Minus Five Pre-School

Over the last few weeks, we have been learning all about keeping safe through the NSPCC PANTS campaign with Pantosaurus. The children have been learning about their right to keep themselves safe and that it is always okay to say “no” if something doesn’t feel right.
We’ve had lots of fun taking part in activities linked to the campaign. The children decorated their own colourful pairs of pants for our display wall, and our cheeky little mascots, Tenby and Sparkles, got up to some mischief by spraying paint all over lots of pairs of pants! The children loved helping to wash and clean them during our water play activities.
We have also watched the Pantosaurus video and learned the catchy song together. You can watch it at home using the link below or by scanning the QR code on the picture to find out more about the campaign.
We’ve enjoyed sharing the story Clicking Chicken, which teaches children about staying safe online, along with lots of other fun stories about pants. These activities have helped reinforce the important PANTS messages:
* P – Privates are Private
* A – Always remember your body belongs to you
* N – No means No
* T – Talk about secrets that upset you
* S – Speak up, someone can help
Alongside our PANTS learning, we’ve been keeping cool during the warm weather with lots of ice activities and water play, which the children have thoroughly enjoyed.
We hope you all have a lovely weekend, and we’re looking forward to seeing everyone next week, with some cooler weather hopefully on the way! https://youtu.be/LnroTxz7USI?is=nxX4QPAYrrRosLJZ

Our young explorers have been busy sailing the seven seas, hunting for treasure, and even becoming little scientists!
We created treasure maps using landmarks around the park and worked together to follow clues to hidden treasure.
We crafted our own pirate telescopes and used our imaginations to spot distant islands and pirate ships.
Then our pirates turned into scientists! We built cork boats and investigated which objects would float or sink in our mini oceans. The children made predictions, tested their ideas, and discovered exciting concepts about buoyancy and materials.
Through play, exploration, teamwork, creativity, and hands on learning, our little pirates developed confidence, curiosity, and problem-solving skills.

Please vote for your favourite name

This week, our children have been exploring transport and learning all about road safety. Through a variety of fun activities and discussions, they discovered different types of transport and the importance of staying safe near roads.
To bring their learning to life, the children enjoyed a visit to Addlestone High Street, where they practised crossing the road safely using both zebra and pelican crossings. This real-world experience helped to build their confidence, awareness, and understanding of important road safety rules.
It was a fun and meaningful experience, and the children did an amazing job putting their learning into practice! 🚦🚸. Have a wonderful half term, we look forward to see you all on Monday 1st June.

Today the children witnessed something truly magical 🐛✨

From tiny caterpillars to beautiful butterflies, they watched the incredible moment of transformation unfold right before their eyes. A lovely reminder of growth, change, and the wonders of nature 🦋

Moments like these spark curiosity, excitement and a memory they will never forget 💛

This week, we continued with our Hungry Caterpillar theme. As part of the activities, the children were invited to choose names for our five caterpillars by picking them from a pot. The caterpillars are now named: Buzz, Times table, Coco, Peter Rabbit and Raichu. This activity supported British values by encouraging a democratic approach, where every child had the opportunity to make a choice and have their voice heard, promoting fairness and inclusion.
The children have also begun creating a display based on the life cycle of a caterpillar. They have been exploring the different stages and contributing their own work, helping to build a shared understanding of how caterpillars grow and change.
We also had our second session of mini athletics, which followed an exciting space theme. The children thoroughly enjoyed running around in the park and engaging in the activities.
These sessions are an important part of helping the children become familiar with being taught by different adults, supporting the development of their listening skills. This will help prepare them for school, where they will experience learning with a variety of teachers across different lessons.

Welcome back! We hope you all had a lovely break.
This summer term, we will be exploring our world and the living things around us. Last week, we enjoyed a special visit from ZooLab, where the children had the opportunity to meet a variety of mini beasts.
Over the coming weeks, we will also be observing live caterpillars in the classroom. The children will watch as they grow, form cocoons, and eventually transform into butterflies. Alongside this, they will take part in an arts and crafts project to recreate the life cycle of a butterfly. As the caterpillars begin to form their cocoons, the children will make their own cocoons to place on leaves and continue building their display as the transformation progresses.
We are very much looking forward to an exciting term of discovery and hands-on learning!

We’re also excited to share that we now have brand new equipment to support physical development — including our very own nursery gym! 🤸‍♀️ This has been a fantastic addition, helping the children build strength, coordination, and confidence in a fun and active way.

Over the past few weeks, we’ve been exploring the beauty of spring and all the changes it brings 🌼🌱
The children planted and carefully nurtured their very own broad beans, which they proudly gifted to their lovely mums for Mother’s Day 💛 It was so special to see how much care they put into growing them.
We also planted grass seeds and watched them grow, before creating pictures of our homes with “front gardens.” The children used their scissor skills to trim the grass, helping to develop their fine motor skills ✂️🏡
The children also took part in an Easter egg hunt 🐣Everyone received a certificate for completing it! Please remember that sponsorship money needs to be handed in by Friday 17th April.
We hope you all have a wonderful Easter break 🌷We look forward to welcoming everyone back on Monday 13th April at 9am