Welcome to the Parrots Class!
Staff
Teacher: Emma Hamnett and Lauren Whitehead
TAs: Jack Hobson, Lindy Cartwright, Sam Bacon, Nic Meyers and Nafisa Choudhury
Mid Day Leader: Elaine McCreedy
Newsletter
Somewhere Over the Rainbow
The Parrots class have had a lovely Summer 1 half term and have been enjoying some outdoor learning when the weather has been appropriate. The children have enjoyed exploring the outdoor environment and have especially enjoyed the sand and water exploration where they have been learning skills such as filling and emptying, transferring and exploring new textures and objects.
We have been working on our cause and effect skills and have been providing many opportunities to learn new skills and build on the skills that the children already have. Through play sessions, the children have been learning to play both independently and alongside an adult. We have also been using the children’s special interests to engage them in their learning and to motivate them to explore new environments and tasks.
We have enjoyed many special activities this half term such as Eid and The Kings Coronation. These have been themed activities, and the children have enjoyed engaging in their specialised learning relating to these themes.
We hope that you have a lovely break!
The Parrots Team
Signalong
At Kingfisher we use Signalong as a part of a Total Communication Approach, we are constantly using core vocabulary with the children to support their language development and then through each of our topics we introduce new signs and language, which extends their vocabulary further. We also have two “Signs of the Week” which helps maintain and extend key knowledge and skills of everyday vocabulary.
Each half term we will be creating a short video showcasing and demonstrating signs relavent for the current term so that you can learn the signs and further this learning at home.
Click play to watch this half terms Signalong video!
Lunchtime
If your child has a school dinner, the school menus can be accessed by clicking here. For children who bring a packed lunch, please remember to provide healthy and balanced options. We are a Healthy School and will be focusing on healthy eating and how children can make healthy lifestyle choices.
How You Can Help at Home
Communication
- Object request – put favourite objects in a cupboard or out of reach so that your child has to initiate interaction to request the objects that they want. If possible take photographs of favourite foods and objects and use them alongside the objects.
- Songs and rhymes – use bath toys such as rubber ducks, frogs, boats or a toy bus, teddy bear or figures and give your child a choice from 2 for them to request a song for you to sing or for them to watch and listen to on websites such as Super Simple Songs.
- Intensive Interaction – copy the sounds, movements and actions that your child makes and watch and wait to see how they respond when you mirror what they are doing.
Sensory Story
- Doing the Animal Bop – create your own story using the animals from the book and everyday objects such as pans and spoons, Tupperware boxes and recycled bottles filled with rice, to make sounds along to the story.
- Brown Bear, Brown Bear, what do you see? – Read the story with your child and focus on a different colour each time that you read the book or watch online via You Tube. Create a different colour sensory experience for your child to explore linked to your chosen page of the book: red – strawberry jam or jelly, blue – ice and blue food colouring, yellow – custard or bananas, green – cabbage or green lentils.
Exploration and Investigating
- Support your child to learn the different parts of their body by singing or watching and listening to songs such as:
- Head, shoulders, knees and toes
- Baby Bear is sleeping
- One little finger
- If you’re happy and you know it
Being Creative
- Be creative using different body parts by making edible paint, and use a giant piece of paper, roll of wallpaper or old sheet and make whole body art, stomp some colourful foot prints or make a pattern of colourful handprints.
Edible paint recipe – https://www.learning4kids.net/2014/10/07/homemade-edible-finger-paint/
