All Settled-in.

Team work was needed to create this castle.

 After 5 weeks the nursery class have managed to blend together into one big class of 26, they had been in 2 separate groups for 3 weeks but for the last 2 weeks have enjoyed getting to know each other and enjoy being in a much bigger group than any of them have ever been used to before.

There are lots of firsts in the initial few weeks at nursery: saying goodbye to their parents, taking turns with toys, waiting for turns for an adults attention, putting on rain gear, taking off & putting on their own shoes etc., listening to a story in a big group, having lunch and dinner in nursery, going up to Bear Woods and making lots of new friends. It is no wonder that lots of parents report that they child is exhausted after a full day at nursery.

It is always interesting to watch how the 2 groups play differently and then whether this distinctive play stays the same when they join into the bigger class. For the first time in many years we have more girls than boys and whilst I don't like to stereo-type, they play can be very different. So far this class explores different parts of the playground as smaller groups e.g. it took 3-4 children going into the forest area for more to get their boots on & enjoy playing in the willow dens.

Amazingly this morning was our first wet outdoor play time - which is pretty good for 5 weeks. It is always better to get a few weeks of good dry weather under our belts before a wet day, as the children are better to have enjoyed wearing the rain gear to play in the mud kitchen by choice rather than having to wear it because it is so wet. On very wet days we always bring out the powder paints and allow the children to use the rain to make paint and decorate the playground. It was lovely to watch a small group enjoying just sitting in the rain today, painting some of the tree stumps whilst others played in the mud kitchen, making soup and hot chocolate.

Powder paint & rain - the perfect combination.

Each month we try to reinforce a different colour through a painting activity and the play dough. So today the children had fun making different coloured orange prints with some bottles. 

An orange wall display for October.

It will be interesting to see what the next 5 weeks brings for us all.