January News 2020 It has been a busy start to the year and we have enjoyed welcoming back all our families to the nursery, with the addition of some new little people for us to look after and have lots of fun with! Blue Monkeys have been excitedly exploring using all their senses. This has been encouraged through amazing resources creating a sensory room experience, the children were provided with a variety of fabrics and textures for them to touch and feel, whilst a range of colours were displayed around the room using the disco ball and light-up toys, accompanied by relaxing music. This was then extended through the use of our new resource a mirrored-den, where materials and fabrics were used to make it cosy and fun. The varied weather we have experienced throughout January prompted lots of discussions for our inquisitive toddlers in Pink Monkeys, with a particular interest of what to wear when it is cold. In turn the children have been exploring and learning how to dress themselves using their own coats, gloves and hats. Also, this month our passion for books was strengthened through a variety of new books being added to our collection, the children enjoyed taking the time to look through the books, read stories with their carers and create their own stories through picture exploration. Red Monkeys throughout January have been getting to grips with a new room routine, within this the children enjoy taking part in circle times throughout the day. The circle times encourage the children’s listening and concentration skills along with language, personal, social & emotional development. During these times such activities have been explored; tracing/writing their names for self-registration, discussing the weather & the date with visual supports and games such as; Farmer in the Den, Sleeping Beauty and Duck-Duck Goose. January was rounded off with our Chinese New Year Celebrations where staff and children enjoyed listening to authentic music, tasting Chinese foods, creating Chinese lanterns, exploring chop sticks and the giving of fortune cookies. We also celebrated Australia Day where both staff and children came in wearing red, white and blue, the colours of the Australian flag. We enjoyed a Barbeque feast for lunch & lots of activities including creating our own flags, Aboriginal painting with cotton buds & exploring stories about Possums and Kangaroos, painting Koalas and animal footprints.
