Useful Links

Below is a list of websites that are circulating the web at present to support and engage pupils at home. I will keep this updated on a regular basis as people are actively sending lots more my way!

** Please be reminded that we cannot learn when we are stressed or anxious. Children pick up on our anxieties and we must pick and choose when the best time is to do things for our own well being. **

Local Places to Visit

Whilst the government guidance is to get outside in wide, open spaces the National Trust and other local charities are waiving car parking fees etc. Please visit this site here to find out more information.

Virtual Tours of Museums/Galleries

Here is a list of museums and online galleries that you are able to access and view from the comfort of your own home. There is quite an extensive list so have a little look by clicking here. Here are some more virtual museums here with a few more links added from this site here.

Edinburgh Zoo Webcams

Online Learning

There will be heaps of people creating online lessons and interactive sessions on social media over the coming days in preparation for school closures. I will add to this list as and when I come across more.

Here are a few to get you started:

Suggested Activities for Little Ones:

Reading

Be sure to keep up with daily reading where possible. Encouraging your child to read to you but also ensure that you are still reading to them too. We all love a story time! Here is a link to a free ebook library from Oxford Owls. Click here to view it.

Audible Stories is free at the moment.

Remember you can act out different stories, retell them to each other and maybe use props and lego around the house to make difference scenes from the house. Maybe you’ll have a traditional tale day where you do all activities and learning around ‘Little Red Riding Hood’. This is just an example.

Ian Douglas a Story teller and many others around the world will be sharing stories online. I will update on here and on our school Facebook page when I am aware of others that are doing it.

World eBook A huge range of books available online with a search toolbar to look for books of interest.

Writing

  • Write a letter or postcard and post it to a friend or family member, maybe to a neighbour
  • Make a snack menu for home
  • Write a joke or quiz book!
  • Tell a story to a grown up, share the writing together, act it out with toys or with your family. Can you add an illustration?
  • Play treasure hunts; write clues and draw a map.
  • Draw a picture of your favourite character, superhero, animal, etc and label it.

Maths

  • Ordering and matching numbers to 10 and then 20. Try using toys and objects around the house.
  • Go on a number treasure hunt
  • Choose a number and find that many special items
  • Roll two dice and find the total, e.g. 4 + 3 =7 maybe roll it 3 times
  • Play dominoes
  • Play pairs using playing cards
  • Make a repeating pattern using beads
  • Go on a shape hunt; Can you find a circle, square, rectangle, triangle and hexagon? How about 3D shapes?

Get Creative

  • Help make snack or a meal
  • Bake some cakes or cookies
  • Make a healthy smoothie
  • Put on a talent show
  • Have a lego design contest
  • Create art and set up an art exhibition
  • Play dressing up & costume design
  • Make a toy shop and play shopkeepers with money
  • Build a den or fort
  • Make playdough (https://theimaginationtree.com/best-ever-no-cook-play-doug…/)
  • Make a train track or small world land, can you add any labels?

Websites

  • Topmarks – variety of online activities/games in a range of subjects.
  • CBBC NumberBlocks Explore the Number Block’s games and watch episodes for free on BBC iPlayer.
  • Phonics Play A useful website for the teaching and learning of Phonics. U: march20 P: home
  • Phonics Bloom more phonics games here too.

Get Moving

  • Disco dance party
  • Mini Olympics
  • Make an obstacle course inside or out
  • Jump on a trampoline
  • Play ‘Simon says’
  • Follow a Just Dance activity on You Tube
  • Do some yoga. Click here to view CosmicKidsYoga on YouTube.
  • Play hide and seek & carry out a scavenger hunt around the house.
  • Tumble Tots are doing a doing a daily session live on their Facebook page at 10am everyday. Find their page on Facebook by clicking here.

Key Skills/ Shared Family Opportunities

  • Setup a rota so that children are helping out around the house with chores. Tidying the garden, unloading the dishwasher, making the bed, washing the car etc
  • Talk about money as a family. Why is it important? When do we need it? How do we get it? Encourage them to consider ways in which they can raise money or save money.
  • Discuss recycling at home. Look around the household, which items are natural or man made? Which items can we reduce, reuse, recycle.
  • If you have a garden or you can access some outdoor space, go on a nature walk. Pick up items or make notes of items that you see on your walk. Maybe collect items that have fallen e.g. leaves/twigs to take home and create a piece of artwork.

Handwriting

  • Jelly and Bean Handwriting click here.
  • Teach Handwriting click here.