Springboard preschool

This week has been a truly magical moment for the children. Throughout the term, they have been watching our little wriggly friends grow and change. We nurtured 10 caterpillars and observed their incredible journey — from tiny caterpillars to big, growing caterpillars, then into chrysalises, and finally emerging as beautiful, colourful butterflies.

The children were fascinated by every stage of the life cycle and especially enjoyed watching the butterflies burst out from their chrysalises. Releasing them into the garden was a wonderful experience and a very special moment for everyone.
🐛 🦋 🐛🦋

Following on from our topic this term, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, we have been exploring foods that the caterpillar might eat and learning about healthy eating. The children enjoyed making their own fruit salad, choosing fruits they liked from apples, bananas, oranges, and blueberries.

Before preparing the fruit, the children washed their hands carefully and listened well to instructions. They learned how to use utensils safely and practised their fine motor skills by cutting and peeling the fruit independently to create their own fruit salads.

During the activity, we introduced new vocabulary and encouraged the children to talk about the fruit using their senses. The children described how the fruit looked, felt, smelled, and tasted, and answered questions about different textures and flavours. This helped to develop their language, communication, and understanding of the world around them while promoting healthy eating choices.
The children had fun chopping and tasting new foods. Well done everyone for trying something new x

“ the orange is so juicy it might sq**rt when I cut it’

“ I haven’t had blueberries before, I’m going to eat one. It tastes lemony”.

“ bananas are soft and sticky”.

We would like to thank all of our parents and carers for your kind generosity and donations from our Easter Parade. Thanks to your support, we have purchased two new planters for the garden, where the children will be planting vegetables.

We hope the children will enjoy nurturing the plants, watching them grow, and eventually taking home the vegetables they have grown to share with their family and friends.

This week, the children planted potatoes. They carefully dug little holes, planted the potatoes, and watered them. We are very excited to watch them grow over the coming weeks.

Watch this space! 🥔

There is something really special about sharing your child's favourite book with them, and it is these moments that help to support children to develop a life long love of literacy! In Essex, our Making it REAL approach celebrates everyday ways to enjoy books as a family. From chatting about stories and the images you see, talking about what an author or illustrator is, introducing concepts such as the 'blurb' or page number, to acting them out. All of this supports your child's understanding of the strand of 'books'. Find out more information about exploring books from our website: https://www.tlc-essex.info/resource/encouraging-reading/

This week the children are growing cress to take home. The children listen to instructions and use their fine motor skills to sprinkle seeds carefully onto cotton wool.They then use a pipette to squeeze a small amount of water onto the cress seeds.

The cress will be sent home for you to continue caring for and watching it grow together. Place your cress in a sunny spot, water it gently and watch them grow. After the cress has grown you can have a little nibble and a taste. If possible, please share photos with us of your child’s cress growing at home with the family on Tapastry.

Happy cress growing everyone x

📚SCHOOL STARTER MEETS 2026📚

We can’t believe another year has gone and lots of our lovely little friends are starting the next chapter of their life’s. We really hope you got the school you’d been hoping for!

Over the past 11 years we have been setting up meets here at MP to provide a fun and friendly environment for those starting school this September to come along and have a play.
We reserve a large area for you all to give you the opportunity to meet other parents/carers and a chance for the kids to have a play with their new friends.

Please help us by tagging anyone who’s little one is starting school this year!

As always a MASSIVE thank you to the schools who really do support these sessions each year by spreading the word or even attending it’s so so lovely to see!

It’s ok to be worried it’s a big change but just remember everyone feels the same 😍🥰📆📚✏️🏫📅👩🏼‍🏫👨🏻‍🏫📝

BOOK TODAY:
WWW.BOOKWHEN.COM/MPEVENTS

This week, we have been embracing nature and exploring the world around us. We love being outside and enjoying our preschool garden. The children have been using natural resources to inspire their imagination, engage in sustained shared thinking, and develop their own ideas. They have enjoyed building nests with sticks and creating pictures using natural objects they discovered outdoors. They also used natural objects in the mud kitchen to encourage imagination and exploration.

We also brought nature indoors through creative activities, including observing flowers closely and creating beautiful flower pictures. The children explored different colours, textures, and shapes, encouraging curiosity, creativity, and discussion about the natural world.

The children also enjoyed creating
natural bracelets using treasures collected from the garden. They carefully chose a variety of natural materials, selecting and sticking them onto their bracelets to design their own beautiful creations. The activity encouraged creativity, decision-making, and fine motor skills, and the children were very proud to take their unique nature-inspired artwork home.

Do you remember the fun you had playing hopscotch or hide and seek as a child at school? Now is a good time to pass on these games to your children! Hopscotch with its numbered squares encourages counting and balance, while hide and seek offers lessons in strategy and patience. These games are universal, played by children across the globe, transcending language and culture. Introducing your child to these classics can help prepare them for school by fostering social skills and physical co-ordination. As they step into the chalk-drawn squares or count with eyes closed, they're not just playing—they're growing, learning, and developing confidence! Click here for some hopscotch ideas: https://fiveminutemum.com/games-and-activities/hopscotch

Change is a big part of growing up, but it can feel overwhelming for little ones — and for you too. Young children face constant change, from new siblings to starting at school. Some children, including those with SEND, may find even small changes challenging. Using simple strategies, you can help your child to feel supported through every transition. Our BRAND NEW article shares practical top tips to help your child navigate new experiences with confidence, understanding and emotional support: https://www.tlc-essex.info/resource/navigating-change/

Seasonal changes bring more than shifting temperatures and weather patterns — they play a significant role in shaping our children’s internal body clocks! For young children, whose body clocks are still developing, even subtle seasonal changes such as daylight and temperature can have noticeable effects on sleep, mood, appetite, and daily behaviour. Small adjustments can help make seasonal transitions smoother; keep routines steady, use blackout curtains, and maintain a comfy sleep environment. Regular outdoor time also helps reset your child's natural rhythms. Follow this link from our website for some top tips on bedtime routines: https://www.tlc-essex.info/resource/bedtime-routines/