For a focused activity this week we have been making dinosaur models using 3D materials and paints. We have learnt about different ways to attach materials using lots of different skills. Each dinosaur is unique as they all decided for themselves how they wanted to make them look. 
Here are some photos of us in action!

It was such a windy day today, we decided to take our ribbons outside and find out what happened to them in the wind. The children enjoyed running with their ribbons and making different shapes and patterns with them. This was so much fun and great for their physical development as well as an opportunity for a spot of Science learning too! 

Welcome back to a new half term of learning in nursery.
Our new theme for learning is "Amazing Animals." This week we are learning about dinosaurs and our classroom has been enhanced with lots of resources to support our learning. 
In the construction and small world area we have added lots of different dinosaurs and materials which the children can use to create dinosaur worlds and make up stories with their friends. Some of us were very excited to find some dinosaur eggs made of ice to investigate in the water area. We have also got a green swamp made of cornflour gloop to explore. 
In our group times this week we will be reading lots of different books about dinosaurs and finding out new information including their names. We will be practising saying all the tricky dinosaur names while clapping out the syllables to help us. We will also be using different dinosaur counting songs and books to help us find out about one more and one less. 
Here are some photos of us getting busy learning in our provision so far this week:

When the afternoon children went on welly walk to the nature reserve this afternoon, they were excited to find that lots of things were starting to grow! They spotted some daffodils, snowdrops and crocuses which were not there last time we visited. The children really enjoyed hunting for the different flowers, observing them closely and talking about them. We are looking forward to more signs of Spring over the next few weeks! 

Today in order to celebrate the end of our "Once Upon a Time" theme, we have had a bedtime story day. All the children and staff were invited to come to nursery wearing their pyjamas. Throughout the session we have snuggled up and shared lots of lovely bedtime stories read by the different nursery grown-ups. We also had a go at some PJ yoga which was great for developing our physical skills. FInally, we finished the session by listening to the story of "Can't You Sleep Little Bear?" with a drink of hot chocolate and a gingerbread man. 
It was lovely to see the children at home joining in too! 

Today our school have had a sporty themed day and all the children were invited to wear sporty clothes. In nursery we have had a go at lots of different activities to develop our physical skills. 
Firstly we used sponge balls and practised throwing and catching and bouncing and catching. Then we worked with a partner and practised rolling it to each other and then throwing and catching together. Finally we had a go at balancing a bean bag on our head! 
Throughout the session we have also had a go at some different dances including a Mario one and a Frozen one (this was very popular!) We also learnt a short dance with Oti Mabuse.
I think the children will sleep tonight! 

Our new book of the week is the traditional tale of Little Red Riding Hood. We have had lots of props available for the children to re-tell the story in their play and our home corner has been turned into Granny's cottage. The children have used puppets and masks to role play being the different characters and have practised changing their voice and saying the repeated phrases from the story. In the creative area, the children have been making their own baskets for Red Riding Hood and some really creative children came up with the idea of making their own red hoods! In the water tray the children have had the opportunity to make tea for Granny using our tea set and different real tea bags. This was a lovely sensory experience as we had peppermint and lemon tea as well as the traditional type. 
Later in the week we will be baking our own cakes like Little Red Riding Hood in the story did and the children have also been making their own play dough cakes in our dough area. There has also been lots of opportunities for the children to read different versions of the story and have a go at some related mark making. 

As well as building bridges using different construction materials, today the children had a go at a focused activity to make a bridge using box modelling materials. The children learnt how to cut and attach their materials in different ways and they chose appropriate colours to match what they wanted to create. 

Do you like our bridge biscuits which we made to link with our story of The Three Billy Goats Gruff?
We used green food colouring for the grass, blue food colouring for the water and chocolate fingers to represent the bridge. I hope they tasted as good as they looked!

Today we visited the school courts and had lots of fun playing different parachute games. We learnt to listen and take turns as well as play together as part of a team. It was also a great activity for developing our gross motor skills as there were lots of different movements involved. Look at our photos to see how much fun we all had!