Activity 1

Phonic activity "m"  – segmenting and blending words

What you’ll need

M picture sheet.pdf

Method

Explain to your child that you are going to talk like a robot. 

Ask your child to   s-t-a-n-d   u-p   by sounding out the word sound by sound.

Can they hear what you are saying when you segment (break up) the words?  

Then in a robotic voice ask them to do several activities:

h-o-p

j-u-m-p

t-ur-n

j-o-g

s-i-ng

m-ar-ch

r-u-n

s-i-t

Now show your child the “m” picture sheet. Together name the pictures (some may not be so familiar to them). Then segment the “m” words talking like a robot. Can your child hear the word and point to the correct picture on the “m” picture sheet when you say each sound in the word like a robot? 

m-o-p

m-a-n

m-a-p

m-a-t

m-u-g

m-u-d

If you wanted to extend your child’s learning further you could change roles and give your child the opportunity to say the “m” words on the sheet like a robot for you to hear and point to. 

Can you show us your little robots by uploading on Instagram and adding the hashtag #MountCarmelatHome, posting on our Facebook page or uploading photos or videos to Famly. 

“We. Would. Love. To. See. Them!”

We are learning to hear and say the initial sounds in words. 

We are learning to segment the sounds in simple words and blend them together and we are beginning to know some of the letters which represents the sounds. 

Activity 2

Easter Tree craft

What you’ll need

• Egg outline.pdf

• You can print a few copies of the egg outline (see print out sheet) or just cut these out freehand. You may wish to stick your eggs onto a piece of card, for example an old cereal box, to make them sturdier

• Twigs or a small branch (or anything suitable to hang your eggs on)

• Vase

• String, wool or thread

• Felt pens, crayons, pencils, paint or any means for your child to decorate their eggs. Be as creative as you wish!

Method

Go on a walk in the garden or any large open area. See if you can find some twigs or branches on the floor to take home and place in a vase to use as an Easter tree. You may wish to explain to your child that spring is a time for new life and when we think of new life we often think of eggs as new life hatches from eggs! What can your child think of that comes from an egg?

Invite your child to decorate the eggs on the sheet however they wish – colouring, sticking collage etc… Once decorated you or your child can cut around the eggs and place a small hole in the top for your child to thread and hang them from your Easter tree. This is a great activity for all the family so invite any other family members to also decorate eggs to make a family Easter Tree. 

We would really love to see your eggcellent Easter trees so please share them with us by uploading on Instagram and adding the hashtag #MountCarmelatHome, posting on our Facebook page or uploading photos to Famly.

What did we learn?

Physical Development (PD):

We are learning to use one-handed tools and equipment, holding our writing tools near the point between the first two fingers and thumb and using good control.

Understanding the World (UW):

We are learning to develop an understanding of growth and changes over time. 

Activity 3

Spring action songs time!

What you’ll need

• Internet access with volume

• A space for your child to move

• Adult singing voices and dance moves optional!

Method

At Mount Carmel Kindergarten we often sing and dance to songs by the “Sticky Kids” and many of these songs can be found on YouTube or Spotify. 

When we are exercising our muscles in the gym two firm favourite songs to warm our bodies up to are the songs “Let’s go walking” and ”Stand up, sit down” your child will be so familiar with these songs they will even be able to teach them to you! 

Let’s go walking:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cj-ouBZXd00&list=RDcj-ouBZXd00&start_radio=1&t=0 

Stand up, sit down:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCFrmFQIdnY 

Once you are warmed up sing or play some Spring action songs for your child to move and dance to. Please see the YouTube links below for some ideas, of course your child may be able to think of many other favourite songs to dance to – we would love to know what they suggest! 

Hop Little Bunnies action song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpjKpRf7yJk 

Five Little Ducks:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58jxjmzhYLM 

Five Little Speckled Frogs:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhVi4IQRMtY  

Once your dancing session is coming to a close a good cool down song is - Sticky Kids – Bend and Stretch:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3UwfdiyApI  

Who needs Joe Wicks when you can enjoy a dancing session with your child MCK style! We would love to see your child’s (and yours!) creative movements so you can always send a photograph or even better a video of your moves to us via Famly or through our Facebook page or on Instagram using the #MountCarmelatHome. 

*Music is also a fantastic way of signalling to your child it is time to tidy the toys away and motivates children to help, so much so it becomes an extension of their play, and before you know the job is done!

We have a few tidy up songs we use at Mount Carmel. Here is a link to an example of just one you may wish to use; we hope it helps make the mammoth task of daily tidying easier during this time at home:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxAsGS0VO2w 

What did we learn?

Physical Development (PD):

We are learning to move freely and with pleasure and confidence in a range of ways. 

Expressive Arts and Design (EAD):

We are learning to create movement in response to music.