Settling In

[Guest terrydoo73]

My Playgroup closes next Friday for the summer (!!!) and already I am planning for the new term. We have 8 children who were with us since September last year and are returning for their preschool year and will be joined by 5 new children aged 3 years of age. I am looking for some inspiration - here is what I have so far. We only cover the 3 areas for the first term just to help everyone settle back in to the daily routine.

 

Personal Social and Emotional:

• name games eg during circle time have a ball passed while saying each other's name
  
• learning Playgroup routines ie putting on aprons, tidying up in area etc
  
• learning to dress and attend to toileting needs independently
  
• select and use activities and resources on own
  
• forming relationships with adults and children
  
• developing awareness of own needs and views
  
• becoming sensitive to needs and feelings of others
  

 

Physical Activities:

• joining simple 2 and 4 piece jigsaw puzzles
  
• lacing large buttons
  
• dressing up
  
• making pictures using scissors, glue, paper, junk art materials
  
• using paint brushes
  
• playing with sand and water
  
• model with dough and rolling in hands
  
• use cutlery, plates and cups independently at snack time
  
• use range of climbing and sliding equipment, balls and hoops outdoors
  

Language Development:

• listening and responding to adults and other children
  
• learning to speak clearly and audibly with confidence and control
  
• use language to imagine and recreate roles and experiences
  
• learning new nursery rhymes
  
• listen with enjoyment and respond to stories
  

As for creative activities I have planned handprint placemats, using wallpaper rolls to draw body shapes and stepping into paint and making footprints on paper.

[Guest]

Just my opinion here but how can you know what your "old" children or the new ones will be interested in come September? It is such a long time away and they will change so much by then!

 

I think the ideas you have written down sound like continuous provision and things you would do regardless of who is in.

 

Maybe in the first weeks of the new term you can gather info about the childrens interests and then actually start to plan using this information. We use PLOD forms at the start of the year, and then half termly.

 

I personally don't believe you can compartmentalise areas of learning and only plan for certain areas! Obviously the PSE side of things is a high priority in the early days and weeks but I am not sure after that if I would be comfortable with only planning for 3 areas for a whole term.

 

As I said, just my own opinion and I don't know your setting.

[Guest jane707]

I am a childminder so it might be slightly different for me - when I have a new child in the provision who is 3+ and able to share their thoughts with me, I start by working together with them to make the start of their 'All about me' book special by adding pages such as 'my hand and footprint', 'my favourite toys at home', 'my best books to read' etc.

 

If children cannot contribute I ask parents for their thoughts. This builds up over the first few weeks and really helps me get to know the child well. My continuous provision links to the areas of learning - these extra activities enhance learning and support the child to recognise their value in the group. :1b