Ladybirds

Welcome to Ladybird class!  We generally have the younger children in Ladybirds, and have spent time setting up the room for this age group.  The shelving is lower than in other rooms, allowing easy access to resources.  We also have a sleep/quiet area for those children who wish to take some time away from the busy nursery day for a nap or rest.  Some of our younger children can find the outdoor area quite big to begin with, so we have a sand tray in the classroom, for those who wish to stay inside – sand play can be a very calming activity for children.  In addition, our classroom has direct access to the Woodland Garden.  There is a small sheltered area, which we often have open to the children at the beginning of the year, so they can still access the outdoors, just in a smaller space and with less children.

As with all the classrooms, we have divided up the areas using shelving, so children have direct and easy access to the resources available to support their independent play.  We tend to have many resources that stay the same, so that children can return to their activities over a period of days, and revisit their favourite activities.  However, we also add resources that may be of interest to the children, such as a doctors kit in the home corner.

All children have their own coat peg and pigeon holes.  Upon arrival in the morning, we encourage children to find their peg and put all their belongings away.  The pigeon holes can be checked by parents at the beginning or end of a session, for letters or leaflets.   

Who is in the Ladybird Team?
Hannah - Class Teacher
Helen - Classroom Deputy / Classroom Senco
Amy - Early Years Assistant 
Sarah - Early Years Assistant
Cathy - Early Years Assistant
Laura - Early Years Assistant
Alexa - Early Years Assistant
 
.
 

Spring 1 2024

Our core story this half term has been “Little Tom and the Trip to the Moon” and the children have enjoyed a variety of Space themed activities. In the class, we have been exploring space through small world play, using our new space station to explore ideas around space. We have also explored colour and texture through tactile and creative activities, making rocket ships and exploring alien slime. Outdoors, the children have enjoyed making their very own rocket ship, adding controls, oxygen tanks and anti-gravity boots through junk modelling activities. We have also conducted science experiments to make ‘rocket fuel’. The topic has sparked a lot of talk around the night, space and imagining going on adventures.

We have also been on many space adventures in the woodland garden this half term and the children have hunted for planets to match, made rockets with loose parts play and used tools to explore “space rocks”. They have also continued to explore our regular woodland activities such as the hammock, mud kitchen and digging pod. Could we please remind all parents to make sure that your child has the appropriate clothing to keep them warm in this winter weather, such as a hat, gloves and warm coat. We provide puddle suits and wellies, but welcome children to bring their own.

Next term our core story will be “We’re Going on a Bear Hunt” to continue our creative thinking and speaking through adventure play.

We hope you all have a lovely half term and thank you for your continued support.

 

Christmas 2023
 

Our core story this half term has been “Walking Through the Jungle” by Julie Lacome and the children have enjoyed a variety of Jungle themed activities. In the class, we have been exploring different texture through messy play and acting out the story using masks, puppets and small world animals. Outdoors, the children have enjoyed our Jungle stores shopping role play, showing us their list writing and organisational skills. This has now turned into a vets, following their interests, and we have had all sorts of animals treated and cared for over the weeks.

This term has also seen us start our woodland days with visits from Ali to start with. This has now progressed on to visits in the woodland garden, as the children have been so confident and they have loved exploring all that it has to offer.

Next term our core story will be “Little Tom and the trip to the Moon” by Diane and Christyan Fox, which is a story all about imagination and junk modelling. We have chosen this as we have a very creative class, who have brilliant imaginations. Could we please ask that when parents return in the new year, that if they have any washed and clean, recyclable materials at home that they don’t want, then please bring them into us so that we can use our imaginations to turn them into new things.

Lastly, I just want to say I hope everyone has a restful and happy holiday.

Season’s Greetings from the Ladybird team.

 

Autumn 1 2023
 

A warm welcome to all of our returning and new families, a big thank you for all of your support during the settling in period. The children are settling in really well and are enjoying exploring all that our classroom has to offer. To our new parents it has been lovely to meet you all and if any parents have any questions or worries then please don’t hesitate to speak to a member of the Ladybird Team.

Our core stories this half term have been “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” and “Baa Baa Black Sheep”. The children have enjoyed exploring these stories and their rhymes through a variety of small world, sensory and role play experiences. Over the last week we have also begun to explore the topic of Autumn through play with natural objects such as conkers and pine cones. This has sparked a lot of talk and language around number, size, shape and texture, and it has been lovely to see how excited the children have been by this topic.

Next half term our core story shall be “Walking Through the Jungle” and we will begin to meet Woodland Ali for small woodland activities in our garden.