Hatchlings Newsletter
Theme of the Week: Exploring Middle Eastern Culture
This week, our Hatchlings explored culture, creativity, and cooperation through food-inspired play, music, and art. From making “pita bread” with play dough to celebrating Lebanese heritage, the children enjoyed hands-on experiences that encouraged language development, teamwork, and creativity.
Come see how our Hatchlings grow through language, discovery, and creativity.
Modern Languages
Our little chefs dived into Middle Eastern culture with a cooking-inspired play activity! Using play dough, colourful fluff strips, and feathers, they created their own pita bread filled with “meat” and “vegetables.” Along the way, they picked up some new Mandarin words: Pita bread – 皮塔饼 (Pí tǎ bǐng), Meat – 肉 (Ròu), Vegetables – 菜 (Cài)
We also learnt how to use ‘gentle hands’ in Mandarin – qīng qīng de (轻轻的). Teacher Sara modelled this beautifully with baby dolls, helping our Hatchlings understand kindness, care, and respect for others.
Regional Education
The children began their journey through the Middle East with a focus on Lebanese culture. They loved trying on traditional Lebanese hats and outfits, celebrating their friends’ heritage, and admiring the beauty of regional clothing styles.
To deepen their creativity, they decorated Middle Eastern–inspired art using dot markers. This playful activity supported mark making, fine motor skills, and colour recognition while helping them explore cultural patterns.
Sensory Play
Construction play was the highlight of our sensory area this week! The Hatchlings worked as a team to build train tracks in the sand, connecting magnetic trains and setting them in motion. They also stacked colourful mega blocks, strengthening hand–eye coordination, teamwork, and problem-solving skills.
Creative Arts
Middle Eastern art often features flowers, petals, and arches – and our Hatchlings brought this inspiration to life in their own artwork. Using crayons and coloured pencils, they experimented with shapes and colours, developing fine motor skills, early mark making, and creativity.
Specialist Teacher
This week’s Lucy Sparkles session was full of rhythm and joy! The children introduced themselves through the song Hickory Dickory Bumblebee, supporting language and communication as they listened and responded to their names.
They then sang along to a favourite classic, The Wheels on the Bus, joining in with enthusiasm and dance actions. This not only encouraged movement and coordination but also boosted their confidence in expressive arts and design through music and rhythm.
It’s been a wonderful week of discovery, creativity, and cultural learning. We are so proud of how our Hatchlings explored new ideas with such curiosity and joy!
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Blue Dragons Newsletter
Theme of the Week: Festivals, Seasons & Outdoor Adventures
This week, our Blue Dragons explored cultures, nature, and language through hands-on learning and play. From lighting up a paper menorah to celebrating the new autumn season in Mandarin, and even enjoying a picnic outdoors, the children had a joyful week filled with creativity, teamwork, and discovery.
Come see how we prepare children for school and the world beyond.
Regional Education
As part of our exploration of the Middle East and Muslim countries, the children learned about the Jewish community and Hanukkah. They discovered the special menorah, a candle holder used during the festival. To bring the story to life, the teacher drew a large menorah on the floor and the children “lit” the candles with bright red, yellow, and orange colours.
This creative activity not only introduced the idea of light in celebrations but also supported fine motor skills, colour recognition, and cultural understanding. We were so proud of the children’s curiosity and engagement!
Outdoor Play Adventure
The Blue Dragon room had a wonderful outing to the green area this week! The children shared a picnic of cheese snacks and sandwiches with their friends, making lunchtime a special outdoor experience. Afterward, they used chalk to create colourful drawings on the ground, showing their imagination and artistic flair.
To finish, the children enjoyed a burst of energy with balls, bats, and footballs — running, kicking, and working together as a team. It was a joyful day of fresh air, creativity, and active play.
Modern Languages
In Mandarin, the children celebrated the start of autumn by learning the words for the new season — qiūtiān (秋天) — and for leaf — shùyè (树叶). To bring their learning to life, they created leaf prints using red and yellow paint, which made for a beautiful seasonal art project. Through songs and story time, they practised their new vocabulary in a playful and memorable way.
It was another amazing week of exploring festivals, nature, and languages. We can’t wait to see where our next adventures take us!
Dragon Flights Newsletter
Theme of the Week: Exploring Egypt
This week, our Dragon Flight group went on a creative and cultural journey through Egypt! From building pyramids to exploring autumn in Mandarin, the children engaged in hands-on activities that combined language, literacy, maths, and art.
Come see how we prepare children for school and the world beyond
Regional Education
Our week began with a fascinating look at the Great Pyramids of Egypt. The children were full of curiosity, asking thoughtful questions about how big the pyramids are, how old they might be, and why they were built.
After the discussion, we moved to a hands-on activity! Using play dough and wooden sticks, the children built their own pyramid structures. Some worked in pairs while others worked independently, showing impressive teamwork, problem-solving, and focus.
To link our learning with maths, the children completed pyramid-shaped worksheets to practise number sequencing and simple addition. Using colourful blocks, they visualised how numbers “build up” like a real pyramid!
We also created Egyptian-style collar necklaces with paint sticks and shiny decorations. This creative task tied in beautifully with our Middle Eastern theme, helping children connect culture, geography, and art.
Literacy
Our phonics session was full of excitement as the children explored letter sounds and practised identifying which letters begin different words. Their confidence is growing each week, and we love seeing their enthusiasm as they master new sounds!
Modern Language
This week in Mandarin, the children learned more about autumn (秋天, qiūtiān). They practised seasonal words, discussed how leaves change colour, and even tried writing the word “autumn” in Mandarin. It was a meaningful way to connect language learning with the changing season.
Outdoor Exploration
We ended the week with a burst of creativity during chalk drawing on the first floor. Some children drew simple shapes like circles, while others created imaginative pictures of houses, flowers, and more.
It was a week filled with creativity, cultural discovery, and new learning. We are so proud of how our Dragon Flight group explored Egypt with such curiosity and joy!
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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