Stepping Stones Private Day Nusery News

June 2008 - Schedule

Stepping Stones Private Day Nusery - jayhands@gmail.com — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 21:48:25 GMT

This month's theme is all about 'Construction'. We will be examining different buildings and how they are built and compare them to our own construction sets. The children will develop their negotiation skills by working together and learn new mathematical language and concepts. To support learning we will be singing 'London Bridge is Falling Down' which will include references to out theme, 'Bob the Builder' and 'Peter Hammers'.

Rising 5's will be continuing with their work on phonics by adding the letter Mm to their learning.

The activities that Stepping Stones 'Early Years Unit' will be doing to support the Foundation Stage curriculum are listed below.

Personal, Social and Emotional Development

Developing concentration
Negotiating and taking turns
Promoting a sense of achievement

Communication, Language and Literacy

The 3 LIttle PIgs and Bob the Builder books
Writing in fathers Day cards
Developing vocabulary
Rising 5's letter of the month and phonic books

Mathematical Development

Ordering by length, height and weight
Using mathematical language
Show an awareness of symmetry
Fractions

Physical Development

Making space for others to play
Balancing
Using gross and fine motor skills for building and connecting

Knowledge and Understanding of the World

Building and balancing
Using a spirit level
Fathers Day

Creative Development

Building enclosures for small world role play
'London Bridge is Falling Down' and related songs
Box Modelling using household boxes

How Can you Help Your Childs Learning?

When out and about look at different buildings and talk about how they are made and their purpose
Encourage your child to explore their own construction sets

May 2008 - Schedule

Stepping Stones Private Day Nusery - jayhands@gmail.com — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 08:53:18 GMT

This month's theme is all about 'Me & My Family'. We will be observing how babies grow into children and then how children grow into adults. We will also be tasting the different textures of food that babies, children and adults eat along with naming and caring for dolls in the nursery. The activities that Stepping Stones 'Early Years Unit' will be doing to support the Foundation Stage curriculum are listed below.

Personal, Social and Emotional Development

Taking care of babies and each other
Bringing family photos in from home to talk about
Whole nursery having a naming ceremony for one of our dolls

Communication, Language and Literacy

Fiction and non-fiction books about growing, changing and family relationships
Writing and recognising names
Rhyming
Rising 5's letter of the month and phonic books

Mathematical Development

Children's ages
Sizes
Weighing out ingredients for baking
Jigsaws

Physical Development

Look at how exercise effects our bodies
Outdoor play
Crawling, walking, running and jumping

Knowledge and Understanding of the World

Past, present and future
Special family events

Creative Development

Using senses to taste and smell different foods
Make and use musical instruments and learn how to change sounds
Sing lullabyes and baby's favourite ryhmes

How Can you Help Your Childs Learning?

Look for photographs of you and your extended family for you and your child to bring along to nursery to talk about
Talk about your family history eg What Grandad used to do when he was younger.

April 2008 - Schedule

Stepping Stones Private Day Nusery - jayhands@gmail.com — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 10:28:02 GMT

This month's theme is all about 'Minibeasts'. We will be observing the life cycle of real life butterflies, watching how worms move in the soil and how tadpoles develop into frogs. We will also be learning about how to recycle and why it is important. The activities that Stepping Stones 'Early Years Unit' will be doing to support the Foundation Stage curriculum are listed below.

Personal, Social and Emotional Development

Taking care of living things

Communication, Language and Literacy

Fiction and non-fiction books about minibeasts and recycling
The Whole nursery will be involved in recycling
Group discussions about development of minibeasts
Rising 5's letter of the month and phonic books

Mathematical Development

Counting ladybird spots
Weighing out ingredients for baking
Ladybird dominoes

Physical Development

Using bug stilts to balance
Using small stamper and ink sets
Moving like bugs

Knowledge and Understanding of the World

Watching life cycles of frogs and butterflies
Solving cube pictures of minibeasts
Recycling display and participation

Creative Development

Role play at being bugs (classical music, bees and butterflies)
Creating butterfly patterns
Learning new songs

How Can you Help Your Childs Learning?

Involve your child in recycling your household rubbish
On walks, lok for spiders' webs and other bug related things

March 2008 - Schedule

Stepping Stones Private Day Nusery - jayhands@gmail.com — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 17:42:30 GMT

This month's theme is all about 'Planting and Growing in Spring'. We will be planting beans in jars and watching them grow, planting in the garden and observing the weather in Spring. The activities that Stepping Stones 'Early Years Unit' will be doing to support the Foundation Stage curriculum are listed below.

Personal, Social and Emotional Development

Photograph day (13th March)
Being curious and interested in new things
Observing cultures and beliefs (Easter)

Communication, Language and Literacy

Harvey the Gardener (story)
Jack and the Beanstalk (story)
The Golden Egg (story)
Group discussions about days of the week, month and changing seasons
Rising 5's letter of the month Pp

Mathematical Development

Number line for Jacks beanstalk (1-10)
Weighing out ingredients for baking
making patterns using shapes

Physical Development

Using gardening tools to create patterns in paint
Observing safety when using tools and equipment

Knowledge and Understanding of the World

Celebrating Easter
Observing seasonal change
Looking closely at planting and growing

Creative Development

Role play and re-enacting stories
Creating patterns
Learning new songs

How Can you Help Your Childs Learning?

Encourage your child to complete the letter of the month sheet and return it to nursey for their folder.
Look at numbers in teh environment suxh as speed signs, house numbers and prices

February 2008 - Schedule

Stepping Stones Private Day Nusery - jayhands@gmail.com — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 22:29:36 GMT

This month's theme is all about 'Baking and Celebrations'. We will be making pancakes on Shrove Tuesday, Making something special for Mothers Day and making porridge for Goldilocks and the Three Bears. The activities that Stepping Stones 'Early Years Unit' will be doing to support the Foundation curriculum are listed below.

Personal, Social and Emotional Development

Confidence and self esteem
Showing care and concern for others
Bringing and sharing bears from home (21st Feb)

Communication, Language and Literacy

Chinese Writing
Letter of the month Tt
Group discussions about days of the week, month and season
Goldilocks and the Three Bears story

Mathematical Development

Comparing Small, Medium and Large
Calculating using compare bears
Using numbers as labels for baking

Physical Development

Using tongs and chopsticks to pick up pasta and other malleable materials
Action songs
Tossing pancakse game
Observing safety when using tools and equipment

Knowledge and Understanding of the World

Observing celebrations eg Chinese New Year, Valentines Day and Mothers Day
Melting and setting chocolate
Combining cooking ingredients and noting how they change

Creative Development

Role play Chinese restaurant/ take away
model making
Mixing Colours

How Can you Help Your Childs Learning?

Encourage your child to complete the letter of the month sheet and return it to nursey for their folder.
Try baking activities at home or sample baked products from the shop and talk about the ingredients

January 2008 - Schedule

Stepping Stones Private Day Nusery - jayhands@gmail.com — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 13:26:17 GMT

January's theme is all about Winter here at Stepping Stones. We will be planting bulbs, experimenting with ice and feeding the birds. The activities that Stepping Stones 'Early Years Unit' will be doing to support the Foundation Stage curriculum listed below. We try to encourage parents to participate in the development of their children and an outline of what can be done is listed at the end.

Personal, Social and Emotional Development

Confidence and Self Esteem
Showing Care and Concern for Birds and related Wildlife
Painting Portraits

Communication, Language and Literacy

Talking Activities Through
Letter of the Month Aa
Emergent Writing
Library Books

Mathematical Development

Number Rhymes and Counting Songs
'2 Little Dickie Birds' and Writing the Numbers 1 and 2
Baking

Physical Development

Using Fine Motor Skills for Writing
Action Songs
Cutting and Threading
Observing Safety when Using Tools and Machinery

Knowledge and Understanding of the World

Using ICT Equipment
Freezing and Melting Water
Observational Drawings and Painting the Environment

Creative Development

Role Play Den Making the use of Torches
Singing Seasonal Songs
Creating Collages
Mixing Colours

Ways that parents can help their child's learning:

Read fiction and non-fiction books about the changing seasons
Encourage your child to complete the letter of the month sheet and return it to nursery for their folder
Watch the birds eating the special food we have made at nursery

New website launch!

Stepping Stones Private Day Nusery - jayhands@gmail.com — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 09:57:09 GMT

eCMS is a full educational software designed by e-Education and offers the facility to upload images, keep users informed of important news events and manage events efficently using an interactive calender system.

By upgrading our systems to eCMS we hope to be able to keep staff and parents involved in what is happening at Stepping Stones.

eCMS has been designed by Digital Education Ltd who have their head offices in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. This website is one of the pilot websites trialing the software which has already gained a wide range of interest from the education industry.