Learning & Development: Exploring winter

The children and staff at St Osmund's Pre-school have had great fun outdoors in the wintry weather. After these activities we decided to extend learning opportunities by creating an interactive indoor area where they could continue to explore winter through child-initiated play.

PLANNED LEARNING INTENTIONS

To select and use activities and resources independently

To look closely at similarities, differences, patterns and change

To respond in various ways to what they see, hear, smell, touch and feel

STEP BY STEP

- During a snowy walk we took photographs of the landscape and, on our return, encouraged discussion about what children were able to see, smell, hear and feel.

- The next day we used the printed photographs to recall our walk and focused on the clothes we had worn to keep us warm. We looked at actual examples of clothes and chose the most appropriate ones for a winter walk. We made available fabric scraps for the children to make their miniature winter clothes.

- Next we chose a poster of a wintry landscape by Brueghel for our background, and staff showed how to make snowflakes by folding and cutting white paper. The children loved experimenting with their flakes, decorating them with glitter and thinking of words to describe them.

- Everyone helped to assemble the display and the children added their artwork and print-outs of their chosen words.

- Collage clothes were hung from a washing line and some miniature pegs left underneath.

- The children brought in items such as storybooks, boots, gloves and hats, and staff made appropriate pictorial signs for them.

- Children have visited the area independently or in small groups to hang up tiny clothes, try on outdoor garments, look at books and discuss photographs and artwork.

Sharon Meads is the pre-school leader at St Osmund's Pre-school, Gainford, Co Durham. She spoke to Jean Evans.