Phonics sound 't' as in 't'ennis and 't'ea pot

This week I have been really busy trying to work out the best ways to tell people about our woodland learning sessions and also to keep you in the loop of what we are doing.

We are going to continue meeting at the learning area at 10 am as everyone has their own walking pace and besides the walk over provides the children with so many exciting experiences.

The agenda for this week

Arrive at learning area at 10 am 

Start by searching the area for objects beginning with 't' 

Once everyone has arrived we will gather around the benches sharing the objects and asking what objects will be in the sound box this week?

Bring a teddy - I have some spares but we will set up a teddy bears pic nic this week

snack time: tomatoes and toast

and of course juice coffee and Tea

We will then be singing these songs 

I'm a little tea pot

and the train song

Our book will be Charlie and Lola favourite I will never eat a Tomato.

The mud kitchen will be set up to make mud pies for the teddy bears pic nic!!  Please feel free to get your hands dirty I will bring some water to clean off afterwards.

I am hoping Ranger Steve is back tomorrow, but if not I may need some volunteers to get stuck in at the mud kitchen and get stuck in with the play sometimes it takes a little encouragement and a nod from a grown up to really explore the different textures mud can bring.  Some times all it takes is a saying 'have you tried making a magic potion the ingredients are a raggedy leaf, a crunchy piece of bark, a twig and lots of dirt a pinch of water and then lets mix the pot.' Or what happens to the soil when its wet can you make a face with it? Can you make a Tiger with it?  Does it stick on trees?  Sometimes a question can spark off deep learning and lots of fun.

I will be setting up the pallet to put our objects on, please explore them and feel free to make towers out of them or arrange them in size order or count them, whatever your child thinks is a good idea this activity should be completely child led.

We have reached the middle part of the term this Monday and I am really pleased with how our sound exploration has gone so far.  We have explored the sounds 'S' and 'a' so far and I know the children I childmind have really enjoyed this so far and are constantly listening for the sounds that we have already mentioned.  We hear them in the books that we read and the signs that we see outside, I hope you found many arrows in the environment last week.  I would like to take time out to hear about any activities that you did and would really appreciate it if you could write it on our face book page?  www.facebook.co.uk/etherowparkminirangers 

Warmest regards

Melanie Commins

Early Years Teacher