Getting School Ready
Please click on the links below for some fun activities you can complete with your child to help them build their confidence and practice skills that will help them become ‘school ready.
Mark Making
Mark making is really important in the early years of a child’s development. It is one of the key blocks in developing early writing. These activities help to develop fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. For young children mark making should go beyond pencil and paper. It is also a sensory experience that should include a range of textures and media and most importantly it should be fun!
Use the suggested activities below to explore mark making with your child. Talk to your child about the marks they make, ask them what they are doing, and describe what you can see, this will show your child that these marks are important and you value them.
Painting the paving stones with water and a paint brush
Drawing shapes in the air with a wand
Dance with a ribbon in your writing hand
Chalk on path or dark coloured paper
Draw in the sand
Finger paint
Make rubbings on rough surfaces like tree bark or the fence
Draw in slime or shaving foam or even the sauce left over from your baked beans!
Draw on the back of old wallpaper rolls and go large!
Colour in pictures
Free write with a selection of pens and pencils on blank paper
Please click on the documents below for a selection of printable resources.
Mark making is really important in the early years of a child’s development. It is one of the key blocks in developing early writing. These activities help to develop fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. For young children mark making should go beyond pencil and paper. It is also a sensory experience that should include a range of textures and media and most importantly it should be fun!
Use the suggested activities below to explore mark making with your child. Talk to your child about the marks they make, ask them what they are doing, and describe what you can see, this will show your child that these marks are important and you value them.
Painting the paving stones with water and a paint brush
Drawing shapes in the air with a wand
Dance with a ribbon in your writing hand
Chalk on path or dark coloured paper
Draw in the sand
Finger paint
Make rubbings on rough surfaces like tree bark or the fence
Draw in slime or shaving foam or even the sauce left over from your baked beans!
Draw on the back of old wallpaper rolls and go large!
Colour in pictures
Free write with a selection of pens and pencils on blank paper
Please click on the documents below for a selection of printable resources.
Pencil Control Activity
Letter Formation Practice Sheet
I Can Write My Name
Mark Making Pattern Cards
These activities provide opportunities to practice holding a pencil and attempting to control their marks with their muscles.
Maths - Numbers & Shapes:
Maths is an important part of learning in the early years. It is one of the four specific areas within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). Each specific area is divided into Early Learning Goals, for maths these are:
Numbers - children learn to count and the value of numbers, higher and lower. These skills support them to solve problems, use money and calculate more or less.
Numbers - children learn to count and the value of numbers, higher and lower. These skills support them to solve problems, use money and calculate more or less.
Shape, Space and Measure - these skills support children to understand size, weight, capacity, position, distance, time and money and compare quantities, objects and solve problems.
Stories, songs, rhymes and games that have a mathematical content help children understand number systems. Play and practice using numbers together. Using your fingers or having objects that the children can see and touch will help too.
Below you will find a range of practical activities that help your child to develop their mathematical skills.
Can You Build This?
Counting Zoo Animals
Maths Through Cooking
Number Formation Practice
Number Matching Caterpillar Activity
Number Formation Workbook (0-9)
Outdoor Trail Cards
Communication & Language
Useful Communication & Language Websites;
CBeebies Story time is filled with free interactive story books and bedtime stories for young children and is a great way to enjoy reading with your little one. The library is always growing, with amazing stories featuring all the CBeebies’ favourites.
A site with recommended booklists, categorised by age range and topic, including fiction and non-fiction, family activities are included in the ‘home time’ section.
Physical Development
Nursery Rhymes
Songs and rhymes have a hugely positive impact on a child’s language and literacy development. Children love rhyme, rhythm and repetition.
These three things found in songs and rhymes can naturally help to boost a child’s language and literacy skills. Nursery rhymes are a fantastic way of learning new vocabulary.
They can be sung at any time. Choose one of the simple rhymes from the selection below and sing it as part of your daily routine, for example when you are helping your child get dressed.
Songs and rhymes have a hugely positive impact on a child’s language and literacy development. Children love rhyme, rhythm and repetition.
These three things found in songs and rhymes can naturally help to boost a child’s language and literacy skills. Nursery rhymes are a fantastic way of learning new vocabulary.
They can be sung at any time. Choose one of the simple rhymes from the selection below and sing it as part of your daily routine, for example when you are helping your child get dressed.
Humpty Dumpty
Hickory Dickory Dock
Incy Wincy Spider
Mary Mary Quite Contrary
Row Row Row Your Boat
Once I Caught A Fish Alive
Old Macdonald had a Farm
There's A Worm At The Bottom Of My Garden
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Our Top Tips
The start of a new school term is always exciting - but when it's the transition into "big school" - your child's very first school term, it can feel a little daunting.
Please use the below link to key resources to help you and your child prepare for this new adventure.
The start of a new school term is always exciting - but when it's the transition into "big school" - your child's very first school term, it can feel a little daunting.
Please use the below link to key resources to help you and your child prepare for this new adventure.
