We have been learning about how people celebrate special festivals around the world and the similarities and differences between communities and traditions. This week the children have enjoyed celebrating Chinese New Year. Our theme has given us plenty of opportunities to develop our fine motor skills, work creatively, retell stories, explore new textures while using our language to describe them, use our imaginations and lots more!
We used chopsticks to pick up the noodles, developing our fine motor skills. We talked about what they felt like and the shapes we made. We used scoops to fill pots with rice and used the language of capacity.
We read the story of the Chinese New Year Race. We retold the story using masks and small world props.
We used our problem solving skills, making bridges to help the animals get across the river.
We used the language of first, second, third and last as we thought about what order the animals finished the race. Outdoors we used cars to race too to consolidate our language skills.
We investigated Chinese New Year artefacts.
Our role play is a Chinese restaurant and we have made menus, taken orders, weighed ingredients and served food.
We practised our pen grip and used whiteboards and pens to make patterns to help us with our writing.
In Physical Development we practised our ball skills, first balancing different parts of our bodies on the balls, then how to move the balls with only our felt with controlled movements.
We enjoyed working as a team to be a Nursery Chinese dragon, moving in time to Chinese music, using movements we had seen on the Interactive White Board.
We made a dragon head and took it outside to make our own dragon dances.
As the children have enjoyed our theme so much, we are continuing with this next week too, visiting all areas of the curriculum.
Please don't forget our Phonics Workshop on Wednesday 1st January at 2.30 p.m. If you need to bring your Caterpillar Nursery child with you, they are welcome to join the Reception children in the Early Years Unit for the duration of the workshop. We hope to see as many of you there as possible.
Please also remember our Parents meetings starting Monday 6th February. Nursery meetings are spread over the week to minimise waiting time which we hope will prove more convenient for parents, while still offering evening appointments for those who prefer it. Please let me know if this is something that works better for you so it can be repeated in following years.
Gung Hey Fat Choy!!
