Dear Parents and Carers,

We hope you all had a lovely Christmas and a happy, restful break with your families.

We would like to warmly welcome you back to nursery as we begin a new term together. The children have been greatly missed, and the staff are very much looking forward to seeing their smiling faces again and settling back into our daily routines.

This term will be full of exciting learning opportunities, play, and new experiences as we continue to support each child’s development in a caring and nurturing environment. Thank you, as always, for your continued support and partnership.

If you have any questions or updates you would like to share with us, please do not hesitate to speak to a member of the team.

We look forward to a happy and successful term ahead.

Warm regards,

The Caterpillars Team

A Happy Start to the Term!

We hope you all had a lovely break and are feeling refreshed. It has been wonderful to welcome the children back and to meet our new friends this week.

This week, we have focused on settling back into our daily routines and helping everyone feel happy and confident in the classroom. The children have enjoyed building rockets outdoors using large blocks, working together and exploring their imaginations.

We have been reading How to Catch a Star, where the children engaged beautifully with the story—looking closely at the pictures, sharing what they could see, and talking about what they thought might happen next. We’ve also been dancing, moving our bodies to music, and enjoying plenty of outdoor play, including exploring and having fun in the snow. It’s been a joyful week full of learning, laughter, and new experiences!

Dear Parents and Carers, 

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!

A Very Festive Caterpillar week!

We have been getting into the festive spirit in Caterpillars with lots of exciting, hands-on Christmas activities that support our children’s learning. The children explored a winter-themed tuff tray, where they enjoyed filling snowmen using rice and colourful pom poms. This activity supported their fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and early sensory exploration as they scooped, poured, and pinched the materials. We also had lots of fun with Christmas playdough, using festive mats to press, roll, and shape. The children created their own Christmas designs while strengthening their hand muscles and expressing their creativity. Another favourite activity was lying on the floor to draw, giving the children the freedom to make big movements and marks. This encouraged early mark-making, body awareness, and creativity in a relaxed and playful way. To make the celebrations extra special, the children wore their Christmas jumpers for our Christmas meal. They also enjoyed decorating their own Christmas jumpers, using glitter, pom poms, and a variety of art materials. This activity allowed the children to explore textures, colours, and make choices while creating something uniquely their own. It has been a wonderful time full of smiles, creativity, and festive cheer.

Thank you for your continued support, and we hope you enjoy seeing the children’s Christmas learning journey 🎅✨

Reminders: 

Children return on Tuesday 6th January 2026 at 8:45am.

We wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Little Hands, Big Christmas Magic!

This week has been full of festive fun in Caterpillars! The children really enjoyed decorating their own gingerbread men, carefully choosing buttons and adding their own creative touches. In our sensory area, they explored winter animals in the sand, helping to build snowy scenes and engaging in lots of imaginative play. We have also been getting ready for next week by decorating our Christmas crowns, which the children will proudly wear for our Christmas lunch. The playdough table has been very busy too, with the children making their own Christmas themed decorations using cutters, rollers, and lots of sparkly additions. Another highlight was dressing their own snowmen, encouraging independence and fine-motor skills as they chose hats, scarves, and buttons. On top of all the excitement, the children looked wonderful in their Christmas jumpers for Save the Children Day on 11th December—thank you for your support!

Reminders for Parents:

• Please remember to send your child in wearing a Christmas jumper on Tuesday 16th December for our Christmas lunch.
• School will finish on Friday 19th December for the Christmas break.

Building, Creating and Celebrating in Caterpillars

We’ve had a busy and exciting week in Caterpillars full of movement, creativity and early learning fun! The children loved dancing along to “Bouncing Balls” by Danny Go, joining in with the actions and moving their bodies to the lively music. It was a great opportunity to develop their coordination, balance and confidence while having lots of giggles together. Inside, the children have been practising their fine motor skills by colouring a variety of Christmas pictures. They explored different colours and made marks using crayons and pencils, showing increasing control as they decorated their festive designs. Our story of the week was “10 Little Elves,” which the children listened to with great interest. They enjoyed counting along and looking at the bright illustrations, developing early number skills through storytelling. Outdoors, the building blocks were a big hit. The children worked together to build towers, walls and imaginative structures, developing problem-solving skills and teamwork as they experimented with balancing and stacking. We also enjoyed a creative winter activity, designing our very own snowmen. The children chose from paper scarves, hats, buttons and googly eyes to personalise their snowman faces. They had great fun exploring the textures and materials while expressing their individual ideas.

Reminder: Thursday 11^th December 2025 is Christmas Jumper Day (Donate £1 through Arbor)

From Train Tracks to Djembe Beats!

Our Caterpillars have had a wonderful week full of hands-on learning and exploration! The Caterpillars enjoyed working together to build train tracks, develop their teamwork and problem-solving skills as their engines travelled around the room. The children created their own gingerbread men using paint, googly eyes and buttons, and then listened to the story The Gingerbread Man, joining in with the repeated phrases. Water play was a big hit too, with lots of scooping, pouring and splashing to support early maths and sensory development. The children also loved making music on the djembe, experimenting with rhythm and sound. To end the week, we welcomed families for a warm and joyful stay-and-play session, giving parents the chance to share in their children’s play and learning.

Caterpillars Explore the World of The Gingerbread Man!

This week in Caterpillars, the children enjoyed a wonderful mix of gingerbread-themed and hands-on learning experiences. We began by reading The Gingerbread Man, encouraging listening skills and excitement as the children joined in with the familiar refrain “run, run as fast as you can”. They loved playing alongside their peers with train tracks, building early social skills as they worked together and shared resources. The children also explored colourful puzzles that supported problem-solving and hand–eye coordination. To strengthen fine motor development, they practiced drawing with crayons and markers, creating lines, shapes, and imaginative marks. Our gingerbread man playdough mats offered engaging sensory fun as the children rolled, squished, and shaped playdough to decorate their gingerbread figures. They also enjoyed exploring the sensory sand tray, scooping, pouring, and discovering textures. It was a wonderful week full of creativity, cooperation, and sensory-rich learning!

Reminder: Next week is a busy and exciting one! We have Parents’ Evening on Tuesday, our Christmas Fayre on Thursday (3:30-5:00), and Stay and Play on Friday (8:45-9:30). We look forward to seeing you there!

Caterpillars Celebrate Kindness & Remembrance

This week in Caterpillars we focused on Kindness Week, exploring what it means to be gentle, caring, and friendly with one another. The children did a wonderful job playing alongside each other, sharing toys, and practicing kind words during play. In circle time, we talked about different ways we can show kindness to our friends, and the children enjoyed expressing their ideas. We also took part in activities to mark Remembrance Day. The children created beautiful poppies using tissue paper, and explored poppy-themed playdough where they squished, rolled, and shaped their own creations. These activities helped them engage their creativity while learning about this special day in an age-appropriate way. To round off our busy week, we had lots of fun dancing to our favourite song, “Baby Shark”! The children loved moving, wiggling, and joining in with the actions.

It’s been a joyful week full of learning, creativity, and kindness. We’re so proud of how beautifully the children are growing and exploring together!

From Fireworks to Continents: A Week Full of Fun!

What a busy and colourful week we’ve had in Caterpillars! The children have been exploring colour, sparkle, and celebrations in so many creative ways. To mark Bonfire Night, we made our very own toilet roll fireworks! The Caterpillars loved choosing bright paints, mixing colours, and adding lots of glitter to make them sparkle. There was so much excitement as they talked about the fireworks they’d seen or heard at home. We also celebrated Continents Day, and it was wonderful to see everyone come dressed up to represent different parts of the world. The children enjoyed looking at each other’s outfits, listening to different types of music, and exploring the globe together. It was a lovely opportunity to talk about how we all come from different places but share lots of things in common.

It’s been a week full of colour, creativity, and curiosity — just the way we like it in Caterpillars!

Rustling Leaves and Rhythmic Feet – A Joyful Week in Caterpillars!

This week in Caterpillars, children explored the garden area and showed interest in the fallen autumn leaves on the ground. They crouched down and carefully picked up several leaves, holding them in both hands and examining their colours and shapes.  They enjoyed crunching the leaves in their hands and walking through piles, laughing as they made a rustling sound. During music time, Caterpillars sat in a group alongside a music teacher accompanied by the guitar. As the adult began strumming, Caterpillars were mesmerized watching the teacher play notes on their guitar and started to clap in excitement. When familiar songs were played, such as “Baby Shark” and “Old McDonald", Caterpillars joined in with some of the actions and attempted to sing along with key words. They showed excitement by clapping their hands and tapping their feet in time with the music. They were able to remain engaged throughout the session, showing enjoyment and developing their communication and language skills, as well as their personal, social, and emotional development through shared group activity. As part of our Black History Month celebrations, Caterpillars took part in a music and movement session where traditional music was played. When the music started, the children began to move their body rhythmically, swaying side to side and attempting to copy simple dance movements shown by the adult. They smiled and giggled, clearly enjoying the beat and energy of the music. Caterpillars clapped their hands and twirled around, showing confidence in expressing themselves through movement. This experience supported their physical development and expressive arts and design, while also introducing them to cultural diversity in an age-appropriate and engaging way.

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!