AT HOME

Develop a LOVE of READING with you child!

"A love of reading opens the door to adventures, learning new things and a whole host of key language skills such as speech development and vocabulary building. Spending time with books also creates special moments for you to bond with your child and enjoy each other’s company." UNICEF

Top tips for fostering a love of books

 - Model what a good reader looks like by reading yourself and also reading to your child

- Take turns reading out loud to each other when sharing books (as your children starts to read this can be as simple as pointing out the letters and words)

- Listen to your child and read books that spark their interest

- Make it a routine

- Visit the library

- Enjoy the time together...snuggle up, discuss the books, reread the books your child loves and have fun!

PLAY together!

Learning through play is essential in the early years and is one of the most important ways in which children learn. It helps the individual child to develop their self worth, strengthens powers of concentration, develops their language skills, their emotions and creativity, social and intellectual skills. 

Below are some ideas that you may wish to do with your child:

 Use milk bottle tops for sorting, matching activities or use them for counters in a made up game. Or they could even be turned into bugs!

 Cook together...try the 'bbcgoodfood' for inspiration (Pizza, omlette, flatbreads with hummus, quesadillas...the list is endless)
 Treasure hunts inside or out (Inside - Find five objects that start with the sound 'a' or find five objects that are smaller than a spoon. Outside - How many different shaped leaves can you find? Use all five senses to find something rough/that makes a noise/that smells nice/that is edible/that is yellow)

 Role play - Everyone loves a little 'Let's pretend!'

 Make playdough (The Imagination Tree's 'Best Ever No-Cook Playdough' is brilliant!)

 Mark make with anything - sticks in the mud, chalk on the patio, a paint brush in the steam in the shower)

 Use the recycling for 'Junk modelling'

 Spot different sounds and numbers when out and about

 Make a den and snuggle up to read some books together

 Water play (a washing up bowl, washing up liquid, pots and pans, spoons of different sizes are just as good as anything fancy!)

 Draw and paint

 Jigsaws, blocks and puzzles

 Music, dancing and singing 

Home Learning from school

Once the children have settled into Oak class, they will receive reading books and then key words which will need to be enjoyed and practiced at home. In addition to this, they will receive a phonics book/ditties containing the sounds being learnt in class over the week.

There is an expectation that children read at least 5 times a week and that you take the time to listen to and discuss their reading book with them. Please also practice the key words and phonics sounds being sent home. Remember repetition is key, as is making the practice short and fun!

In addition to the above, it's important to remember the value that physical activity can have, for the body and the mind. So where you can, GET MOVING together!

Gross Motor Skills involve the large muscles of the arms, legs and trunk. Below are some activities for you to try at home...

 Dancing

 Walk like an animal (Walk like a bear on all fours to bed!)

 Homemade obstacle course

 Drawing on the ground outside with chalk

 Make a Hopscotch game with chalk

 Playing with a ball and ball and racket

 Gardening

 Visit the park and master the monkey bars

 Bikes and scooters

Fine Motor Skills involve the use of the smaller muscles of the hands and wrists. Below are some activities for you to try at home...

 Peel and place stickers 

 Make a necklace using string and penne pasta 

 Create a mosaic by ripping and crumpling paper

 Make playdough

 Sort coins, beads or buttons

 Engage in Puzzles

 Help hang the washing out using pegs!!!!!

 Use a hole puncher for art activities

Play with lego