2-3: The Discovery Hub

This week we have started exploring the festive season. The children have continued to help decorate our nursery with decorations. We have loved seeing the children’s faces as they spot a new decoration in the room. It has been lovely to hear all about the elves, decorations and Christmas trees at home. It would be lovely to share any photos of your decorations with the children in nursery if you would like to send an observation.

We are excited to welcome the children moving into the Discovery Hub as the children help to show our new friends the areas in the room. Some of our Discoverers who are transitioning to the Investigation Hub have been beginning to explore their new area with staff.

Playing and Exploring

As we have engaged in Christmas activities, the children have explored decorating their own bauble which will be hung on the Christmas tree in the entrance. We have also explored painting our own Christmas trees using corks to dab into the paint and press onto their tree.

As we add more decorations, some of the children have helped to make a paper chain. We looked at the patterns on the chains to create and follow a pattern. When looking for the next pattern in the sequence the children listened to the clue “can you find the snowflake?”. The children helped to thread the chain through another one before pressing it together. We discussed how we need to add “more” to make a “long” chain to hang up.

During group time, we have explored matching games where the children have matched the Christmas images to the shadows. The children explored turning the pieces around to align together. They were able to support each other helping to point out where the image may go. We also explored an activity where a Christmas item had been hidden from a selection. The children were able to identify and label each of the items in the basket before we covered them. After taking an item away, the children were very excited to comment which item was “missing”. This is an activity which helps to develop children’s visual memory as they have to recall and identify the missing item.

Communication and Language

Across the week, the children have enjoyed engaging with Christmas books about Santa and his friends. While reading the stories the children have taken turns exploring the textures in the books and have explored pointing out animals and images on the pages. We have been practising our Christmas songs this week, introducing props for the children to select the Christmas song of their choosing. It has been lovely to hear the children are enjoying singing these at home as well.

Staffing Updates

This week Hilary, Cerys and Dianne have taken part in their Paediatric First Aid course.

Next week, the children transitioning to the Investigation Hub will continue to visit the Hub with their Key Person or familiar staff member.

Parents as Partners

We have placed the sign-up sheets on the door for ‘The Clumsiest Elf’ Show’ and our Singalong. If these sessions are on a day your child does not usually attend please feel free to sign up and join us for the sessions.

‘The Clumsiest Elf’ Show’ – A festive show for the children to enjoy with parents/carers. The show will be held at Bensham Grove Community Centre at 2:20-3:05pm on Monday 15th December.

Christmas Singalong – Wednesday 17th December 11:30am and 3:15pm. We would love for parents/carers to join us as we engage in sharing the Christmas songs we have been practicing. Refreshments will be provided.

Our last day in Nursery before the Christmas Holidays will be Friday 19th December. Nursery will be closed over the holidays and we will reopen on Tuesday 6th January.

Have a lovely weekend!

The Nursery Team