Kenn Art Show

"In the Hen House" Art Display 2014

We were delighted to be asked once again to participate in The Kenn Art Show.

The Kenn Art Show is a bi-annual event.  This time around we decided to to a display entitled "In the Hen House"

The children enjoyed producing artwork for our display, practising different art techniques and skills along the way.

• They drew life drawings
• They made dotty hens
• They marbled eggs
• They painted blob chicks
• They made fluffy chicks, cutting fringes



Kenn Art Show

• They drew patterns...and more!

The children enjoyed a pre-show tour where they looked in wonder at all the different paintings and ceramics displayed.

I wonder when we will have time to have our own "Art Show"....Mmmm! There's a thought!

Our Chicks

Holding a 3 day old chick

Over the past month we've watched our chicks hatch and then grow VERY QUICKLY!

We've all enjoyed looking after the chicks, watching them develop.  

We've had some laughs, especially when the chicks started to fly and learnt to escape their box in the setting. 

The children giggled when our three girls went walk about around the playground, after they were put outside for some fresh air.

Week 2:  Our chicks were getting braver
 - so were the children

Imagine the children's surprise, the first time that the chick they held flew out of their hands and landed on a shoulder or head!

The chicks often perched on their box lip and watched us.  Sometimes, they hopped onto an offered shoulder...much to the children's delight.

The children soon learnt to handle the chicks carefully.  They were really gentle...but, they had to catch them first!

The last three chicks have now gone home to live with Dawn



This half term has FLOWN -BY!

Bathing Babies - March 2014

Every term we invite a range of different people to the setting.

These visits spark interests that we use to plan exciting learning and play opportunities.  

Today J's Mum bought in his baby sister to visit us.  The children became really quiet and absorbed in watching the baby being bathed, listening to J's Mum explain the different processes.   Baby J enjoyed being bathed...she made LOTS of splashes.

The children were amazed that their feet and hands were bigger than the babies.

We had a long conversation about size.

 "Sometimes you can be bigger...especially when the other person is smaller.  But, sometimes you can be small too...especially when compared to someone bigger than you...like Dawn!"

Role Play: Caring for our babies

After watching a real baby being bathed, we washed our babies - dolls (lots of times) and then had fun getting them redressed into new clothes.  "Will it fit?"

We discussed our family members "Do you have brothers and sisters?"  Are they older or younger?" etc.

Many thanks to Jack's mum for spending a half hour in our setting bathing her new baby.

Can you help?

If YOU have an interest, hobby or job, that you would like to share with our children, please speak to our managers....we would be delighted to incorporate your idea into our plans.  You would be amazed at some of the learning that the children have accessed after a short visit.

World Book Day - March 2014

The Gruffalo Story

This year, we were delighted to welcome girls from Coombeshead Academy to The Kennford Playbox

The Year 11's (studying Childcare Studies) dressed up in their favourite costumes (I liked The Cat in the Hat best) and took turns to read LOTS of stories; play games; do arts and crafts; join in with musical activities etc

Everyone enjoyed their visit.  Our children enjoyed lots of different stories and having new people to show around and play with.  The Coombeshead Girls gained hands-on experience of being in an early years setting which may inform their choices for college in the near future.

Even better, our first chick hatched during their visit.  Exciting Times!

I hope that we can do a similar partnership next year!

Planting Primroses in March

One sunny afternoon, the children helped to plant the primroses in the front planters.

The children helped to fill the planters with new compost; they then chose a primrose plant and planted it using hand trowels.

When all the primroses had been planted, we watered them....using water that we collected from the roof of the setting that collects in the water butts.  The cans were very heavy.  We learnt that if we filled the cans to the top, we needed two people to carry them...part filling them meant that we could carry the water independently.

We counted them 15.  The children noticed that all the primroses were different colours.  

Can you name all the colours of our primroses?

Easter Egg Hunt Postponed

As a result of the particularly unpleasant weather expected tomorrow AND more children catching chicken pox, we have decided to postpone the Easter Egg Hunt until next term: Sunday, 27th April 2014.

EASTER EGG TRAIL

The Easter Bunny needs your help!Follow his trail and win a prize

Followed by a BBQ & Cakes

Join us at
STOVER COUNTRY PARK,

NEW DATESunday 27th April 2014

Trail Sheet £2.00 EACH

Fundraising:  Toward the Preschool Playground Developments

I hope to see you all there on the 27th - Michele