🍂 This Half Term in Nursery

🏡 Our Theme: Me and My World

This half term we will be helping the children settle into nursery life, build new friendships and develop confidence in their new environment.

Our learning will focus on ourselves, our families, our homes, our nursery and the world around us. Through stories, songs, play and exploration, the children will begin to develop a sense of belonging and learn about the people and places that are important to them.

Throughout the half term we will be:

• Learning nursery routines and expectations
• Making new friends and building relationships
• Talking about our families and homes
• Exploring the nursery environment
• Learning about our feelings and emotions
• Noticing signs of Autumn and changes in the weather

These experiences will help children feel happy, secure and confident as they begin their nursery journey.

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📚 Literacy in Nursery

We will enjoy sharing lots of stories, nursery rhymes and songs every day.

The children will learn how to:

• Listen to stories and join in with repeated phrases
• Handle books carefully and independently
• Talk about pictures and characters in books
• Enjoy rhymes, songs and action games
• Explore early mark-making through drawing, painting and writing opportunities

We will also be developing our listening skills through stories, rhymes and exciting sound games.

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🔢 Maths in Nursery

Our maths learning will be practical, playful and hands-on.

This half term we will be exploring:

• Numbers 1, 2 and 3
• Recognising small amounts without counting
• Matching and sorting objects
• Finding and talking about shapes
• Comparing size using words such as big and small
• Using maths during everyday play and routines

The children will enjoy counting objects, sorting collections, shape hunts and number games both indoors and outdoors.

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🌍 Understanding the World

As part of our theme, we will be learning about:

• Ourselves and what makes us special
• Our families and the people who care for us
• Different homes and places we know
• Familiar adults in school and their roles
• The changing weather
• Signs of Autumn in our outdoor environment
• Harvest celebrations

We will enjoy Autumn walks, nature investigations and exploring the world around us through play and discussion.

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💬 Communication and Language

We will support the children to become confident communicators by:

• Joining in with conversations
• Learning new vocabulary
• Listening carefully to adults and friends
• Following simple instructions
• Sharing experiences about home and family
• Taking part in daily circle times

Lots of opportunities for talking, listening and storytelling will be woven throughout our day.

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😊 Personal, Social and Emotional Development

A key focus this half term is helping children feel happy, safe and secure in nursery.

We will be:

• Learning children's names
• Making friendships
• Taking turns and sharing
• Exploring feelings and emotions
• Developing independence
• Learning nursery routines

Stories, songs and group times will help us discuss emotions such as happy, sad, worried, excited and calm.

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✋ Funky Fingers!

To strengthen the muscles needed for writing, we will take part in a range of fun fine motor activities including:

• Dough Disco
• Threading and posting activities
• Tweezers and pom-pom challenges
• Peg boards and construction toys
• Cutting and sticking activities
• Drawing, painting and mark-making

These activities help develop hand strength, control and coordination.

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⚽ Physical Development

The children will have daily opportunities to develop their physical skills through indoor and outdoor play.

We will be practising:

• Running, balancing and climbing
• Moving safely around the environment
• Using bikes and wheeled toys
• Developing coordination and control
• Becoming more independent when putting on coats and shoes

🌟 PE takes place on Tuesday afternoons.

🌟 Yoga takes place on Friday mornings.

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🎨 Creative Learning

The children will enjoy a variety of creative experiences linked to our "Me and My World" theme, including:

• Self-portraits
• Family crafts
• House and home artwork
• Colour Monster activities linked to feelings
• Autumn art and leaf printing
• Singing nursery rhymes
• Exploring musical instruments
• Imaginative role play in the home corner

Creativity allows children to express themselves, develop confidence and explore new ideas.

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🏠 How You Can Help at Home

You can support your child's learning by:

• Talking about family members and looking at family photographs
• Sharing stories together every day
• Singing nursery rhymes and songs
• Practising putting on coats and shoes independently
• Talking about the weather each day
• Looking for signs of Autumn when out and about
• Encouraging counting during everyday activities

Thank you for your continued support. We are looking forward to a wonderful first half term together!