Seaside adventures and Autumnal treasures
Week one: Jellyfish
We talked about creatures that the children saw at the beach during their holidays, which included crabs, seagulls, fish, seaweed, shrimp and jellyfish! In week one, the children could make their own hanging jellyfish, complete with long tentacles made from different materials. They could also create a bloom of small jellyfish using cupcake wrappers on paper plates decorated with a seascape background. Sea animals could be found hidden in green jelly in one tuff tray, and a rock pool in the other. We ended the sessions with a song about wibbly wobbly jelly!
Week two: Seahorses
Children had LOTS of fun using paint splatters to create a green and blue bubbly sea background then they used oil pastels or paint sticks to colour in a large seahorse which was added to their background to great effect. They could also create a mini underwater scene using tissue paper, clear sticky paper and sea creature templates. We learnt lots of interesting facts about these fascinating sea creatures and enjoyed sharing the story of Mister Seahorse, who carries his babies in his pouch.
Week three: Starfish
Super starfish were our focus in week three. Children could decorate their own star fish using posca pens and/or paint sticks then make their very own rock pool for them to reside in, complete with string and pipe cleaner seaweed, tissue paper rocks and sandy base. Hidden stars could be found in the pink oobleck and mini starfish discovered in the blue foam.
Week four: Autumn Equinox
We welcomed in the season of Autumn with crafts and imaginative sensory play linked to the Autumn Equinox. Hanging orbs with sun, moon, earth and night sky faces were created using metallic paint sticks, stickers and beads threaded onto string. Children could also make shiny moon collages complete with multiple hanging stars. Moon dust and moon rocks were home to one tuff tray and mini suns and bright water lights were found in the other.
Week five: Autumn Leaves and Trees
This week, we explored the beauty of autumn leaves and the changing colours that arrive with the different seasons. Children could explore autumn leaves using chalks to colour around leaf templates to create a dramatic, colourful leaf silhouette. Autumn leaves and woodland animals could be found in one tuff tray, and autumn treasures, such as conkers, pine cones, acorns and seeds could be found in the other, ready to scoop, weigh, pour and mix. With the accompaniment of wooden sticks tapping along to a story, we explored what happens to trees in each season.
Week six: Autumn Harvest
This week, we celebrated all the wonderful harvest that can be gathered in the autumn time. The children had a go at large-scale fruit and vegetable printing (sweetcorn was the favourite!and leaf/flower rubbings using melted wax crayons, which were turned into autumn cards. Pumpkins, gourds and munchkins were scrubbed and washed in one tuff tray.
Week seven: Dormice
As the days got darker and colder, we started to think about hibernation. Dormice were the focus, and the children could create rocking mice collages and origami mice bookmarks using a range of materials to great effect. Nests could be formed in one tuff tray using leaves, sticks and oats, and in the other using mini bricks and foam! We learnt about the habits of dormice and had great fun hearing about them snoring during their period of hibernation, with stories being shared about family members who also snore!
Week eight: Bats and spiders
We continued with the theme of hibernation this week – with a particular focus on the habits of bats. Children could make their own hanging bat on a decorated stick, as well as a bat picture using stampers, stencils, wool and stickers! Fun spider/web spinners were also created. We sang about spiders and bats and used wooden sticks to play along to The Addams Family theme tune!
At Music and Move this term
This term, we’ve enjoyed singing about the season of autumn using props to help us, with songs about autumn colours, harvest, spiders, bats, conkers, acorns, stars, garden vegetables…and a naughty rabbit who tries to eat them!
We’ve created a steady beat with body percussion, wooden sticks and other instruments. We’ve marched around the room and frozen when the music has stopped. The children have been on hunts around the room, searching for monsters in the spooky forest; been wrapped in bandages to become mummies themselves (or turn their grown up into mummies) and danced along to the skeleton scat, zombie dance and shake songs!
Parachute songs have included row your boat, wibble wobble, parachute dance and walking through the jungle, meeting different animals along the way.
Explore all our preschool art and music classes
Create and Play for 1.5 – 5 years
Tuesdays @ 9 30am & 11am
Wednesdays @ 11am
Fridays @ 9 30am
Music and Move for 1.5 – 5 years
Thursdays @ 9 30am
Fridays @ 11 15am
Take a look at our Holiday Create and Play Sessions for 1.5 to 5 years.
Now taking bookings for next term
What’s on at Goldfinch for 5 and under
Create and Play: Tuesdays 9 30am and 11am, Wednesdays 11am and Fridays at 9 30am
Music and Move: Thursdays at 9 30am and Fridays at 11 15am
Please click here to see the class timetable for more details.
