Week 1
Monday and Tuesday Afternoon
This week, the children have been exploring their outdoor setting. Some children created their own 'register rock', which they will place inside the circle each time they attend. There were some really colourful designs!
We have looked at animal habitats and the importance of trees, to which most of our native creatures bed. Whether that be amongst its branches, down within its roots or by using the foliage to keep warm. As you can see, we have some brilliant climbers in the group too, who also wanted to see what it was like to be within the canopy!
We read the story, After the Storm by Nick Butterworth, which the children then used as inspiration to create their own animal habitats.
'Crowns' inspired by nature, and 'Mud Guardians' showcased on tree trunks, were brought to life to protect our wonderful surroundings. The children chose to work on their own or in groups, helping each other with different aspects of their designs.
Friday Morning
Some of the older children had the chance to work alongside our guest, Lee Cook, who works for the Sherwood Area Partnership. Mr Lee (as the children fondly call him), brought in tools and puppets. Together, we designed and started to build a fort out of reclaimed wood from the old outdoor classroom. We used claw hammers to remove any old nails and power drills to screw together and secure the planks around a seated frame. Let’s just say, we have some future trade workers among the group. Watch out Mr Williams, they’re after your job!
We have started to create a dig zone to go with our new mud kitchen. This will support hours of fun and exploration I’m sure. We have already found some interesting bugs, including a very strange grub and lots of Earthworms. Obviously, we relocated them nearby, so they carry on supporting our ecosystem.
The children exposed horse chestnuts from their spiny shells, created head dresses with nearby fallen leaves and also used puppets to discover where each animal lived. We then had some fun with the parachute, where our puppets took flight!
All that in one day, what a morning!
The Acorns week 1
The Oaks week 1
