Baby Dragons Newsletter
Theme of the Week: Exploring the Middle East Through Language, Play & Sensory Fun
This week, our Baby Dragons immersed themselves in rich experiences that supported their early language, sensory, and motor development. From Arabic lullabies and Makaton signs to painting, STEAM play, cultural cookery, and lively specialist sessions, the week was filled with meaningful opportunities to learn through play.
Curious about how we combine culture, confidence, and creativity in the early years?
Modern Languages and Communication
Our little ones explored early communication through song, stories, and interactive play. A highlight was listening to the gentle Arabic lullaby Tiri Tiri Ya Asfoura (“Fly, Fly Little Bird”), which encouraged babies to tune into rhythm and melody. Mirror play brought giggles and babbling as the babies watched and copied facial expressions, strengthening the foundations of communication.
We also shared the sensory-rich book Baby Touch: Words by Ladybird, using textures and simple vocabulary to capture their attention. Throughout the week, we practised the Makaton signs for “hello” and “goodbye,” helping babies begin to connect words with gestures in a fun, meaningful way.
Regional Education
Inspired by Middle Eastern skies, the babies explored sensory painting with star and moon stamps on dark paper. Using sponges, hands, and tools, they created bright shapes against a night-sky background. This activity encouraged sensory exploration, fine motor control, and shape recognition in a calm, engaging environment.
STEM
In STEAM play, the babies experimented with floating leaves in shallow water. Some splashed and giggled while others carefully reached for the leaves, noticing how they moved across the water. This activity nurtured observation, curiosity, and hand-eye coordination while keeping play soothing and exploratory.
Cookery Club
Cookery Club gave the children a sensory-rich taste of Middle Eastern culture as they helped make mini khubz (soft flatbread). Little hands mixed flour, yoghurt, and olive oil, kneading and stirring with spoons. The activity supported coordination and fine motor skills, while the warm, soft flatbread offered a delicious way to connect with cultural foods through play.
Specialist Teachers
This week’s specialist sessions offered both calm and joy. With Mindful Molly, the babies explored simple everyday movements like pointing, stretching, and sitting, alongside playful bubble time and a favourite nursery rhyme, Incy Wincy Spider. This supported body awareness and early communication skills.
On Friday, Lucy Sparkles brought energy and music to the nursery. The babies listened, clapped, and played with instruments, exploring rhythm and sound. It was a lively and joyful session that encouraged musical awareness, movement, and confidence in self-expression.
A truly sensory and cultural week, our Baby Dragons enjoyed exploring the Middle East through sounds, textures, and tastes, all while developing their early skills in communication, movement, and play.
Blue Dragons Newsletter
Theme of the Week: Letters, Language & Middle Eastern Adventures
This week, our Blue Dragons explored the letter A, learned a new Makaton sign, dived into Middle Eastern-inspired creative play, and had plenty of active fun with our specialist sports coach.
Thinking about how we bring global culture and sensory-rich learning to life for toddlers?
Phonics & Sensory Adventures
The children had great fun exploring the letter A. Using their love of aeroplanes, they zoomed around the classroom with arms outstretched, practising the “a-a-a” sound with excitement.
In our sensory tray, smooth pebbles and soft pom-poms hid treasures beginning with A—apples, ants, and arrows! The children’s delighted discoveries encouraged letter recognition, teamwork, and fine motor skills in a playful way.
Modern Language and Communication
During circle time, the children continued learning Makaton to support communication. This week’s focus was the sign for wait. We were so proud to see how quickly they picked it up—many children began using it naturally during group activities and games. This growing confidence shows how Makaton is helping them express themselves more clearly.
Regional Education
We kicked off our Middle East theme with creative flair. The children explored shiny papers, soft fabrics, and sparkly materials to design their own crescent moons and twinkling stars—each one unique and beautiful.
To add a cultural twist, we made Play-Doh pita bread. Rolling, pressing, and cutting circles like real bakers gave the children hands-on insight into Middle Eastern traditions while building fine motor skills.
Specialist Teacher
Our sports session with Mini introduced the children to obstacle courses. They climbed, crawled, balanced, and hopped their way through exciting challenges, cheering each other on with huge smiles. The beanbag toss into colourful hoops was a favourite, helping them practise colour recognition while building coordination, teamwork, and confidence.
It has been a week full of creativity, language, and active play. Our Blue Dragons are not only developing their literacy and communication skills but also learning about new cultures while having fun together.
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Dragon Flights Newsletter
Theme of the Week: Exploring Culture, Movement & History
This week, our preschoolers enjoyed a balance of active sports, calming yoga, cultural discoveries, and creative history learning. From celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival to exploring Arabic writing and reliving the Great Fire of London, every experience was full of curiosity, creativity, and joy.
Curious about how we combine culture, confidence, and creativity in the early years?
Specialist Teachers
Our sports coach brought energy and laughter with exciting mini games that built balance, coordination, and teamwork. To balance the action, Miss Molly led a calming yoga session, where children stretched into animal and nature poses and practised gentle breathing—helping them regulate emotions and find stillness.
Mandarin – Mid-Autumn Festival
In Mandarin, the children learned the story of Chang’e and the moon, a tradition of the Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋节). They explored the importance of family, togetherness, and sharing mooncakes, discovering how celebrations bring people closer across the world.
Regional Education
As part of our cultural focus, the children were introduced to the Arabic alphabet by one of our teachers. They were amazed to see their names written in Arabic, sparking pride and curiosity. This activity highlighted how languages connect people and encouraged respect for global diversity.
History
The children were captivated by the story of the Great Fire of London, imagining life in the past and the bravery of firefighters. Inspired, they created their own paper firefighter models through cutting, sticking, and designing—strengthening motor skills while bringing history to life through play.
Mathematics
In maths, the children practised counting and number recognition by threading beads onto pipe cleaners. Matching beads to numerals encouraged focus, problem-solving, and fine motor skills while making numbers a fun, hands-on experience.
Thank you for your continued support. We can't wait to share more exciting learning journeys next week!
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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
Our Holiday Clubs offer STEAM fun, language learning, and field trips for school-aged children.
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