This week, our learning is going to be themed around the well known traditional tale, ‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears’. If you have a copy at home, read it together before starting the activities. If you don’t have a copy of the story, you can listen to it using this link.
Reading
- Have you heard this story before? Can you remember what happens?
- What do the Bears say each time they find something else that Goldilocks has touched? “Someone’s been eating/sitting/sleeping…” Try to encourage your child to join in with the repeated phrases as you read the story.
- Once you’ve heard the story a few times, have a go at re-telling the story. This is an important part of the Early Years reading curriculum and we often use pictures and props to help us re-tell stories. Do you have 3 teddy bears that you could use to retell the story at home? You could find 3 different sized bowls and spoons too. If you’d like to make some story props instead, and you have a printer, you can download some printable ones here.
- If you have the CBeebies Story Time App, you can download the story to read, too. Details on how to download the App are available on the link.
Phonics
A couple of weeks ago, we asked you to make some sound effects linked to ‘Zog’ using your voice. In Nursery, we use voice sound cards during group time to make different noises. Have a go at home and see if you can think of some more sounds. What would Little Bear say when he sees his chair has broken? What does Goldilocks say when she tastes Little Bears porridge?
If you’d like to continue learning about ‘Voice sounds’, here’s a video link to a voice sounds game with a cheeky character, Felix! At the end of the video, there’s a funny face paper plate craft activity too. You could play the same game at home and make or print some picture cards.
- If you’d like to continue learning about ‘Voice sounds’, here’s a video link to a voice sounds game with a cheeky character called Felix! At the end of the video, there’s a funny face paper plate craft activity too. You could play the same game at home and make your own picture cards (or print some).
Mark-Making
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- Can you draw a picture of Goldilocks? Make sure you give her lots of long, golden curls. If you like to paint, you could paint a picture of your favourite teddy bear.
- How many bears are in the story? Try to draw a big bear for Daddy Bear and a smaller bear for Baby Bear. What size would Mummy Bear be?
- Where do the Three Bears live? Draw a picture of their house. What shape are the windows and door?
Mathematics
- Ask your child to help you find 3 different sized bowls and spoons. Which is the biggest? Smallest? Arrange them in size order.
- Watch this week’s Key Worker video. Create your own repeating colour pattern using Duplo or Lego bricks. Keep it simple, just pick two colours.
Extension ideas
– You might have a threading set at home or some coloured beads. Can you make a repeating colour pattern using the buttons or beads?
– Create a repeating pattern using pictures or objects instead of colours. Remember to keep it simple, choosing just 2 different items. E.g. Apple, carrot, apple, carrot, apple…
Creative
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- This activity is always a big hit in Nursery, but it is messy! Use your different sized bowls and spoons and put them inside an empty plastic storage box/tray to catch some of the mess. Add some porridge oats (or some rice crispies/rice/pasta) to the bowls for your child mix, scoop and pour the oats. Children love to scoop and pour in our sensory area – it’s easily swept or vacuumed up at the end of the day. We usually use dry ingredients, but you can add water if you want to add to the sensory play experience (and mess)!
- Make your own porridge together and taste it. What does it taste like? Do you add anything to your porridge? Does it make it sweeter?
- Need some quiet time? Grab a drink and some fruit and snuggle on the sofa to watch this CBeebies ballet version of Goldilocks and the Three Bears.
- In the story, Goldilocks thinks that one bed is too soft and one is too hard. What does this mean? Can you find any objects in your house that are soft and hard? What other words could you use to describe the texture of items? Rough, bumpy, smooth, furry etc.
- Here’s another of the songs that we enjoy listening to before lunch at Nursery.
Physical Development
Fiddly Fingers
This is linked to our ‘Independence’ activity this week. What can you find that uses a zip? For example: Zip-lock bags, purses/wallets, bags, pencil cases, wash bags, jackets and clothing. Allow your child time to investigate ‘zips’ and how they work. If you have an old bag or purse/wallet, let your child use it in their role play at home – they love to fill them with items and incorporate them into their play. Becoming familiar with how zips work, and learning how to use them in a range of contexts, will help them progress onto eventually fastening their own coats.
Movement
Get a few pairs of socks and roll them into a balls. Cut out some different sized spots (big/small) using paper and spread them out on the floor. Ask children to aim at the spots. Did it land on the big or small spot? How many are on the big spot? If the bowls you chose for the maths activity aren’t breakable, you could aim into Daddy Bear’s bowl instead!
Independence skills
Next time you go out for a walk, make sure you allow some extra time for your child to put their own coat on. If they can already do this, encourage them to do their own zip up. This is a really important skill and one which we would be teaching daily at Nursery. If you’d like a few ideas on how to help, there are some hints and tips available on the links below – check which are appropriate for your child.
- Putting coats on – Scroll to the bottom of the web page for 2 video clips. In Nursery, we usually start by putting our hoods on first and then finding the arm holes. We don’t always have much space for ‘through the rabbit holes’ and flipping coats over our heads, although children love to do it this way!
- Zips fact sheet – Here’s a fact sheet with a few ideas or you could watch this video clip that shows small steps in teaching children how to use zips. In the video, the lady refers to the zip as ‘food’ and a ‘mouth’. In Nursery, we often call the zip the ‘train’ and put it into the ‘station’ so it can run up the track.
Key Worker activity and videos
In our Key Worker activity this week, Mrs Beesley has some bears that she needs your help to sort. We’ve done a similar activity in group time before so see if you can remember what to do. When you’ve watched the videos, have a go at sorting some of your own toys, such as Duplo bricks or cars. Maybe you’ll have a tin of Quality Street left over from Christmas that you haven’t eaten yet and you could sort the sweets! (You don’t? We’re surprised!)
Key Worker activity – Bear sorting
Key Worker Song – When Goldilocks went to the house of the Bears
Friday Story Time
Miss Morris is going to read this week’s story, which is also about a bear. In this story, the little bear is trying to learn the names of different colours. It’s called ‘Wobble Bear says Yellow’ and is written by Ian Whybrow.
Zoom sessions (for children learning at home)
This week, in our Zoom Key Worker sessions, we’re going to sing some of our favourite Nursery rhymes. Join in at home and sing a-long to the rhymes with Mrs Gosper; she loves music and rhymes!