This week in Saplings Class, we have been exploring the story Oi Frog! and taking part in a range of activities that supported the children’s learning and development across different areas.
The children enjoyed a hopping frogs activity where they used their fine motor skills to carefully place frogs onto lily pads. This activity also supported their early maths development, as they counted and matched the correct number of frogs to the corresponding numbered lily pad, strengthening their number recognition and one-to-one correspondence.
As we read the story together, we explored rhyming words, helping the children develop their phonological awareness. The children took part in a cutting and matching activity where they practised their scissor control and hand-eye coordination by cutting out pictures and matching each animal to the item it sat on in the story. This encouraged them to listen carefully to the rhymes and make connections between the words.
The children also enjoyed playing a game of “Would You Rather?”, where they discussed the different objects the animals sat on. This supported their communication and language skills, encouraging them to express their ideas and listen to the thoughts of others. They then used their creativity and mark-making skills to draw their own animals and decide what their animals might sit on.
With the sunshine this week, Saplings have loved spending time outdoors. The water tray was particularly popular, where the children developed their fine motor control and hand strength by using pipettes and jugs to scoop and suck up glittery water. We also extended our nursery rhyme learning by using guttering to slide the ducks away during Five Little Ducks, supporting problem solving, exploration, and understanding of movement.
We continued exploring Oi Frog! outside too, with the children jumping across numbered lily pads, developing their gross motor skills, balance, and coordination while practising their counting. In the sensory kitchen, the children explored a variety of smells and textures, encouraging sensory exploration, curiosity, and descriptive language.
It has been a wonderful week full of storytelling, creativity, and active learning. 🌿🐸 #earlybirds