Change

July and there is an air of Change in the air; the weather is finally looking up, the school year is finishing, the babies are growing into toddlers, older children are changing schools to Year 'R',  Juniors and High school, new faces have joined us... so 'Change' is the theme of this month.

 

Change – What is 'change' and why/how/when does it happen? We will look at life cycles; our own and other living things, how we can change resources eg. cooking – baking, boiling, chilling and freezing!, playdough and colours, dress up for the changing seasons and other lengthier cyclical and weather changes inc. school uniform, fastening practice and drama, play with the 'babies' and recognise our own development as well as the treasure basket filled with open ended resources to challenge our creativity – what will you make today? And lastly the music box – can you change how your voices or the instrument sound like or make your own? This is all along with the myriad of reference books, posters and stories we can include under this topic! We've had some books lent to us by a client as well as going to the library for titles that look at various aspects of change, not just growing older and starting school, including some dual-language.

 

This week we have looked at consumables eg. ice and baking ingredients; how they change state, what we can create with them - both in terms of creativity as well as consumables. We have even used ice sticks to draw on the pavement ;) as well as playing with a flour and glitter mix - adding water, shaving foam and so on - made jelly, soup and baked bread.

 

Next week is a short week as I'm off for training, but we will look at changing colour - revisiting colour mixing with playdough, making hand spinning wheels, using the colour changing pens and Crayola colour explosion. I quite fancy doing some bubble printing too if time.
 

Then we will look at life cycles; watching the caterpillars we have - waiting for them to change into butterfly's, other animals - chickens at the allotments and look at life cycles in books, weather and the changing of the seasons, plants - both at the allotment and quick growing seeds like cress, our own and how we have grown/changed - past, present and future concepts...

 

Then we will take a look at sound - can we manipulate the sounds we make ourselves, with instruments and rhythms? This week will be disrupted by the end of the academic year, so many of our activities have to be quick elements of creativity and exploration between a chaotic schedule. My charges have different Pre-schools and Primary schools; a lot of coordination will be required for the week ;)

 

Finally we will take a look at the history of our environment; a local 'living' museum, how our own homes have changed - some have moved recently - and how the town has changed over time with another visit to a town centre museum which tracks the redevelopment process.

 

A busy month ahead - but will anything change for us a group? Only time will tell...

 

 

May/June.....

Well where exactly did May retreat to?

 

Last month we were all about friends :0)

Who are our friends, what we like about them and so on - as well as actively making new friends!

 

This topic was chosen as some of my little ones were having a wobble about 'BIG' school looming... So rather than focusing on the future - we focused on the here and now. We looked at what we had in each other and what we liked, before forging new friendships with people we regularly see at activities such as the soft play sessions in town. I hope that these skills of taking stock, seeing people for who they are to ourselves and how to instigate connections will ease the transitions from preschool to 'BIG' school. We sent letters to friends, made gifts, explored where our friends are - some within the local area, but also around the world! How do we get to see them? Ah; the 'Duplo' aeroplane  and 'Brio' train track came out, the laptop was commandeered to speak to friends via Skype and then the 'house box' for 'tea parties' with the stuffed toys came into the mix too.

 

It was this development that triggered Junes planning of Pets.

 

The setting benefits from an array of animals - dog, cat and gerbils - but we also have a stuffed dog from the 'Bear Factory', gifted to us by a student that joined us as part of her college course, which she named 'Pedro'. Pedro does most things with the children in and beyond the setting, and if it isn't directly connected with an activity he'll be in the background ;) There are naturally other animalistic toys too; the ubiquitous collection of rabbits, cats, dogs, some mice my Mum knitted and so on. There's also some snakes, frogs, farm animals (try telling a farmer the animals aren't pets ;) ).

 

So now we have the farm set available, some pet carriers and pet care supplies, books about choosing the right pet such as 'Granny MacGinty', 'Dear Zoo' and games like the 'Quake quack' game, dressing-up outfits like a vets coat and first aid box, a cat tunic, bunny ears... and finally some accessories for the pets in the setting. I have further linked to May by including the atlas book to discover where pets originate, their natural climate and habitats.

 

The gerbils will soon have a new coconut shell home and some twig balls (that can be emulated with craft straws) to play with, the dog has some new toys to chew and chase and the cat a stick with a feather (to be copied too). We will collect care pamphlets, observe animals at the 'Pets at Home' store and take the dog for walks in a more conscientious manner.

 

The link between May and June could be construed as tenuous, but the animals are, for some of the children in the setting, their primary friendship base. I trust that children create bonds in the manner that they need to sustain their soul. With children, adults and animals... These links always satisfy a thirst and balance is the key. By observing the connections a child makes, a window to their emotional status opens up; how a practitioner responds is the key to a setting and a home-from-home!

 

 

 

 

April: Shapes

And so to Lent and celebrating Easter; with a topic of shapes. Most of the children in the setting are confident with 2D shape labels, but the youngest are just beginning their 'labels' journey. However, extending this topic through the exploration of the symbolism of Easter, with eggs and crosses etc., enables the older children to become engaged with this months theme without feeling belittled.

For the continuous provision we have the dressing-up collection out - some of which is character prescriptive but most is open ended, some magnetic 'scribblers' and an 'Aqua mat' for free form mark making, shape themed puzzles, home-made play-dough with shape cutters and associated tools, construction materials - paper, card and junk modelling as well as fabric, felt, ribbons and pegs to facilitate both large and small scale projects, shape bean-bags for all manner of games and conceptual learning and finally Tap-a-shape's. The treasure basket is filled with objects to relate the 3D labels such as twig balls, a marble egg, a wooden cross left over from our Remembrance Day investigations (without a poppy), kitchen funnels, large wooden dice, photograph cube and so on... There is a new poster with 2D and 3D shape images labelled and some self-adhesive blackboard shapes on the wall in the kitchen. For the first week we also had a basket of Easter related craft accessories on the large table too - pipe-cleaners, pom-poms, coloured feathers, chicks, twigs from the many dog walks - sterilised in the microwave as if it works for toilet roll inners, why not twigs and dry leaves, shredded yellow paper, pastel shades bank cards and hollow plastic eggs, for the more artistically creative ones to indulge their imaginations :)

This month I haven't broken down the weeks into specific learning areas; rather I have spread throughout opportunities for the older ones to cascade down knowledge of shapes and their role in our environment. In addition to the continual resources we have planned opportunities to create dances that incorporate 'shape' movements, face painting each other - and me, nail varnish art to celebrate the Hindu festival of Hana Matsuri, shape hunts in various environments - town centre, local park and a soft play centre, string art and baking... thus the month will be more about adding a narrative to the children's learning rather than prescriptive activities that require a formal outcome. This creates an issue with plenary elements of assessing learning. 

Moreover I am focused on children following their own 'next steps' in accordance to the EYFS focus of development. This is a sheet with space for the child's photo linked to the initial observation, and 4 speech boxes to have a brief comment and date recorded, arranged in an arc with the last connected to a smiley face to represent to the child that they have achieved their objectives. There is also a box for comments so that if further explanation is required there is space available in a targeted format. Each child has an A5 ring binder with a note pad for their daily diary and dividers for each element of the EYFS. The next steps sheets are filed under each of these and children can have more than 1 next step sheet active within each aspect. By using this format also allows children, families and other carers a clear understanding of how learning is characterised for each child at every stage of development, giving a comprehensive overview of development. Families are actively encouraged to use them too, so linking learning between the setting and home environment and utilise the knowledge family members have of their own children in this simple record of their child's development. Photographs and other forms of evidence are also kept in the folders; although not always under specific dividers as so many learning opportunities are cross curricula. 

This month I will focus observations on gross motor skills, a specific personal and social element, pencil control and number concepts in particular - despite the fact that only 1 child is actually specifically under the EYFS protocols due to the levels of attendance of my charges at the moment. Just because I am not charged with conducting the EYFS curricula doesn't mean it can be ignored - it is still a relevant guide to structuring our setting and planning. 

Now if you will excuse me - I have hot cross buns and a 'button' cake to devour ;)

March: Science.

This may been an odd topic for the period of Lent for a Christian setting, but for my charges - who are all (except 1 very part time child) of the Catholic faith at the moment - this is of little consequence as the religious significance of this festival needs a familial focus, not to be confused by my personal take within the setting. We will naturally explore the Easter festival, but afterwards to consolidate learning and emotional responses. No; I wanted to use last months topic of colours as a spring board into the experimental world of science. 

It started, as ever, with an observation - not of the children this time - but myself. I was increasingly asking the children to 'predict' and 'experiment' during the last months topic - 'Colours'; particularly when focussed on blended colours from the prime colours that we started the month of February with. An example of this is when I had been reminded on a link on Facebook about letting children mix colours in a zip-lock freezer bag; perfect for one of those inevitable 30 minute slots after a main activity, but whilst waiting for dinner to finish off. I also have some children who are less capable of expanding their own concepts of what activities such as 'painting' should encompass. So; I asked them what yellow and blue would make "What do you predict?" and then we blended/squidged/scrunched the 2 colours together in a clean and unconventional manner to establish that 'green' was created. We followed this concept for all three variations and then the 4th - all 3 primary colours together; stringing them up like a rainbow on the fairy lights 'washing line' over the dinning table. One of my charges kept repeating "Painting, but no paper and no brushes..." with a quizzled, yet satisfied, look on their face. They went home and tried, with their limited language, to describe the event to their families. Thank goodness I had taken some photo's and emailed them to each family respectively and detailed in daily diary books what we had done, why and how each child responded. The discussion and language opportunities, both within the setting and with their main carers, that this activity presented was inspiring.  

So.... 'science'. What does this mean to a 1, 2, 3 or 4 year old? Indeed; what about the 5, 7 and 11 year olds that will be encompassed in this topic around the school hours?

Science for the preschoolers is about hearing the conceptual language and relating it to first hand experiences; when Carrie asks us to 'predict', what does she mean? When Carrie narrates our play, why does she say odd words like 'experiment' and 'record'? All they really note is that we mess about with materials and explore ourselves and the environment more closely. 

The first week was spent introducing the topic. We had books with scientists, 'Nina and the neurons' BBC's Cbeebies links on the laptop, puzzles that were either using technology, imagery of scientific experiments or that of physiology. The treasure basket had things like pipettes, petri dishes, thermometers (digital for safety), magnifying glasses, natural resources scrounged from the park on one of our dog walks like pine cones and leaves, a medical kit and some 'Talking tins'... We always have a tray on the dinning table to provide for more focused mark making; so this was filled with things like geometry sets, calculators, graph paper with varying sized squares, note books and measuring tapes. The children are always encouraged to use whichever resources they would like for their role play and activities. [One child has pincer grip issues and so I asked them to use a set-square to assess whether if the activity required greater focus whether this would detract from his concious battle over how they held the mark making tool, and also how much pressure they could exert - let alone follow directions, create a piece of work without free form marks, only the straight lines of a ruler edge and so on. The observations were illuminating and a detailed discussion with their family followed the following day; in particular how to use a sock with 2 holes in order to scaffold this aspect of tool use and encourage a muscle memory element to pincer grip.] We also 'predicted' what apparatus we would use at Gym Tot's - a soft play centre - and then I recorded with photographs what they 'actually' used. The children then selected a photo to be printed on a Pogo printer to stick into their diary book. Children of all ages took to these concepts really well.

This coming week we will concentrate on chemistry. We will be making 'pictures' with bicarbonate of soda on trays and coloured vinegar, baking without a recipe and role play with the chemistry props such as pipettes, petri dishes, scales, jugs and funnels etc. We'll also have the 'home' box out with narratives about how chemistry is an element of daily life. The older ones will have books like 'George's Marvellous Medicine', 'How to fossilise your Hamster', cookery books - both contemporary and from the war days where elements of traditional cooking had to be emulated, how and why - natural cleaning guides and scientific manuals. Links to 'Bitesize Chemistry' again on the BBC on the laptop in addition to 'Nina and the neurons'. 

Thereafter we will look at physics. Balloon hover craft or aeroplanes, sinking and floating exercises, water state experiments, 'salt' dough and gravity with wooden block towers etc. The children will all take from these activities what they can; with the narratives and extensions being tailored to each child's needs; if indeed they participate at all. the plethora of mathematical applications will naturally be exploited, as will the notion of mark making/record keeping in a scientific manner of 'hypothesis', 'methodology', 'results' and 'conclusions'. The youngest will have apparatus such as a ball run, sensory bottles and magnetic draw and wipe boards. 

Finally we will develop our understanding of biology including making sour dough bread with a starter using airborne yeast, yoghurt, exploring how we feel after exercise and why as well as having the 'outdoor' box (full of skipping ropes, cones, balls and Frisbees) the medical kit and the dinning table tray extended with wool, tape and junk modelling and straws to demonstrate skeletal and muscular aspects of their bodies. The older ones will be offered a sensory experiment regarding their sense of touch; although this will be too complex for the younger ones.

By the end of March we will have extensively covered all 7 areas of the Revised EYFS and engaged the children in exploring the environment and their response to aspects of their daily lives. The why's and wherefores explained in language they can comprehend, and at the very least provided the weeny ones with experiences that will spur them on to have a greater sense of the possible. All my charges social and emotional development will be stretched as they rationalise what they thought they knew to what they have yet to discover - and see this as a positive rather than the impossible. Physically the children will all be given opportunities to develop both fine and gross skills, tool control and how they respond to their environment. Where as the language potential is exhaustive!!! Literacy, math, art and design and understanding the world take little explanation for this topic... now; LET'S HAVE SOME FUN :)

In the beginning...

I have been nagged for quite some time to start a blog and share my insights, ideas and observations by family and friends; so here goes.

Firstly I am a Mother - something of a bonus today :) (2 - small - boxes of chocolates and cards as well as a hand painted canvas, balloon decorations and breakfast cooked for me and my own Mum this morning!!) Both our children have additional needs on the lower edge of their respective spectra. Our son has Dyspraxia and mild Aspergers; our daughter has an issue processing Oral language. Both of them require slight adaptations and a raised level of conciousness in how we interact with them.

In addition, my professional career has been in child care (in addition to other care roles) and started over 25 years ago now. In that time I have met so many characters and seen the good, the bad and the ugly - I'll leave the interpretation of that statement to your own imagination; suffice to say it's been a journey and not one that I would have missed for all the world. I have been a Childminder for 10 years and work with an average of 13 children, all of whom attend part time. I also volunteer at my children's primary school one day week. Over time I have amassed an assortment of ideas, techniques and anecdotes; some are even useful ;) 

The intention of this blog is to share the concepts and activities, together with the rational behind them, formulated in the monthly planning to support the children in my setting. HOWEVER; I hope this will be interactive and that readers will supplement with their own ideas and initiatives. 

My ideas and understanding have come from a myriad of different sources; friends, training courses, research and websites such as Pinterest and specific health related websites. I will try and attribute credit where it's due, but I have a memory like a sieve for such matters; so if I offend anyone I  sincerely apologise.