May/ June 2017 Newsletter
Dear All
We have had yet another activity filled few months as the children spent more time outside during the very sunny weather. Made lots of gifts for Daddies as we celebrated their special day and even participated in fundraising activities for charity.
Toddler Room
May
Our topic in May was books and print.
In the toddler room, we were looking at our favourite books and some of us even had a try at telling stories to our friends. Our carpet time sessions included looking at the structure of books and how they all have a beginning, middle and a very happy end! We also took a closer look at the different kinds of books we can find. From historical to fairy tales. The children were then offered the opportunity to draw pictures from their own favourite stories.
Our book week continued with us slowly visiting tooting library as the children were taken in small groups. They enjoyed exploring all the books and choosing out ones they liked for us to bring back to nursery and share with the other children. They also happily made friends with the librarian who took the time to read to the children an interactive story which involved lots of bunnies and even taught us a few new songs.
As the sunny weather finally started to appear the children spent a lot of time in the garden this month. They enjoyed a variety of activities that include lots of chalk drawing on the various surfaces the children could find in the garden. They also participated in lots of water painting, building with blocks- large and small, cooking up some birthday cake in the mud-kitchen and sand pit. The toddlers also took some time to relax in the garden as they read some stories and looked through some books while sitting in the shade.
As the weather was a lot warmer this month, water play became a favourite and the children participated in lots of water play activities- creating lots of splashes and getting very wet
The toddlers went on a trip to the playground in May- where the children went on their favourite big red bus, curly slide and swings. It was fun to sit on the benches and have snack outside.
Messy play wasn’t stopped by the good weather! In May the children continued to enjoy a range of messy activities including- painting, stamping, sand, shaving foam, cereal. We mixed lots of different textures together and talked about them and how they feel in our hands.
Toddler Room
June
Our topic in June was the weather/summer
In June, we saw the toddlers begin to learn more about the different seasons and weather types we can see throughout the year. Taking a closer look at summer. Our circle time activities included lots of talk about the different seasons and the children got the chance to observe the growth of some plants and discussed how the sun and weather play an important part in their ability to grow. We also looked at how different animals come out this time of year and why.
The weather was particularly hot this month- and the old fans were brought out to try and control the temperature inside. The children spent a lot of time in the hot outdoors. They enjoyed helping to rub in that much-needed sun cream.
Garden activities included lots of water play once again as we got out the paddling pool and the children enjoyed cooling down from the heat as they splashed and played inside with their friends. Other water play also included spray bottles as the children ran around spraying each other with water and spraying the rest of the garden as they pretended to clean with water sprays and sponges.
Our trips to the library also continued and they returned their books to the librarian and eagerly explored the books looking for another one to bring back to nursery and share with their friends.
June saw us celebrating Father’s Day- the children took time and lots of love and effort to create some beautiful gifts for their lucky dads. We hope you enjoyed them as much as the children enjoyed making them.
In the toddler room June brought around our annual trip. This year we went to Wimbledon park and the Polka Theatre.
The children had a beautiful sunny morning in Wimbledon park- they got the chance to explore a new place. The children particularly enjoyed playing in the huge sandpit and with the parents who came along. Thank you to those who volunteered to help create our special day.
At the park, the children also enjoyed the chance to get up close with some very large ducks and looking out at the very large lake where they lived. We then sat down together and had a quick snack before getting back onto the ‘big bus’ and heading to the Polka theatre to see ‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears.’
The children happily watched, laughed and some even tried to join in with the singing as they watched Goldilocks on her adventure along with the bears, a horrid goblin and a giant queen bee. They seemed to particularly enjoy the clumsy worm which made them laugh out loud.
When it had finished we returned to the bus and had some fun singing as we returned to the nursery for lunch.
We hope the children went home with lots of happy memories of the day and told you all about their favourite parts!
June saw us celebrating Father’s Day- the children took time and lots of love and effort to create some beautiful gifts for their lucky dads. We hope you enjoyed them as much as the children enjoyed making them.
The end of June also saw our toddlers participating in a charity event to help raise money for ‘Alicia’ via the make them smile children’s charity. The Toddlers helped to create our wonderful goodie bags for all the parents and families as we discussed differences and the act of helping others.
Thank you all for your support and donations for this wonderful cause!
Baby Room
May
Our topic in May was Colours and Shapes.
The Baby Room dug into the topic with a various range of fun activities. The children did shape painting- using different toys and shapes to make messy prints on paper. The older babies were told shape names and asked to repeat as they looked at the different shapes.
Other messy painting activities also included roller painting which the babies really enjoyed. They painted using cars to make tracks and patterns on paper along with all those ‘vroom vroom’ noises. Balloon printing also took place as the children used blown up balloons and lots of different colours to make painting prints on paper. It certainly created some very interesting images.
Other activities also included the creation of a ‘giant puzzle’ display. They looked at different shapes and colours of puzzle pieces then going on to create their own. They were able to look and observe their giant ones and compare them to the smaller real ones.
The baby room continued to enjoy the good weather this month and took the chance to spend more time in the garden. This meant lots of sand play which they thoroughly enjoy. So much so that we also brought coloured sand into the baby room so they could have the chance to play with it even when not in the garden. We even explored the sand with other shaped objects giving the babies the opportunity to discover even more shapes and colours using all their senses.
The older babies this month had a turn at feeding the bunnies in the garden. They particularly seemed to enjoy giving them carrots and watching the bunnies eat them.
May also saw the Baby Room joining the Toddler room on a trip to Wandsworth common where they looked at the ducks and dogs and played on the equipment in the playground. The Toddlers even helped to push some of the babies push-chairs and played with them at the park with the inflatable balls. The babies then had snack sitting on a blanket in the sunshine.
Baby Room
June
Our topic in June was Summer.
In June, we started to see the weather heat up even more which meant even more outdoor play for the Babies. We took the chance to incorporate our topic into all the time spent in the garden. With lots of sand and water play.
The babies had boat games in the water tray as they splashed around and got very very wet. They also enjoyed watching all the bubbles coming from the bubble machine as they reached out their hands to try and catch them. Being outside granted the babies the opportunity to observe their natural surroundings as they looked at the different insect life found outside such as bees, ants, and butterflies during this time of year.
Indoor summer activities had the babies decorating ice lolly’s and ice creams with various messy play materials. And painting watermelons and strawberries giving the babies the chance to explore their senses as they looked at favourite foods of the summer.
The sunny weather almost became too much though, so sadly some of it was spent indoors away from the glaring heat. One of those days though the babies still got the chance to cool down and have some water fun as the paddling pool was brought to them in the Baby Room.
The Baby Room also opened their hearts this month and took part in fund raising activities to raise money for Alicia via the children’s charity. They did lots of dressing up of their favourite characters with lots of help from mums and Dads. Thank you all for your donations- it is greatly appreciated!
The Baby room would like to say Welcome! to Mackenzie who joined them.
We would like to say a big Happy Birthday! to and Sophie who turned 1 and to say a sad goodbye as she left us. Good luck!
And a Happy Birthday! To Orson who also turned 1.
And a Happy Birthday! to Ava, Adam and Zeynep on turning 2. And a Happy Birthday! To Ruby, Zofia, Rohan and Phoebe on turning 3.
Some final notes:
A reminder that the nursery opens at 8am and closes at 6pm. Early drop off/ late pick up fees apply.
Can parents/carers please ensure that they close the gate securely behind them when entering and exiting the nursery.
Also, Toddler Room parents- please close the entry door when entering/exiting the Toddler room.
When your child is being picked up by someone other than a parent/guardian can you please inform the nursery and ensure the designated person knows your child’s ‘password’. We will be confirming the identity of the person who comes to collect your child via ID also. So please ask them to bring it along.
Please label your child’s clothing and belongings. Please feel free to check the lost property box for any items that may have been misplaced.