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Westminster School Highlights - October 4, 2024

We’ve had a wonderful and engaging week at preschool, filled with activities that captivated the children’s interest, sparked their curiosity, and made learning fun!

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Here’s a look at what we’ve been up to and how it’s contributing to the children’s development.

Circle Time Adventures

During circle time, the children eagerly shared their weekend experiences and concluded their exploration of the Middle East by learning about its unique wildlife and stunning landscapes.

They discovered fascinating animals such as the Arabian oryx, gazelles, and Arabian leopards, and explored the region’s beautiful architecture.

These discussions sparked their curiosity and deepened their appreciation for different cultures.

As we wrap up this theme, we’re excited to take off on a new adventure—flying to North

America to explore its rich diversity and natural wonders!

Phonics Fun and Number Play

We’ve focused on the letter “R” this week.

The children enjoyed singing along to the Jolly Phonics song, practicing their letter recognition, and honing their fine motor skills through tracing and writing exercises.

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Our number activities included counting from 1 to 10 using colorful materials like beads and clay, which turned math into a hands-on and playful experience!

Creative Arts and Early Math Skills

In our pottery session, the children shaped numbers 1 through 5 from clay, combining creative expression with fine motor skill development.

We also introduced the concept of telling time by identifying clock numbers from 1 o’clock to 5 o’clock and engaged in fun measurement activities, setting a solid foundation for their early math understanding.

Science Exploration

This week’s science experiment focused on measuring water using droppers and cups, helping the children explore volume and precision in a simple yet engaging way.

They were thrilled to watch the water levels change as they added each drop, reinforcing their understanding of scientific concepts through observation and hands-on experimentation.

Physical Activities and Cultural Exploration

On the last day of September, the children celebrated the end of our Middle East theme by staying active with various physical activities.

They enjoyed playing tennis in the garden and learned traditional Middle Eastern dance steps to the rhythm of an Arabian drum, which promoted both physical fitness and cultural awareness.

As we begin our new October topic on North America, the children will explore the continent’s diverse cultures through music and dance, while engaging in seasonal activities that promote movement and creativity.

This week, they participated in a yoga session where they learned about autumn’s changing colours and the seasonal harvest, followed by autumn-themed games that combined movement with imaginative play.

We are excited to dive into this new theme and discover more about North America's unique cultural traditions!

Little Village

As an early years education and childcare institution, we put great value on helping children in need.

This is why we partnered with Little Village, an organization that helps babies and young children living in poverty all across London.

Want to help us give them the things they need? Donate to Little Village below!

Mindfulness and Mandarin Learning

We’ve continued to nurture emotional awareness by reading books like What to Do When I’m Feeling Angry and practicing calming techniques, such as blowing out an imaginary candle to manage frustration.

In Mandarin, the children revisited strokes learned last week and advanced to writing the character for “hand” (手). It’s amazing to see their progress as they become familiar with Chinese characters!

Outdoor Play and Garden Time

The children enjoyed time outdoors, running, jumping, and playing in the fresh air—an excellent way to unwind after a day filled with learning and creativity.

Looking Ahead: Exploring North America

Next week, we’ll be diving into our new monthly theme: North America!

We have exciting plans to learn about the continent’s diverse wildlife, from grizzly bears to bison, as well as its breathtaking landmarks like the Grand Canyon and Niagara Falls.

The children will explore North American music, dance, and art styles, allowing them to gain a deeper understanding of the continent’s rich cultural heritage.

We will also focus on developing social skills through stories and discussions centered around kindness and community.

We’ll encourage the children to consider ways they can show kindness and respect to others, fostering a classroom environment filled with positive interactions and thoughtful choices.

It’s been an incredible week, and we are so proud of how our young ones have transitioned so smoothly into the preschool room, settling into their routines and becoming part of our joyful preschool community!

Blue Dragons

This week, our Blue Dragons have been actively engaged in various activities that support their learning and development.

With many of our two-year-olds transitioning beautifully into the preschool room, we’re excited to see them embrace new experiences and thrive!

As we dive into our new theme for the month—North America—the children will continue to build on their skills through creative exploration and hands-on learning. Here’s a peek at what they’ve been up to

Mandarin: Learning “Rain” (雨)

In the spirit of the rainy season, we brought the outdoor experience indoors!

The children learned how to say “rain” in Mandarin and used clay to create the Chinese character "雨."

This activity not only introduced them to new vocabulary but also helped develop their fine motor skills through creative play.

Art: Sticking the Tree

Autumn is here, and we’ve been embracing the season by creating beautiful autumn trees.

After collecting garden leaves to make greeting cards last week, this week the children created their own trees using colorful leaves and tree trunks.

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Each tree turned out unique, just like each one of our wonderful Blue Dragons!

Numbers: Matching Bamboo Sticks with Numbers

To reinforce their understanding of numbers, the Blue Dragons practiced placing the correct number of bamboo sections onto corresponding numbered plates.

This hands-on activity helped the children with number recognition and counting, while boosting their problem-solving skills.

Well done, Blue Dragons, for matching them so perfectly!

Fine Motor Skills: Threading Pipe Cleaners

For fine motor skill development, the children took on the challenge of threading pipe cleaners through straws.

This activity required concentration and precision, helping to strengthen their hand-eye coordination.

It was a bit tricky, but they worked hard and did an amazing job!

Cultural Exploration: World Vegetarian Day

To celebrate World Vegetarian Day, the Blue Dragons learned about various vegetables by helping “Miss Carrot” find her family.

This playful role-playing game encouraged them to identify different vegetables and understand the importance of healthy eating in a fun and interactive way.

Remember, eating vegetables helps us grow strong and stay healthy!

Gandhi Jayanti

The children celebrated Mahatma Gandhi’s teachings through arts and crafts.

They learned about his message of “Speak no evil, Hear no evil, See no evil” by creating drawings and crafting three monkeys symbolizing this principle.

They also made a spinning wheel using cardboard and sticks, imitating Gandhi’s cotton spinning.

This activity introduced them to new cultural concepts and enhanced their understanding of history through creative expression.

Looking Ahead: Exploring North America

As we begin our exploration of North America, the children will delve into its diverse wildlife, landmarks, and cultural heritage through stories, art, and music.

We’re excited to see the Blue Dragons engage with this new theme, building on their understanding of the world and expanding their appreciation for different cultures.

It’s been an incredible week, and we’re proud of how well the children are settling into their new routines. Keep up the fantastic work, Blue Dragons!

Baby Room

This week in the Baby Dragons room, we celebrated Vegetarian Day with a fun indoor picnic!

The babies explored a variety of colourful vegetables like carrots, bell peppers, cucumbers, and broccoli.

They touched and smelled each vegetable, noticing the smoothness of cucumbers and the bumpy texture of broccoli.

The children then used stomp markers to colour pictures of these veggies, choosing bright colours like orange and green.

This hands-on activity not only introduced them to healthy foods but also helped strengthen their sensory development and fine motor skills as they practiced gripping and manipulating the markers.

Our theme for the month is Transportation, and this week we focused on road transport. The children engaged in heuristic play with toy cars and trucks of various sizes and colors.

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They rolled the cars on different surfaces like soft mats and hard tables, observing how the movement changed.

They even created simple “roads” using masking tape on the floor and experimented by driving the cars around “intersections” and “roundabouts.”

These playful experiences enhanced their coordination and problem-solving skills as they figured out how to navigate their vehicles, make turns, and avoid “traffic jams.”

We also enjoyed a flip-flap story about a beaver, a fascinating animal found in North America.

They loved the surprise element of lifting the flaps and were eager to see what would happen next.

Additionally, our Makaton sign of the week was "sleep."

The babies practiced the sign by placing their hands together near their cheek, which mimics the gesture of sleeping.

We used this sign during nap time and story time, encouraging the children to use it whenever they felt tired.

It was heartwarming to see some of the babies trying to communicate their sleepiness by using the sign, showing how quickly they are learning to express themselves.

Overall, it’s been a fantastic week filled with new experiences and joyful learning.

We’re so proud of how the little ones are growing, exploring, and developing new skills each day. Keep up the great work, Baby Dragons!