The work and learning activities that have been set this week are all based on the story ‘The Three Little Pigs’. Here are lots of ideas that cover all areas of learning from the Early Years Curriculum. Please do not feel like you have to do them all, but please try to support your child to try as many as they can. Perhaps your child might have a favourite activity that they want to repeat a few times!

Some days your child may simply want to play with their toys. This is fine. Please take some time to play with them. Encourage them to talk about what they are doing. They will still be learning, especially if you are there to support their play, ask questions and get involved.

Reading stories with your child is also a fantastic way to develop their learning. Talk about the story and pictures and explain any new language. Encourage your child to hold the book the right way up, and to carefully turn the pages. Explain that we always start reading at the beginning of the book, at the start of the story.

There is a pack that has been made up for your child at school. It can be collected from the office entrance of the school. Each pack is named. You will find specific resources within the pack to support the stories we will be using over the next few weeks.  Please keep these resources safe until it is that particular week. This week please use the resources that support ‘The Three Little Pigs’ story. There are also some generic resources that have been laminated and are reusable. These can be used to support learning each week.

Maths

Here are some number songs your child will enjoy joining in with.

 

What’s the Time Mr Wolf?

Play ‘What’s the time Mr Wolf’ with your child. This game can be played inside or outside. Stand some distance apart from your child. One of you can be the wolf, the other is the pig. The wolf turns his back and the pig calls out “What’s the time Mr Wolf?” The wolf turns around and says a time (for example, “It’s 3 o’ clock”) . The pig then carefully counts and moves three steps closer to the wolf. The wolf turns his back again and the pig calls out the same question, listens to the answer and moves closer to the wolf counting the correct number of steps. The activity is repeated a number of times, and the pig gets closer to the wolf, carefully counting as they go. When the wolf character feels the pig is close enough, instead of answering with a time, they respond with “Its dinner time!” and they try to catch the pig. The pig tries to run back to where they started before the wolf catches them! Play this game a few times – perhaps swap roles so both of you have a go at being the wolf and the pig.

The children love this game. Not only is it fun for them, it reinforces careful counting, listening and turn taking skills. If you have older children at home they will also enjoy this game. It is a firm favourite on the playground at school!

Counting Games

Using the resources in your pack – play the suitcase counting game. The children have to put 3 of each item onto the suitcase picture.

This could be extended by using real objects and a real bag. Collect a number of items from around your home. For example, socks, books, pencils, tee shirts, gloves, spoons, apples – anything you have more than 3 of. Ask your children to listen carefully to your instructions. Ask them to pack 3 socks. Do they select the correct item? Do they correctly pack 3? Some children will put all of the socks in. It is a skill to count out and only put in a certain number of items from a larger group. Help them to count carefully and stop when they have put in 3 items. Some children may put in less than 3 items. Ask them to count carefully, and ask if it is enough. Reinforce that we need ‘more’. Keep going until there are 3 items. Model counting carefully 1,2,3. Ask your child to count carefully with you 1,2,3. This video will support this activity.

Use the number cards from your pack – show the numbers 1, 2 ,3. Count and say the numbers with your child and place them in the correct order. Can your child point to number 1? Number 2? Number 3? Can they put them in the correct order?

Hold up a number card 1,2 or 3. Can your child jump that many times? Clap their hands? Stamp their feet? Tap their head? Count carefully with your child to reinforce only doing the action the number of times the card shows.

Hold up a number card 1,2 or 3. Challenge your child to find that many items from the house. For example hold up a 2 card. Ask your child what number it is. Ask them to go and fetch 2 teddies, toy cars, dinosaurs, dolls, books or any other item you can think of.

Look at this picture. Can your child answer the questions?

 

 

Lots of additional number activities and games can be found on the Cbeebies website

https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/topics/numeracy

Communication, Language and Literacy

Here is the story of ‘The Three Little Pigs’ .

 

Can you and your child retell this story using stick puppets (Cut out pig shapes from resource pack and stick onto spoons/rulers/pencils/lolly sticks)

Using the story sequencing pictures from the resources pack, work with your child to put the story pictures in the correct order. Talk abut what is happening in each part of the story.

P phonics

P is for pig! Here is the alphablock ‘p’ episode. Watch this with your child. Emphasise the ‘puh’ sound.

Here is the ‘p’ image we use in school when we teach phonics. We say ‘puh, puh, pirate’

 

 

Find ‘p’ objects around the house to look at and talk about with your child. Emphasise the ‘p’ at the start of the word. (pig, pencil, purse, peas, pizza, pear, piano, panda, penguin, pirate, penny)

Using these objects play a simple ‘I Spy’  game. Place the objects on a table or on the floor and say ‘I spy a pencil’. Ask your child listen carefully, and point to the pencil. Repeat with other items.

Mr Tumble finds out all about ponies in this episode. Link this to the ‘p’ sound you have been working on.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b06z9dwp/something-special-were-all-friends-series-10-11-animals 

Use the pattern and name cards in your resource pack to encourage your child to hold the whiteboard pen correctly and carefully trace over the patterns and practise writing their names. Remind them we only use a capital letter at the start of our name.

Physical Development

Here is a Mr Bloom dance session linked to the story.

 

The children love joining in with Debbie Doo in Nursery. Here are some dances for them to join in with at home.

 

 

The little pigs used their houses to hide from the wolf. Play hide and seek with your child. Perhaps you could pretend to be the wolf and your child could be the little pig hiding!

Draw or paint pictures of the little pigs.

Understanding The World

Using any construction toys you have at home ask your child to build houses like the little pigs. Your child could use Lego, wooden blocks, cardboard boxes or cardboard tubes. If you have a pet animal, you might even have some straw or hay they could use! Talk about the houses – which is the strongest house?

Try to blow down any houses your child has built. Your child could try blowing. Of you have a drinking straw they could blow through this too. Does it make a difference? How about if you use a hairdryer to really blow at the house?

 

Make pig biscuits or cupcakes with your child. If you would rather make the biscuits, instead of making the cakes use a packet of round plain biscuits (rich tea or digestives) and then ice them in the same way as the cakes

Here is a list of ingredients you will need. You will also need cupcake cases.

Ingredients

• 100g caster sugar
• 100g very soft butter
• 100g self-raising flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• icing sugar
• pink food colouring
• mini marshmallows or smarties
• raisins or chocolate chips for eyes.

Method

Act out ‘The Three Little Pigs’ story with your child. If you haveolder children at home ask them to join in too!