Investigation Hub and Discovery Hub at Deckham

Key dates: Nursery is closed for the half term holiday after Friday 23rd October. We will reopen on Monday 2nd November.

What a wonderful first half term we have had in Nursery! We are so proud of how well the children have settled into their new groups, have participated in the daily routine, and have developed their relationships with their peers and with staff. Well done everyone!

This week, the children have been busy exploring, investigating and sharing their ideas as we discussed the upcoming event of Halloween.

Inspired by some of the stories we have shared this week, the children have been developing their imagination as they created their own ‘potions’ using a range of exciting resources, including coloured water and gloop.

With adult support, the children also experimented with mixing vinegar and bicarbonate of soda to discover what might happen. There was lots of excitement as they watched the ingredients react!

The children shared their observations with enthusiasm:

“It’s fizzing!”

“It’s going to go over the top!”

“Bubbles!”

These hands-on experiences encouraged the children to develop their curiosity, explore cause and effect, and use new vocabulary as they discovered what happens when different ingredients are combined. Most importantly, they had lots of fun learning through play!

For the past two weeks, some of our all-day and afternoon Investigation Hub children have enjoyed a weekly story time with Tom, within the Deckham Family Hub.

It has been an exciting opportunity for the children to venture beyond the nursery room and enjoy a different environment while listening to some wonderful stories. The children have joined in with enthusiasm, participating in the actions and becoming actively involved in the storytelling.

We have loved seeing their enjoyment of these special sessions, and we look forward to continuing our story time visits after the half-term holiday!

Our group times have been full of enthusiasm! The children helped to make a witch’s potion by following a recipe and adding the correct number of spiders. We practised subitising—recognising how many objects there are without counting—and one-to-one correspondence, saying one number for each spider as we counted to check our quantities.

Over the past few weeks, some children have been noticing shadows and wondering about them. We followed their curiosity with opportunities to explore shadows, share observations and talk about their ideas. We also investigated how to make shadows bigger and smaller!

There has also been lots of interest in print, particularly in recognising names. We have been strengthening the skills that support early writing through playful activities. Making playdough spiders encouraged the children to pinch, roll and shape, developing their finger strength and control while combining counting with creativity.

Outdoors, we developed our larger movements by pushing pumpkins in wheelbarrows and twirling witches’ wands to make circles, loops and big shapes. These movements help build strength, coordination and shoulder control, providing important foundations for the smaller, controlled movements used in writing.

Investigation Hub stories of the week: Meg and Mog / Rosie’s Walk

Discovery Hub story of the week: We’re Going on a Ghost Hunt

Song of the week: Five Currant Buns in a Baker’s Shop

Signs of the week: Please and Thank You

Parents as Partners

Toothbrushing Programme

After the half-term holiday, we will be introducing a toothbrushing programme for our older children who access 30 hours of nursery provision.

Nursery staff involved in the programme have received training from the Oral Health Promotion Team at South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust, helping us to support the children in developing positive healthy routines from an early age.

If your child will be participating in the programme, you will have received a letter containing further information.

Harvest

A big thank you to all our families and staff for your generous harvest donations. We are very grateful for your kindness and support.

All donations will be given to the Peace of Mind charity, helping us to share kindness within our wider community.

Wishing all of our families a very happy half term.

The Nursery Team