Making Circles!!

We moved the small natural materials from the inside construction area to the outside area this week. 

 These 3 children spent half an hour working together, talking about which layer should go next and who was going to do what.

The wooden 'spikes' were then added as hair for this extra-terrestrial character!!! :-D I love children's imaginations!

Den Building....

One day last week, we started the morning off with an invitation to explore some of out outdoor equipment by placing a sheet over the top.

 This led to many a discussion about whether it was a castle or stables. The children settled on it being a castle for horses...perfect solution...! The same group of children then asked for more material and started exploring the boxes we had been saving up that were stacked in the playground.

 This little den got a sheet over the top and was a great 'hidey' hole for the morning session...until the strong wind kept blowing it apart....no amount of stones or securing seemed to help....! Was a good learning experience for the children though - they tried balancing boxes in all different directions and on different surfaces to see if it helped...the wind was just too strong on that day though!

At the weekend, I discovered this fab construction material (Crazy Forts), which the children have spent the last two days exploring and building with. The first day required lots of adult help, but today, two children were able to build a den for themselves almost unaided - great cooperation and fine motor skills!!

This 'house' is on fire so we are very lucky that our Fireman is already on hand and dealing with the situation, walkie talkie in hand... :-)

Talented nearly 4 year old...!

Today I encouraged groups of children to draw a portrait of themselves and write their name. We do it every year to see where they are in their development and to give us an indication of their progression by the time they leave us at the end of the year. I got the usual range -  a child scribbling, a series of unconnected lines and dots, a face with arms and legs coming off it and much inbetween….until this one child presented me with a picture that blew me away. In my 9 years of teaching, I have never seen such attention to detail. The child is 4 in a few weeks yet the three figures she drew had different facial expressions, one was facing sidewards and they all had fingers, hair, clothes, etc!!! WOW! She then proceeded to write 4 sentences underneath…..

Has anyone else seen this in a child so young? I am also left wondering how best to meet her needs. Our play-based classroom will definitely offer challenges in many areas and activities are usually open ended which will ensure they are naturally appropriate for her. I want to stimulate her reading and writing but am not sure if I should 'teach' her the way we would for our older children when they learn to read or whether I can alter our environment to help her naturally progress through her self-chosen play....any suggestions/ideas welcomed!

New school year, new class layout :-D

Sorry for the long break in posting - the first week back at school was great but very busy!!! I have worked really hard on trying to make my classroom more colour neutral (no more primary colours adorning the walls!) with lots of interesting areas to explore and am really pleased with how much calmer the class feels.

 The light/colour exploration corner. I have access to a fab concierge who helped me to put up this curtain for the OHP to reflect onto. I used an old IKEA shower curtain that we had lying around and stapled it to a length of wood, which was then hung from the ceiling.

I found an old mirror (acrylic) in the basement which I placed behind the light box - the children love watching what they are doing whilst they are playing and the reflections of the colours are beautiful.

 Our nature area - we are encouraging the children to bring in natural objects they find during their weekend to add to this area. I love the mats which my colleague found at a charity shop for very little money :-)

 I couldn't get away from the primary colours in the furniture but I am pleased with what we have been able to do with the area - it used to be enclosed but we have opened it out and taken away the boundaries which seems to be working really well. It has encouraged the children to share their play with children in other areas. I love sitting chatting to a child in the book corner and being offered an 'ice-cream' or slice of 'cake' that they have just baked.

Writing corner/mark making area - my fab assistant sewed the pocket at the back to hold all the felt tips in their colours. So far, so good! Lids back on pens and back in the right places!

After being inspired by several blog posts I have read recently, I decided to have a go at making my own sensory bags using Ziplock bags and gaffa tape. The blue one is just regular poster paint. The middle one was originally squishy with shaving foam and lentils...but...the next day we came in to find a rock hard square!! Logically I guess, all the shaving foam got soaked up by the lentils - sadly it was the day before the children came back but I might repeat it again to see their reaction the following day!! The left one is hand gel, a little water and loads of glitter :-)

 Blocks area and natural materials - pine cones, shells, sticks, corks etc

Mirror and stones/seed pods