General Information
Supporting learning at home:
We have collected good website links for you to access materials if you would rather plan your own day or need further ideas. There are a lot here so just investigate them gradually. We have highlighted in bold those that are highly recommended. Please remember to check all videos and websites before showing them to your child to make sure the content is appropriate as we are unable to guarantee this. We will add to them as we find ones that we recommend so please keep looking back at this page. If you have any websites or apps you think would be good to share then please email them to us so that we can take a look.
Please look at the whole of this page for other links. If any no longer work then please email us to let us know. Thank you.
General learning:
70 things to do at home with your child
Pobble Non Screen activities you can do with your child at home.
Classroom secrets. Focus on EYFS pages. Classroom secrets Home learning packs EYFS
50 ideas to try at home ABC does - Added to daily
Twinkl - Introductory offer. Focus on EYFS pages.
The SEN Resources Blog - Added to daily. Videos of ideas.
Mrs M Activity - mixed ideas for activities.
TPet Home learning pack with daily activities You do need to sign up to access the file.
BBC Primary teaching resources
Home learning projects Robinhoodmat Scroll down to the week by week EYFS ones.
Five minute mum Good for quick, short activities.
lovetoplayandlearn on Instagram is also recommended. (Known to our school)
Outside learning:
Literacy/Communication/Open ended :
Phonics Play Activities and resources
Letters and sounds website. Good for games and resources
Story online People reading stories to children.
Athelney Primary Great for phonic videos.
Understanding of the world
Childhood by Nature. Virtual nature. Discussion point.
Stem activities Search by age.
Just 2 easy Please use your child's login details.
Think u know - online safety. Jessie and friends. Links to materials to use.
Think u know - online safety. Packs for 4 to 5 year olds. This should be added to during the closure.
Godly Plays
Please enjoy watching the 'Godly Plays' below. They have been made by the Year 6 pupils during Home Learning. Year 6 read parables from the bible and then created their own plays and movies from them. We hope you enjoy watching them.
The Parable Of The Lost Sheep by Maisie
The Parable Of The Lost Sheep by Ruby
The Parable of The Lost Sheep by Rowan
Expressive Arts and Design/Messy play:
Imagination tree - Does require some materials
Maths
NCETM: Cardinality and counting progression chart
NCETM: Comparison progression chart
White Rose Home Learning videos and guidance
First 4 Maths Ideas for Reception You will need to sign up to access complete pack.
Top Marks Games Tablet Friendly
NCETM You have to log on. Then look up the numberblock planning and find the corresponding powerpoint to work through.
Maths Factor I have not been able to log on to this to preview it. Might be worth looking at.
Physical/Wellbeing
Coronavirus social story to explain it to children
Dr Ranj Cbeebies video for children if they are worried about Coronavirus
Coronavirus story for you to work through with your child.
Coronavirus story for children.
Childline- Calm zone Lots for breathing and wellbeing.
Pinterest cross curricular activities. Great for all areas of EYFS too. Fine motor and funky fingers are recommended.
Go Noodle Movement and mindfulness
NSPCC - Pants campaign and song
Scarf home learning packs 1 and 2 - These are from Coram Life Education who visit us in the Life Tent with Harold the Giraffe.
Useful websites for adults:
What to expect, when. What will my child be learning? Explains the areas of learning well.
Development matters - Ages and stages of learning Very useful document
Early Learning Goals and Exceeding statements Our goals for the end of EYFS.
Exemplification materials from Government for ELGs. Good to use to see what sorts of things are examples of good learning.
Parent guide to Phase 2 sounds
Safeguarding children online. A guide for teachers but useful for carers to read.
Letters and sounds teaching book Your child's route through phonic teaching.
NSPCC Behaviour - Coping with tantrums Good advice guide.
NSPCC - online safety information
NSPCC - Separation and divorce guidance
NSPCC - Support for parents SEND
NSPCC - Support for parents working from home
NSPCC - Concerns about children's mental health
Think u know - keeping children under 5 safe online
Think u know - How to support your child at home with online safety
What is Funky Fingers?
Funky Fingers a series of fun activities for children to build up their upper body strength (gross motor skills) and finger/hand strength and control (fine motor skills). There are a wealth of activities that you can do with your child to improve these skills and get them ready to write. I can recommend visiting the website Therapy Street for Kids which has a lot of information on the different skills to develop as well as lots of great ideas.
On the page there are:
Pre-writing and early writing activity ideas to get you started
Videos with demonstrations of pre-writing activities and guidance
Examples of warm ups children can do before picking up their pencil
A video to demonstrate the ‘dynamic tripod’ grip
The letter families to help you practice at home
Pre-writing activities to get you started:
Complete activities whilst lying on their tummy, taking the weight through their elbows. E.g. watching TV, reading a book, puzzles.
Climbing, seesaw, tug of war and swing activities with the child holding onto ropes.
Craft activities – cutting, scrunching, gluing and ripping paper and bending pipe cleaners.
Toy tools such as sawing, drilling, hammering, screws and bolts.
Games involving flicking small objects e.g. flicking balls of paper of a table into a ‘goal’.
Place a firm elastic band around tips of fingers and thumb. Open and close it 10 times with each hand.
Dough gym – pinching, pressing, rolling, squeezing
Holding a handful of items in hand and posting them into a jar one by one (buttons, coins)
Picking up items with pegs, tongs, tweezers.
Swimming
Ribbon dancing
Threading beads, straws etc.
Walking fingers e.g. along tape placed on the table. Ring and little finger curled out of the way.
Pop bubble wrap
Turn keys in padlocks
Tying knots into string and linking paper clips
Posting items into the ‘hungry guy’ (tennis ball with slit in the top)
Picking up sequins off a table or stickers off a sticker sheet
Interlocking construction
Early writing activities:
Tracing and stencil activities
Colouring in activities, staying inside the lines.
Dot to dots
Drawing letter shapes in the air to music
Copying over letter shapes
Drawing letters in sand or shaving foam spread thinly on a table.
Write with chalk, crayons, finger paints, pencils, pens etc.
Write letters in the air with eyes shut.
Recognition of letters through touch (stick letters, magnetic letters, fuzzy felt, sand paper letters).
Drawing or writing on vertical surfaces (chalkboard, whiteboard, tiles at bath time with bath pens).
Drawing or writing with chalks on the ground or pavement
Water painting on outdoor walls with paintbrush.
Letter family groups:
Long ladder letters:
l, i, t, u, j, y
One arm robot letters:
r, b, n, h, m, k, p
Curly caterpillar letters:
c, a, d, o, s, g, q, e, f
Zig-zag monster letters:
z, v, w, x
What is dough disco?
ABC DOES guide to dough disco and physical development
“Push, chop, pinch, roll, yeehaw...!”
If you walk into our early years at the beginning of the morning, you shouldn’t be at all surprised if you hear the teachers and children saying these words while partaking in some unusual actions. We have good reason for such behaviour.
Each year, more and more children come into Reception not being able to hold a pencil because they have not yet developed the appropriate upper body strength. It is impossible for children to learn to hold a pencil without first strengthening muscles in the back, shoulders, arms, elbows, wrists and hands. On the journey to become confident mark makers, children also need to develop shoulder, elbow and wrist pivots. Despite these difficulties, and the fact that learning to hold a pencil and use it to form recognisable letters is an incredibly difficult skill that all children will develop at their own rates, and in their own ways, schools are under increased pressure to raise outcomes in writing at the end of early years.
The aim of dough disco is to strengthen and develop children’s fine and gross motor dexterity, balance and hand-eye co-ordination.
Each child is given a large piece of playdough: the heavier the dough, the greater the resistance.
To begin we remind the children that Dough Gym helps us to build up muscles so that we are able to hold a pencil correctly and with ease. Then, as an upbeat track begins to play, the teacher starts to model and call out instructions for the children to follow. The children are reminded to keep their backs straight and their feet shoulder width apart. They then copy a series of different moves. Each move supports a different area of development, from shoulder pivot to pincer grip.
A few dough disco moves modelled
Dough disco example 2 Days of the week
Dough disco is the most fun when you pick your favourite song and then add some moves to it! See the Reception page to copy some moves.
Playdough recipe:
What is 'Squiggle while you wiggle'?
In Nursery the children take part in squiggle while you wiggle sessions. These sessions are great fun but most importantly help your child to be confident mark makers.
It was designed by Shonette Bason. Follow this link to find out more: Squiggle while you wiggle information guide
Supporting your child with Phonics in EYFS.
Take a look at some of these videos and websites to give you and your child support with phonics. Any questions then please ask one of the EYFS team.
Visit 'PhonicsPlay' and use the school account to play games and download resources.
Supporting your child with Maths in EYFS
It is important that your child grasps each concept really well so that they can build on it in further years. These sites will guide you through this.
