This term we have been exploring two topics, learning about celebrations in 'Sparkle and Shine', and traditional tales in 'Once Upon a Time '. 

We started the term by learning about different celebrations around the world, different celebratory foods and dances. The children created firework paintings and discovered how young children celebrate Diwali. They made Rangoli patters with pasta and rice and sang celebration songs. The children enjoyed stories about birthdays and liked making playdough birthday cakes with lollipop sticks for candles.

For our second topic, 'Once Upon a Time', we read a variety of traditional tales, including 'Three Little Pigs' and 'Three Billy Goats Gruff'. These books also supported the children's maths topic for this term, learning about numbers 1, 2 and 3. As Christmas approaches, we moved onto seasonal stories such as 'The Gingerbread Man', 'The Gruffalo', 'The Stick Man' and of course 'The Christmas Story'.

The children have taken part in a variety of musical action songs, topic related dances, and preparing for the nursery Christmas Singing Performances. They have made snowmen, gingerbread people, explored building with sticks, straw and junk modelling. The children have a.so been introduced to the first sounds of Read Write Inc. phonics scheme.