Play is a fundamental aspect of childhood, serving as a vital tool for learning and development. It offers children the opportunity to explore, experiment, and connect with others, all while reaching important developmental milestones.
From birth to age five, children undergo significant growth in various areas, including physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development. Play facilitates these milestones in engaging and meaningful ways. For instance, during the first year, infants learn about their environment through sensory play. Simple activities like grasping toys or exploring textures help develop fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.
As children progress to toddlerhood, imaginative play becomes prominent. Pretend play, such as role-playing as a doctor or a parent, encourages cognitive growth and social skills. It allows children to express their feelings and understand others' perspectives, fostering empathy and emotional intelligence.
In nursery years, cooperative play emerges. Children begin to interact more with peers, sharing and negotiating roles in games. This type of play enhances their social skills and lays the groundwork for effective communication. At this stage, children also develop problem-solving abilities as they navigate challenges during play, such as building structures with blocks or engaging in group activities.
Outdoor play is crucial for physical development. Activities like running, climbing, and playing ball games not only improve gross motor skills but also promote overall health and well-being.
Connecting through play is essential for children's development. By engaging in various play activities, children reach critical developmental milestones that shape their future learning and social interactions. Encouraging play in diverse forms can significantly enhance a child's growth, ensuring they are well-prepared for the next stages of life.
This week, Pre-Nursery embarked on an exciting adventure to the jungle with the story Monkey Puzzle. We named all the animals featured in the tale and enjoyed singing the song Walking in the Jungle. Additionally, we began a collaborative collage project where we are building our own jungle using arts and crafts. This week, we focused on creating the base, engaging in lots of painting, cutting, and adding leaves to our masterpiece. In Maths, we had fun weighing different toy animals, using terms like "heavy" and "light," as well as "heaviest" and "lightest." It has been a week filled with creativity and exploration!
Nursery has thoroughly enjoyed the 'What the Ladybird Heard' series. This week, we continued focusing on What the Ladybird Heard at the Seaside and What the Ladybird Heard Next. It has been wonderful to see the children's excitement and interest in the stories as they work out how the ladybird will come up with new ideas to save the day! Additionally, we explored the mysterious world of deep-sea creatures. The children were fascinated by the colourful fish and mysterious ocean dwellers they learned about. One of our favourite songs this week was A Sailor Went to Sea, where we enjoyed learning all the fun actions that accompany it.
In Reception, we fully embraced the Plum Rainy season by donning our wellies and coats for outdoor exploration. The children loved catching and observing snails, eagerly learning the names of their body parts. In literacy, we read Why the Mermaid Sings by Julia Donaldson, which enriched our theme on oceans and their captivating creatures. The children described the mermaid using new adjectives and were encouraged to create their own magical sea creatures, writing sentences to describe them. In Maths, we are consolidating our learning from the year to ensure that all children feel comfortable with numbers up to 20. It has been a wonderfully engaging week filled with creativity and exploration.
Sioned Jones
Head of Early Years
