This week in Meadows we have been learning about hibernation! What an interesting word and fact!
The children were absolutely fascinated by the idea of animals being inactive to save energy and survive the cold weather! They played games to find which animals hibernate and which don’t, made playdough from scratch to create shelters for our little bears, explored a wonderful collection of soft teddy bears of various sizes and colours, and enjoyed a selection of books about bears’ adventures!
The book of the week was: A Squash and a Squeeze by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, which tells the story of a little old lady who thinks her house is a bit crowded but, with the advice of a wise old man and the help of a few farmyard animals, she soon discovers that it’s not as small as she thought! The book’s jaunty rhyming text prompts the children to repeat sounds and patterns, reinforcing their communication skills and building their confidence.
Outside, we continued building fortresses with the big blocks, we observed the iced water in our mud kitchen and explored the natural resources despite the frosty weather!
We have also started rehearsing our Christmas songs, following the children’s expressed interest! Next week we will be sharing the songs we will be using, please encourage your child to learn the lyrics and sing along as much as they can!
From next week, we will start collecting party food donations for our Christmas celebration. Keep an eye on the front door for our food list and sign up for it if you would like to contribute! Wrapping paper donations would also be much appreciated! The children will be using them to decorate the classroom and make individual crafts!
With temperatures dropping even below zero, please make sure the children are properly layered. It is important for them to feel comfortable and warm enough to explore and enjoy the outdoors as it supports their gross motor skills and their understanding of the world!
We can’t wait to begin our Christmas countdown with the children!
We wish you all a wonderful weekend!
The nursery team!