Some very exciting news… our caterpillars have made their cocoons, the children have been watching very closely, checking back in every day for any movement or change. We are learning about growth, changes over time and what things we need for our bodies to grow.
In the garden we’ve been planting seeds. Adding the soil into small pots and pushing the seeds down into the soil before watering them. We learned that flowers need sun, water and soil to grow. We also had a tray of soil outside to explore, digging, filling and emptying. Practising control over the spades, being careful not to spill. Some of the children made “mud” castles, using the soil, remembering and talking about times when they have been to the beach and made sand castles.
Inside we added dinosaurs to the mud and mixed in sand for different textures. Also using the sand to mark make, some children beginning to form letters in the sand using their fingers or brushes, looking at the different shapes and lines they can make.
On Friday the weather was so bad, we couldn’t go outside. Instead, we did some physical music and movement in the multipurpose room. Our bodies got warm and tired very quickly, we felt our hearts, copying the beat by tapping on our knees.
After the fast music, we laid on some yoga mats, turned off the lights and explored our senses. We listened to some calming music, while watching the projector light project stars and waves on the ceiling. The children described what they could hear, “I can hear clouds, I can hear a bird, I can hear heaven, I can hear the seaside and shells.” The ladies used chiffon scarves to gently move over the children’s faces, creating a calm and relaxed experience. A few children took off their socks wanting to feel the scarves on their feet.
Next week, we will finally get to see our caterpillars turn into beautiful butterflies. We will be celebrating May Day and enjoying some activities based around this tradition. Let’s hope for some sun, to help our flowers grow.
St Helen's Pre-School 