Here at MonkeyMoos we have been busy supporting all of our school leavers be ready to move onto the next big adventure- school life! We have been focusing on hand washing, using the toilet independently and trying to cut up our own meals. We have also been supporting the children with all of the emotions that come with preparing for school, there has been excitement but also there can be anxiety too. By visiting the schools, meeting the class teachers and having discussions about the schools, this helps children to understand what will happen on this new adventure.

We have been working on our independence skills in preschool group time and through out the day. We have been looking at how to independently put heir coats and shoes on, we also looks at how to get dressed independently. We talked about the importance of being independent how it can help the children as they  get bigger and how it can them when they go to school. The children all really enjoyed learning how to put on their coat as we were practicing before garden time and out outings, if they children were struggling to put on their coat we showed them n exciting way where they flip the coat over their head. We also did an activity on how we put on our shoes, we made it fun and made a game out of this by trying to race their friends to see who could get their coat and shoes on the fastest with no help. We also went for an adventure today in the rain and got wet so we used this as an opportunity to practice getting changed them self, the children all got their bags and went to the bathroom to get changed.

The school leavers have been very busy over the last few weeks in working towards recognising there names. Last week we did a activity where the preschoolers could search for their name and use a pencil or crayon to circle once they had found it. The preschoolers had lots of fun exploring their names and recognising the different letters Some preschoolers were even able to use a crayon  to trace over their own name. The preschoolers also had lots of fun singing the alphabet song with our adults as we took part in the activity!

This week we did a activity using play dough to help us develop the forming of the letters in our name. The preschoolers had the alphabet on the table to guide them and also our adults to point them in the right direction. They used their hands to roll the play dough into “wriggly snakes” as they called them and then form them into the letters which were in their name. The preschoolers enjoyed getting messy and seeing letters in a different creative way! 

To help prepare our preschoolers for their next adventure we have been talking about the schools and what they are excited for as well as scared or nervous of. We have been on outings to the local schools to familiarize ourselves for when we go in September.  When we reached the school we spoke about what we could see in the windows as well as in the garden and play area and what we were excited for. We were all super excited and cheered as we looked through the gates. We are all happy to “make new friends” and “play with toys”.