Dear families newsletter April 2024
We would like to thank Amy and Ryan for their kindness in supplying us with the decking to replace the ramp in the garden. Also, to Kerry and Phil to fixing it. We can’t express how grateful we are and for helping us provide a safer place for the children to play.
We have 2 weeks left for this term and have moved on with our keeping healthy theme. Last week was all about the Drs, pharmacy and hospitals and their role in keeping us healthy. Next week will be about oral hygiene, then we will finish the term by covering opticians, sun safety, and general hygiene such as washing hands. We are also promoting that healthy eating, water and exercise make us happy- as mental and emotional health is a big part of life. Although they are subjects to explore as a theme, we always endeavour to embed this learning as part of good practice and giving children the knowledge they need in to be school ready.
Things to do at home to help your children-
role play a visit to the opticians or take them with you if you go, and explain what/why is happening.
Look at buying sun cream with them and discuss the importance.
Count teeth for maths and name them to introduce new words.
Talk about how they feel after staying in doors on a rainy day or going to the park and running around- such a good start to understanding the importance on our moods after exercise.
Reminders;
Please bring spare shoes if your child is in wellies as it’s a not a safe, stable footwear for nursery.
Please encourage your child to wash hands on entering the setting. We have a bathroom and 2 handwash units they can use.
Last day of term is Thursday 28th March. Return for term 5 on Monday 15th April.
Finally;
We will hold our annual egg hunt on the last week of term, depending on weather and which days children attend. We would be grateful for £1 donation if you wish.
The hunt consists of 3 children at a time following bunny footprints around the garden. Each child has an egg box with numbers 1-5 and a gold circle in the 6th. Eggs are hidden intermittently around with numbers so they can fill their boxes. They then have to find the Eater bunny who has golden tickets to hand in for a special egg. Lots of fun
Thank you
All at St Andrews
Term 4 Newsletter march 2024
Reminder of World Book Day on Thursday 7th March. We would be grateful for a £1 donation on the day to go towards an easter activity for the children.
We have moved on to exercise as part of our theme. The aim is to teach children the importance of exercise for a healthy body and mind. We also encourage water to keep hydrated. We will be implementing obstacle courses, race days, yoga, dance activities, role play such as a mini gym etc and generally threading the intention through all areas of learning. So many of these things can be done t home.
The 7 areas of earning can also be included, such as maths- count sit ups, how many, more or less etc
Literacy- look at exercise lists and instructions for children to follow. Yoga is a good one for this. There are lots of print outs such as super hero yoga, or just follow it on you tube.
Exercise encourages confidence and independence- PSED.
Physical benefits are balance skills and confidence which will support early writing skills and attention.
Knowledge and understanding of the world- look at Olympic sports from around the world and how countries come together.
Communication- use new words such as naming muscles, lungs, read books and talk about what is seen. How does exercise make children feel.
We hope you are feeling nice and energetic for this, now spring is here.
TERM 4 NEWSLETTER FEB 24
We hope you had a restful and healthy break! We are looking forward to the next 6-week term as we head towards spring and Easter break. We have lots of plans to get the garden spring ready so the children can get the most of the outdoor space. We are looking for someone who may be able to repair our decking, so please let us know if that is something you can assist with, but especially have a look in your sheds for any spare decking boards or short lengths of wood such as 4x4 etc. even one small piece each would go some way towards being able to fix the ramp.
Continuing with All About Me theme, we are moving on to Health and Hygiene. This will be broken down into weekly subjects, such as healthy eating, hydration, exercise, hand washing, teeth hygiene, drs/opticians etc. there will be more information to follow on how to help your child at home and reinforce their learning.
Reminders;
No smoking or vaping in the car park
No mobile phones at all in the setting, please finish your conversations before you enter nursery.
Last day of term - Thursday 28th March
First day of term 5 – Monday 15th April
You may be aware of the free 2 yr. old funding from April for working parents. You can sign up to Childcare Choices to se if you qualify. You will be issued with a code which you must give to us before April. Paying parents can access the tax-free childcare. Please ask if you need any help. Thank you.
Healthy Eating
Following on from our newsletter, here are some ideas to help support and reinforce the children’s learning around this topic.
You could learn a new food Makaton sign every day. They are easy to find on YouTube etc and the children really engage with it.
Challenge yourselves and your child to a rainbow food day – something blue, yellow, red, green, orange etc and no brown.
Play a describing fruit or veg game to see if children can guess it.
Put fruits or veg in a feely bag and see if children can guess without looking.
Make healthy fruit bugs etc
At snack time we reinforce the different food groups, which you could talk about as you get your meals ready. Many of the children already have this learning embedded. For example.;
Anything dairy ‘gives you strong teeth and bones’ and we flex our muscles while we say it.
Fruit and veg ‘keep us healthy, one of your 5 a day’ and we hold up a hand to show 5.
Carbohydrates such as bread and pasta ‘give us energy’ and we pump our arms as if running.
Proteins such as eggs, meat and beans ‘help us grow’ and we stretch our arms up tall.
Cakes and sweets etc, we say ‘just a few’ and wag a finger.
Thank you for supporting your child's learning, and please share any ideas you might have.