Our Tiny Crickets have had another amazing week exploring life in the oceans, but we are moving from sea to shore next week as we move on to our Summer topic, as we begin welcoming the summer season with a whole host of sunny, sensory activities designed to spark imagination and support all areas of your child’s development. From sunshine-filled crafts and teddy bears’ picnics to splashy fun, here’s what your little ones will be getting up to.

Baby Room

In the Baby Room, we’re beginning the week on a colourful note. On Monday, babies will be using their hands (and a lot of bright paint!) to create beautiful handprint flowers, exploring the feel of the paint while making a cheerful and summery piece of artwork.

Tuesday brings the joyful sound of splashes and bubbles as we dive into water play. Babies will experiment with filling and pouring different containers in a bubble-filled tray, which a great way to explore cause and effect while cooling off and having fun.

On Wednesday, we’re setting out the blankets and inviting everyone’s favourite soft toys for a teddy bears’ picnic. This calm and cosy session encourages social interaction, turn-taking, and language development as we enjoy lunch together. Please remember to pack a favourite teddy for this day!

We’ll be making our very own paper plate suns on Thursday, using yellow and orange paint to create our sunny masterpieces. This tactile craft introduces shapes and colours while giving babies the opportunity to explore mark-making.

To round off the week on Friday, it’s time to dig into some sandy fun. With buckets, spades and moulds at the ready, babies will explore the texture of sand and have a go at building their own little sandcastle, bringing the beach right into our nursery!

Toddler Room

Over in the Toddler Room, we’re also embracing the summer theme with lots of interactive and imaginative play.

We’ll start on Monday by giving the dolls a bubble bath, showing the children how we can stay cool and clean in warm weather. It’s a lovely opportunity for water play and nurturing role-play too.

On Tuesday, we’ll be heading to our indoor “beach” with a beach-themed tuff tray. Children can feel the difference between dry and wet sand, build sandcastles, and let their imaginations take them on seaside adventures.

Wednesday brings our own teddy bears’ picnic, where toddlers will practise social skills while enjoying lunch with their cuddly companions, so don’t forget to pack a favourite teddy!

We’re getting crafty on Thursday as children get to design their own bucket and spade using a variety of textures and materials. We’ll chat about holidays, the seaside, and favourite summer memories as we create.

Finally, on Friday, we’ll cool things down again with water transfer play. Children will use different containers to practise pouring, scooping and transferring water, which is fantastic for developing fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination (plus lots of giggles along the way!).