Children’s Learning Journey

Week commencing 9th January 2012

Children’s learning journey based on children’s interests, needs and professional observations made in the setting.

To make the most of the room we have, we have set up the following activities in Tosca: - playdough, this is set up on the round table as we feel this is a really sociable activity that lots of children enjoy, 3 table top activities such as abacus, a mark making activity and a maths activity, the large train track and the small world village, as well as the wooden car. These are as well as the activities we always have set up in the main setting. Staff work in pairs in each room and when we open the outdoor area, we close TOSCA. If we are quieter in the afternoon we use the pre-school room and the outdoor area. If you have any questions, please ask staff. We will change the activities on a weekly basis according to our theme as we do the pre-school room.

If children show new learning, we will record this learning in their profile. We will be putting a sheet of stickers into your plastic envelopes and sending them home for you to record what your child does. Please return them if they do anything you feel you want to put into profiles and put it into their drawers. Staff will sort them out at the end of each week. A photograph of your child mark making at home will also be useful for profiles.

None of the plans are time restricted and much of the activity will be dictated by the child’s individual interest and involvement.

Writing the letter of the week – please encourage your child to take part in this activity as you enter the room. It is their first taste of mark making and is fun if you join in with them. There is no right or wrong way to begin with, just encourage your child to hold the writing implement. If your child is starting to try, encourage all the way. If your child is confident and is starting to form recognisable letters, show them where to start the letter – usually at the top – and form the letter correctly. This saves time later as your child may begin to form letters one way and may have to relearn. This activity encourages hand/eye coordination, sound and letter recognition, develops fine/small motor skills, increases and extends vocabulary, develops refined hand movements, demonstrates 1:1 correspondence, to select writing implements that suit their needs, to enjoy using language, to explore initial sounds in words, to initiate and create letter sounds. Our sound this week is Pp the action for this is to pretend your index finger is a candle and blow it out with the P.

Baking activity Last week the children made their own snack including: rice crispy and raisin cakes, cheesy bread and shortbread biscuits. All of these baking activities involved using different techniques, equipment and tools.

Skills and Attitudes This week we've really tried to focus our baking activities around senses. We've discussed texture, smell and what the mixture looks like. The children have also had to listen to instructions and follow directions throughout this activity. The children have used their own personal space to stir, mix, squash, sieve, roll and poke the mixture whilst working alongside peers. The children really seem to be getting to grips with handling tools and equipment during baking activities and their also remembering their names- which is fantastic!
Evaluation This week the children seemed to be much more confident during baking activities. The children could approach this activity independently and didn't need much adult intervention. The children seem to having a great time during activity.
Adult Response I showed the children a book, which had pictures of the ingredients that we were going to use and showed them what we were baking. I asked the children questions and responded to theirs. I demonstrated action to show the children what we were going to do next. The children and I spoke about the scientific change within the food ,comparing it to before it was cooked and after it was cooked.
What Next To follow on from our Teddy Bear's picnic theme from last week, the children shall be making their own small sandwiches for snack. They shall be able to choose their own ingredients and fillings for their sandwiches.

Home Corner: Activity in this area this week we had a teddy bears picnic while reading our book "This is the Bear with the Picnic Lunch".

Skills and Attitudes building relationships with other children, to listen to and respond to stories and rhyme, to make and express choices.
Evaluation children were responsive to the story and interacted with comments, gestures and facial expressions. we listened for rhyming sounds and words, children told me how the boy in the story felt and asked questions about what was happening. We predicted the end of the story and predicted what the dog in the story was going to do next. Lots of children joined in with this activity and went on then to join in role play and make a picnic for themselves or their teddy. It was a good activity for engaging children that did not often take part in role play and encouraged story making.
Adult Response Read the story, talked about what was happening, engaged in conversation with children, encouraged children to ask questions, look at the pictures and predict scenarios. Engaged in role play.
What Next Tea for two - classifying food by colour, food group and likes and dislikes.

Math's area

Activity Healthy eating jigsaw
Skills and Attitudes children began to recognise shape and pattern, putting together and taking apart, helping each other and checking their decisions.
Evaluation lots of children had a go at the 2 jigsaws we had out and repeatedly revisited the area. it was a good activity to encourage children to work independently or in pairs and children were able to check their own decisions and rectify their decisions if necessary. Very little adult intervention was needed at this activity.
Adult Response observe, assist if necessary, ensure the activity was ready for children to use at all times.
What Next classifying food by colour, shape, size, texture, smell.

Construction area: Science area: Activity Smelling different items.

Skills and Attitudes During this week the children have been smelling different things on the observation table. These included different herbs, a lemon and a lime. All the children who took part in the activity described how the different things smelled to them. They told me which smelled the best to them. The children used their communication and exploring skills. They took part with curiosity, enjoyment and enthusiasm.
Evaluation This activity gave the children who took part in it an opportunity to learn different smell that they may not have smelled before. This activity also encouraged the children to use their senses.
Adult Response I observed, asked the children what they thought the different things smelled like to them. Which smell they liked best.
What Next Many of the children were beginning to talk about the texture of things, and the size of them. Which will now led on to the maths area and talk about size and texture.

Wooden car: Activity children used this resource as they liked.

Skills and Attitudes children are really good at sharing this piece of equipment, they have been expressing ideas and feelings, they have been sequencing stories and make believe, they have been experimenting with role play, they have been caring towards each other and patient if the car was full.
Evaluation children seem to enjoy filling this car up with home corner equipment, while we encourage transporting we will try to discourage children from doing this because children in the home corner end up with limited resources. The area is to be used as a focus area next week so children might develop other ideas for how to use it.
Adult Response help children tidy the car up if it is full. Praise and acknowledge good manners and a caring attitude if the car is busy, encourage role play and imaginative play.
What Next The car will take children, their bear and their glasses on a magical mystery trip.

The Large dolls house This piece of equipment helps children prepare for mark making by enabling children to hold, grip and carry. It gives their little hands the chance to feel and apply pressure as they play with the small dolls in the house, practice palmer and pincer grips and become more direct with their aim as they have less room to manoeuvre the dolls in the small area in which they are playing.

Small world activities – Activity The small world village was available for the children to play with. The children were able to talk about what they see in our village and compare it with the small world village (PSE s of c).

Skills and Attitudes This encourages the children to play alongside each other and talk about places they have been within the village (KUOW c). The small world play helps to develop a childs imagination and promote imaginative play.
Evaluation Need more visual input the help the children to recall things they encounter around the village so they can make comparisons.

Adult Response Observe child's play and introduce new objects to further their imagination.
What Next Continue with the small world play but weather permitting include outing around the village to see what the children can see and observe.

Mark making table: Activity wooden food stencils and free style drawing

Skills and Attitudes grip a pen or crayon using palm of hand, use a pincer grip to hold graphic materials, enjoy mark making in different forms, be able to do two things at once using both hands.
Evaluation children enjoyed trying to hold the stencil in one hand and draw round it with the other. If they couldn't do it they just coloured in the stencil! children are always happy to use the mark making table just to draw and make marks, practice writing skills and practice letter formation.
Adult Response intervene if needed. Praise and encourage. At times, model how to use stencils.
What Next texture hunt.

The Interactive White Board: Activity Barney Bears Picnic and Nina and the Neurons

Skills and Attitudes This week on the IWB the children have been focusing on their senses. we have used games from Cbeebies to promote this. Nina and the Neurons is a programme specifically designed to teach children all about various senses and why they are used. Barney Bears picnic has supported other areas of learning that have been planned around the children's learning and shall lead on to a baking activity next week. The children have to use hand eye coordination whilst using the interactive smart board.
Evaluation the children seem to love using the interactive smart board! It is a great starting point for children to learn about modern technical equipment and how to use it, with help from a practitioner to ensure their safety. The interactive smart board is a good resource to have in the setting as children will not be able to use this at home, it broadens their knowledge of ICT.
Adult Response to help the children to use the ICT equipment safely. to answer their questions and to show through use of direction. Praise the children for taking turns and sharing.
What Next next week the children can use different sized paint brushes, pens, and other various tools to explore texture and size through a painting programme on the IWB.

The Book Corner: Activity This is the Bear with the Picnic lunch and Don't Be Greedy Graham.

Skills and Attitudes listening to rhyme and rhyming language, improving concentration skills, improving listening skills, responding to stories and how people in the story feel, beginning to understand how actions affect others, enjoying books and rhymes and beginning to grasp concepts such as sequencing and recollection.
Evaluation these two stories have really captured children's attention and imagination. children have responded to the stories by showing me how characters in the stories were feeling by changing their voices or using visual expressions. children have enjoyed listening and have sat well while the stories have been read.
Adult Response read the story, encourage feedback from the stories by any means such as language and visual means. praise children for listening and sitting well, praise concentration and attentiveness.
What Next The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

Malleable area: Activity Scented play dough.

Skills and Attitudes This activity enables the children to sit in a small group or one to one. Encourages them to work together, encouraging conversation. Interaction. Taking turns and sharing. .
Evaluation All the children enjoyed this activity using their sense of smell and talking about what each scent reminded them of. This activity was suitable for all ages.
Adult Response Encourage the children to smell the different scents. Recognition and using tools for a purpose.
What Next using texture boards in the dough

Junk Modeling: -Recycling area: Activity making magic glasses and texture test

Skills and Attitudes children that didn't finish making magic glasses last week had the opportunity to make them this week if they wanted to. When all children that wanted to take part in this activity had done, Mathilde then moved on to playing a texture game with children. Children had the opportunity to use their hands only to discover the texture of an object and guess what it was. children were asked to describe what they were feeling heightening many other senses and making them more aware of texture. They also had to trust Mathilde as she was asking children to touch something they couldn't see.
Evaluation many children have taken part in this activity and seemed to find it fun.
Adult Response explain the activity, model what to do at times, gain children's trust, discuss what they are touching, talk about senses they were using.
What Next TBC

Paint area: Activity teddy bears and fruit printing

Skills and Attitudes looking at colour, texture and shape. children were able to explore and investigate using their senses, become absorbed in an area of learning that they were able to return to over and over again, explore objects to find out more about them.
Evaluation children were able to experiment with mark making and paint and print independently whenever they wanted to. children enjoyed revisiting the area and showing others what they had made.
Adult Response observe, talk to children about their creations, praise.
What Next painting with balls.

Outdoor area: Activity Climbing on wall

Skills and Attitudes the children enjoyed climbing on the wall with the younger children learning how to climb to the top and were to place hands and feet the older and more confident showing me how they could do it
Evaluation the children tried out new experience and stretched their safety boundaries and showed great delight in reaching the top
Adult Response I help the children by showing them where to put their hands and feet and reassured them that I was there to catch them if they fall I offered praise and encouragement
What Next to explore the woods hide teddy bears for children to find put some higher to encourage the children to climb the trees

Other things that have happened at pre-school this week:

We had a visit from year 4 children in school. they were looking for different materials so we invited them into our garden to look for textures in there. Pre-school children enjoyed helping them.

We had snack as a picnic and sat on the picnic blanket with our bear. this reinforced the story we have been reading this week and children enjoyed eating their snack in a different place.

Staff will work with children to develop an idea or skill. Show genuine interest, offer encouragement, clarify ideas and ask open questions which support and extends children’s thinking and helps make connections in learning.

Parents and carers can talk about the senses, help children become aware of the senses they are using.

The Team

About Belinda: Belinda is Pre-School Manager and is responsible mainly for the planning for pre-school, managing staff, ensuring children’s safety – she is the Pre-school Safeguarding Officer – and ensuring the smooth running of the pre-school.

Belinda achieved CACHE Level 3 Diploma in Pre-school Practice in October 2002 and is now working towards her Level 4 Children’s Care Learning and Development which will give her points towards her Degree , she also has training in Paediatric First Aid, Foundation Certificate in Food Hygiene, Developing the Foundation Stage Curriculum, Module 9, Communication, Language and Literacy, Developing the Foundation Stage Curriculum, Module 8, Mathematical Development, Developing the Foundation Stage curriculum, Module 11, Creative Development, Working at Quality in Early Childhood Education – The Well-being and the Involvement of children as keys, Early Identification and Identification, Developing Quality Outcomes for Children, Assessment of Knowledge and Understanding, It’s Different for Boys!, Inclusion – Special Educational Needs in the Foundation Stage, EYFS Training, EYFS Conference for Outdoor Play. Health and Safety Level 2, Selection and Recruitment, Safeguarding Children, PSED: Raising Awareness of the new SEAD Materials, Level 2 Award in Food Safety in Catering, The Language of Learning, Linking Letters and Sounds, Who is my Key Person? Risk Assessment, Supervision and Appraisal, Stepping into Management Level 3, PSED, Wedge meetings and Nursery Network Childcare Providers Forum’s.

About Nici: Nici passed Level 3 Diplomas in Pre-school Practice over a year ago and has been pre-school Safeguarding officer for the last 12 months. She is trained to deliver Safeguarding training to other staff and settings. Nici is a qualified First Aider, as well as Food Safety, Health and Safety, Safeguarding, EYFS training and Senco, Stepping Into Management – Level 3, Listening to Children, Speech Sounds workshop. Nici now works as pre-school administrator and an assistant in the setting.

About Sarah: has currently finished her Level 3 Diploma in Pre-school Practice and is awaiting her certificate. She is Senco for pre-school ensuring inclusion for all children and their families. She is First Aid trained, has Food Safety and Health and Safety training. .

About Jane: Jane is currently training towards her Level 3 Childcare and Development. She hopes to complete this by July 2011. She also has Safeguarding training, Food Safety, Linking Sounds and Letters, Who is my Key Person? And a qualified First Aider. .

About Izzy: Izzy is our first pre-school apprentice. She has gained her Level 2 Childcare and Development qualification and is currently studying towards Level 3 which she hopes to pass by July 2011. She is a qualified First Aider, she also has training in Who Is my Key Person?, Health and Safety, Food Safety, Symptoms of Autism, Outdoor Play, Linking Sounds and Letters. .

About Tracy: Tracy is currently training towards her Level 3 in Childcare and Development, she also has Food Safety, Health and Safety and is a qualified Paediatric First Aider. .

Jo Jingles

On every other Wednesday morning Jo Jingles attends pre-school. This is available to all children that attend on Wednesday morning sessions and is differentiated to suit all children’s ages. Children have the opportunity to sing, dance, move, play musical instruments, and improve physical development and co-ordination. Sessions with Jo Jingles correspond with our theme and reinforce the learning within the pre-school.

All activities are child initiated, child led and differentiated to suit all stages of development. If you would like to discuss an activity please feel free to ask any member of staff at any time.

We would always welcome help from parents. If you would like to help as a volunteer on a regular basis please talk to Belinda. We love having parents around and any help is welcome help. We will use your skills to enhance the setting so if you enjoy baking, cooking, DIY please let us know. If you would just like to come in and be an extra pair of hands – brilliant – we would love it. Your input is always welcome and helps us provide the best setting possible for your children.