This week the children at MonkeyMoos have had the chance to explore some more amazing trays!!! All three trays this week were amazing and very inviting and the children were able to learn new and different things.

Winklebury have created their very own Lapland. They wanted to introduce a tray which was linked in with Christmas and winter as this is a very big interest of the children’s at the moment. They also wanted the children to be able to explore different textures which all represent snow!! Highdown have created a snow themed tuff tray. The intention of the tray was to get the children to understand what snow I and what it can be used for as well as getting the children to understand the different clothing items that they might need if it does snow Huntley Wharf have created a Christmas post office tuff tray. The intent was for the children to build more confidence in the prone areas and stronger relationships with peers. The children were encouraged to make marks on their pictures to stand for their name and understand print has meaning Worthing have created a Christmas cup cake tuff tray, this was following the children’s current interest. The children are all interested in Christmas activities so this tray was set up for the children to be able experience making cup cakes

Who will be this weeks winners…………

INTENT ~ In this tray we created our own Lapland! We wanted to look at Lapland as it’s linked with Christmas and the season of winter! This tray’s intent was to explore the winter season and the concept of snow. We explored this by using different textures and materials to represent a snowy scene.

IMPLEMENT ~ In this tray we used various resources to represent snow. We used white painted rice, lots of shaving foam, salt mixed with water, and sprinkles of bicarbonate soda to add the snowy powdered effect. This was a mix of wet and dry textures, which engaged the children into combing textures of the ‘snow’. I added blocks of chocolate as a path towards the small snow hill in the middle, to show how snow covers up ground and nature.

IMPACT ~ The children loved this snowy tray! They loved the look of the shaving foam, as it was smoothed out to look like a snowy ground. They made marks in the different textures with the people toys, making their own sounds for the footsteps! We talked about snow, who had seen snow before and what it feels like! This provided the children a good opportunity for discussion about an experience, and exploring textures and if they’re soft, hard, dry or wet.

INTENT ~ As Winter has arrived and it is getting colder I created a tuff tray based around making a snowman. The intention of my tuff tray was to get the children to understand what snow is and what it can be used for, I wanted the children to be able to recognise snow when it comes around. I wanted the children to be able to understand the different clothing items they may need to wear when it snows and the accessories that they could also wear. The intention of the snowman was to use it as an example to dress it how they should dress during the winter.

IMPLEMENTATION ~ To create my snowman themed tuff tray I had used flour for the effect of snow, I used bowls to create a circular snow man of 3 different sizes and I had put out some different resources for the children to decorate him. Around the snowman I had put out some cut up peppers for the nose, some wool for a scarf and some different shaped eyes which had various designs.

IMPACT ~ As the children were engaging in the tuff tray we had talked about different snow experiences that they may have had as they were growing up and for the ones that had not had any snow experiences we talked about the different textures and temperatures they thought snow would have. The children had really enjoyed placing the different eyes on the snowman along with the nose some had even used their imagination to create arms and feet on the snowman using the peppers. The children had talked about the use of wearing hats,gloves and scarfs in the cold and If it could prevent them from getting any illnesses, they had also talked about different footwear that they may wear and if it would prevent their toes from getting cold. Overall the children had really enjoyed interacting in the tuff tray and engaging in conversations about the snow.

INTENT~ My intent is for the children to build more confidence in the prime areas and stronger relationships with peers. my main focus is on the children to understand simple questions and understand why questions from C&L. Begin to show effortful control and play with one or more other children, extending and elaborating play ideas from PSED. Use a comfortable grip with good control when holding pens and pencils from PD. My tuff tray will focus on two of the specific areas UTW and LD. Make marks on their pictures to stand for their name and understand print has meaning. Show interest in different occupation.

IMPLEMENTATION ~ I have linked my tuff tray round Christmas celebrations, using tinsel, snow and lights to make it bright and eye catching. Adding letters to santa, envelopes, Christmas cards, stamps, ink and pencils to build and gain interest around mark making and pencil control. I included Santa hats, post bag, tape, scissors, post box and post office keywords to extend children’s knowledge.

IMPACT ~ The children played together as a whole, talked about past events like the post man who cames to their house and monkeymoos, the Christmas tree at home and in our home corner which they had decorated with the same tinel. The children extended their learning from the tuff tray to around the room, making handmade cards to santa and their own Christmas post office hat.

IMPACT ~ I sprinkled flour to cover the bottom of the tray to cover the tray. I placed a large mixing bowl in the centre of the tray, then around the bowl I paced a large serving spoon, whisk, an egg, bowls of flour, spoons, a bowl of sugar and a bowl of butter.  Outside of the tray I had a tray filled with cup cake cases ready for the children to fill up with the mixture. 

IMPLEMENTATION ~ The children had so much fun in the tray. The children was very good at naming the different ingredients on the tray. A child picked up the egg and said “egg.”Another child when they looked at the flour said “flour”. The children took it in turns to add all the ingredients to the bowl, they then mixed the ingredients together to create the cake mixture. We then independently used a teaspoon  to add the cask mixture to the cup cake cases ready for cooking. 

IMPACT ~ The reason I chose for the children to complete a Christmas cup cake tuff tray is we are following the children’s current interest of themes that they are enjoying. The children are really enjoying the different Christmas activities they we are taking part in. I wanted the children to be able to experience making cup cakes as they not be able to experience making cut cakes at home.