Physical Development

This week, we have been focusing on physical development and how we can move safely in different ways. We have lots of opportunities to be active in our learning. During PE lessons, we have been using the benches to move across in different ways. When we reach the end of the bench, we can jump off and try our best to land on our feet. Once we’ve landed, we make a shape and try and hold it for the count of three 1,2,3….

In the outside learning environment, we have been using the scooters and playing throwing and catching with a large ball. We also have the opportunity to use the large construction equipment and to climb on it.

Why Physical Development is a Prime Area?

• There has been considerable concern over the last few years about an increase in children’s sedentary behaviour and a reduction in their physical activity.
• Physical development has been described as ‘experience-expectant’ learning which means that the brain is wired in expectation of this development. If it doesn’t happen early it is more difficult to establish later on.
• Babies and young children undergo rapid and wide-ranging physical and psychological developments in their early years which contribute to their future health and well-being.
• Physical development contributes to cognitive development – as children move and explore the world they learn about the properties of objects and their own capabilities.
• In the early years children are establishing patterns of activity which will affect their whole future. If activity and healthy eating are established early on good habits tend to remain.
• Physical development can help with the maintenance of a healthy weight and the development of strong bones, muscles and heart.
• It is widely believed that physical development can also help with the development of personal and social skills such as self-confidence, interaction, taking turns, getting along with others and so on.

How Can We Support this Area?

• Encourage children to engage in and talk about the things they enjoy doing such as walking, skipping, climbing, rolling and jumping (gross motor activities).
• Encourage children to engage in and talk about the things they enjoy doing such as threading, cutting, pressing, grasping, pinching (fine motor activities).
• Use words in context which allow children to consider their physical movements – eg: ‘you are lifting one foot and hopping on the other’ or ‘I saw you bending from your waist to lift up the watering can’. Focus on each child’s strengths and identify next steps for their physical development.

Here is a link for information: https://www.surreycc.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/96151/Children_0-5_infographic.pdf

How to keep our teeth healthy

It  aims to encourage an interest in science pursuits among the general public, and to encourage younger people to become fascinated by the world we live in.

This week we have celebrated British Science Week. The theme for 2019 is Journeys. We decided to journey through science week by looking at how to keep our teeth healthy by looking at what happens to eggs when they are placed in different liquids such as coffee, vinegar and water.

First, we talked about how important it is to brush our teeth every day and then we discussed foods that are good for our teeth and foods that aren’t.  As you can see from the photos below we take tooth brushing seriously and we employed a few scientists to observe teeth brushing in action!

Secondly, we decided to conduct an experiment to see if we were right about whether certain foods are good or bad for our teeth.  Here is our method;

Method

• Pour the same amount of fizzy drink, vinegar, water and tea or coffee into jars.

• Add a whole raw egg still in its shell to each, cover an extra egg with toothpaste and also

• Leave for approximately three days.

• Remove the eggs.

• Rinse the egg kept in vinegar and rub gently until the shell comes away.

We made some interesting predictions about what we thought would happen to the eggs.  These predictions can be seen in our photographs.

We will update you with our conclusion next week.

Yoga

It is very important that children get lots of exercise throughout their childhood. As part of the children’s education, we teach them physical skills. One thing that we have been learning in Nursery is Yoga. The children follow the instructions and take part in a child friendly Yoga routine. Yoga is good for the children. Physically, it enhances their flexibility, strength, coordination, and body awareness. In addition, their concentration and sense of calmness and relaxation improves. We use a programme called Cosmic Kids Yoga and the children enjoy taking part in Yoga through stories.