This week, our Hatchlings explored the wonders of Middle Eastern culture and the magic of Mandarin. From making playful kebabs and Arabian-inspired plates to learning sea animal names in Mandarin and saying “Shukran” in Arabic, the children had plenty of opportunities to engage their senses, express creativity, and build early communication skills. It was a week full of colour, music, and discovery!
Come see how our Hatchlings grow through language, discovery, and creativity.
Our little chefs had fun making their own play kebabs using colourful paper and pom-poms as tasty veggies, while learning the Mandarin word for kebab — Kǎoròu Chuàn.
We also explored the Mandarin storybook The Ocean, where the children discovered sea animals through stories and play. Using toy creatures, they learned new words like Fish (Yú), Sea Turtle (Hǎi Guī), and Octopus (Zhāng Yú), making language learning hands-on and engaging.
To explore Middle Eastern culture, the Hatchlings enjoyed the art of tea making. Using traditional pots and cups, they experimented with fragrant spices like cinnamon, while also practicing “Thank you” in Arabic — Shukran.
In another activity, we created a golden desert sand tray where the children could scoop, pour, and pat the sand. This supported sensory play and fine motor skills while encouraging curiosity about different environments.
Our little artists had a wonderful time with animal foot stamping! Using toy animals dipped in paint, the children created colourful prints and learned the Mandarin word for feet — Jiǎo.
They also designed their own Arabian-inspired plates. By observing traditional colours and patterns, then recreating them with dot markers, the children developed early mark-making skills and hand-eye coordination while celebrating culture through art.
On Wednesday morning, the Hatchlings had a lively music session with Miss Molly. They sang songs like This is Big Big Big, Mr Golden Sun, and Incy Wincy Spider. The babies clapped, smiled, and moved to the rhythm, filling the room with joy and music.
We can’t wait to share more adventures with you next week!
This week, the Blue Dragons enjoyed a wonderful mix of cultural discovery, outdoor adventures, and specialist sessions filled with fun and learning.
Come see how we prepare children for school and the world beyond.
Regional Education
As part of our cultural theme, the children learned about hijabs, a traditional head covering worn by many Muslim women. Using soft, colourful scarves, they gently wrapped them around baby dolls, sparking thoughtful conversations about clothing, identity, and respect for different cultures.
This simple but meaningful activity encouraged empathy, curiosity, and inclusion while also supporting fine motor skills and imaginative play. We were so proud of how thoughtfully the children engaged with this activity.
Amazing Excursion
The Blue Dragons had a sunny outdoor adventure at the Barbican Pond. The children loved spotting ducks swimming gracefully on the water and enjoyed a refreshing treat of juicy watermelon during a picnic on the blanket.
Afterwards, we headed to London Wall Gardens, where the children ran, laughed, and played together. Tennis rackets, balls, and free play turned the gardens into our very own mini sports day! The outing gave the children plenty of opportunities for teamwork, coordination, and joyful exploration.
Specialist Teachers
This week’s Sporty Minis session was filled with energy and movement! The children began with warm-up stretches, then played a lively cone-flipping game, working in teams to practice balance and coordination.
The session ended with a thrilling obstacle course where the children climbed over hurdles and crawled through tunnels. It was a brilliant way to build confidence, gross motor skills, and teamwork.
Miss Molly’s session was bright and joyful with a sunshine theme! The children sang happy songs while waving yellow scarves, filling the room with energy and smiles.
Magical bubbles floated around as the children danced and moved with delight, before the session slowed into a calm wind-down with twinkling star lights. This balance of music, movement, and mindfulness gave the children both excitement and relaxati
It was another amazing week of exploring festivals, nature, and languages. We can’t wait to see where our next adventures take us!
This week at nursery, our learning was full of magic, curiosity, and creativity. From stepping into the enchanting world of Aladdin and making our own magic lamps, to conducting colourful science experiments and observing the butterfly life cycle, the children had plenty of opportunities to explore, imagine, and discover. Alongside these adventures, we practiced letters, numbers, and Mandarin vocabulary, while specialist sessions in PE and yoga encouraged movement, mindfulness, and emotional awareness. It was a truly well-rounded week of fun and learning!
Come see how we prepare children for school and the world beyond
This week, we stepped into the magical world of Aladdin! After enjoying the enchanting story of genies and magic lamps, the children got creative, designing their own lamps with a variety of craft materials and plenty of imagination. To end the activity, we shared the wishes we’d make if we had a lamp of our own—sparking thoughtful conversations about dreams, hopes, and ideas.
Our letter hunt brought lots of excitement as the children searched for hidden letters in the “snow.” Each letter was explored in detail as we discussed words that begin with them, building recognition and vocabulary. This activity encouraged teamwork, turn-taking, and confidence in identifying letters.
Science came to life through our Magic Milk experiment! The children were amazed as food colouring swirled and danced across the surface of the milk when touched with washing-up liquid. We explained that the soap breaks down the fat in the milk, causing the colours to move. To make it extra special, we named the materials in Mandarin—牛奶 (niú nǎi – milk), 食用色素 (shí yòng sè sù – food colouring), 棉签 (mián qiān – cotton bud), and 洗洁精 (xǐ jié jīng – washing-up liquid). A wonderful blend of science, discovery, and language learning!
Our butterfly project continued to fascinate the children as we observed the caterpillars forming chrysalises. Using visuals and simple explanations, we explored the butterfly life cycle, from egg to butterfly. The children showed great curiosity, asking questions and making links to their own experiences—a lovely way to nurture patience and wonder about nature.
In PE with Sporty Minis, the children were full of energy, practicing gross motor skills such as jumping, crawling, and running. These activities built spatial awareness, coordination, and confidence while keeping things fun.
During Miss Molly’s Yoga, the focus was on emotions and breathing. The children explored poses and mindful movements, learning emotional vocabulary such as “happy,” “calm,” and “sad.” The session offered a gentle, mindful space to build emotional awareness and self-regulation.
In Mandarin, we welcomed the autumn season with a sensory tray and themed vocabulary exploration. The children also began practicing structured writing, focusing on numbers in Mandarin. Building on their confident counting from 1 to 10, they practiced number formation and pronunciation through songs and finger counting—making learning interactive, fun, and memorable.
This weekend, the children enjoyed a fun and interactive learning experience. During circle time, they read storybooks and sang songs in Mandarin. In the literacy session, they explored the concept of recycling, learning key Mandarin words like “垃圾” (lā jī – rubbish) and “回收” (huí shōu – recycle). The children practiced both pronunciation and character writing before creating colorful recycling bins in a craft activity. To finish, they played a sorting game with Sisi Laoshi, practicing how to place items into the correct bin while reinforcing their new vocabulary.
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:
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