September Newsletter 2022

It has been a busy month throughout September. We have welcomed back all our existing children from their summer breaks and said a big hello to all the new children and families that have joined Blackberries Childcare Group.

We read ‘We’re going on a Leaf Hunt’ and spent lots of time in the nature garden and forest school. The children have taken part in leaf hunts around the nature garden and nursery environment while discussing with each other what they have found. With the leaves they collected, the children looked at the patterns and shapes, as well as doing leaf rubbings, and collages along with other natural resources from the garden and making portraits using the leaves and twigs for their facial features.

In the forest, the children have been looking for insects and talking about these and other animals that hibernate during the colder months of the year. Fruits and vegetables collected from Blackberry Farm have been used to practice the children’s cutting skills and explore what they look like inside. This started lots of discussions about colours, textures, sizes and where and how the fruits and vegetables grow.

The children had lots of fun celebrating pirate week at the nursery where they dressed up and expressed their inner pirate, learning their pirate names and pirate talk. They walked the plank with their peers, steadily balancing so not to fall into the water. They also worked together to build pirate ships and follow the maps to find treasure.

With sadness, we commemorated Queen Elizabeth and her long reign. The children read stories and learnt about the Queen and her incredible history. They made sparkly crowns, and portraits of the Queen and drew her carriage. They also learnt about our new King and his family. The Preschool children were very inquisitive and asked lots of questions.

The babies enjoyed their topic ‘All About Me’ as they settled and explored their environments. A range of sensory trays have been investigated by the children which have included family photos and reflective items so they can see themselves and their favourite things. While looking in mirrors they explored their facial features, with staff role modelling different expressions for the babies to copy. This then led to self-portraits with paint and feeling the texture of this on the paper their hands and brushes.

Our Toddlers have also been focusing on the topic of ‘All About Me’. They have enjoyed looking at their facial features, learning about the differences between themselves, discussing what they look like and creating self-portraits. Family photos have been looked at while discussing who is in their families and what they look like. The children have also been talking about and drawing their own houses.

During song times they have been singing ‘heads, shoulders, knees, and toes’ to familiarise themselves with body parts.

While outside gross motor skills have been developed using the slide, crates and beams to balance and climb.

In the preschool room, the children have been following the topic ‘All About Me’ while getting to know their new friends and talking about themselves and their families. Activities for the children have included self-portraits while looking in the mirrors at their features.

They have also been discussing what they would like to be when they grow up, looking at different occupations and what they would like about that occupation.

While taking part in our Little Chefs the children have baked bread houses and pet biscuits to represent the animals the children have in their own homes.