The Playball team visited The Lawns for a block of sessions recently. They introduced the children to lots of new ball skills, exercises and games to help support them with their co-ordination skills whilst fostering a love of sport. The children participated with great enthusiasm and loved the challenges that coach Mike and Lara set for them. We have noticed this reflected in the children's play as they are now choosing to play with the bats and balls and footballs a lot more which is reinforcing their new skills.

Bike riding promotes mental and physical wellbeing as well as co-ordination and balance and it requires good core strength. Children need to develop their core strength in order to be able to sit at a table and write. By using the body’s sense of balance children activate their vestibular system which is linked to positive emotions as well as physical development. Learning to ride a bike is a skill for life and promotes a healthy lifestyle.

We are so proud of the children's perseverance and determination as they progress towards independently riding and finding their sense of balance. 

It will be a small step for them to progress to using pedals. Well done to all the children for taking part in our research, little and often definitely seems to be the key when learning to ride a bike.

After that they were supported in the shaping of the wreath. They used a variety of resources and techniques such as weaving the sticks together and securing them in place with pipe cleaners and string. Then it was time to decorate the wreath with herbs and different coloured leaves. It looks fantastic hanging up in the Nursery.

This week the children had great fun using paint in different ways. They used paintbrushes, small mops, their hands and were very excited when they discovered red and blue made purple! They then discovered that many different colours are made on the light box with colour paddles. The children have also been very busy collecting twigs in the garden, painting them with white paint and glitter to make a twig Christmas tree which they will decorate over the coming weeks.