Ilminster Avenue Nursery School is launching an exciting new term with the curriculum focus “Make A Model,” where children will learn all the skills needed to make models independently.
True to the nursery’s vision of “Igniting Children’s Passions through Play,” children will begin by exploring how to use recycled materials, glue and tape to attach things together. The older children will then move to using real tools to make small models using wood, exploring hammers, nails and saws to plan and create with.
The children will be developing skills across all areas of the curriculum through this hands-on focus. They will learn to cooperate in groups, take turns and follow safety rules whilst developing physical skills to use tools such as scissors, hammers and saws with safety and accuracy. Language development will be supported as children learn to “plan” and “review” their work, talk about their creative ideas and use vocabulary to join sentences together. Mathematical thinking will develop as children explore subitising skills, noticing groups up to 5 and using 5-frames to help organise objects. Creative skills will flourish as children explore colour, make plans and follow through with their ideas, whilst understanding of the world will develop as they explore and talk about forces in relation to their model-making and woodworking.
The nursery has leaflets available for parents about core books and the curriculum for this term to help support children’s learning at home. Children will bring home the models they make, and families are encouraged to ask children to talk about their models and explain how they made them. The resources used are very accessible at home, so families might enjoy making something together too!