Please use our year group email address eyfs@cherrytree-pri.essex.sch.uk to stay in touch with me. I will be monitoring this address and I am now able to respond to parent emails. Show me what you have been up to and I will try to assist you as much as I can with ideas or advice.

Please do not feel pressured to do it all - they are just ideas. I try to suggest ideas that are free and practical, where possible. At this age we do not expect children to be doing worksheet activities just lots of practical, fun, reading, counting and talking/questioning.

Please see home learning ideas below. These will be added to regularly, so please check back at least once a week.

Home Learning update 11: 22.06.2020

Lockdown planning week 4 – 22.06.2020

Story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9mryuEKkKc

Phonics: https://www.phonicsplay.co.uk/resources/phase/1/super-smoothie

Maths: repeating patterns http://resources.hwb.wales.gov.uk/VTC/simple_patterns/eng/Introduction/MainSession.htm

Maths: Shape rocket game with pointer https://pbskids.org/sesame/games/elmos-world-games/

Maths: underwater counting https://www.topmarks.co.uk/learning-to-count/underwater-counting

Maths: Matching numbers https://www.topmarks.co.uk/learning-to-count/gingerbread-man-game

Maths: size https://www.topmarks.co.uk/early-years/lets-compare

Andy’s wild work outs: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/p06tmmvz/andys-wild-workouts

Cosmic Yoga: https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=cosmic+yoga&qpvt=cosmic+yoga&FORM=VDRE

Dancing: https://www.youtube.com/user/TheLearningStation

Nursery rhymes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9AxMQibZGA

National School Sports Week and there will be various activities posted there throughout the week.

https://www.activeessex.org/news/national-school-sport-week-at-home-2020/

Home Learning 10 - Pirate week!

Read the story about Jake's first day at school. Ask your child questions such as what was the setting? Who were the characters? Was there a problem? How did they solve it? How else could it end?

• Make a pirate hat - cut round the picture of a scull and cross bones
• Make a treasure chest from an egg carton.
• Find 'treasure' - this could be your favourite toys. Play hide and seek with the treasure.
• Watch and make up actions to 'Portside Pirates' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qAngsMJD3I

Safety at learning at home

Keep your child safe at home when using apps and games by checking out  the Two John's website regularly https://esafetytraining.org/parentcarers-area or join their facebook page for regular updates. The two John's visit the school annually to update parents and staff of the current apps and their possible dangers. They are both ex-police officers and have worked in our local area.  Unfortunately, there are aspects of many apps that are not safe but they have outlined precautions to take to ensure your child's safety. I have posted direct links to some popular devices, games and apps below.

Nintendo Switch: https://parentzone.org.uk/parents-guide-nintendo-switch

Roblox: https://www.saferinternet.org.uk/blog/roblox-guide-parents

Minecraft: https://www.net-aware.org.uk/networks/minecraft/

PS4: https://www.saferinternet.org.uk/blog/staying-safe-ps4-advice-parents-and-carers

Home learning update 9 - 20.05.2020

I hope you are all keeping safe in the sun, I thought I would upload some stories for you to read to your children at home in case you need some variety. There are lots on youtube, some phonics based ones on the Oxford Owl website I mentioned before, it is free but requires you to create an account. 

Please keep an eye on your emails for any new information from the school.

Have a lovely May holiday!

Miss Farmer

Home learning update 8 - 11.05.2020

Below are some links to activities that can be completed outside or adapted to do inside. Many are from the Essex Wildlife Trust with parents and children in mind.

Using our senses: https://www.facebook.com/228720060631237/posts/1583333888503174/

Making ice decorations: https://www.facebook.com/116616908370788/posts/3229100507122397/

Making a bubble wand: https://www.facebook.com/228720060631237/posts/1573333759503187/

Making a wand: https://www.facebook.com/116616908370788/posts/3233525100013271/

Playing in the rain! https://www.facebook.com/228720060631237/posts/1596366140533282/

All about butterflies: https://www.facebook.com/228720060631237/posts/1597288520441044/

If you try any let me know and even email some pictures if you can. The email is at the top of the page for convenience and on every homework diary.

Hope you all had a lovely bank holiday weekend.  I have had some lovely VE day celebration emails.

Stay safe

Miss Farmer 

Home learning Update 6 - 1.05.2020 

Ceebeebies have released a great video explaining coronavirus to children, a parent brought this to my attention and I think its a great video to share with them. Check it out here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p08bmd70/get-well-soon-coronavirus

Don't forget to scroll down for other activities including a story I uploaded that explains coronavirus in a child friendly way  with Piperpotamus. 

Please find more lovely activities aimed at 3-4 year olds that you could do at home, on this link:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/tiny-happy-people/3-to-4-year-old-child-development-activities

It was lovely to talk to most of you this week, I hope you have accessed the website and found some useful ideas. I have received so many lovely photos from you all since speaking, I cannot wait for more. If you see any tips, advice, resources or ideas please email them over to me on the email at the top of the page (same one as on our homework diaries) and I will upload them to share with everyone.

Home learning update 5 -. 20.4.20

Home learning information from, Clare Kershaw,  the Director of Education for Essex:

For parents with children under 5 years old, who have not yet started school, the Department for Education (DfE)’s Hungry Little Minds campaign features tips and practical activities that you can do at home with children to support their early learning. There are many simple ways to help your children learn and it does not have to feel like ‘learning’. Having everyday conversations, make-believe play, and reading together, all make a big difference to your child’s development. You can find more ideas and content from the BBC’s Tiny Happy People campaign and the National Literacy Trust Family Zone.

Well I just dipped into the Hungry Minds campaign page and there are so fantastic ideas but I really like the long list of apps see them on this link: https://hungrylittleminds.campaign.gov.uk/#3 
We encourage lots of other activities for home learning because we know children do get a lot of screen time, but least these apps are appropriate, educational and fun! Let me know if you use any and how your children get along with them. We would love some parent recommendations.
Don't forget to scroll down to update 1 for all the websites we recommend for different areas of learning that the children usually use in the classroom.

Many thanks,

Miss Farmer

Summer Term - Welcome back!

Hello to all our bumble and honey bees!

All the nursery staff  hope you have all had a lovely Easter break and welcome to the Summer term! I will be uploading more ideas throughout the week. Thank you to the parents that have sent in pictures of home learning. We miss seeing all of you, so please continue to send us lots of pictures via the email address at the top of the page. Also please send us an email if you have any questions, Miss Farmer will be delighted to hear from you. We hope you have all  received your places in your desired school for September, any queries please email.

Many thanks,

Miss Farmer and the Nursery team.

Home Learning update 4  - 9.4.2020

I hope this update finds you all safe and well. As mentioned above these are ideas you can choose to carry out at home, which I try to keep as free as possible. The main things your children need regularly is to be read to them, talk about everything and encourage them to ask questions, plus lots of play (if you are busy try to allow time to play with them, for short periods of time, and get involved).  Children going up to school in September focus on:

• Pencil grip
• Draw and describe what their have drawn i.e. "Mummy"
• Begin to copy letters from their name
• Count up to 10 and begin to count beyond 10
• Compare small groups of toys by saying which groups are more or less than another group, or the same amount
• Look for shapes (square, circles, rectangles and triangles) in the environment i.e. clocks, plates - circles, tv, books, tablet - rectangles

Below are some fun ideas to encourage the children to have a range of experiences to talk about and to help support the muscles in their hands, which will help their pencil grip.

Home learning Update 3 - 30.3.2020
A free online book to explain Coronavirus and social distancing/self-isolating in a child friendly way.

Piperpotamus learns about Coronavirus by Annis Watts.

https://www.exeter.ac.uk/media/universityofexeter/medicalschool/documents/Piperpotamus_learns_about_Coronavirus.pdf

Getting ready for school

On a sunny day, support your child to develop their pencil grip whilst having fun drawing round the shadows created by their chosen toys.

Home learning update 2:

More PE ideas: Andy's Wild Workouts. These videos are thought to be more age-appropriate for Nursery children. Please check them out at https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/p06tmmvz/andys-wild-workouts

Home Learning ideas:  

• Read your favourite books.
• Make up your own story and act it out to a sibling or parent.
• Play a board game or 'Pairs' with a family member.
• Look out of the window and describe the weather. Create a picture of what you can see.
• Look for changes in the plants and trees outside the window and describe the changes.
• Put ice in pots and time how long it takes to melt in different rooms in your home. Which are the warmest and coldest rooms?
• Count some of your toys. How many do you have?
• Share your toys with a sibling or family member. Who has more toys and who has less? Or do you have the same amount?
• Practise using scissors by cutting around shapes drawn on paper.
• Can you find different shapes around the home? (Focus on square, triangle, circle and rectangle)
• Make instruments from empty plastic pots, elastic bands and dried rice. What else could you use?
• Can you separate a group of 3 or 4 objects in different ways and recognise that the total has not changed?
• Build dens – use chairs and sheets to build a den. What else could you use? What could you do in the den? i.e. read, eat lunch, play games such as 'Whispers'.
• Have you got any creative resources you could get out? Perhaps make Easter cards, or just look on Pinterest for endless craft ideas.
• If you can, go for a walk or even to the woods such as Langdon Hills Nature Reserve.
• Lift up pots in the garden, if you have one. Can you find any insects hiding beneath the pots? What are they? Can you reseach them online?

Online activities

Reading:

Audible is Amazon's website/app for audio books.They are offering this free for children’s books whilst schools are mostly closed. https://stories.audible.com/start-listen?utm_campaign=audible+stories+free+children%27s+audiobooks&utm_medium=&utm_source=linktree

Oxford Owl is an amazing site. You need to sign up to access the website but it is completely free to do, and gives access to a lot of the books on the site.  https://www.oxfordowl.co.uk/

Phonics:

Phonics Play also has some free games on it, please select 'Phase 1' for Nursery children. Encourage your child to describe the sounds they can hear on ‘Sound Starters’ and identify or describe the animal sounds on ‘Welcome to the Zoo’. www.phonicsplay.co.uk

They have released login details for full access. Username: march20 Password: home.

Maths:

There are a range of maths games on this website: https://www.topmarks.co.uk

Some of the games the children have already played on the board in class, such as counting the gingerbread man’s buttons and finding the matching number. Please select 'EYFS' when entering and bare in mind some of the games are appropriate for nursery and some will be harder and more aimed at Reception children.

PE/Physical activity:

Joe Wicks the body coach is offering PE on YouTube Monday to Friday live at 9am #PEwithJOE.

YouTube:

Dancing videos – search for learning station.

Hand muscles exercises – search for 'Dough Gym' (see below for playdough recipe if needed).

Yoga for young children – search 'Cosmic Yoga'.

Playdough recipe

You will need:

1 cup of salt

2 cups of plain of flour

2 tablespoons of cream of tartar

2 tablespoons of cooking oil

2 cups of boiling water

Food colouring

Large bowl

(Any cup can be used but it has to be the same one throughout the recipe).

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.

If you keep the dough in a plastic bag or an airtight container, it will last about six weeks.