This week at The Children’s House we are talking about winter; we will be discussing winter weather, doing winter art (snowman) and a winter science experiment (snow in a jar)! As well as this, we will be focusing on the importance of listening, so as well as talking about listening to others, we will be practising some mindfulness and listening to the sounds around us in the classroom and outside in the garden. This is a wonderful exercise to do with the children – closing our eyes, listening to our breathing & to the sounds all around in our environments.

Roille, roille, ráinne (tune of Ring a Rosie)

Roille roille ráinne,
Timpeall linn i bhfáinne,  (around in a circle together)
Ríleo ró, ríleo ró,
Suas san aer le mo choisín ó! (up in the air with my feet)

Happy Chinese New Year!! We’ll be celebrating this week at The Children’s House as the Chinese New Year falls next Saturday the 25th, so we will be talking about how this is celebrated over the days and what traditions are followed. The children will be making Chinese lanterns, learning about what animal year they were born in – this year is the Year of the Rat – and generally having lots of fun!!

Happy New Year (tune of London Bridge)

‘Gung hay fat choy’ we will say,
We will say, we will say,
That’s the Chinese new year way,
Gung hay fat choy!

‘Gung hay fat choy’ we will say,
We will say, we will say,
On this Chinese new year’s day,
Gung hay fat choy!

It’s all about road safety this week at The Children’s House – very timely as it happens with Storm Brendan wreaking havoc as we speak!! So we will be doing many safety activities during the week, such as practising crossing the road safely (stop look & listen), doing a traffic light game, learning about different road signs and bike safety, as well as various associated arts & crafts activities. Teaching children about road safety from a young age is very important – especially living in places with lots of commuting traffic such as Sallins or Naas – so developing habits such as wearing high vis jackets, holding hands crossing the road, and remembering to stop look & listen when crossing are something we can help to reinforce from preschool age.

Safe Cross Code

Remember 1 – look for a safe place,
2 – don’t hurry, stop & wait,
3 – look all around & listen,
Before you cross the road remember!
4 – let all the traffic pass you,
5 – then walking straight across you,
6 – keep watching, that’s the safe cross code!

Safe place, stop & wait, safe place, stop & wait,
Safe ground, look around, listen for a traffic sound,
If traffic’s coming let it pass,
Until the road is clear at last,
Then walking straight across the road,
Keep watching, that’s the safe cross code!

That’s the safe cross code!
Know the safe cross code!
Know the safe code!

Welcome back to The Children’s House and a very happy new year to you all!! We hope you had a wonderful Christmas and enjoyed the break – we’re definitely ready to get back into our routine here and see all our friends again! This week we’ll just be settling back in, doing some new activities on the Practical Life shelf and progressing with others, while talking about the importance of giving, after all the things we’ve received at Christmas. The children will also be making New Years crafts as well as dressing up and doing drama at the end of the week.

Cheer the Year (tune: Row Your Boat)

Cheer, cheer, cheer the year,
A new one’s just begun.
Celebrate with all your friends,
Let’s go have some fun!

Clap, clap, clap your hands,
A brand new year is here.
Learning, laughing, singing, clapping,
Through another year!