Our Summer 1 Journey
Our Focus this Term
This term in Tadpoles Room, we have been learning all about farms and baby farm animals. The children have enjoyed exploring the different animals that live on a farm, learning the names of their babies, and discovering the sounds they make. Throughout the term, we have taken part in lots of exciting activities linked to our topic, including sensory play, creative activities, stories, songs and small world play. These experiences have helped support the children's communication and language skills, personal, social and emotional development, and understanding of the world around them. The children have shown great curiosity, confidence, and enthusiasm during our activities and have loved learning through play and exploration.
Our Focus Texts - Noisy Farm
This term Focus Texts have been Noisy Farm by Rod Campbell and Muddy Farm by Toddler Talks. The children have thoroughly enjoyed sharing these stories together during group times and independently exploring the books throughout provision. The bright pictures, lift-the-flap surprises and animal sounds, captured the children's attention and encouraged lots of excitement and engagement.
Reading these stories regularly helped support the children's communication and language development as they joined in with repeated words, copied animal noises, and began to recognise familiar farm animals.
Tadpoles into Sheep Dogs!
As part of our farm topic, the children learned about sheepdogs and the important job they do on a farm. Before the activity, we gathered together for a carpet session where we talked about the role of a sheepdog and how they help farmers herd and protect the sheep.
The children enjoyed looking at pictures and learning how sheepdogs listen carefully and work hard to keep sheep safe. The following day the children were very excited to receive a special letter from a farmer asking for our help to herd his sheep!
The children worked together to think of ways we could trick the sheep into following us. Miss Patterson painted the children's faces and we made our own dog ears so we could pretend to be sheep dogs. The children had lots of fun using their imaginations as they searched for the sheep around our school grounds.
We found the sheep!
Creative Play
As part of our Summer 1 farm topic, we enjoyed lots of creative play activities. We explored different farm animals and talked about what we might see on a farm.
One of our favourite activities was activities was creating cows by adding spots to their bodies. This helped us develop our fine motor skills while being creative. We also had great fun making painted footprints using our farm small world animals.
50 things Stay and Play session
We were delighted to welcome our parents and carers into Tadpoles to take part in activties linked to the 5o things to do before you're 5 initiative. The session provided a wonderful opportunity for families to spend some quality time learning and playing together.
The children enjoyed exploring a range of engaging activities with their own grown-ups, encouraging creativity, communication, and problem-solving skills. During the session, Miss Patterson spoke to parents about the 50 things initative and shared ideas for simple, low cost, fun experiences that families can enjoy at home and in the local community.
Cows and Calves
As part of our farm topic, we learned about cows and where milk comes from. During carpet time, we explored the journey of milk from the farm to our homes and discussed the important role cows play in providing dairy products.
To make our learning more interactive, Miss Patterson made a model cow using a rubber glove to represent the udder. The children were fascinated by the demonstration and eagerly took turns 'milking' the cow. This hands-on activity helped them understand the milking process in a fun way!
What food grows on a Farm?
Today we explored where vegetables come from and learned about the importance of a farmers role in growing food for us. During snack time, the children had the opportunity to taste a variety of vegetables an talk about the different colours, textures and flavours.
We have had such a fun filled half term!
