What we’ve been doing this month:
This month, we have been exploring all things winter and the wonders of this time of year!
We have been exploring making polar bears, making penguins using sponges, exploring winter stories, we have been role playing in the garden, talking about why we wear hats, scarves and gloves when its cold. We have been exploring messy play, sensory trays exploring “snow”, shaving foam and frozen ice!
What’s happening next month:
Next month, we will begin our new topic: Emotions – our feelings and understanding!
Whilst we look at our emotions, we will be exploring different feelings and learning how to recognise and express them – this topic will support emotional awareness, how we show empathy and explore positive relationships.
Whilst we look at our emotions, we will be exploring different feelings and learning how to recognise and express them – this topic will support emotional awareness, how we show empathy and explore positive relationships.
We will be looking at emotions with stories, through play, singing songs and circle times and will begin to understand that everyone has emotions and understanding the importance of our feelings.
We will also be looking at celebrations such as the winter Olympics, start of Ramadan, Chinese new year and pancake day!!
This month we will explore through food tasting, exploring messy play, joining in with circle times, watching some short clips of winter Olympic activities with the children.
Pre-School Focus:
This month, we will be exploring emotions through conversation starters with peers, playing matching games and reading stories.
We will also be looking at celebrations from around the world – to help children develop an understanding of different cultures, traditions, and beliefs. By focusing on Chinese new year and the beginning of Ramadan, we aim to support children’s curiosity about the world, encourage respectful discussions and provide meaningful opportunities for questions and circle times. The nursery environment will be decorated to reflect these celebrations, creating a welcoming and immersive space for all children.
Some ideas to do at home:
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Checking in daily with your little one to see how they are feeling and what they enjoyed about their day
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Feelings through arts – encouraging your child to draw, paint, or build something that shows how they feel
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Role play acting out at home – Act out everyday scenarios with toys or pretend play to show different emotions
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Looking at emotion books and copying the emotions shown
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Teaching regulation through play – Blowing bubbles
Activities we will do at nursery:
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Emotion faces on paper plates
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Colour-Feelings Painting and mixing colours
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My feelings collage using magazines, fabrics, textured materials.
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Making emotion puppets and using them for role play
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Making emotion biscuits and naming the emotions
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Mix and stir turn taking at baking time
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Taste and feel talking about textures
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planting and care together in the garden
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Making a calming nature corner
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Emotions nature hunting
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Big feelings movement/ yoga in the garden
World book day is also approaching at the beginning of March – we will be getting ready for this by talking about our favourite stories, using story cards to make our own stories and think about bringing in our favourite story books into nursery so we can share them with friends!
