Lower Nursery - current activies

Under the Sea	an octopus
A holiday on the beach holds lots of opportunities for finding treasures. The children brought lots of different shells, stones and whelks from the beaches they had visited and we spent a lot of time displaying them on our “beach table”, and, with the help of numerous books from the library, we found out some of their names. Did you know that some whelks are carnivores? (That means they eat other animals). The children really enjoyed playing with the shells and even claimed to hear the sound of the sea emerging from the various whelks… The children were particularly fascinated by seahorses. They come in different sizes and shapes and, when they are in danger, they change their colour; just like chameleons. Did you know that it is the male seahorse that has the young? That sharks have now been spotted in English seas? That jellyfish’s tentacles can be up to two metres long? That’s as long as two children laying down! These are just some of the many fascinating facts we discovered. The children even watched video clips of hundreds of baby seahorses being born!
a mermaid	The Knowledge and Understanding of the World element, of the curriculum, came into its own, as the children just kept discovering and questioning! On the creative side, the children enjoyed singing lots of ocean-based songs, making their own individual aquariums and making a variety of jellyfish, octopuses, coral and starfish. Of course, the other four areas of the curriculum, Mathematical Development, Communication, Language and Literature, PSED and Physical Development, are integrated into our projects. We had lots of different books about oceans and fishes and played lots of counting and matching games using pictures of sea creatures. The children worked together to create a huge rainbow fish, taking turns and negotiating where the different colours should go. Of course, with all that colouring and drawing came the opportunity to practise our scissor skills. In gym, we played lots of ‘Under the Sea’ games, pretending to move like various sea creatures. So, after having discovered the shores and depth of oceans, are you surprised that we will have a closer look at pirates in the following term…..? The children loved this song… Octopus’ Garden I'd like to be under the sea In an octopus' garden in the shade He'd let us in, knows where we've been In his octopus' garden in the shade. I'd ask my friends to come and see An octopus' garden with me I'd like to be under the sea In an octopus' garden in the shade. We would be warm below the storm In our little hideaway beneath the waves Resting our head on the sea bed In an octopus' garden near a cave. We would sing and dance around because we know we can't be found I'd like to be under the sea In an octopus' garden in the shade. We would shout and swim about The coral that lies beneath the waves (Lies beneath the ocean waves) Oh what joy for every girl and boy Knowing they're happy and they're safe (Happy and they're safe) We would be so happy you and me No one there to tell us what to do I'd like to be under the sea In an octopus' garden with you.