This term at Cashmore Early Years Centre has been wonderfully rich and varied, with children across all groups enjoying hands-on learning experiences from water play and songs to an exciting farm adventure.
In Hippo and Giraffe Groups, children have been enjoying a wide range of water play experiences, building confidence, coordination and curiosity through exploration. During group time, children have been using pipettes and small bottles to practise filling and emptying. Squeezing the pipettes has supported the development of fine motor skills, helping to strengthen the small muscles in their hands that are important for early writing. The addition of rubber ducks, frogs and sponges has encouraged imaginative play and sparked conversations about floating and sinking. Music and movement have been woven into the water play beautifully, with children singing 5 Little Ducks and using guttering and rubber ducks to bring the song to life. Each child has taken a turn to pour water down the gutter, watching the ducks slide along. This playful activity has supported early counting skills, turn-taking and coordination. Story time has linked closely to the theme, with children enjoying Mr Gumpy’s Outing by John Burningham and Duck in the Truck by Jez Alborough, noticing how water appears within stories and making connections between the stories and their own play experiences.
Meanwhile, Tiger and Zebra Group embarked on an exciting adventure to Windmill Hill City Farm across the first two weeks of the term. The journey itself was a highlight, with children travelling in smaller groups to Lawrence Hill train station, enjoying a train journey to Bedminster and then walking to the farm. They enjoyed watching the changing views from the windows, listening to announcements and confidently waving to passengers. At the farm, the children explored a wide range of animals and plants with genuine curiosity and care, stroking soft lambs, listening to loud geese and spotting piglets with real excitement and wonder. The day included time to enjoy packed lunches together and energetic play in the gravel pit. A big thank you goes to all the parent and carer volunteers who supported the trip and made this memorable experience possible.
It has been a joyful term of exploration across Cashmore, with these varied learning experiences supporting children’s communication, physical skills, imagination and growing understanding of the world around them.