Monday 21st September 2015

Mondays and Wednesdays 10 am 

                                  £2 per child and £1 per adult

These pictures of Autumn tell children of changes, it is these changes that help them understand the nature of learning.  That one thing can become another thing a flower can become a blackberry.  An oak tree can produce Acorns.

At Mini Rangers we use constants to remind children that the logs designating the fire area are not to be crossed.  That they can watch Ranger Steve change wood into fire. 

This week we are going to be searching for mini beasts.  Mini beasts are only going to be found for another few weeks as the weather gets colder they are searching for warmer hibernation habitats. While Monarch butterflies and dragonflies are off searching for warmer climates, spiders and the lave of insects will still hang around.  Sometimes surviving winter as small eggs or black dots that are still very much alive under the snow and ice.

It is great to show children the habitats of creatures that are familiar to us adults, but it can also bring with it many other questions and discussions - why do we live in houses and the worms live in the soil?  Why types of woodland mini beasts can we find?  No leg variety, how many segments do they have are they worms or lavae?  Legs if so how many?  

These provoke many discussions and it is this language used in different experiences that bring literacy to life!  Who could ever understand the song 'there was an old woman who swallowed a fly' if they had never seen a fly before it is hard to understand what the big deal is to swallow a fly if you did not know what one was?  The more you know and have had first hand experience the more the world of literacy makes sense and then when you do go to school the more your teacher makes sense.

It is this uncovering of language in different experiences that enables our children to become school ready, no amount of time sat at a table studying a page of writing can replace real life experiences.  However real life experiences can enhance the page of writing and bring the lessons to life. It is these early experiences that allow children to make the right connections.

So this week we look forward to

a mini beast hunt

snack of grapes 

plus all our usual fun with the Mini Rangers 

Mel