This week, we continued our exciting topic on minibeasts, with a focus on the life cycle of a butterfly. The children loved learning how a tiny egg becomes a beautiful butterfly. We read The Very Hungry Caterpillar, completed life cycle puzzles, and created artwork to show each stage — from egg, to caterpillar, to cocoon, to butterfly!

This week in maths, we’ve been exploring the concepts of more than and less than through fun and hands-on maths activities. The children enjoyed comparing ladybird spots, building block towers to see who had more or fewer, and helping Mr Magic complete spells using the correct comparison words. These activities supported their ability to compare quantities and use mathematical language confidently.

In phonics, we focused on developing oral blending and segmenting skills. The children played games that encouraged them to listen closely to the sounds in words, an important step in building phonological awareness.

Our home corner was filled with the wonderful smells and textures of real food such as potatoes, onions, garlic, and fresh herbs like mint and rosemary. The children used their senses to explore and took part in simple pretend play, enhancing their understanding of natural materials and encouraging imaginative conversations.

At the creative table, the children explored the life cycle of a butterfly by creating detailed pictures of its four stages. They also used Numicon stamps to match numbers for our class display, and got creative with textures and materials to make their own colourful minibeast collages. These activities helped build their understanding of life cycles, number recognition, and fine motor skills.

In the water tray, children experimented with coloured water and a variety of measuring tools. They had great fun exploring the difference between full, half-full, and empty, making early comparisons in capacity and volume.

Through our NELI (Nuffield Early Language Intervention) sessions, we enjoyed the story of Jack and the Beanstalk. The children explored new vocabulary such as yell, follow, swap, and decide. Activities like playing follow-the-leader and swapping clothes helped reinforce these new words in fun and active ways.

School lunches

For parents who are finding school lunches a challenge, we’ve included a helpful reminder of what a balanced lunch might look like.  

A balanced lunch should include a variety of food groups to keep children healthy and energised. This can include carbohydrates such as bread, bagels, wraps, pasta, or rice; dairy like yoghurt, milk, or cheese; and protein options such as chicken, tuna, egg, or hummus. Adding vegetables like carrot sticks, cucumber, or pepper slices, along with fruit such as grapes, a satsuma, or dried fruit like raisins, helps provide essential vitamins and nutrients.

You can find more ideas, information and recipes on the NHS Healthier Families website.

Morning drop-off

A big thank you for continuing to support independent morning drop-offs. Leaving children at the door is really helping build their confidence and self-help skills as they start their day.

We hope you have a lovely sunny weekend!

Anemones team