Nursery activities

The children at St Oswald's have recently been creating their own ladybirds as part of a topic on minibeasts. They were highly motivated by their ladybird activities and, as they worked, they were able to cover many of the stepping stones towards the early leaning goals. As well as demonstrating their individual creative skills they counted spots, compared sizes and shapes, investigated ladybird features, read ladybird stories, sang ladybird rhymes and pretended to move like ladybirds.

The children were keen to share their interest in ladybirds with a member of the town council when he visited them while they were drawing and painting their models. He was fascinated to listen as they eagerly discussed their knowledge of ladybirds, and to observe how absorbed they became as they explored available art materials to create their highly individual interpretations.

Soon afterwards, there was great excitement as staff and children discovered that a children's representation of a ladybird had been installed on the Great Aycliffe Way Walk in Newton Aycliffe. The concept of the ladybird artwork came directly from the recent visit. The children's interpretation of a ladybird was reproduced in metal, and painted by a local fabrication company. Although not an entirely accurate representation of a ladybird, it is a realistic reproduction of the children's own interpretations.

Now that the 'bug' is in residence, it is intended that the children will visit the site to make sure it has been reproduced according to their own specifications. Imagine the children's excitement as they walk along the path to find a giant-sized replica of one of the familiar ladybirds they have displayed in their pre-school!

Jackie Swainston is the early years officer for Great Aycliffe town council. She spoke to Jean Evans.