Tiny Tots Phonics

Thank you to everyone who came along to today’s Tiny Tots Phonics session. We had a lovely time thinking about the ‘qu’ digraph. We made crowns 👑 so we could be kings and queens and built castles from sand and wooden blocks. We had a quiet area to share books and toys with some cuddly friends and we did some quick activities like throwing beanbags through hoops. As always, we finished with some of our favourite songs. 🎶

How brilliant 🤩

Former teachers open yoga therapy studio for children A new studio offering therapeutic yoga sessions for children has been launched in the Norwich by two former school teachers.

Thanks so much to everyone who came along to this morning’s Tiny Tots Phonics session. Today we were thinking about the ‘z’ sound for zebra, zip and zoo!

Next week our sound is the ‘qu’ digraph for queen and quilt! Have a great week everyone 😊

Thank you to everyone who came along to this morning’s Tiny Tots Phonics session. Today we were thinking about the letter x and the sound it makes in words like box and fox. 🦊
At the beginning of the session, we sang ‘what’s in the box?’ To reveal some different animals. We threw beanbags into a box, posted magnetic letters into a postbox, read books, enjoyed playdough and kinetic sand, used crayons, felt tips and stickers and even explored some numbers and shapes!
We finished the session with a story called ‘Max the brave!’ And sang some songs 🎶

Wishing you all a very happy Easter! I’m looking forward to hearing all about your Easter holidays when we return on Wednesday 27th April. Emails with details about this half term will be sent out tomorrow xx

Thank you to everyone who came along to today’s session. We were thinking about ‘w’ for water, worms and whales! 💧 🪱 🐋

Today was our last session before the Easter holiday - the next session will be on Wednesday 27th April, have a fantastic Easter everyone! 🐣

Thank you to everyone who came along to today’s Tiny Tots Phonics session. We were thinking about v for volcanoes, vehicles and velociraptors! As always, the items that were brought in to ‘show and tell’ were fabulous! We enjoyed playing with kinetic sand, exploring lots of vehicles, making cards, reading books together, creating with playdough and we finished with some songs and nursery rhymes.

Next week we will be thinking about ‘w’ for wellies but let’s hope the sun sticks around so we don’t need to be wearing them!

Thank you to everyone who came along to this morning’s Tiny Tots Phonics session - we had lots of fun thinking about the ‘j’ sound!
We made jellyfish, rescued animals from jelly, completed jigsaw puzzles and did lots of jumping and jiggling!

Thank you so much to everyone who came and joined in this morning! We had a lovely time thinking about the ‘l’ sound. Finding lambs on the farm, leaf rubbing, threading beads on laces recognising letters on lolly sticks and so much more. We finished off the session with some fun songs 🎶

Next Wednesday’s session will be focussing on the ‘j’ sound for jelly!

We had a lovely first session back this morning - thanks so much everyone for coming! Today we were thinking about ‘b’ for for bee and banana! 🐝 🍌 The children (and grown-ups!) excelled themselves with the range of ‘show and tell’ objects today including a balloon, bird and even a bouncy brain!! 🧠

We planted some bulbs, made some beautiful bees, built towers, played in the ball pit, threaded beads and so much more!

Next week we will be thinking about the ‘f’ sound! 🦩 🐸 🦊

Thank you so much to everyone who came along to today’s Tiny Tots Phonics session. We had a lovely time thinking about the ‘h’ sound for hearts, horses and hats! We started off the session with our human version of hungry hippos! We made hedgehogs, built a houses, decorated hearts and worked on our fine motor skills with some threading activities.

It’s half term next week so there won’t be a session. Our next session will be on Wednesday 23rd February where we will be thinking about the ‘b’ sound for ball. ⚽️ 🏀 🏈

Thank you so much to everyone who came along to today’s Tiny Tots Phonics session. We had a lovely time thinking about the ‘h’ sound for hearts, horses and hats! We started off the session with our human version of hungry hippos! We made hedgehogs, built a houses, decorated hearts and worked on our fine motor skills with some threading activities.

It’s half term next week so there won’t be a session. Our next session will be on Wednesday 23rd February where we will be thinking about the ‘b’ sound for ball. ⚽️ 🏀 🏈

🚽 🚽 We are excited about our new webinar! This one is for all things potty and toilet training! Book your free place here: https://bit.ly/j1npotty 🚽 🚽

I was so impressed with the cutting I saw from this little one last week. I know I’m guilty of avoiding scissors with my own little ones but learning to use scissors safely is a really important skill so the scissors will be back this week with this really simple snippy hedgehog craft!

✂️ 🦔

This week we are thinking about the ‘h’ sound for hats 🎩, helicopters 🚁 and hearts. 💕

We will enjoy reading Hamilton’s Hats at the end of the session!

Don’t forget, for this Wednesday’s session you are invited to bring a friend along for free so come and join in all the fun before we take a break for half term!

Friendship Friday!

Share the love of learning through play ❤️ Next week’s session is all about the ‘h’ sound for hearts and helicopters.

Each paying family is invited to bring a friend along for free. Everyone who has pre-paid for the half term, feel free to just bring someone along. If you pay as you go, treat a friend (or just split the cost with them!)

The normal session price is £6 per family, you are welcome to pay cash on arrival or just let me know if you’d like the bank details to transfer 😊

Thank you to everyone who came along to today’s Tint Tots Phonics session. We had a lovely time thinking about the ‘r’ sound for rabbit, rainbow and robot!

Next week we will be thinking about ‘h’ for helicopter and horse! 🐎 🚁

Listening skills are a huge part of phonics. We are going to have fun with these percussion instruments during our session on Wednesday 🥁 🔔 🎶

I spent today attending a brilliant Paediatric First Aid course for parent and toddler group leaders provided by Norfolk Early Childhood Family Service. It feels great to be up to date with the latest training (but obviously hoping it never actually needs to be put into practice!) 🤕 🩹 🚑

Thank you so much to everyone who came along to today’s Tiny Tots Phonics Session. We had lots of fun thinking about the ‘U’ sound for up, under and umbrella ☂

The marble run and water beads were really big hits!

Next week we are thinking about the ‘r’ sound for red and rainbow🌈

We finish every Tiny Tots Phonics session with a story and a few songs. The sound we’re thinking about this week is ‘u’ for umbrella and I’m sure the children will enjoy this book! 👾 🩲

Next week we will be thinking about the ‘u’ sound pronounced ‘uh’ for up and under - we’ll have lots of fun playing parachute games! 🪂

Thank you to everyone who came along to today’s Tiny Tots Phonics session. Today we were thinking about ‘e’ for elephant, egg and echo! We had egg and spoon races, fed egg box monsters with letters, decorated Elmer elephants, excavated kinetic sand and we finished with some songs and an Elmer book.

Next week we will be thinking about ‘u’ pronounced ‘uh’ for umbrella ☂

This week we are thinking about the ‘e’ sound for elephant and egg! We’re looking forward to seeing you all on Wednesday morning for lots of fun!

This is such a lovely idea that could be used for any grapheme 😍

PHONICS COLOURING…lots of you have sent me messages saying you’ve enjoyed some calming colouring with your kids this week after I posted about it.

It might seem so obvious and simple but I don’t know about you, as a busy parent my brain is running at 100mph remembering lists of things to do, and sometimes the simple things don’t come into my head until I actually am reminded of them!

So how about phonics? We could use a simple bit of drawing and colouring to help us there too. Especially if your little one is a visual learner.

When I was teaching, this spring term was where we really got going. So this month your little one might be learning digraphs or recapping ones they learned last term, such as this one. “ai” as in “rain” (if you are lost then I have more about phonics in both of my books).

It can be really helpful, if they are perhaps stuck on one, to ask them what word with the sound in they like best. Say a few to them - pain, train, plain, sail, aim - what sticks best in their head. Then draw the letters in bubble writing and draw something relating to the word they like best around it.
If it was “aim” perhaps write it in the middle of a target.
If it’s train make the “ai” appear on the side of a drawing of one.
Then colour it in together with your little one.

Stick it up like a little poster somewhere they will see it each day and hopefully it’ll help it stick in their little brains to help them on their way.

Thank you so much to everyone who came along to our first Tiny Tots Phonics session of 2022! We were thinking about the ‘ck’ digraph so we played with ducks, trucks and bricks! We matched the letters on rocks to the letters on an alphabet mat, we decorated rockets with stickers, we recognised graphemes written on lolly sticks and matched pairs of socks! I didn’t take many pictures once the session started so if you have any that you are happy to share it would be lovely to see them!

There’s not long to go before our first Tiny Tots Phonics session of 2022 - Roll on 9.30 Wednesday morning!

Here’s how we will be keeping as Covid-safe as possible:

⭐️Windows will be open through the session to allow ventilation.
⭐️ Activities will be well spaced out using all the space in our lovely large hall.
⭐️ Hand sanitiser is available for you to use - please sanitise your hands when you sign in at the beginning of the session and feel free to help yourself to it throughout the session.
⭐️I will be wearing a mask and if I need to remove it to model pronunciation of a sound or word, I will do so at a distance.
⭐️ Please could all adults wear a face covering if you are willing and able.
⭐️I am taking regular lateral flow tests and will always take one early on Wednesday mornings.
⭐️ All equipment is cleaned in-between sessions

We can’t wait to see you all for some phonics fun!

The information below has just been shared on the Norfolk parent and toddler group leader page but we have been asked to share it with the parents who attend our groups - Free online First Aid training!
🩹 Paediatric First Aid ONLINE

🧒 This could be the most valuable 2 hours of ONLINE learning you have ever spent. Choking, head injury and fracture all are medical emergencies that children may experience. Do you know how to respond? This fantastic FREE paediatric first aid workshop will give you the knowledge and skills to make a difference and potentially save a life.

Find out more and book your place ⬇️
https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/familylearning

These are the dates for this half term, sessions start next Wednesday. The column on the right shows the sounds that our activities will be focusing on each week. We’re looking forward to seeing you all on Wednesday 12th January 😊

Happy New Year!

Thank you everyone for all the amazing support in our first year. Wishing each and every one of you a brilliant 2022!

The first Tiny Tots Phonics session of the year is on Wednesday 12th January, please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you’d like any information. 🎉 🎉 🎉