The Den

Another busy week this week, with a focus on messy play using pumpkin guts! 

Thematic learning: 

The children have been exploring pumpkins over the past few weeks as part of our thematic planning around autumn and Halloween. This week, we have been exploring the inside of pumpkins. 

Across the week, we have been exploring pumpkin guts, the children were excited to come over and have a look. The children used their hands and fingers to touch the guts initially. After watching staff demonstrate, they had the confidence to pick up the guts to explore further. The children mainly enjoyed the schema of filling and emptying the pumpkin with the guts, picking up handfuls and putting it in. We narrated what they were doing speaking

“…. is putting it in”

“You are taking it out”

“Mix mix mix”

We were really impressed by children’s ’have a go’ attitude, getting stuck in and giving it a try even when they were initially unsure! We also placed some inside a zip-lock bag so the children who didn’t want to get messy hands could also join in! The children moved the seeds around in the bag and scrunched the guts inside the bag, exploring it without getting messy. We encouraged the children to pick up the seeds with their fingers which was great for fine motor skills. 

Parents as partners 

We are closed from Monday 27th October to Friday 31st October. We will return on Monday 3rd November. This doesn’t apply to children who attend all year round.

Please remember to upload anything you get up to over the half term via parent observation- we love seeing what the children get up too!