Nowruz- Persian New Year and the beginning of springtime….. It feels like spring is on its way as we look around and see the blossom and bulbs flowering in our nursery garden…..🌸🌸🌸🌸 We have learnt about Persian New Year from some of our families. This starts on the first day of spring so we have been looking around at the first signs of spring and using our creative skills to make our own blossom branches and flowers. Our hands were very busy as we thread the paper, used the glue sticks and stuck the flowers to sticks, pipe cleaners and branches. Some lovely conversations about what ‘spring’ is and what we can look forward to in the coming weeks. There are always lots of exciting things to look forward to here at St Margaret’s and we can’t wait for the warmer weather and the sunshine #springiscoming #seasons #blossom #earlyyearsnature #understandingtheworld #celebrations #nowruz #persiannewyear #earlyyearslearning #eyfsnature #theworldaroundme #nurseryeducation #eytagteam #earlyyearseveryday #maintainednurseryschools #barnetearlyyearsalliance

Lego is a very popular resource and is beneficial for many areas of learning such as…. * Improving hand and eye coordination. *Developing spatial skills. *Persistence and patience. *Enhanced fine motor skills. *Problem solving skills. *Achieving a sense of accomplishment. *Learning how to plan. *Teamwork when playing with others. We have a small Lego station where the children can access this daily. The last few days we have moved it to a larger table adding clipboards and pens. We noticed that the children were so engaged and worked together on their models. There was lots of language and imagination skills when talking about what they were making as well as drawing out their plans on paper. We were so impressed with their models and designs. Future architects!!! #lego #models #planning #imagination #language #personalandsocialdevelopment #teamwork #finemotorskills #problemsolvingskills #handandeyecoordination @eytagteam

Observational paintings for Mothers Day 🌼 Thinking of you all this Mothering Sunday 💛….. #motheringsunday #mothersday #mothersdayideas #mothersdayart #eyfsart #observationalpaintings #nurseryart #eytagteam #earlyyearseveryday #barnetearlyyearsalliance #maintainednurseryschool

Friday footprint fun One large sheet of bubble wrap, paint ,lots of tiny feet and hands equals fun and endless learning opportunities. Developing their gross motor skills by jumping and walking through the paint. Taking off the shoes and socks independently. The children were fully engaged in this sensory experience, exploring how the paint felt on their feet when walking on the bubble wrap. One child said “it feels squishy like marshmallows”. The children also listened to the sounds they were making as the bubble wrap popped, they began making the sounds themselves. Messy play helps children to discover and develop different ways to be creative. They learn to manipulate materials, use their imagination and develop their language #sensoryplay #bubblewrap #painting #grossmotorskills #sounds #language #socialdevelopment #messyplay #theirplaytheirway #messyplayideas #earlyyears #eytagteam #earlyyearseveryday

Parsley Play dough 💚 💚💚💚💚💚💚 Our #terrifictwos in Ruby Room enjoyed making their own playdough They helped to mix all the ingredients together and were fascinated to see the changes as they added water. So many learning opportunities for our littlest children here at St Margaret’s in 1 simple activity….. Giving them independence and control over the mixing , mathematical language, learning new vocabulary, discovering how materials change, working together, exploring their senses -touch and smell , making marks, using their fine and gross motor skills as they explored the sticky dough. Look how their arm, shoulders and core muscles are working together as they stretch out across the tray……. 👏🏻💚 #playdough #communicationandlanguage #alliteration #tufftrayideas #sensoryplay #endlesspossibities #earlyyearslearning #playingandlearning #eytagteam #earlyyearseveryday #barnetearlyyearsalliance #maintainednurseryschool

Always being creative in play!!! The children were developing their creativity skills and their ability to use different media and materials when painting. The Children used the graters again to grate the different coloured chalk. They remembered how to use this tool safely and carefully. Once they grated their colour they added water and a brush to mix up their chalk paint. Some children explored with colour mixing choosing different coloured chalks. The children painted and made marks on a large sheet of paper. They were so excited that they had made their own paint. #expressiveartsanddesign #creative #creativedevelopment #mediaandmaterials #realtools #handeyecoordination #chalk #chalkpaint #havingtheirownideas #eytagteam

We have now displayed our art work which was inspired by the work of the famous artist Jackson Pollock. We think the children have created a wonderful piece of art for all to see and enjoy. We learnt that Jackson Pollock had his individual technique to his paintings. This involved a drip technique, splashing or pouring. Our aim when introducing the children to famous artists is to inspire our children to become artists themselves by showing creativity in their paintings. We provide the children with a large art area where they are free to paint using different resources and media. We stood back and observed a child having her own idea and technique when doing her own drip/splatter painting. This was truly a fabulous piece of art and together we framed it and displayed it in our art area for all to see. A very happy artist proud of her painting. We definitely think we have some future famous artists in the making. #everychildisanartist #painting #artist #art #jacksonpollock #painting #creativity #research #knowledgeandunderstandingoftheworld #art #artspaces #enhancingenvironment #eytagteam

This weeks Friday challenge. Remember to post on learning journals!!! #memory #challenge #language #homelearning

We made our own soap flakes using Cheese graters and bars of soap….. 🫧 A lovely sensory activity which gave us opportunities to practice our fine motor skills, hand eye coordination, shoulder and arm muscles as well as learning lots of new words as we explored the texture and smells…. 🫧 “It’s sticky” 🫧“So slimy” 🫧“Slippery soap” 🫧”I made a bubble” 🫧”It smells so beautiful “ We added water and have been whisking, scooping, clapping, rubbing,mark making and having lots of bubbly fun…… #bubblefun #bubbles #soapyfun #soapflakes #eyfssensoryplay #earlyyearsexploration #eyfs #earlyyearslearning #earlyyearseveryday #eytagteam #barnetearlyyearsalliance #maintainednurseryschools

We used the opportunity to talk about the colourful festival of Holi….. The children collected the snow from around the garden and used spray bottles of colour. They also used brushes to drip and splash the paint. The children then had their own idea to create a rainbow snowman #holi #snowday #earlyyearslearning #outdoorplay #finemotorskills #eyfspainting #earlyearsoutdoors #exploringcolour #eytagteam #earlyyearseveryday #maintainednurseryschools #barnetearlyyearsalliance

What do you see here?….. A bunch of dead daffodils? Or an opportunity for an exciting learning experience? The daffodils were brought in today by a parent after seeing yesterdays potion making using petals …..Thankyou 😀 We placed them in the mud kitchen with scissors, bowl and some coloured water and they made a delicious daffodil soup ,serving it out once it was ready. So much learning from 1 very simple set up…….. 🌼turn taking 🌼fine motor skills, 🌼gross motor skills 🌼concentration 🌼turn taking 🌼cooperation 🌼life cycles 🌼mathematical language 🌼communication and language skills So next time you’re about to throw away a bunch of flowers maybe have a try at making your own recipe ….. #exploringandlearning #daffodils #mudkitchenplay #mudkitchen #earlyyearsoutdoors #earlyyearseveryday #outdoorlearning #recycleplayandlearning #eytagteam #messyplay #understandingtheworld #cosytuffspot #tuffspottuesday #barnetearlyyearsalliance #maintainednurseryschools

A sensory tray with flower petals and water. The children really enjoyed exploring this tray, with lots of pouring and mixing. The children made perfume, soup and magical potions. They also used their senses to smell the flowers and also explore through touch with their hands. Please Remember us when you are about to throw away your old flowers we will use them for many things. In our creative area, mud kitchen and in our water tray. #flowers #reuse #potions #perfume #sensorytray #waterplayideas #senses #sensoryplay #sensorytray