Newsletter for Week Beginning 15th October 2018
Dear parents, children and carers 15th October 2018
This newsletter is kindly sponsored by KEITH REYNOLDS BRICKWORK
The newsletter is also on our website, on our Facebook page or by email on request
Another great week for constructing. We bought more foam bricks, a new tool box and some tape measures. The children were very excited when someone brought in a pile of wood to add to our collection! We built all sorts, including bridges; we trip trapped over like billy goats and crawled under like trolls. Stan’s dad came to see us in his builder’s work clothes and showed us his tool kit.
We had our dark tent outside and one day discovered that we could see shadows from inside. This led to guessing who and what was making the shadows.
Wolves are still proving to be fascinating! Talking about wolves in stories and then seeing them being defeated is reassuring for the children; it helps them process their fears and makes them feel empowered. In imaginary play the children play chasing and running from the wolf and catching it. We introduced the story and music of Peter and the Wolf by Prokoviev. The children listened intently and then spontaneously set about drawing plans to get the wolf (poor wolf!) Next week, Lottie’s mums will hopefully come and play some of the music for us.
We are also going harness their enthusiasm to make up or retell our own wolf stories/books and make some wolf masks or puppets with paint and fabrics (if you have any white or grey furs, felt or wool scraps please send them in).
We can use the internet to answer questions and find out about real wolves and see that they are not the same as the big bad wolves in stories.
The children enjoyed adding water to the sand, exploring shaving foam and stretch dough (basically flour and water) this week we’ll introduce bread dough for stretching, pulling, squeezing and shaping.
Don’t forget its half term next week and we finish this Friday 19th at 3pm. When we return after half term, Monday 29th October, we will celebrate all things Hallowe’en. Children can come dressed up if they wish and we’ll bake spooky cookies, make potions and read room in A Broom, Winnie the Witch etc If you have any clear small plastic bottles, such as cake decoration bottles, we are collecting them for our potions and spells!
AGM many thanks to our retiring committee members Sarah Nelson, Gemma Bradshaw, Suzanne Southward, and a warm welcome to our new members, parents, Deborah Edwards as chairperson, Jen Earp as vice chairperson. Thanks to them for volunteering their time, we know you will support them well throughout the coming year. Look out for dates of any fundraising meetings etc
ONLINE SHOPPING? If you shop on-line at all, please consider registering on www.easyfundraising.org.uk and donating to ‘Hummingbirds Garstang’, each time you shop on-line.
100 club membership is another easy way to help raise funds details on easel or ask. Donate from £2 a month per number to go in the monthly draw and get the chance to win half our monthly takings every month! The other half helps towards our rent to the parish. Forms on easel or ask Gemma or Janet for help.
30 HOURS FUNDING Parents already receiving 30 hour funding please check if are you in the ’grace period’? You can lose funding if you do not respond to reminders to update your funding. If you want to claim for 30 hours funding you must do so the term before you want to start using it i.e. this term ready for January.
BODY SHOP PARTY Tuesday evening 13th November at 7pm here at Hummingbirds, to raise funds for Hummingbirds. Please come along if you can, bring a friend! Watch out for details and catalogues soon. We had a Body Shop evening last year and it was good fun AND there were great discounts to be had as well as lots of prizes. Get some of your Christmas shopping done and help us raise some funds at the same time!
FAMILY PHOTOGRAPH day 3rd November. I have contacted the photographer with numbers and am awaiting his reply.
CHRISTMAS FAIR provisionally Sunday 2nd December from about 11.15am
STAY & CHAT If you want to stay and chat to staff about how your child has settled etc please let us know.
LIFE EDUCATION BUS - we will be visiting this educational caravan on the school yard on Tuesday 30 October at 1pm. If you want to join us but aren’t normally in Tuesdays, let Janet know. Suggested donation to be passed on to school £3 per child.
SCHOOL PLACES if your child is 4 by 31st August 2019, you need to be thinking about booking a school place. Poster on the easel explains how. Book by 19th January 2019. Looking ahead, the skills essential to school readiness are self-help skills – e.g. independent toileting, dressing, using knife and fork: managing feelings and behaviour: sharing and cooperating and good listening and communication skills. Have a happy healthy half term,
We close this Friday 19th October at 3pm and re-open Monday 29th October at 9am.
Best wishes, Janet, Shirley, Carole, Bridget, Gemma and Becca
