Baby Dragons Newsletter
Theme of the Week: Exploring Australia Through Senses & Play
This week, our Baby Dragons embarked on sensory adventures inspired by Australia. From animal sounds and Aboriginal music to sandy beach play, carrot rainbow smashing, and creative STEAM fun, our little explorers engaged in rich experiences that nurtured curiosity, communication, and creativity.
Curious about how we combine culture, confidence, and creativity in the early years?
Modern Languages and Communication
Our babies explored the sounds of Australia! They played with soft kangaroo and koala toys while mimicking animal sounds, listened to the calming tones of the didgeridoo, and sang along to “Kookaburra Sits in the Old Gum Tree.” In our sensory tuff tray, textures like “soft leaf” and “bumpy stone” inspired word exploration. Australian-themed story baskets encouraged listening, early communication, and joyful interaction with language.
Regional Adventures
The babies enjoyed a sensory beach experience in our tuff tray, filled with sand, water, shells, and sea creatures. They splashed, scooped, and explored textures while learning words like “splash” and “shell.” To connect with Aboriginal culture, we also introduced baby-safe shakers and the calming hum of the didgeridoo, encouraging rhythm, movement, and joyful music play.
Cookery Club
Cookery Club was full of colour and textures this week! Babies explored soft, boiled carrots alongside peas, beetroot, and sweet potato, mashing and mixing to create a vibrant rainbow smash. This safe, dairy-free and wheat-free activity encouraged fine motor skills, sensory development, and joyful exploration through hands-on food play.
STEM Adventures
Our STEAM activities brought colour, creativity, and curiosity to life! Babies pressed and squished colour-mixing sensory bags, watching red and yellow blend into new shades. They practiced motor skills with block stacking and knocking play, and enjoyed bubble wrap painting—using chunky brushes and non-toxic paints to explore textures and patterns in a fun, messy, and engaging way.
Specialist Teacher
This week, our specialist teachers brought music, mindfulness, and magic to the babies. On Wednesday, Mindful Molly led a calming session with twinkling lights and starry songs, followed by a teddy bear tea party with bubbles and bear ears. On Friday, Ella Sparkles strummed her guitar as babies explored textures with the soft bubble bee, practicing turn-taking and gentle sharing.
Thank you for sharing this journey with us!
Blue Dragons Newsletter
Theme of the Week: Learning Through Play & Discovery
Phonics Play
Phonics was full of excitement this week! During a lively game of I Spy, the children searched the room for objects that matched letter cards—beaming with pride when they spotted the right one. They also played Jolly Phonics gesture games, acting out ants, snakes, and tennis rackets while shouting out their sounds. With laughter, guessing, and movement, phonics truly came alive!
Thinking about how we bring global culture and sensory-rich learning to life for toddlers?
Math Adventures
Our Blue Dragons went on a shape treasure hunt, searching high and low to find hidden shapes in the classroom. Each discovery was met with proud shouts as the children named, compared, and celebrated the shapes they found.
Writing Fun
In writing, the children carefully traced dotted letters, helping little animals “find their way home.” Concentration turned into celebration as letters began to take shape. Later, they played an exciting writing game, tracing lines while trying to “avoid the shapes”—turning practice into a joyful adventure.
Science & Water Play
During water play, the children became little scientists, testing whether different objects would float or sink. They dropped in toys, blocks, and leaves, cheering and gasping at the results. “The duck can float!” one child announced proudly, while another laughed, “The block went down!” Through play, they discovered buoyancy, weight, and prediction.
Mandarin & Outdoor Fun
With the sun shining, the Blue Dragons enjoyed outdoor games at the park. They took part in a ball-kicking challenge, aiming into hula-hoops, followed by a hopping game that had them jumping and balancing with excitement. Afterwards, they calmed down with nature exploration, collecting colourful leaves and learning a new Mandarin word: 叶子 (yè zi), meaning “leaf.” The children proudly repeated it as they compared their leafy treasures.
Special Teacher Time
Mindful Molly brought joy to the Blue Dragons with her teddy bear tea party. The children pretended to be little teapots, giggling as they poured tea for their teddy guests. A mystery box game revealed a surprise visitor—Jack the Monkey! The children clapped and laughed as they welcomed their furry friend.
Special Celebration
We ended the week with a very happy occasion—one of our Blue Dragons turned two! Parents kindly brought in fresh fruit, and the children worked together to create a colourful fruit cake. With big smiles, they sang, celebrated, and enjoyed this sweet and healthy treat together.
We look forward to even more exciting adventures next week!
Dragon Flights Newsletter
Theme of the Week: Creativity, Curiosity & Calm
This week, our preschoolers embraced a balance of creativity, outdoor exploration, mindful movement, and hands-on learning. From discovering new stories in Mandarin and making paper koalas to experimenting with magnets and exploring money, the children combined fun with skill-building in every activity.
Curious about how we combine culture, confidence, and creativity in the early years?
Mandarin & Circle Time
The children listened to a bilingual story, Sesshū and the Painted Mouse (雪舟画鼠), in both Mandarin and English. The story sparked discussions about creativity and following passions. Inspired, the children shared their own favourite things to draw, building confidence in speaking, listening, and storytelling while strengthening their appreciation for different cultures.
Excursion
At St George’s Garden, the children enjoyed running, exploring nature, and collecting sticks for maths play. They practiced social skills by taking turns and helping one another, while also showing curiosity about trees, leaves, and the world around them. Outdoor play supported their gross motor development and sense of wellbeing.
Specialist Session
Yoga was filled with fun and giggles as the children chose animals and acted them out through yoga poses—from stretching like cats to balancing like flamingos. The session helped improve flexibility, balance, and concentration, while teaching breathing and relaxation in a playful way.
Literacy
Older children worked on blending sounds and writing the initial letters of words, supporting phonics and early reading. Younger children joined a matching game with letters and numbers, sticking them onto rolls to reinforce recognition while strengthening fine motor skills.
Numeracy
Children explored real-life maths through coins, learning about values like £1 and 20p while comparing amounts. They also enjoyed a creative number activity, cutting and pasting dots onto bears, which supported counting, number recognition, and pattern-making.
Science
Magnets were the focus of our science exploration! The children investigated which toys were magnetic and which were not, making predictions and sorting objects. They were fascinated to learn that magnets “stick” to metal, sparking curiosity and conversation.
Creative Activity
As part of our Australian theme, the children made adorable paper plate koalas. This hands-on art project supported fine motor skills while teaching fun facts about koalas and other Australian animals.
Thank you, families, for being such an important part of this learning journey!
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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
Extended Learning: Holiday Clubs
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