Keeping you up-to-date with engaging and inspiring activities that will develop young children and encourage them to learn both at home and in the classroom
This month we are getting wild about learning and taking to the great outdoors to spend time surrounded by nature. The outdoors offers rich learning experiences and inspires creativity and imagination! Nursery educator, Margaret McMilan, once said ‘The best classroom and the richest cupboard is roofed only by the sky’ and we agree!
If you are looking for something to do outdoors that will also inspire a love of the natural world, why not embark upon a nature trail? You can find an official one near you or transform a usual route by paying special attention to natural features such as plants, wildlife and habitats.
The national curriculum for key stages 1 and 2 highlights nature within the purpose of study for science and states:
The summer holidays are approaching, and we have suggested 20 activities to keep your children inspired and learning over the six week break. From bird watching and puppet shows to sensory trays and star gazing, there’s an activity for children of all ages and interests to go and explore the outdoors!
Butterflies have large colourful wings and are symmetrical. This means they can be painted by folding paper! To start, fold a piece of paper in half, on one side draw the wings of the butterfly and then fold the paper over and press down. Keep adding detail and folding until you are happy with your design. Once dry, draw on the body and antenna with a pen, you can also add some googly eyes to bring your painting to life. Click here to download the activity sheet from the Wildlife Watch.
National Children’s Day UK (NCDUK) is all about the importance of a healthy childhood and how we need to protect the rights and freedoms of children in order to ensure that they can grow into happy, healthy adults. Children’s Day was originally established in 1954 by the UN General Assembly, and was intended as a day of worldwide fraternity and understanding between children. NCDUK was launched by the Save Childhood Movement in 2013, and since then they have run yearly campaigns each with a different theme.
NCDUK’s 2015 campaign focused on the ‘Science and Magic of Play’, highlighting the benefits of play and outlining some factors that have reduced children’s ability to play such as hurried lifestyles, a more risk-averse society and an increased focus on academic attainment. This year’s theme is particularly highlighting just how important the wellbeing of adults is to this process.