Hello everybody! 👋 

🌈 Welcome to the Home Learning page for Nursery! 🌈 

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As you may know, Nursery is open for all children. If you need to stay home to isolate, or your grown-ups decide to keep you at home to learn, don't worry! The grown-ups in Nursery will be ready to welcome you back when you are ready!

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This week, Nursery are very excited to be learning all about Superheroes!

Because we made our own vegetable soup last week, and are now interested in Superheroes, the grown-ups found us the best book to read. It's called Supertato!

We have enjoyed identifying all of the different vegetables in the story, and all cheered when Supertato came to rescue them!

If you have this book (or any others about Superheroes) ask your grown-up to have a read with you! (or click the image above, for a link to a 'Books Alive!' reading of this story)

Phonics

In our phonics sessions, we are getting used to using our 'Listening Ears' and identifying sounds we hear all around us. 

If you can, read the story 'Peace at Last' (or click the image for a YouTube video of it)

What sounds can be heard in the story? Can you make these noises too?

Ask your grown-up to collect 5 or 6 'noisy' items, such as keys, crisp packets, squeaky toys or a bottle with liquid in, (or even help them to find things that make a sound!) and pop them into a bag or pillow case.

Can you work out what object is making the noise when the grown-up chooses one to make a sound?

Can your grown-up get it right when you make one make a sound?

Maths

We are just meeting the characters of Ten Town.

Last week, we met King One and found out that he just likes to have one of everything!

This week, we will meet Tommy Two.

Have a read of their stories (available below) and practice making marks to represent the numbers. Have a go at counting out one item for King One, and two items for Tommy Two!

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In Nursery, we only have a few, short focus sessions during the day - we spend most of our time playing and exploring the environment around us.

Playing with toys, making marks on paper, cutting paper and other materials with scissors (supervised, of course!) and spending time outside (if possible) will all help to replicate Nursery life at home. 

Asking questions while we play can also help to develop a greater understanding. This could be anything, from, "How many blocks are in your tower?", "What colours did you use to create your picture?" or "How did you join these pieces together to make the model?".

Listening to the answers children give, as well as answering any of the thousands of questions asked daily(!) will really help to develop inquisitive little minds, as well as their communication skills.

Don't forget - it's okay not to know the answer too! Saying "Oh, I don't know what this dinosaur is called. Let's find out together." will encourage a lust for learning!

The Home Learning section of the website is filled with some focus ideas to keep you occupied (and having fun!) while you are at home, as well as lots of general ideas for activities for each of the strands of the Early Years Curriculum.

There are seven areas of learning and development within the Early Years Curriculum, split into 'Prime' and 'Specific' areas.

The three prime areas reflect the key skills that all children need to develop and learn effectively, and become ready for school. These three areas are crucial for encouraging children’s curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, and for building their ability to learn, form relationships and thrive.

These three areas, are:

- Communication and Language (CAL);

- Personal, Social and Emotional (PSE); and

- Personal Development (PD)

These prime areas are the building blocks for successful learning in the other four specific areas. As children grow in confidence and ability within the prime areas, the balance will shift towards a more equal focus on all prime and specific areas of learning:

Literacy (Lit) - including reading and writing;

Maths - including number and shape, space and measure;

- Understanding the world (UW); and

- Expressive Art and Design (EAD)

Lots of activities children chose to do will fall into one or more of the areas above

We recommend keeping screen time to a minimum, but of course we know this isn't always possible!

Cbeebies have put together a selection of shows to help through Lockdown - they can all be found on iPlayer, or by clicking the image below.

If you are stuck for ideas, we have included some for each of these areas of the Early Years Curriculum in the links below!

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What else can I do?

There are lots of things you could do every day to help with your learning. These are some of the things we usually do in Nursery to help you grow in confidence, and become more independent!

Grown-ups, this might help you:

What you can say instead of

"Be Careful!"

You can help your child to understand and become aware of their surrounding by saying things like:

- "Do you notice how.." the rocks are slippery?, the stick is strong?.

- "Do you see...

" the nettles in the grass? how high up you are?

- "Try moving..." your feet quickly/slowly.

- "Try to use your..." hands/feet/arms/legs to help you.

- "Can you hear..." the cars in the street? the birds? the rushing water?

- "Do you feel..." steady on that rock? the heat from the fire?

- "Are you feeling..." scared?, tired?, excited?, safe?

This will help to make your child aware of possible dangers around them, but will allow them to discover them safely and independently.

To help your child learn to problem solve, try saying things like:

- "What is your plan..." to climb down form there? cross the log?

- "What can you use..." for your adventure? to get across?

- "Where will you..." dig the hole? put that rock?

- "How will you..." go up? get down? get across?

- "Who will... " be with you? help if you need it?

Questions like these will help your child to think about their actions, and work out ways to solve any problems they might have while they play.

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