Spring Theme

[CarolineRussen]

Hi. Ive got my 1st full time 18m little girl. I would like to do a spring theme and sone some starting points and craft ideas would be great as this will be my 1st go at planning activities.
I have a visit from childminding matters next week to reassure me that im doing things correctly and give guidance where necessary.

[amylouise867]

Hi. Ive got my 1st full time 18m little girl. I would like to do a spring theme and sone some starting points and craft ideas would be great as this will be my 1st go at planning activities. I have a visit from childminding matters next week to reassure me that im doing things correctly and give guidance where necessary.

How about making a sensory box
- A large plastic tub filled with a base - usually things such as coloured rice, pasta, lentils etc and then fill with spring themed bits.

I did a Christmas one - see my display photo and it went down great!! My next one will be an Easter theme and got some fantastic things from the works in particular.

You can have colouring in pages that you can paint/colour in.

Make a photo book which you can sit and talk to the child about. I have these for all the seasons for spring I have A4 photos of things like daffodils, lambs, ducklings, blossom trees. The children love looking at real photos.

Go on a walk where you can look for signs of spring. Maybe go to feed the ducks.

Go and buy some daffodils and have them in your home and point them out to children as they begin to flower - see if they can point any out to you while your out on your walk?

Make Easter cards with the children.

I don't know if you seen them but you can get painting rollers that have spring things that imprint - I always like to use a range of different medias and these are great!! They are selling them on amazon for around £8 but they last for years!

Plant some seeds/bulbs ready for the coming months - the children can watch them grow.
I am about to plant some pumpkin seeds - they grow quickly and they get very big so always go down great! We then pick the pumpkins ready for little ones to take home come halloween.

How about taking little one on a farm visit? If they have baby lambs they let the children feed them their bottle. They let them hold the chicks etc. it's a great starting point actually for the spring topic

Amy xx

Hope that helps a little

[CarolineRussen]

Brilliant ideas. I have planted some strawberries and tomato and a few flowers and going to plant sunflower seeds and get children to design there own label so they know which is there's. The sensory box is a brill idea but not 100% on what to record from it.

[CarolineRussen]

Ooh I also bought a pot of daffodils (cheating I know) and printed off a spring theme alphabet and put on display with pics of piglets, lambs, flowers etc. Just confused with the planning. ... I know it'll come with time but I want to everything right from the beginning xx

[Mrsh3103]

Have you got a farm near you? I have 2 close by and they both allow the children to feed the lambs.
Sensory baskets always go down well here. I made a spring one this weekend. It's got yellow and green fabrics, pom poms, little chick cake toppers, a piece of white fleece, strands of wool, plastic egg things that I've filled with different things and taped shut so they all sound different when shaken.

[Mrsh3103]

How long has the lo been with you?
When I have a new lo start I spend a couple of weeks watching how they play with the different activities I set out and watch what they choose to play with when we have free play.
You can then note down these things and plan for their next steps and interests

[CarolineRussen]

Ive only had her 2 sessions so yes im still watching as setting out new activities daily. So far she loves my dog and anythjng with wheels and play food.

Im really lucky as I live in norwich and lots of farms and outdoor areas close. Thanks for your ideas ladies I reslly would be stuck without your help x

[gef918]

I'm doing a spring theme with my 2 yr old, but I'm starting from his interests and next steps and choosing spring activities based on these, e.g. he's currently interested in printing, so we'll print with flower shapes; he's nearly able to count to 10, so we'll be counting as we plant seeds; his language is developing rapidly, so there will be a focus on introducing new words while doing activities or going on nature walks; he loves singing, so I'll be teaching him some new 'spring' songs, etc.

It's a good idea, when planning activities, to start with the child - ask yourself why you want the child to do the activity and what you hope they will get out of it. You can then adapt the activity if necessary to fit a theme.