Our spring stories.

Chicken Licken (traditional tale retold by various authors). Focuses on KUW and patience.

Jasper’s Beanstalk by Nick Butterworth – focuses on how to care for plants and growth.

We’re Going on an Egg Hunt by Laura Hughes – focuses on repetition and number.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLc6IFrYCgw (with story props and Makaton signing).

Visit Tapestry to hear Miss Evans read the story of The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

Our spring nursery rhymes.

• There’s a Tiny Caterpillar on a Leaf.
• I’m a Little Teapot.
• Sleeping Bunnies – (bunnies don’t just hop, they – dance, stretch, stomp, twirl, wiggle, tiptoe etc. What other actions can you think of? What other animals associated with spring can you think of?).
• Curly Caterpillar (focuses on alliteration).

Curly Caterpillar Crawls up the Curtains.
Crawls, Crawls, Crawls up the Curtains.

Visit Tapestry to enjoy Aspen team singing our rhymes. Enjoy!

Other ideas for home learning

Grow a sunflower together
1 packet of sunflower seeds (if planting straight into the ground, protect from slugs by cutting the top off a plastic bottle and placing over your seedlings). Or grow in a pot using multipurpose compost and place in a sunny position (cover with a plastic bag and remove once the seed begins to grow). Watch it grow!
Plant some daffodil bulbs
Speak to your children about how plants grow from seeds or bulbs.
Make a very hungry caterpillar
Colourful pipe cleaners, googly eyes and PVA glue – be careful, don’t let your caterpillar near the fridge! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dwFus3Rvus
Go on a spring walk in your local community
What do you notice? What plants/flowers do you see? What colour are the leaves on the trees? What’s the weather like? What bugs/insects can you find? Take some pictures and upload to Tapestry!
Try all the fruits from the story of The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Which do you like? Which don’t you like? What other healthy snacks can you think of trying?
Play Kim’s Game using farmyard animal pictures (ask a member of Aspen Team for some cards).
Tom O’Shanter Farm (Boundary Road, Bidston Hill, Wirral, CH43 7PD) – Free entry!

Other stories to explore together

• Each Peach Pear Plum by Allen Ahlberg.
• The Rhyming Rabbit by Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks.
• Rosie’s Walk by Pat Hutchins.
• Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert.

Why not visit your local library and see what other books you can find about spring!
We will be starting a ‘borrow a book’ scheme this term. Simply take a book from the selection we have on offer at drop off/pick up and enjoy with your child. All we ask is that you return the book before choosing another. Feel free to donate any unwanted books from home for your friends to enjoy too.
Why not take a picture (share on Tapestry) of you and your child sharing a story in a different place, e.g., under a blanket, in the park, under your bed.

Maths at Home

• When shopping for fruit and vegetables, can you ask your child to get you 1 broccoli, 2 onions, 3 carrots etc.
• Create a shopping list together by asking your child to make marks to represent the number of things you need, e.g., 2 tins of beans, 1 loaf of bread etc.
• Can you find 4 things in your home that are square/rectangle and put them in two separate piles?
• Practice drawing your closed shapes: circle and square.
• Draw a house with windows and a door or make a house out of a cereal box/lying lollipop sticks flat on a surface – what shapes do you see?

What could my child and I talk about together?

• Bonfire Night
  www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/watch/my-first-festivals-bonfire-night
• Relevant books
  Ella’s Night Lights by Lucy Fleming
  Little Glow by Katie Sahota
• Diwali – A celebration of light.
  Why not light a candle with your child and place it in your window for all to see as a recognition of this beautiful Hindu celebration.
• Christmas – A birthday party for Baby Jesus.
  Why not enjoy a simple version of The Nativity story with your child. If you do not have one, please ask us and we will be happy to lend you a copy.

The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson

We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen

Other relevant books

Dear Santa by Rod Campbell – great for repetition.
The Very Helpful Hedgehog by Rosie Wellesley – Autumn, mutual respect.
Bear stays Up for Christmas by Karma Wilson – teaches about night/day, rhyming and mutual respect.

Core nursery rhymes

Incy Wincy Spider
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Pop Goes the Weasel
Two Little Dickie Birds

Please visit Tapestry each week to watch and hear Aspen Team sing (with actions) our nursery rhymes.

Other ideas for home learning

When you are out and about, name the different jobs that the people you come across do.

Eye spy (for jobs) – ‘Eye spy with my little eye, a police officer’ and your child must find them.

Role Play – Spend some time engaging in simple role play with your child – if you see them playing ‘making dinner’, use language such as, ‘you’re a chef’.

Autumn Walk with transient art – This is such a simple idea and one which the children love. Simply take a bag out when you visit the park or woods and ask your child to collect natural things which they find interesting. Have fun creating a picture with these items at home (don’t forget, you don’t need glue to do this – allow your child to simply place the items in an arrangement and allow them to swap and change). This is called ‘transient art’ and is a creative process which is meant to be temporary.

Maths at home

Our focus number this term is, 2. You can help your child learn about the number 2 by singing the nursery rhyme, Two Little Dickie Birds (using your fingers as Dickie Birds).

Use language such as, ‘one more’, ‘take two pieces’ (this is the language we use in school during snack time).

Two Little Dickie Birds

Two little dickie birds (2 fingers) Sitting on the wall.
One named Peter and one named Paul.
Fly away Peter, (hide one finger)
Fly away Paul. (hide the other finger).
Come back Peter, (show one finger)
Come back Paul (show the other finger).

Mrs Orr will be holding Story and Rhyme Time sessions on Tuesday mornings at 11:10am – 11:30am and Thursday afternoons at 2:40pm – 3:00pm. These are for parents/carers to join their child in singing along with favourite nursery rhymes or to enjoy a much loved story. Please just drop in!