What we’ve been up to this month…
This month, the children have been exploring our topic Growing and Gardens, with a focus on nature, plants, and life cycles.Through a variety of hands-on experiences, the children have been learning about how plants grow, what they need to survive, andthe different stages of life cycles in a fun and engaging way.
We have used sensory trays, puzzles, and small world activities to help the children explore different parts of plants and understand life cycles in an age-appropriate way. The children have enjoyed activities such as sorting seeds, exploring soil, planting flowers and measuring how tall they are with tape measures, and using natural materials within their play, encouraging curiosity, investigation, and discovery.
The children have also enjoyed celebrating Mental Health Awareness Week, International Day of Families, World Bee Day, NationalOutdoor Classroom Day, and World Turtle Day through a range of themed activities and discussions.
What’s happening next month…
We will be looking at Minibeasts & Bugs, with a focus on small creatures and their habitats. The children will have opportunities to explore a variety of insects and minibeasts through hands-on activities, outdoor discoveries, and imaginative play. This will help them develop an understanding of the natural world and the importance of caring for living creatures and their environments.
We will be looking at small world activities to explore different minibeasts, where they live, and how they survive in nature in an engaging and age-appropriate way. The children will take part in activities such as bug hunts, creating habitats, exploring natural materials, and learning about life cycles, encouraging curiosity, investigation, and discovery.
The children will also enjoy celebrating Great Big Green Week (6th–14th), World Ocean Day (8th), Father’s Day (21st), and MakeMusic Day (21st) through a range of themed activities, creative experiences, and group celebrations.
June Preschool focus:
Next month in preschool, the children will continue developing their phonics knowledge, focusing on blending sounds, recognising letter sounds, and exploring words with the same initial sounds through fun games and activities. We will also support the children in forming their names independently to build confidence in their early writing skills.
Throughout June, the children will take part in activities linked to National Music Day and International Yoga Day, including singing, dancing, exploring instruments, yoga, and mindfulness activities to support their wellbeing and development.
We will also celebrate World Environment Day and World Ocean Day, helping the children learn about caring for the planet and oceans through stories, discussions, and creative activities.
Activities we will do at nursery:
- Go on a minibeast hunt in the garden or outdoor area using magnifying glasses.
- Create bug hotels using sticks, leaves, pinecones, and natural materials.
- Explore sensory trays filled with soil, grass, stones, and toy insects.
- Make butterfly or ladybird crafts using paint, paper plates, and collage materials.
- Read stories and sing songs about bugs and minibeasts during circle time.
- Create small world habitats for insects using logs, mud, leaves, and flowers.
- Learn about life cycles by exploring caterpillars turning into butterflies or frogs growing from tadpoles.
- Take part in counting and sorting activities using toy insects and natural objects.
- Make music outdoors using natural materials and instruments for Make Music Day.
Some ideas to do at home:
- Go on a bug hunt in the garden, park, or during a walk and see how many minibeasts you can find.
- Read stories about insects and bugs together at bedtime or during quiet time.
- Create simple bug crafts using paper, paint, recycled materials, or natural objects.
- Build a small bug hotel using sticks, leaves, bark, and flowerpots.
- Sing nursery rhymes and songs about bugs, spiders, and nature together.
- Look closely at flowers and plants to spot bees, butterflies, and other insects.
- Practice counting and sorting toy bugs by colour, size, or type.
- Explore life cycles by talking about caterpillars turning into butterflies or frogs growing from tadpoles.
- Spend time outdoors together exploring nature and talking about how to care for small creatures and their habitats.
