Spring Watch

We are so lucky to have a big outside space that enables the children to experience the changing of the seasons at first hand. They are directly observing the progress of spring all around them, as we spend as much time as possible outside.

Their irises have been a great example of a life cycle for them: from planting them, to the appearance of the first little shoots, all the way to the excitement of seeing one open flower first thing in the morning and four more by lunchtime!

Drawing daffodils from life develops their skills of observation and the understanding that drawing and painting something they can see is about representing it in their own way, a creative response to the world around them.

Setting up our bird feeders encourages the birds to come and visit, and again the children will be learning to observe them, leading to being able to identify them by their appearance, but maybe also by their song. Watching what they do, how they peck and fly, gives rise to learning lots of new words– flutter, swoop, soar, flap …. and how they make their sounds – tweet, chirp, chirrup, sing, coo…

Observing and discussing the different parts of their bodies, feathers, beak, breast, tail, claws, legs, wings leads on to working with the three part cards, a good preparation for observing detail on paper, realising that everything has a name and beginning to understand that written words are associated with the words we speak.

As always, rhymes and songs are great for reinforcing the concepts we want the children to learn. Here are two we’re enjoying right now.