Drawing is an outlet for communication and can be an effective way to discover what children think. 
Many older children stop drawing for different reasons: schools sometimes do not value creativity in this way, children want things to look perfect and realistic and can then lack motivation to continue. 
We know how important therefore it is to instil a joy in drawing and value children's representational marks at a young age when they naturally are less self conscious. 
Children have been supported to draw self portraits: we provided the children with mirrors and encouraged them to study their faces - they were encouraged to notice their features - eye colour, shape, details such as eye lashes, eye brows, texture of hair, shade of skin. Some children shared lots of talk and encouraged their friends to join in. 
We provided children with simple resources: cartridge paper, black felt tips and a variety of shades in pencil. Children worked on their own piece, alongside others in a small group. Children selected which medium they preferred to draw with and made their marks. 
Children shared talk as they drew and were encouraged to look back at their reflections in the mirror to compare. Some children added eyelashes and details such as pupils. A small group made the choice to come back repeatedly and began to include other people in their portraits. There was a very large scale one completed too!
They were immediately displayed in frames in Sunflower class, as directed by the curators (the artists themselves). This shows children we value their marks and contributions. One child proudly showed their parent at pick up time. 

There are real benefits to our physical and mental health to creativity. When did you last pick up a pencil, pen or paint brush for fun?
Come into Sunflower class to see the artworks as more will be added. Also have a look at the materials we use with children to inspire at home. 

At Rachel Keeling, we plan experiences to spark children's curiosity in the world around them.
Many children show great curiosity in a range of things. They do this by exploring our environment, trying out things, persevering when things might be difficult, sharing their discoveries, asking lots of questions and suggesting their own hypotheses.

This week, upon our return to school one of our friends was amazed to discover something very unusual in our frosty garden after the holidays.
They came to share their finding with adults and their friends, who listened with interest.
​After some discussion, the find was located as it was camouflaged in the sand. 
It was a mystery skull! Some thoughtful conversations ensued about what kind of skull it was. The children asked questions about what it was, where it had come from and how did it get there?
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"A dinosaur because it has sharp teeth!"
"A goat"
"A pig because its head is small!"
"I think it's a baa baa black sheep because it has a big eye"
"A turtle because of the eye, it's big!"

The children collected a cardboard box from the recyclable modelling area and placed the skull safely inside. 
Staff remembered we have a ram's skull, complete with horns in school. They compared the two skulls by observing them both closely. 
After some joint research using books and online, we decided it was likely to be a sheep's skull.
Children observed the sheep's skull closely and some created marks in response to what they saw: once child commented "He growed teeth out his chin" and another was still convinced it was a "monster's skull!"

We will continue to allow children to explore the skull and then we will consult with them what to do with it.
 Look for opportunities for awe and wonder everywhere you go and see what you and your child can discover. 

Over the next two weeks of term, children are being supported to learn about some of the traditions of Christmas.
We will be focusing on different strands across the nursery:

Developing an understanding that some people celebrate Christmas;
Handling books as we share fiction and information books about Christmas - from Santa Claus to Christmas Poems, Mrs Christmas and beyond;
Developing confidence as we retell the story of The Nativity - acting out, with costumes, taking turns, using props;
Developing our mark making as we write letters to Father Christmas;
Sustaining concentration as we make salt dough decorations for the tree in school;
Following recipes to make hot chocolate;
Developing an understanding of number as we measure out ingredients to  bake with Christmas spices such as cinnamon and cloves;
Developing awe and wonder as we share a campfire;
Learning new vocabulary as we enjoy the campfire - coal, kindling, flint, smoke, aroma, crackling;
Creating our own musical patterns and rhythms as we dance with shakers we have made (developing joining and problem solving skills).

There is so much joy in our learning.
Please remember to join us on Wednesday 18th in the garden for our Singing Around the Campfire at 2.30pm.
Friday 20th is  our Christmas Party - all children to come to school 9am-12pm and we may have a special visitor.

Thank you for your support this year again - we wish you a wonderful Christmas if you are celebrating and here's to a peaceful 2025.

Children have been developing an understanding of printing.
They selected objects and tools from around the nursery and explored printing using paint on a variety of papers and fabrics. 

Next they were supported using their bodies and tools to knock down and create circular tiles. They then used a variety of tools and objects to create marks on their tiles. Once the tiles were given time to dry, children returned to paint them and created their own labels for their tile. 

Children showed perseverance and resilience in creating their tiles.
They developed gross and fine physical skills by using their whole bodies to mould the clay and then using tools to create marks.
Specific vocabulary was introduced such as knock down, mould, sculpt, press, print, indentation.
Children used talk to express themselves. 
Children showed pride in their achievements and sustained concentration over time.

​The photographs below show the process children were involved in so beautifully. 

At Rachel Keeling we use numbers as part of our daily routine: counting, cooking, measuring, playing games and singing songs. 
We often find children need discrete teaching to support and cement learning when it comes to counting with one to one recognition and recognising numbers.
Meaningful and hands on experiences are key for our children: over the past few weeks children have been supported in a number of ways:

Exploring our fruit bowl: sorting, counting and tallying our fruit;
Shopping for and scooping out a pumpkin. Then children removed and counted the seeds before roasting them;
Following a visual recipe to make hot chocolate to keep warm in the garden. Reading, counting and measuring scoops and cups;
Exploring a range of 'special' items such as glass stones and shells: children sorted them, they were encouraged to place them into containers with compartments and then count and draw them, mark making representations of the amount.
Recognising numerals is part of this journey and we make sure children see numbers in the nursery within context and over time they begin to link them.

Why not go on a counting or number hunt: count the leaves you find, look for numbers on buses and car number plates. Count the wheels on the pram or bicycles that pass you! 

At Rachel Keeling Nursery School our community is used to coming together to help others. 
We help each other in school and at home and we help people we don't know who may be in need.
This year we held a Teddy Bear's Picnic and all the children brought a toy to school to share in the joy. 
Children brought in 50p to go to the Children In Need charity for children who need help across the UK.

Children baked and prepared snacks to share at the picnic and we all went home with our soft toys and a full tummy. 
Thank you all for taking part: we raised more than £63!

You can still donate direct to Children In Need by clicking here.

At Rachel Keeling Nursery School, we understand the value of children telling their own stories.
Sometimes those stories might be a word or two, other times they may be more complex, containing characters, descriptive language and narratives.
From the beginning of children's journeys with us we share stories and books, we have fun with words, we supportive imaginative play and exploration. 
We encourage families to share books at home, we give away story books and lend a range of books out every weekend. 

This is all within an ethos where children's voices are valued: children know when they have something to show or say, we will listen. 
Over the past two weeks children have been exploring a range of exciting and inspiring resources in the garden.
Maria even got out her 'special sequinned book' and children shared their stories and Maria scribed them EXACTLY in the children's own words. 
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It is important within the context of young children's storytelling we scribe exactly what they say: firstly it tells us about the child's development, understanding and language. Also it gives children the confidence that their words and ideas are valid. At other times when children make mistakes, we might gently repeat what they said, but make subtle corrections. When telling stories this way, we do not. 
Over time, children may tell many stories and then you can usually see a development of confidence, ideas, language and engagement. 
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See if you can tell stories without books at home: use props you have around the house. A kitchen spoon can become a superhero. A front door key can become a key to the magic castle!

At Rachel Keeling, we know the importance of children being involved in the sustained learning journey over time. 
We sometimes have a pumpkin growing in the garden, but this year, the harvest was not so good to us. 
Staff decided they would like to take some children shopping to buy a pumpkin for the children to explore. 

Two friends mark made their shopping list, writing, drawing and talking about what they needed to purchase.
They went to the office to collect money: counting out the coins and putting them into their purse before putting them into their backpack. 

Syeda and the boys walked to Simply Fresh, crossing the zebra crossing carefully. The children shared so much talk about their surroundings on the way.
They selected their pumpkin, paid for it and then realised it would not fit into their back pack. Luckily they were offered a bag, which they placed the heavy pumpkin in the bag and cooperated with each other to carry it back to school (Syeda helped too!)

Cooking, exploring and baking is planned!

 Over the past three weeks children have been encouraged to explore sculpting with clay in Sunflower Class.

​First children were supported to explore the clay using their hands: preparing it by knocking it down, prodding, rolling, pressing and stretching.
Next, tools were introduced: children were shown how to use rollers, stamps and sticks.
As children worked on their pieces, they talked about their creations, what they were doing and engaged in lovely conversations with adults and each other.

Children sustained concentration over time and returned to embellish their sculptures.
They made choices and selected from a range of natural resources such as sticks and stones to some wooden lolly sticks and small mosaic tiles.  Children placed them and talked about their decisions. 

At Rachel Keeling, we have a workshop space which facilitates children's independence and agency. Children are able to choose when they would like to select their creations and work on them, making choices about next steps. Children returned to paint, embellish and make marks about their sculptures. Some of their ideas were scribed by an adult. 

Over time, some children created short stories about their sculptures: there were gingerbread men, monsters, dinosaurs, princess gardens, spiders on slides, dads in castles and a princess watching movies and eating crisps!

Playdough and clay is lovely to explore with your child: talk and play together and create your own stories. 

Over the past few weeks, children have been supported in exploring a range of music and movement in the garden.

First children and staff needed a performance space: they cleared furniture and created a stage area. They needed to work together and problem solve how to tessellate the blocks so they all fit and were safe to stand on. Next they helped gather resources and placed them adjacent to the stage. 
Children were introduced to a range of music - Lize is from South Africa and Shamso is from Somalia, so they did a focus on music from the continent of Africa to start with (of course baby Shark also made an appearance!)
Children were encouraged to listen to the music and respond using their bodies. 
Resources such a ribbons and scarves were added and children incorporated those into their movements, copying each other and proudly sharing their ideas. 

A range of musical instruments such as xylophones, triangles, bells tambours and shakers were introduced and children were shown how to play them correctly.
These were explored alongside the music and children explored volume, rhythm and timbre of the different instruments.
Finally, the djembe drums were introduced to children in small groups.
This week children will be honing their skills with the djembe drums - exploring the sounds they can make and performing together. 

Next week we have Iroko Theatre group visiting: they are old friends of ours and come each year to celebrate Black History Month. They share music, stories and art from Nigeria. 

Do you have any musical instruments at home? Do you listen to music with your child? Dancing and singing together are wonderful things to do.