Little Learners

It has been wonderful to see everyone settle back into Little Learners so quickly; it feels as though they have always been here! This term, our focus story has been The Gruffalo, a delightful tale about a small but clever mouse who uses quick thinking and creativity to outsmart a series of hungry predators. The children have thoroughly enjoyed listening to the story, watching it come to life and using picture prompts to retell the events in their own words, helping to develop their language, comprehension and sequencing skills.

During our literacy sessions, we have continued to focus on strengthening the fine motor skills that are so important for a successful transition to Kindergarten. Each week, the children practise writing their names on our wipe-and-swipe boards, rolling playdough into long "snakes" to form the letters of their names, and exploring sensory writing by tracing letters in shaving cream. These fun, hands-on activities help build hand strength, pencil control and confidence in early writing.

Our budding artists have also been busy exploring different painting techniques. This week, we experimented with a variety of tools, including paintbrushes, bubble wrap and wooden forks, creating unique textures, patterns and colourful designs. The children loved discovering the different effects each tool could create.

Although much of our learning continues to be play-based, we have also been introducing some important school routines to prepare the children for Kindergarten next year. We have been practising lining up, unpacking and packing away lunchboxes, washing our hands independently and following classroom routines. It has been wonderful to watch the children's confidence, independence and enthusiasm continue to grow each week.