Ballet a la Beth

In keeping with our themes on music and dance, Beth donned her tutu and showed us some excellent ballet poses. The children then had a chance to copy what she did. We all had great fun regardless of wether we were simply watching or taking part.

Noise, noise, noise!

Today we went back to the beginning of music - the way children often begin at home. It was very noisy using pots and pans but just as exciting as using teaspoons to test the sounds that different materials around the room make.

Spring Surprise!

There used to be a pond in the 'little enclosed garden'. This was removed a while ago but the frogs come back year after year to lay their eggs in the same place. 

Yesterday we went to play there and saw masses of frog spawn where the pond used to be. We put it into a bucket of water so that anyone who uses the hall could have a look at it.

The chlorine in the water damages the spawn though so what we found today, we put into a bucket of fresh water that Eric brought us.

If anyone has a home for this frog spawn, please let us know.

Challenge for Today

Guiness Book Of Records Challenge:

How many children can you fit inside this tent

- at the same time of course!

All in? Smile for the camera!

Now see if we can close the tent door.

Being Spontaneously Creative

These children spontaneously arranged the snack on their plates into a picture - following Archie's example which is why he has two pictures.

14 February 2012

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY TO EVERYONE

Making Charts

We have been enjoying making charts to reflect the reaction of children to different activities. We encourage all the children to become involved and participate, giving impromptu reactions to their experience.

We will continue to use this method for recording.

Vicki had pictures that represented different emotions.
The children looked at the pictures and identified the emtions amidst comments and discussion.

THANK YOU

Thank you to Claire and Rob Oliver who went into the Pre-School over the weekend to fix the gaping hole in the roof of our shed. Much appreciated by all of us!!!

Long may both sheds withstand the weather.

How Quick Are You?

This week, we had some speed challenges. It began with Vicki and Heather racing to finish an illustration with suggestions and help from the children in using specific colours as requested by the artists. The result:-

The children then had a turn but did different activities. First was a race to see who could finish their puzzle first:-

Then the children raced against each other in pairs to transfer as many blocks from the yellow bucket to the up turned table at the other side of the room before the egg timer ran out. They then did the same activity in pairs. Everyone participated with great enthusiasm.
The action pictures are rather blurred because of the excellent speed and committment of the children!

Pairs

Teams

Pick up blocks from this yellow bucket ....

transfer them to this up turned table ...
then back to the other end again

two more children

... and the next two

Making Pasta - A Demonstration



Sam showed the children how the pasta
machine
 makes the dough very thin

MJ watched very carefully

No, not fish fillets!
This is the thin pasta dough which needs to dry before the next process

An attachment cuts the pasta dough into spaghetti

This attachment makes the pasta dough
into long strips



This is the finished product. It is a bit chunky because there was not
enough time to let it dry fully.
It tasted delicious though - the children ate the lot!

As well as making the pasta, the children used bought
pasta for this activity - taking turns to move it from
bowl to bowl with tweezers

These three shared the tools and persisted until
everything was sorted from the plastic bowl
to the smaller ones - well done!