This week our group times have been focused around exploring clay, maths and the chicks.

• We have been finding out and describing the texture of clay, using tools and some children have even made a coil pot. 
  The children were very lucky to have Crabby Taylor a local ceramic artist come and visit on Tuesday. The children had a great time exploring the clay in new ways and on a much larger scale. This has led on to the children combining natural found objects and plants and making some nature clay tiles.

• Many children have been interested in dogs, so for maths this week we have been playing a spotty dog game where the children have been recognising and representing numbers in a fun way.

• The chick eggs arrived on Monday and have now hatched, so we have been supporting the children to observe, discover facts and ask questions to deepen their understanding. Alongside this the children have enjoyed making
  observational drawings and paintings.

• One day the children thoroughly enjoyed digging up some potatoes in the allotment that were planted back in the Spring. The potatoes were then washed, cut into wedges and baked with a little oil. The children discussed the process, changes and most importantly tasted the potato wedges at the end of the session.

Our phonics learning this week has been planned around general sound discrimination – body percussion. This has been helping the children develop an awareness of sounds and rhythms. We have been doing lots of action songs, reading stories and encouraging the children to add in sound effects. The children have enjoyed looking at the contrast of rhythm through movement and sound.