Autumn Term 2

Autumn Term 2

Diwali and Fireworks

What a very colourful week we have had in nursery!

We have learned about the Hindu festival of Diwali the festival of light. We looked how families celebrate it using Diva lamps and Rangoli patterns. The story, which you can be found on BBC, tells the story of Price Rama and his wife Sita. The children loved learning about the Demon King and the Monkey King!

We learned about Guy Fawkes Night and why we celebrate it with bonfires and fireworks! Our new song '5 little rockets' inspired us to create our own firework and rocket pictures. You will see all of our big fireworks outside that we drew with chalks. We learned about how to stay safe and made our own 'safe sparklers' this led to us learning about the role of a firefighter! In Little Mover's we used scarfs to move and dance like different fireworks - rockets, sparklers, Catherine wheels.

Diwali - using paint blocks and thin brushes and Numicon (maths) to create our own Rangoli patterns

Firework Fun - practicing scissor skills to cut around and count 5 little rockets, mark making with glitter, using chalk (large motor skills) to make fireworks and rockets and having our own firefighters to put out fires!

Remembrance Day - many people were hurt or lost in wars. We remember these people on Remembrance Day and people wear poppies to honour them. In our nursery we explored different materials to create our own poppy pictures and poppy wreaths which we have used on our display. At 11 o clock. we held a 2 minute silence.

World Nursery Rhyme Week

This week we have learned and sang 5 new rhymes and songs.

Incy Wincy Spider

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

5 Currant Buns

Old Macdonald had a Farm

The Big Ship Sails on the Ally-Ally-O

The activities in the nursery had been based around the rhymes.

We have made our own playdough bakery, explored flour and sieves, counted stars (subitising), made a water spout for Incy to travel down and explored floating and sinking.

We then held our own concert where each child sang their favourite rhyme of the week in front of their friends!

Singing Superstars!

Firefighter Visitors

We had a big surprise this week when the firefighters from South Shields fire station visited us with their fire engine.

Mrs Raine gave us clues as to who the visitors might be!

1. They have a very important job.

2. They drive a red vehicle.

We had some good guesses!

Florence said "It might be the big red combine harvester!"

Libby said "It could be a red bus."

Leo guessed "I bet it's a fire engine."

The firefighters told us about their role and showed us things on the fire engine. Unfortunately, they got a call to attend an emergency so had to leave in a hurry!

They put their lights and siren on for us - it was very loud!

Brrrr Winter has arrived!

The first day we noticed how the temperature had changed! It was much colder! In our water tray we noticed the water had frozen. When it was broken into pieces we could see different shapes!

Ivy - "It looks like a little triangle then I found a big triangle."

Amelia - "Look at this, it has 3 sides like a triangle." "This looks like glass, like a window."

Evie counted "5 sides" (a pentagon)

Everly -"It's pointy."

The next day we had our first flurries of snow! From inside the nursery we could see footprints in the snow! We wondered who or what could have made them. We got ready and went outside!

We could see a birds footprint and a cats footprint, we looked at the footprints our wellies were making.

Then we had lots of snow fun!

YOU CHOOSE! - Nick Sharrett

We have had lots of fun sharing this book. Each page is different - places, people, animals, food, activities. Then we asked the question - "What would you choose?"

This gave the children an opportunity to make decisions, express choices and extend their language.

Over 3 days we chose a page from the book - Places, food and animals.

We drew them in our own book and then used a photo of ourselves to tell our own adventure, sitting on the storytelling chair and beginning with "Once upon a time......"

Advent

We have been learning the meaning of advent. Advent is the start of the Christian Year when we celebrate the birth of Jesus. It begins on the nearest Sunday to November 30th and lasts four weeks.

In nursery, we have learned about the Advent Wreath and what it represents. The evergreen, the different coloured candles etc We made our own from materials we found in our forest.

Part of advent is preparing for Christmas and in nursery we have been very busy decorating it.

The Wriggly Nativity

Through narration, acting and songs the EYFS told the story of 'The First Christmas'.

"We can't sit still!"

West Boldon Winter Wonderland

We had a great time attending 'Elf Academy', training to be Elf helpers for Santa!

We decorated our own elf hats then headed to the forest where, in teams, we found the pieces of jigsaw that the naughty elves had hid around the forest.

'Tinker' the head elf then lit the forest campfire to toast marshmallows while we sang Christmas songs.

We then went back indoors where we warmed our tummies with delicious hot chocolate.

Our grown ups then helped us follow the instructions to make a wooden snowman decoration.

Then we learned about how the elves help Santa pack his sleigh by playing a pass the present game, we were very fast!

We were so good that Libby was sprinkled with some magic dust and knocked on the door! We were very shocked (and quiet) to see Santa Claus himself! He knew lots about us and what we would like for Christmas. We gave a big cheer when he said we were on his good list!

Santa has gave us a Christmas tree to look after and plant in our forest!

Christmas Party 2024

Christmas Cake Making

We learned about different Christmas traditions such as singing carols, eating Christmas food and making Christmas cakes.

We followed a recipe very carefully. Measuring the ingredients - flour, sugar, butter, mixed spice, eggs, mixed fruit and cherries. Then we learned different techniques - 'creaming' the butter and sugar, 'whisking' the eggs. 'chopping' the cherries, 'stirring' in the fruit.