6th May- 17th May 2019

Top Tip for Talking
Join in with your child's play.
A language and thinking will develop through interactions with others.  This arises naturally from a shared activity which provides something of interest to talk about and gives a clear context for works and meanings.

Makaton signs for the term 
Good; thumbs up in front of yourself
Thank-you; Move hand from chin in a forwards motion 

Dates for your Diary 
Thursday 23rd May 2019- Preschool closure for polling station; EU elections
Shop Keepers
The children have shown lots of interest in being shop keepers over the past week, creating their own shopping lists and visiting the pre-school shop where they could purchase the products on their lists.  Children have enjoyed using their imaginations and imitations from previous experiences to take on different roles during their play such as The Shopkeeper and shoppers. 
Wet weather and water play
We have been embracing the wet weather we have been having recently, splashing in big puddles and making mud hot chocolate and mud pies. The children haven't let the rain stopping them from having fun, they have got rain ready applying water proofs and wellies and embraced the Great British weather. 
They have really enjoyed splashing in the big puddle that is created at the bottom of our garden, using two feet to jump in and observe how big of a splash they could create " 1,2,3 SPLASH". They have also been observing what the wet weather can do for animals, farms and plants, tuning in on what is happening in their surrounding environments "When it rains it helps the plants and the crops to grow so that they will be ready to harvest". 

There has also been lots of team work to open our very own preschool café, with a menu that consists of mud hot chocolate, mud pancakes, mud pies and muddy juice.  The children went off in different groups to collect the ingredients for specific dishes "For our pancakes we need mud, leaves and lots of water" the pots and pans they were going to use "This big one will be best because we can the most in here" and to have café workers who will announce when the café is open and closed.

All of the children have loved exploring our water play this week, using the new resources provided to develop and challenge their fine motor skills, creating motions such as tipping, pouring, squashing and squeezing. Some of our new resources consist of pipettes, different sized jugs and squeezy bottles. 
The children have demonstrated high levels of attention while exploring the water tray, remaining engaged for long periods of time. 
They have enjoyed learning how to operate the pipettes, placing the plastic bit into the water while squeezing the top and letting go of the top when it is in the water "This is really tricky, you show me what to do". Once modelled how to operate these, all of the children were independently able to use them, squirting them on the floor and walls.
Little Rabbit Foo Foo story 
Many of you may already be aware of our story for this term; Litttle Rabbit Foo Foo, hearing your children re-telling the words and turning people into "Goonies". Little Rabbit Foo Foo sets off on a journey riding through the forest, when he scoops up field mice, worms, a tiger and goblins and bops them on the head. A good fairy then comes down and says "Little Rabbit Foo Foo I don't like your attitude scoping up the field mice (repeated for the other animals and Goblins) and bopping them on the head, you've got 3 chances to change, or ill turn you into a Goonie". Unfortunately Little Rabbit Foo Foo didn't use his listening ears to listen to the good Fairy and "POW" got turned into a Goonie. 

The children have really enjoyed this story, re-telling it without using the book and completing all of the actions which coincide with the words!
Tummy Ache; board game 
We have been exploring a new board game this week called tummy ache, which links into the Early Years Public Health programme we are currently taking part in. The aim of the game is to select different cards which are face down to build up a plate for dinner, which doesn't consist of things that could give you a tummy ache. Now these aren't any ordinary things. Tummy ache cards consist of, spider spaghetti, beetle waffles, spider juice and many more. If the children pick up a tummy ache card they need to shout "Tummy ache" and place it onto the correct space on their board. 

The children have really enjoyed this game and it has supported them to take turns, play as part of a group, engage in conversations and use their knowledge of the different food groups to state which food belongs to which group.
School readiness
We have been supporting the children with their school readiness skills recently, encouraging independent dressing (putting on own coats/jackets/shoes) and supporting with own bottom wiping. 
These skills will help to support your child when they move onto primary school as ratios are higher and are the skills in which teachers would like us to support the children with before they transition across. 
If you would like any support or advice in regards to school readniess, please talk to one of the pre-school team.