Dear Parents and Carer's, 

Welcome to our class website!

We are so excited to have your little one join our Caterpillar Room. This is a special place where we play, explore, learn, and grow together every day. From story time and songs to art projects and outdoor adventures, there's always something fun happening in our class!

Here, you’ll find updates, reminders, photos, and helpful information to stay connected with what your child is experiencing at school. We believe learning should be joyful, hands-on, and full of love — and we’re so glad to be part of your child’s journey.

Let’s make this a wonderful year full of giggles, growth, and discovery!

With warm wishes,
The Caterpillar Team!

Goldilocks Comes to Caterpillars!

This week in Caterpillars, we’ve been diving into the classic tale of Goldilocks and the Three Bears through a wide range of sensory and imaginative activities designed to spark creativity, storytelling, and fine motor skills. We began with story time outside, where the children sat among the playground and listened to the story being brought to life with teddies and visual props. The natural setting made the story even more enchanting, and the children loved joining in with the familiar phrases, “Someone’s been sitting in my chair!”. Our porridge tuff tray was a big hit! With oats, scoops, bowls, and spoons, children explored textures and practised scooping and pouring. We encouraged storytelling while they played, and it was a joy to see them try retelling the story in their own words, using the props to act out scenes from the book.

Inside the classroom, children got creative by painting with bubble wrap to create textured marks which is a great sensory experience that also supported colour mixing and pattern-making. We also explored mark making with crayons, using different line patterns and shapes. In the home corner the Caterpillars especially enjoyed using mini versions of themselves that helped deepen their understanding of their own emotions.

This week was a wonderful opportunity for the children to blend literacy, expressive arts, and sensory play – all while building their confidence in storytelling and communication.

Tiny Hands, Big Imaginations!

This week in Caterpillars, we’ve had a wonderful time exploring through play, creativity, and imagination! Our little Caterpillars are growing more confident with independent reading. It’s been such a joy to see them choosing books from our cosy reading nook, flipping through pages, and sharing stories with their friends or cuddly toys. They’re developing a love for books and storytelling; an important foundation for early literacy. We’ve also spent lots of time outdoors enjoying the fresh air and sunshine. With crayons and chalk, the children created beautiful marks on paper and the ground, expressing themselves freely while developing their fine motor skills and creativity. Every line and scribble told a story of its own! Another favourite outdoor activity has been playdough exploration. Rolling, squishing, and moulding the dough gave the children a wonderful sensory experience while strengthening their little hands and fingers all while having lots of fun! Inside, our home corner and doll house have been buzzing with imagination. The children loved pretending to cook meals, care for babies, and take part in everyday family life. These moments of role play are not only fun, but also support social development, language skills, and empathy. It’s been a busy and joyful week full of learning through play, just the way it should be for our curious, creative Caterpillars!

Play, Share, and Explore in Caterpillars!

In Caterpillars this week, children are immersed in a playful environment where learning happens through exciting hands-on experiences. This week, we’ve been developing our problem-solving skills with puzzles, taking care of our ‘babies’ in the home corner, and learning about kindness and cooperation through sharing activities like rolling the ball to our friends. A highlight of the week was our lively “We’re Going on a Bear Hunt” story time, where children joined in with actions and explored the story through imaginative play, bringing the adventure to life! We had our first stay and play session in Caterpillars where they offer a gentle introduction to nursery life, where 2-year-olds and their grown-ups can explore, play, and learn together in a welcoming and nurturing environment.

Exploring Me, My Friends, and My World – Welcome to Caterpillars!

This term, Caterpillars have been settling beautifully into nursery life as we explore the exciting topic "All About Me; Family and Friends." It's been a joyful time of getting to know each other, building friendships, and learning more about what makes us special. We began by creating self-portraits, using mirrors to look closely at our eyes, noses, mouths, and hair. The children had so much fun using colouring pencils to represent themselves. These lovely portraits are now proudly displayed in our classroom, helping us all feel a sense of belonging and identity. Through group circle times and play, we’ve been talking about who is special to us at home and in nursery. Our little mathematicians have been getting to know the numbers 1, 2, and 3 through songs, counting games, and hands-on activities. We've been using number puzzles, stacking blocks, and finger rhymes to help the children begin to recognise and use these early numbers in a fun and meaningful way. We’ve introduced simple puzzle pieces that encourage problem-solving, hand-eye coordination, and perseverance. The children have shown great focus and pride as they fit pieces together, developing their fine motor skills and confidence. Our home corner has been a hub of role-play fun! The children have loved pretending to cook, clean, and care for baby dolls, re-enacting familiar routines from home. This area has been wonderful for developing imaginative play and learning how to take turns and share with friends. To support our topic and sensory exploration, we’ve been making fluffy clouds using cotton wool! The children enjoyed feeling the soft texture and gluing the "clouds" onto blue skies. This activity sparked lots of lovely language and talk about the weather, sky, and where we live.

It’s been a fantastic start to the term, full of smiles, stories, and new friendships. We’re so proud of how well the children are settling in and can’t wait to see where their learning journey takes them next!

All About Me: Growing Together in Caterpillars

This week in Caterpillars, we’ve been exploring the theme “All About Me – Family and Friends”, helping the children begin to understand their own identity and the special people in their lives. As the children continue to settle into daily routines, we’re seeing growing confidence and independence during familiar transitions like tidy-up time, snack time, and getting ready to go outside. Routine helps them feel safe and secure – an important part of building relationships in their new environment. In our home corner, the children have been engaging in role play, pretending to cook meals, care for babies, and have tea with their “family” – often naming mummies and daddies. This not only supports communication and imagination but helps them make sense of the world around them. Outdoors, the children have been busy drawing with chalk, often creating "pictures of their family" or making marks with their friends. We’ve also been working together to complete simple puzzles, encouraging sharing, cooperation, and problem-solving. Inside, we’ve had so much fun dancing alongside our peers, clapping, stomping, and moving to music. These shared experiences are helping to build friendships and develop a sense of community within our room. Our sand and water play has continued to support sensory exploration, with lots of scooping, pouring, and sharing of resources. We’ve had some lovely moments of children helping one another and learning how to play side by side.

It’s been a joyful week of getting to know ourselves and each other a little better!

Settling In and Autumn Adventures 🍂🌞

We’ve had a wonderful start to the term, and our little ones have been settling in beautifully! It’s been lovely to see the children getting to know their new teachers and beginning to form friendships with their peers. There have been lots of smiles, laughter, and gentle encouragement as everyone gets used to their new routines.

Our play areas have been full of excitement as the children explore sand and water play — splashing, pouring, digging, and discovering textures with curious hands and big imaginations. These sensory experiences are not only lots of fun but also help develop important fine motor and social skills. We’ve also been making the most of the lovely autumn sunshine by spending time outdoors. The children have enjoyed running, climbing, and exploring the changing natural world around them. 

It’s been a joyful beginning, and we’re so proud of how confidently our little learners are stepping into this new chapter!