If you have ever asked your child, “What did you do at school today?” only to hear the familiar reply of “Nothing!”, then Kindergarten’s recent Bring Your Grown-Up event proved otherwise!
The special event invited parents and carers into the classroom to experience a typical day in Kindergarten and discover the exciting learning that takes place every day in Kindergarten.
The morning began with a lively Monster Phonics session, where children boarded a pretend pirate ship by “walking the plank” before using their imaginary telescopes to spot picture cards around the room. As “Yellow I” whispered segmented words, the children worked hard to blend the sounds together and identify the correct picture, showing parents exactly how early reading skills are taught in Kindergarten.
Outdoor Learning followed with the introduction of the new Mini Beasts topic. Children and grown-ups took part in a scavenger hunt around the playground to find hidden wooden mini beasts, before tackling a water investigation challenge. Using guttering, hoses and funnels, the children explored how to move water uphill, developing teamwork, problem-solving and scientific thinking through play.
The creativity continued during an Art lesson inspired by the People Who Help Us topic. Families moved around a giant table to music, painting roads, people and traffic signs whenever the music stopped, creating a collaborative masterpiece together.
The event was designed to give families a real insight into daily life in Kindergarten, while also showcasing the school’s specialist teaching in areas such as Art and Outdoor Learning. Parents were also able to see first hand how children are developing their phonics, reading and communication skills in preparation for Reception.
As the children enter their final term in Kindergarten, the focus is now on strengthening key Reception ready skills. In Maths, children are developing confidence in counting, comparison, composition and mathematical language, while also practising subitising skills. In Phonics, children continue working on segmenting and blending and are now beginning to take home weekly reading books.
To support early writing, children practise writing their names every day, while activities such as the new playdough station help to strengthen fine motor control and pencil grip. Classroom jobs have also been introduced, giving children important responsibilities and encouraging independence, teamwork and pride in their classroom community.
One thing is certain, after this event, no parent will believe the answer “nothing” ever again!
