Discovery Nursery

This week, both the Adventurers and Inventors groups took part in a discussion about emotions and how they affect us. The children showcased their understanding by using facial expressions to illustrate feelings such as anger, happiness, sadness, worry, and shock. They shared experiences that trigger these emotions, like feeling upset when a toy is taken or feeling happy when reading stories together. Some children expressed worries about the dark. It was wonderful to see them engaging in conversations about how to cope with various feelings. To support this learning, the children used props, puppets, and stories during the activity. It was a great experience for everyone! 😀😮☹️

The Inventors explored ways to take care of our planet. They removed litter from the “sea” to protect wildlife, repurposed discarded items to craft their own masterpieces, and sorted through rubbish for recycling, determining whether the materials were paper, plastic, or metal. Well done, Inventors!

Early Years Mathematics ➕➖✖️➗

This week, the Discovery children have been involved in a variety of mathematical activities. Each classroom has supported the children in different ways. They have been grouping similar items together, counting objects in various methods using an assortment of items, and incorporating mathematical language such as big, small, gigantic, and tiny, as well as prepositions like under, over, and behind. Some children have explored different methods of measurement; instead of using a ruler, they have used cubes, pens, and even spoons. They examined how many items could fit into pots and even attempted some estimation beforehand. 😀

Exploring with the Retreat children 😀

Our young retreat children were presented with a range of activity options. They had the opportunity to explore natural objects, small world items, and books. As they engaged in their exploration, they regularly used single words and two-word phrases. Some children demonstrated their vocabulary by naming items like 'car' and 'train', and they imitated the sounds of both, as well as the animals they encountered. They throughly engaged with all the activities.⭐️

Adventurers Activity Day

The children in the Adventurers group had a variety of activities available to them, allowing them to make their own choices about what to explore. Each activity provided numerous learning opportunities that spanned a wide range of our curriculum. For instance, children could "make decisions about their creative work, such as choosing to use more or less paint, using their hands or tools, and discussing their creations." Additionally, they "showed an interest in small world toys, exploring what these toys represent and how they are used." These are just a few examples. The day also offered excellent opportunities for socialising and communication. Overall, there were many enjoyable activities that they had fun with. 😀

Children's Choices

This week, our Retreat children and Explorers were offered a range of activities from which to choose. They had the freedom to engage in these activities at their own pace, participating as much or as little as they desired while discovering everything around them. 😀

We've had a fantastic few days celebrating Easter at Discovery! Activities included egg hunts, Easter arts and crafts in the garden, spring watercolour painting, egg decorating, planting, and more. Wishing everyone a joyful Easter! 🐰🪺🐣😀

Songs and Rhymes.

Red, yellow, pink, and green, purple, orange, and blue. I can sing a rainbow, sing a rainbow, sing a rainbow too. Listen with your ears, listen with your eyes, and sing everything you see! I can sing a rainbow, sing a rainbow, sing along with me. 🌈

The explorers engaged in various activities inspired by the Rainbow song, using different techniques to create rainbows, themed stories, and sensory items. 😀

We have now finally totalled up the full amount that Discovery managed to raise for Red Nose Day. We raised a whopping £303, thank you to everyone who supported this cause by donating. A big shout out to Naomi for organising the raffle, bake sale and the day's events. Well done, everyone! 😀

Carrot and Coriander Soup 🥣🥫

The Adventurers prepared a delightful homemade soup and fresh rolls for their tea. Their cooking process involved a variety of skills, as they chopped and peeled the vegetables for the soup while smelling the fragrant coriander. For the bread, they began by mixing and pouring the ingredients, then patiently waited for the dough to rise, engaging in discussions about how it had changed. Once it had risen, they kneaded, pushed, pulled, pinched, and rolled the dough into shape. When everything was ready, they enjoyed their delicious meal for tea. 😋