The children have been developing their maths skills through using tape measures and counting bricks in the Builders' Yard, sorting 2D shapes into sets together, using role play coins in the Baby Clinic and Travel Agents, recognising numerals to 10 and beyond in the water play 'catch a ping pong ball' and ordering the number fish. They have explored calculators, although many children first thought they were mobile phones!

Children have been developing their ICT skills through the use of walkie talkies, digital cameras and remote control cars.  

Dressing up and acting out traditional tales and stories with repeated refrains (like 'The Gruffalo') has been a fun way to socialise, develop imaginative play, communication and language skills as well as literacy. The children have written their names, drawn pictures of stories (Goldilocks, Little Red Riding Hood and The Three Little Pigs) and described the main events in the story lines. They have taken part in mark making and emergent writing in floor books. We scanned QR codes to listen to traditional tales on the IPads.

The outdoor musical 'pan band' area, complete with old fashioned bike horn, helps to develop listening and sound discrimination skills useful in phonics as well as keeping a beat and making up creative rhythms with friends. 

Children have discussed architects' plans, what is needed to build a house and written on real construction plans as well as devising their own. The children have used sand and water to make 'cement' and used wooden blocks, cardboard boxes and foam bricks to create their constructions.  

Mason has a special interest in the post office so he decided to address some cardboard boxes and take 'special deliveries' to his friends and Nursery staff.

Many children enjoyed expressing their ideas and 'making their mark' on the giant canvases, mixing their own paints from powders and creating secondary colours from primary paint. 

The hammock has been a great hit and a fantastic way to encourage turn taking, counting together, singing and developing physical skills. A Forest School colleague will be coming on Friday to teach staff the most effective knotting methods for the hammock!