Baby Dragons Newsletter
Exploring Cultures Through Creativity, Movement & Play
This week, our little ones explored African culture, languages, and celebrations through music, storytelling, STEAM crafts, and outdoor play. From pyramid building to Sports Day fun, it was a joyful week of discovery and development!
Curious about how we help our youngest learners thrive through play and care?
Modern Languages & Communication
In French Circle Time, we sang our cheerful "Bonjour" song and read the classic Dear Zoo story in French and English.Children matched animal toys to the story, helping them connect new vocabulary with familiar objects. It was a wonderful way to build early bilingual language skills in an engaging, hands-on way!
STEAM
Our babies got creative making African necklaces from tissue paper and paper plates.They cut, coloured, and assembled their own beaded designs, exploring colours and patterns while building fine motor skills. Each child proudly wore their vibrant creation!
Regional Education
We continued our Africa theme by learning about the pyramids of Egypt. Using glue, paper, and craft materials, the children made their own pyramid landscapes. This hands-on activity helped them explore shapes, structures, and Egypt’s cultural landmarks in a fun, accessible way.
International Festival – National Ice Cream Day
To celebrate National Ice Cream Day, the children painted colourful ice cream creations using sponges. They chose “flavours” and layered paint to design their own scoops—developing fine motor control and enjoying a fun, summery activity.
Summer Sports Day!
Our Sports Day was packed with excitement! The children tackled relay races, obstacle courses, bean bag tosses, and the classic egg-and-spoon race. It was amazing to see their team spirit, coordination, and joy as they participated and cheered each other on.
Specialist Teachers
In Miss Molly’s class, we danced to a joyful bee song, played with rhythm shakers, and chased bubbles with big smiles.We explored music, movement, and storytelling with instruments before winding down with calming sensory play and a rainbow blanket moment helping children feel centred and calm.
Pre-School Newsletter
African Adventures Through Language, Culture & Movement
This week, preschoolers at Canada Water explored the vibrant world of Africa from the animals of the savannah to traditional masks and the River Nile. Through language, music, science, and movement, our children gained new knowledge, practiced key skills, and expressed their creativity across a range of hands-on experiences.
Modern Languages and Communication
Children embarked on a phonics journey through the savannah, connecting letters with safari animals like "L" for lion and "Z" for zebra. They practiced forming sounds, strengthened expressive language, and decorated letters with animal patterns to reinforce the learning.
In Mandarin, children were introduced to the 12 animals of the Chinese Zodiac and learned to identify their own Zodiac animal through a birth-year game. The session also included sensory play themed around the River Nile, where children learned Mandarin words like "crocodile" and "blue" through water and texture-based exploration.
Regional Education
Theatre Trip – “The Tiger Who Came to Tea”. Preschoolers visited the Royal Haymarket Theatre for a live show. They enjoyed singing, dancing, and joining in the story, which focused on kindness and imagination. On the way, they spotted city landmarks from the double-decker bus, turning the journey into a learning experience of its own.
Outdoor Celebration
Preschoolers joined their families at Docklands Settlement Community Centre for an energetic Sports Day. Divided into colourful teams, children raced through obstacle courses, played egg-and-spoon games, and kicked rugby balls. Even the parents joined in! It was a joyful celebration of fitness, teamwork, and community spirit, topped off with prizes and cheers.
STEAM
Children learned about the River Nile—its geography, animals, and significance to people and ecosystems. Using small-world props, photos, and real objects, they identified animals like crocodiles and hippos. A mini-Nile tray brought the lesson to life with muddy textures, magnifying glasses, and pipettes for hands-on exploration.
Specialist Teachers
Miss Molly’s session children created individual mandalas using feathers and flower petals, then formed a large mandala using their bodies in a circle. The session closed with calming affirmations and a space for gratitude, building mindfulness and emotional regulation.
In Sporty Minis coach Terry introduced a ball game where children bounced basketballs to flip cones. They practiced fine motor control, hand-eye coordination, and balance through activities like throwing at targets and hopping around cones on one or two legs.
Supporting a Cause Close to Our Hearts
Hatching Dragons is proud to support our founder Cenn John, running the Cardiff Marathon this October to raise funds for Great Ormond Street Hospital. Inspired by the loss of a sibling to congenital heart disease and Down’s syndrome, this fundraiser aims to help children facing life-threatening illnesses.
We would love for our Hatching Dragons community to join us in supporting this cause. Every donation, no matter how small, can help change a child's future.
In case you missed our update last week regarding important changes—including the new fee structure starting 1st September 2025—we kindly ask you to review the details.
Please take a moment to catch up and see how this may affect your family:
Extended Learning: Holiday Clubs
Our Holiday Clubs offer STEAM fun, language learning, and field trips for school-aged children.
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