It’s Christmas break!
It is the perfect time to look back on all the fun and learning we’ve experienced over the past few months. Here’s a glimpse into some of the exciting activities and moments we’ve shared in the afternoons:
Exploring Autumn
We spent some time observing and discovering the changes in nature during autumn. The children collected different leaves, acorns, chestnuts, and pinecones and used magnifying glasses and a microscope to study their colours, shapes, and textures.
We also explored what we could create with our nature treasures. Some leaves were laminated and used as decorations, while others were dried and broken into smaller pieces to make something new. Helena was especially excited about what could be made from these autumn finds and created a beautiful decoration for our window.
Focusing on Communication and Cooperation
Working together isn’t always easy—it means listening to others, sharing ideas, and finding solutions that work for everyone.
I want to share a story about Bruno, Chris, Sam, Kieran, Lina, and Alan building a cabane together. They had to choose the right frame pieces (since they were not all the same length), figure out how to connect them, and decide how to cover the cabane with blankets. They helped each other, shared their thoughts, and worked as a team.
When the cabane fell, no one got upset. Instead, they reflected on what didn’t work. Lina suggested that they used too many blankets, making it too heavy. Chris thought that maybe the frame pieces weren’t connected well enough, while Alan noticed that too many people might have been inside at the same time. The group was confident that next time, they’d build a stronger cabane together!
Every day, there is time for imaginative games, and these moments are often filled with creativity and collaboration.
Here’s a story about Luna, Kelia, and Leonardo playing “home” in the quiet corner. Their roles kept changing—there was a mom, a cat, and a sister. They had a cosy home and were even going to go to work. Soon, Helena, Lina, and Alan wanted to join in. The quiet corner quickly became too small for everyone to play comfortably. “What if we build a bigger house in the bubble area using the Wobbels to separate the rooms?” someone suggested.
At first, it wasn’t easy to agree—everyone wanted their own place to sleep, but there also had to be space for work nearby. Together, they worked it out, and the game continued to grow as more friends joined. Soon, there was even a crocodile in the family! That meant adding a small pond near the house. “The blue carpets can be the water!” suggested Leonardo, and the play kept evolving.
The Bubble area is an open space where new game scenarios are born every day. It’s also a place for movement and exploration. We love building “parcours” (obstacle courses) and creating games around them. And, of course, it’s the perfect spot for dancing and singing, letting our energy and creativity shine!
Letters and numbers
Letters and numbers are an important part of our learning. Every game is an opportunity to write something down, whether it’s for our restaurant game with “open” and “closed” signs or writing letters to Santa Claus. Some words they can write on their own, while others they copy.
Darius, Aaron, and Teo created a line of penguins, each with a letter on their belly. To move forward, the penguins had to say a word starting with that letter. If they couldn’t, they had to go back to the line!
Numbers are everywhere: Arthur made a line from letters, first reading each letter and then measuring how long the line was. In the “restaurant” game, we use numbers for orders and table numbers, and the children even create their own numbers and money! Recently, Sam and Chris discussed how much 7 + 5 is, and Darius, Bruno, and Aaron joined in, asking, “What about 1000 + 30? And a million plus a million?”
We spend lots of time outside, enjoying the fresh air and being creative. The rocks turn into houses, boats, and police stations. We play active running games, jump, and explore the outdoors. Sometimes, we even have our snack outside!
Exploring New Technologies
Technologies are all around us, and this time, we used them to create drawings and practice writing. It’s not as easy as it seems, though! You have to draw on the tablet while looking on the screen of the computer at the same time!
And of course, there’s always time for free play, smart games, drawing, building with blocks, creating with playdough, and so much more!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all! Enjoy the holidays, and we look forward to seeing you again in the new year!
