The teams have been busy creating engaging and exciting tuff trays for the children this week. Then all the staff vote for their best one across all the sites, some healthy competition! Highdown have won 3 weeks in a row, go Highdown! Will they come out on top again, or will Winklebury or Worthing be this weeks winners?

WINKLEBURY- Measuring. How much is too much?

INTENT: This weeks tuff tray was a measuring activity for the children. We did this because we have noticed the children have been over filling their drinking bottles so we wanted to show them what full, half and empty looked like. We also have noticed the younger children struggle to pour jugs and spill during snack time so we used different size cups with hands and smaller jugs so that they can pour easily.

IMPLEMENT: We coloured the water to make it more vibrant and noticeable for them to help them more. As much as the children will see the water we also thought colouring it would make it more fun for them. We left the colours out so that when they needed more the children could add more to the water. On one side of the tray the measurement was half, on the other side it was full and empty was in the middle. We explained to the children to use the numbers on the side of the cups to make it easy for them to understand half and full.

IMPACT: At first we spoke about the tray and what we wanted the children to do. We looked at the numbers on the side of the cups and the children did well to tell us what numbers they could see. When the children were pouring the water they also said what number the water had landed on. When the younger children came over and joined in for them they just loved pouring the water in to the cups on to the tray and did well to use their words to express what they were doing. The children did well to add more colour when we added fresh water and only added a little bit at a time.

HIGHDOWN- G’Day Mate! Australia Day.

INTENT: This weeks tuff tray was based of National Australia Day! The tray was made so that the children could explore the different weather types of Australia and describe the feeling of the weather and explain what they are feeling when they touch the sand, leaves etc. They were also able to get some messy play with the sand and leaves. The tuff tray included different Australian animals such as wallabies and dingos hidden in the different areas of Australia to increase the children’s knowledge of animals and where they would be found. 

IMPLEMENT: In the tray we had separated it into three to add in the three different weather types of Australia. We had added sand to an area with a wallabies, pickers and a bowl so that the children could play and explore the sand. We also added leaves to another area with dingos and wooden spoons. In the third and final area I added orange tissue paper to and added the trees on top to explore the different environments of Australia. I had added the names of the different animals so that the children could get a wider understanding of the animals of Australia. We also added questions such as what can you feel? And what is the weather like in Australia? So that the children can talk about the different weather types of Australia and what they feel like.

IMPACT: The children absolutely loved exploring the different textures of Australia! They had spoke about what they was feeling when touching the sand and counting the number of trees. They loved getting messy in the sand while also playing with the leaves. They enjoyed holding the Australian flags and talking about the different colours in the Australian flags. They had fun while counting the trees and the leaves on the trees. They also asked multiple questions about Australia and spoke about how far away it was and how you would need to use the plane on the tuff tray to take you there.

Worthing- I’m a child, get me outta here!!

INTENT: For my first tuff tray I decided to create a ‘I’m a child get me outta here’ themed tray to tie in with Australian day! I wanted the children to get out new sensory experiences from this tray, using their hands, mouth and noses to feel, taste and smell the different things in the bowls. I also wanted the children to learn a little bit about Australia and what ‘I’m a celebrity’ is. 

IMPLEMENT: I created this tray by scattering leaves over the bottom making it into a jungle themed tray. I spread the bowls and cups around the tray with various things inside them. In the bowls were things like radishes, cucumber, ketchup with carrots in and some strawberry, apple and prune baby food. In the cups was some lemon squash with insects frozen in some ice cubes. I also placed some pictures of the I’m a celebrity logo but changed ‘celebrity’ to child! I also placed a picture of Ant and Dec in the tray and an Australian flag. 

IMPACT: The children absolutely loved our bush tucker trial themed tray. They all came and sat down around theory ready to explore the different things in the bowls. I asked the children to pick out a radish from the bowl that I handed to them and they each individually tried it, they weren’t too impressed. They then each tried some of the lemon squash and realised that there was a spider in their cups “AHH A SPIDER!” Some of them said. They then tried the baby food and wasn’t too sure on the taste of that pulling some strange faces! They decided that they liked the cucumber and the ketchup with the carrots dipped into it, “Yummy” they said. They then listened as I told them about the programme ‘Im A Celebrity’.

This weeks WINNERS are… HIGHDOWN. Well done to Sarah, Apprentice at Highdown for her first ever tuff tray set up and win.