Nursery World's Noticeboard - Diwali celebrations and more

VIVE LA FRANCE

Puddle Ducks Nursery in London organised a French day to celebrate its launch of French lessons for children over the age of two. The children made French flags and French hats and sang traditional songs. For lunch they ate croissants, brioche and apple tarte tatin.

GREEN WATCH

Children from Pumpkin Patch Day Nurseries in Farnborough, Hampshire, visited their local fire station, Green Watch at Rushmoor, to learn about a firefighter's job and test out the station's equipment.

DESIGNS FOR DIWALI

Early years settings across the country celebrated Diwali, the Hindu festival of light, on 26 October. At Early Years Childcare in Haywards Heath, West Sussex (top), children decorated candles with jewels and painted their hands with patterns based on traditional Rangoli designs. The CA Montessori Children's Centre in Slough, Berkshire (second), watched a performance of a traditional Indian dance called Kathak Dance, while Happy Child Nursery in Ealing, London (second from bottom), visited a Hindu temple. Kid Ease Nursery at Hawkinge in Kent (bottom), made diyas, the clay lamps lit for Diwali, and created friendship bands.

FOREST WARMER

Children from Little Dragons Nursery in Boston, Lincolnshire, enjoyed a biscuit and a mug of hot chocolate around a fire circle during their forest school session.

SEASONAL FUN

Oak Tree Day Nursery in Wokingham, Berkshire, celebrated the coming of autum with a seasonal party. Children and staff toasted marshmallows over a fire, iced 'spider' biscuits, bobbed for apples and went for an autumn nature walk.

HELPING THE HOSPITAL

Staff from Dizzy Ducks Day Nursery in Billericay, Essex, were delighted to visit Basildon Hospital's neo-natal ward to donate the £1,500 they raised at their summer charity barbeque. The donation was made in memory of one of the nursery practitioners' twin sons, who had been looked after by the hospital before he passed away.

CREATIVE BUILDERS

Children from the reception class at Lincolnshire Montessori in Caistor enjoyed a creative designing and making session where they used dried spaghetti and marshmallows to build architectural structures.

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

The London Early Years Foundation nursery at Furze Children's Centre in Barking and Dagenham celebrated October's Black History Month in festive style this year with an indoor carnival.

BEARS IN THE DEN

Children from the Wiggles room at Fledglings Day Nursery in Salford, Manchester, used their den-making equipment to act out their favourite story, 'Going on a Bear Hunt'. The nursery's deputy principal Tracey Siddall said, 'The children sat in the cave and listened to the story and searched for the bear using torches.'

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