing Feelings and Behaviour

Personal, Social and Emotional - Making Relationships

Physical - Moving and Handling  

Mathematics - Shape, Space and Measure

Mathematics - Numbers 

Understanding the World - People and Communities 

Expressive Arts and Design- Being Imaginative 

Please take some time to look at the planning, if you have any ideas please discuss them with your child's key worker.

Parents Stay and Play week....

What an enjoyable week. Thank you to the parents who came in to Nursery during 'Stay and Play week'. The children thoroughly enjoy sharing Nursery life.....