Our children have been busy preparing for their next stages of their education during their time at Banana Moon and in the Summer term, we are starting to assess and ensure that they are fully ready for their next stage of learning.
We are now on our Hot Air Balloon Journey to Big School which is prominently displayed in our preschool circle time room. Some of the initiatives of this school readiness programme that we are starting with include:
1- keeping hydrated - please send your little one to nursery with their water bottle. Teaching children to be responsible for their belongings is part of getting them ready for school. We encourage them to bring their water bottles to the table at mealtimes, take it outside with them for outdoor play and remember to bring it in and take it home at the end of the day.
2- This month, we are focusing on Well-being Wednesday- a time for children to understand how they can look after themselves. From healthy eating to healthy minds and healthy bodies. I'm so pleased that they really enjoy all their yoga!
3- In June, we will have Movement Mondays - bring your PE kit to nursery on a Monday (or anyday) -> this is to support children in getting dressed/undressed by themselves.
4- For some children, just the thought of their school uniforms can be scary for them and cause undue stress. So, August is 'wear your school uniform to nursery' month! It has worked brilliantly for children in the past to help boost their self esteem and confidence. This is of course optional and children's choice. They can bring it in with them and get changed here, wear it to nursery or not wear it at all.
5- Making friends can also be challenging for some, so we have been speaking about who our friends are and how you can be a friend and how to make friends.
6- And finally, the notion of going to school can also be quite frightening - it's a new environment, from the school building to the classroom, teachers and other children. It's nice to see some of our Full Moons getting excited about their school and oozing with confidence. We have started to use Google Earth to walk from nursery to school and show them the journey so that they know where their school entrance is for example. Perhaps this is also something you can do with them - it's in our top tips for parents.
All these small milestones form part of the bigger jigsaw of getting them ready for school. A few parents have asked if I can share who else might be going to the same school as their little one. Kindly let me know if you are happy for me to share this via email to sabreena@educ8me.co.uk so I can facilitate this. That being said, I wouldn't be surprised if the children came home saying who was going to their school with them in September.
If you have any questions about any of the above, please do let me know. We are extremely proud of our Full Moons and their achievements so far. This final leg of their time at Banana Moon in Full Moons is a crucial one in ensuring they are not just ready, but they are confident graduates ready for the next challenge.
Thank you for your support in this initiative.
