Saturday, 3 October 2015

Investigating!

                                                   What do shapes do?

The children have been finding out about shapes all around them. 


In the construction area we have all sorts of boxes, containers and objects - the children were encouraged to see for themselves how shapes behaved.







The children were quick at identifying objects that rolled, and found lots of them!
They also thought the penguin would roll - he just sat there to begin with, until he was given a bit of a push, and then the children were amused to see him slide down the slope!

Indoors and outdoors we went on a shape hunt, to spot anything that would roll.

                                                              

Hoops, balls, tyres, wheels, conkers, apples, beads, Mrs Courtney's pen.... the list seemed endless!


We explore the marks we could make when wheels roll.





This threading activity was great for finding out about the bead shapes, as well as practising our fine motor skills at the same time! It also prompted lots of discussion about colours.







The marble run gained the children's attention for long periods. I'm not sure what part the pink shoe on the table played, but I guess there was a Cinderella somewhere looking for it!

Investigating joining different pieces, trying to get the structure to balance without toppling over, working out where the ball would end up, changing pieces to stop the ball getting stuck, talking about the directions the ball was travelling...were just some of the learning opportunities from this marble run.
Next week we will be putting the marble run pieces in the water tray, and investigating further!




There have been many times this week when I could almost hear the children's minds thinking things through - so much learning has been going on! Well done Little Conkers!



Saturday, 26 September 2015

Because I'm happy!

SAY HELLO TO DOUGH DISCO!

What a fantastic week we've had!  We introduced "Dough disco!", a daily workout to music with play dough, which incorporates a series of hand and finger exercises. These strengthen and develop children’s fine and gross motor dexterity and grip in a wonderfully fun way! 
We got those fingers, hands and arms moving to the song "Happy".
    We got so carried away that there were a few instances of dough flying through the air, including Mrs Courtney's!               
                                     Stretch up high and squeeze!

                                           
                                             Take Peter Pointer up the steps... 
                                         time for him to dive down into the dough!

Next week we're going to step up the pace with the song "I like to move it, move it"!

WE ALSO HAD FUN DRESSING UP!




 

On Friday we went on an exciting journey up to Upper School, and were treated to the older children sharing stories with us.
We invited them down to Little Conkers room next week, and they said yes! We can't wait - even more stories!






Sunday, 20 September 2015

Getting better and better the more we practise!


It's been a very industrious week in Little Conkers!

Our focus was on developing our gross and fine motor skills, 
with lots of opportunities to practise mark making. 
Our little fingers have hardly stopped!
The interactive whiteboard is great for enormous pictures!
What a super drawing of the whole family!
These two smiling artists spent lots of time exploring the
different lines, shapes, colours and lines available to use.
Lovely team work and conversation too.
Lots of concentration!
Cutting and sticking also involves skills such as
hand eye coordination and scissor control.


Giant chalks are great to use!






Lots of opportunities here for careful placing of pieces to balance them.





 Pedalling, steering, brushing, holding on, pulling our bodies up, coordinating our limbs, being aware of others around us - no wonder our bodies are tired by the end of the day!



Sunday, 13 September 2015

Enjoying the outdoors


 SO MUCH TO EXPLORE! 



Gone fishing!

Have you caught anything yet?



Lots of stretching, climbing and balancing
It was great to see the children having a go
with equipment they hadn't used before.



The children's confidence is growing.





And of course, we left time for an action song!

Here we go round the mulberry bush...


This is the way we eat our breakfast, eat our breakfast, eat our breakfast..
on a cold and frosty morning.






Sunday, 6 September 2015

What a great start!

Little Conkers has been a hive of activity 

the first few days back!


                                       Busy, busy, busy!

Artists at work.


                               
                               Construction workers digging up the road                                      - and they made a tidy job of it too!


One of our little artists painted
5 pictures, all different! 





           
             Always time for a picnic, outdoors or in!
Apparently the pirate and
his friends were going on a very long journey!
                                                        Lots of fixing!
We are very excited to have a sound wall, courtesy of Mr Courtney!
We possibly have a rock band in the making from the sounds heard by some very enthusiastic musicians!