Baby Dragons Newsletter
Theme of the Week: Exploring Languages, Science, and the World Around Us
This week, our Baby Dragons at Westminster had a week full of exploration, creativity, and discovery! From learning new Mandarin words and enjoying science experiments to celebrating Bonfire Night and exploring the park, every activity encouraged curiosity, communication, and sensory play. The children also enjoyed exciting specialist sessions with Miss Molly and Sporty Minis — moving, singing, and learning through play!
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Modern Languages and Communication
During Mandarin circle time, the babies enjoyed the classic Chinese story 《拔萝卜》(Bá luó bo) — Pulling Up the Turnip. Through this interactive tale, they practiced simple Mandarin words like 萝卜 (luó bo – turnip), 爷爷 (yé ye – grandpa), and 奶奶 (nǎi nai – grandma). The children loved acting out the story, shouting “加油! (jiā yóu!)” meaning “Come on, let’s go!” as they worked together to pull the giant turnip.
STEAM Exploration
Our little scientists explored colour and cause-and-effect with a bubbly experiment using baking soda and vinegar. The fizzing, colourful reaction sparked excitement as the babies watched it bubble and overflow. This hands-on activity stimulated their senses, supported fine motor development, and introduced early scientific curiosity in a safe, playful way.
Festival of the Week
To celebrate Guy Fawkes Night, the babies enjoyed a glittery sensory sand tray inspired by fireworks. They ran their hands through sparkly sand, watching it glisten like real fireworks in the sky. This engaging sensory activity encouraged exploration, coordination, and conversation about colours and textures — a perfect mix of cultural learning and play.
Excursion: A Trip to the Park
The babies had a wonderful outdoor adventure at the park this week! They explored nature, touched leaves and grass, and observed birds and trees. Outdoor play encouraged their curiosity, physical development, and confidence as they climbed, slid, and played with friends in a joyful, open space.
Regional Education
As part of our South America theme, the babies took a virtual trip to the Amazon Rainforest. They learned about colourful animals like parrots, monkeys, and frogs, then created their own vibrant paper parrots using feathers and glue. This creative task strengthened fine motor skills and helped the children connect with nature through hands-on art and imagination.
To celebrate Canada, they also created bright maple leaf crafts, learning about its importance as a national symbol and connecting art with geography and culture.
Specialist Teachers
Miss Molly led a fun-filled circle time packed with music, movement, and sensory play. The babies sang along to “Rocket Song” and “5 Little Frogs,” danced with the parachute, and giggled while popping bubbles. The session ended with a calming light display, helping the children wind down after an exciting and engaging experience.
In Sporty Minis, the children enjoyed a lively session focused on movement and coordination. They began with stretching, followed by crab walking and kangaroo hopping — activities that boosted balance and strength while sparking laughter. Running games and ball exercises encouraged teamwork, agility, and gross motor skills, making it a dynamic, confidence-building session!
It’s been a wonderful week full of exploration, creativity, and celebration. Thank you to our parents for your continued support
Pre-School Newsletter
Theme of the Week: Rainforest Adventures and Firework Fun!
This week, our Preschoolers at Canada Water embarked on a journey through the Amazon Rainforest and celebrated the sparkle of Bonfire Night! From shaping playdough creatures and exploring rainforest life to creating colourful fireworks through art and sensory play, the children expressed their creativity, curiosity, and imagination. Every activity encouraged hands-on learning and strengthened fine motor, language, and sensory development.
Looking for a preschool that blends learning with global culture and creative play?
Playdough Snake
Using green playdough, the children rolled, stretched, and shaped their snakes before adding googly eyes to bring them to life.This activity strengthened fine motor skills and hand eye coordination while encouraging creativity and storytelling we even had snakes with names and personalities.
Regional Education: Exploring North America
To bring the rainforest to life, we created green playdough inspired by the vibrant greens of the jungle. The children rolled, squished, and molded the dough into trees, vines, snakes, and frogs, strengthening their fine motor skills while letting their imaginations soar.
As we explored,we learned about rainforest animals like toucans, monkeys, and sloths, and talked about the importance of trees and how they help the Earth.
They then created their own Bald Eagle handprint art, turning their little hands into soaring wings — a perfect mix of creativity and knowledge!
Continuing our regional focus, we journeyed to Mexico and explored the Sonoran Desert — home to towering cacti and unique wildlife. The children used their senses to explore textured materials like sand, stones, and twigs, comparing how each one felt — soft, rough, or prickly!
They also discussed how the desert’s hot, dry climate differs from the cooler, wetter weather we experience in the UK. As they made marks in the sand — zigzags, spirals, and wavy lines — they built their fine motor skills and early writing confidence.
Festival of the Week
Using their fingers, hands, and a range of bright paints and glitter, the children created their very own firework displays on paper. They experimented with different movements dabbing, swirling, and flicking to make colourful bursts and glittery trails just like real fireworks in the sky. This activity encouraged creativity, fine motor skills, and lots of conversation about shapes and colours.
Sensory Play
Our sensory tray was transformed into a magical fireworks scene.The children used tools and their fingers to make swirling patterns and lines in the sand, recreating the sparkly trails of fireworks. Some added colourful glitter and sequins, making their designs shine. This activity helped develop sensory awareness and coordination while giving the children a space to explore and experiment.
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Extended Learning: Holiday Clubs & Weekend School
Our Holiday Clubs & Weekend School offer STEAM fun, language learning, and field trips for school-aged children.
Book Your Holiday Club Spot → Book Your Weekend School Spot →
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