Today we held our termly Bike It Breakfast where children who cycle and scoot to school can come in early to have a bagel breakfast with their families.
The music played (Putumayo World Music Soundtrack - comes highly recommended), coffee flowed for the adults and wheels spun! As a Bike It School we really champion cycling as a means of transport around London which has wonderful cycle paths. Cycling for young children on balance bikes or two wheeler pedal bikes is part of our core offer for Rachel Keeling children. The confidence, perseverance and joy they show as they develop the skills and master the bicycles is wonderful. Our staff are big cycling champions for our children (even the staff who cannot yet cycle themselves!) Thank you families who joined us and we look forward to our cycle rack filling with bikes and scooters over the year! Thank you to Bangabandhu Primary School for our bagels. At Rachel Keeling Nursery School we love an excuse to come together and celebrate. Each year it has become tradition as we follow the seasons and festivals of the year that we celebrate bonfire night. The children will be having a fire and marshmallows later this week but today we enjoyed some fireworks from a safe distance.
Children excitedly shared their ideas about keeping safe and some children had already enjoyed firework displays over the weekend. We always consult with the children as to whether they would like to stay indoors and watch through the window or come outside. The anticipation, the smoke, the fizz, pops and bangs as well as the bright colours (even in daylight) provided the children with much to talk about. We do two separate displays now that many of our children are in part time places. Some children have asked whether we could add music to this afternoon's event. So I have left them to organise it! Stay safe whatever you do this bonfire night. Children developed an understanding of Diwali, the celebration of light that Hindus and Sikhs celebrate across the world.
Children handled artefacts and listened to the story of Rama and Sita. Using props and pictures they acted it out and retold it (the fight scene was by far the most popular!) Children also explored traditional Rangoli patterns and explored 'spicy paint' (warm colours with spices in to give off a wonderful aroma). Diva lamps were also created after the children had made salt dough. A wonderful week of learning about people's beliefs and traditions. Ready for fireworks on Tuesday! |