A Typical Morning

Arriving at Playgroup

Registration

Each child's presence is registered on arrival at Playgroup and they are then able to join in play activities immediately. When all children are present the group meets together in a carpeted area for "registration". During this period the register is called and children are chosen to record the number of children and adults present and also find out and record the day's weather on the group's weather board. This is also a time for sharing news, talking about things of special interest and for introducing and using Welsh words and phrases.

Play with a Purpose

The next part of the morning revolves around "free play". This means that the children will be able to be able to move between the activities offered, their play being supported by the staff. The activities will have been planned to develop the various aspects of the six areas of learning and may centre on a current topic or theme. During this time groups of children will also use the "quiet area". This room provides a quieter environment and is used for a wide range of activities such as science experiments, discussions, listening games etc.

Here is a taste of some of the activities they might be involved in and what they will be learning as they play :

Water Play

Water play

Equipment:
Canal system, water wheels, water trough, pumping hoses, dams, water transport, sea creatures, etc.

Skills and learning opportunities:
experimentation, problem-solving and observation; investigating evaporation, temperature, floating and sinking; capacity and weight...

ROLE PLAY

Hairdresser

Equipment
Play house, hairdressing salon, shop, café, hospital, office, play tent, dressing up, etc.

Skills and learning opportunities:
imagination, expression, social skills, language development;mathematical concepts such as weight, numeracy, measuring, sorting...

SMALL WORLD ROLE PLAY

Small world play

Equipment:
City complex, road layout, farm, Brio Railway, dinosaurs, park, dolls' house, harbour & sea-world, wild animals, etc.

Skills and learning opportunities:
creativity, language development, manipulative skills, etc.

SAND PLAY

Equipment:
Dry sand - pouring, filling, emptying; damp sand - moulding, building, digging; wet sand - canal making, mixing, absorption, etc.

Skills and learning opportunities:
creativity, imagination, problem-solving, manipulative skills; mathematical concepts such as 3D shape and volume, etc.

CONSTRUCTION

Equipment:
Wooden brick building, Duplo, Brio Mecc, tool bench, cogs & gears, links, Sticklebricks, etc.

Skills and learning opportunities:
manipulative skills, prediction, problem-solving, estimation, creativity; mathematical concepts such as shape, number, sorting, matching, measuring, etc.

TABLE TOP GAMES / ACTIVITIES

Equipment:
Puzzles, sorting, matching, threading, lacing, lotto, sound games, maxi colour buttons, organicubes, mini motors, rainforest animals, mirrors, magnets, etc.

Skills and learning opportunities:
manipulation skills, listening skills, sharing, concentration, co?operation turn taking, mathematical concepts: 3D shape, sets, measurement, size, colour, etc.

PHYSICAL PLAY

Physical play

Equipment:
Climbing frame, hoops, bats, beanbags, play tunnel, ropes, beams, ball skills, etc.

Skills and learning opportunities:
confidence, spatial awareness, imaginative and creative movement, social skills, concentration, etc.

ART & CRAFT

Equipment:
brush painting, printing, bubble painting, splatter painting, chalking, drawing, cutting, collage, junk modelling, dough, clay, etc.

Skills and learning opportunities:
awareness of pattern, line, shape, form, colour, tone, texture and space; exploration of materials, creative skills, pre-writing skills, manipulative skills, etc.

We are fortunate to have an extensive range of equipment and resources so no two mornings at Playgroup will be exactly the same.

Break time

At approximately 11am the children are encouraged to take responsibility for tidying away some of the equipment and then follows an opportunity to share books in small groups with an adult and take part in songs, rhymes and circle games together.

The children are then encouraged to visit the toilet and wash their hands in preparation for snack time which takes place in our quiet area. Here the children share news, listen to rhymes and stories etc. as they enjoy their snack of fruit or vegetables and a drink.

LARGE SPACE PLAY

Parachute

The last part of the session takes place in the main hall, which by this time has been transformed into an area suitable for larger scale physical activities. This varies from day to day but includes an obstacle course, parachute games etc, as well as music and movement, creative music making and singing.

Pictures, paintings etc are distributed to the children to take home at the end of the session. Some are kept for display.

From time to time the children also have opportunity to visit places such as the Road Safety Centre and Fire and Lifeboat Stations and also have visitors to the group such as students from the United World College of the Atlantic. We also take opportunity to explore the local environment.

We also arrange an annual family outing, and an end of year picnic or barbecue.

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