Young children need lots of opportunities to explore ideas and concepts and return to their learning over time. This year at Rachel Keeling we marked the festival of Diwali over three weeks. The children were supported in their understanding by sharing the story of Rama and Sita, sharing their ideas and thoughts and mark making and retelling the story. Children also had opportunities to listen to Indian music, dance and move with silk and chiffon scarves and sit quiet with the divas lit and contemplate. Rangoli patterns (or "Bengali" patterns as some children kept repeating!) were shared and children designed and made their own, first in rice and then creating permanent patterns on perspex. During the week of Diwali we celebrated with a sensory display of fireworks and some children and their families travelled to Green Street to enjoy an Indian meal at Chawalla Restaurant. Staff noted how some children used ambitious vocabulary to express themselves and how they interacted with each other and the public so cordially. Great ambassadors for Rachel Keeling Nursery School and Bethnal Green!
