Bear Hunt

Here is a link to the story 'We're going on a bear hunt'... read by the Author Michael Rosen

click here;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gyI6ykDwds

Nature Freeze...

Thankyou for sharing...

Thankyou to Hassan and Hafsah's mummy for sharing this link she found...

https://www.mother.ly/child/montessori-inspired-indoor-activities

Lots of lovely ideas to keep you busy x x x

We would LOVE to hear from you...

Each post has the option for you to 'post a comment'

It would be lovely to see some comments about the activities, special messages for us or ideas of what you would like to see on the blog in the coming days...

Mark Making

We can learn through everyday jobs...

Good Morning! hope you are all well...  x

Please don't under estimate the learning that can take place during everyday jobs such as 'tackling the mountains of washing' 

Please email any ideas of other activities you have tried, or photos of you doing anything we have shared on here.

30 hours

Please do not forget to update/apply for your 30 hour free education code.  Failure to do so will result in no reduction of your fees when the nursery reopens.  Cut off date for summer term is 31 March 2020.   Stay safe everyone. 
Best Wishes

BWD Help Hub

BWD Help Hub

We’ve launched the BwD Help Hub, a support network for Blackburn with Darwen residents in need while isolating at home.

The Help Hub can provide a range of support; organising deliveries of food and essential supplies, providing information and advice, and weekly phone calls to help keep people’s spirits up.

If you or anyone you know needs this kind of help:

• Use our online form
• Call 01254 588111 from 12:00 on 26.03.2020

Day at the Zoo anyone??

LIVE at 10am this morning, a virtual zoo day..... click the link below; 

https://www.chesterzoo.org/

Sock Puppets....

Doesn't need to be as fancy as the one in the picture, just a sock on a hand does the trick... children of all ages will love this one!!
How about using the puppet to tell a favourite story?

Free resources for all of the family...

Rainbows of Hope...

Good morning children... Lots of boys and girls are making rainbow pictures to stick in their windows. This makes all of the really special workers smile as they spot them on their way to and from work.. 

We would love it if you could do this today and then ask your grown up to email a photograph to d.bickham@stmarysblackburn.ac.uk

We will share any pictures we receive on here and then you can see your friends and their rainbows too x x x 

Amazing Animals...

Many farms and zoos across the world have live webcams set up for us to watch. I couldn't stop watching the penguins at Edinburgh Zoo yesterday, they were so funny to watch! 

Here is a link - 

https://www.countryliving.com/uk/wildlife/countryside/g31784857/live-animal-webcam-zoo/

St. Mary's Movers...

Each morning, wake up with Wendy... 

Wendy works at our Wensley Fold site and some of the children will have met her this week. Each morning, she will have a short wake and shake video for you to follow at home if you wish. Please email any pictures to d.bickham@stmarysblackburn.ac.uk and we will share them on here for your nursery friends  x

Wake up with Wendy - Day 1

Good Morning Guys...

Nursery Closure

Dear Parents/carers,
Following the Government’s announcement last week with regards to
school/childcare closures, we had decided that we would remain open to
provide care for our front line critical workers. However, after much thought and
dramatic decline in parents requiring childcare places, it is with sadness we
announce that from today 25/3/20 at 6pm we will temporarily close our doors
to help in the fight against COVID 19.
The safety and wellbeing of our children, team and families must be at the
forefront of our decision making and we feel this is the right and responsible
thing to do. We will be posting updates and ideas for activities for you to carry
out with your children at home.
We will keep in contact Via texts, ‘OURSCHOOLSAPP’ and the Nursery Blog http://smcnurseryblackburn.blogspot.com/,
please check -in daily. Any quires regarding the blog or app - email Danielle d.bickham@stmarysblackburn.ac.uk
If you are a ‘key worker’ and need care for your child during this time the LA
have advised us that the following childcare provisions are open.
Little Harwood Children Centre 01254 506910 (close to St Mary’s Nursery @
St Mary’s College)
Shadsworth Children Centre 01254 680733 (close to Blackburn Royal
Hospital)
If you are having difficulty accessing these settings or they have decide to close
too please contact Tracy Ellett (area Manager of St Mary’s) on
t.ellett@stmarysblackburn.ac.uk)
For now we wish you and your loved ones well, Keep Safe and we will see you
all soon.
With best wishes
St Mary’s Team x

Look after yourself , looking after your children...

There is a lot of uncertainty around the current COVID-19 outbreak, particularly given that the situation is constantly developing and the information about the virus remains incomplete.

Understandably, this is causing a lot of worry and anxiety for people.  Having children and young people at home, often when people are trying to work themselves, adds another layer of stress.  It is therefore important to not only consider our physical health during such challenging times, but also to pay attention to our mental health.  It is normal to feel worried, stressed and anxious when we are faced with uncertain situations, but the sooner we acknowledge and learn to take care of our mental health, the healthier and better equipped we’ll be to cope with the situation we're having to face.

Looking after your children

For the most part, children will need what they’ve always needed; love, attention and opportunities to learn and play.  If children are home for long periods because of social-distancing or self-isolation, the following tips might be helpful:

Try and keep to a structure and routine that suits you.  Keep bedtime and morning routines close to existing ones to promote a sense of normality that children will find reassuring. Encouraging them to get up and dressed during the week will help maintain some difference between weekdays and weekends.  

Keep boundaries firm and make it clear that you expect the same standards of behaviour as usual.  Boundaries show that adults are still in control and taking care of them, which helps children to feel safe.

Make sure they get some time to burn off energy every day.  Younger children will enjoy assault courses, discos etc.  Older children and teens might respond better to fitness videos.

Expect children to do some learning every day.  In the longer-term schools are likely to provide opportunities for online learning.  In the short term, or as extra activities there are a wealth of helpful websites, many of which they will be able to access independently.  Continuing with their learning helps promote a sense of normality and purpose as well as keeping them up to date for when they are back at school.

Find opportunities for them to interact with their friends remotely.  For tweens and teens, contact with their peers is especially important.  Technology provides lots of opportunities for older children to connect, chat and game together.  But be wary of giving unsupervised access to platforms that you would not normally allow your child onto; the internet still poses the same risks as in normal times.

Balance screen time with other activities.  Challenge children to learn new skills that don’t involve screens e.g. tying shoe laces, juggling, baking.  Older children might want to set their own goals.

Give children opportunities to have a say in what will be happening.  They may have had a lot of their freedoms and choices removed for a while and may feel powerless or angry.  Older children and teenagers will be more able to understand the risks in too much screen time, too little sleep, inactivity etc.  They are more likely to ‘buy in’ to new rules and routines if they feel that they have a voice.  Family meetings where children and adults problem-solve together can be helpful for this.
There are some example timetables on the next page. These are just shared as a guide but may be helpful in terms of thinking about how to maintain some structure and routine throughout days at home. Remember to intersperse activities with breaks, and don’t forget healthy snacks and drinks!
The last pages in this pack have links to websites with helpful ideas and activities covering a range of topics.

Talking to children about Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Although it’s tempting to try and protect children from difficult topics, they are more likely to worry when they’re kept in the dark.  Children and teenagers will be aware of what is happening but may not have all the facts they need to understand it. 

These tips will help you communicate about Coronavirus with your child:

· Take time to talk and listen.  Be clear that you are happy to answer any questions that they have.  Be led by your child as they may not be that interested or want to know everything all at once.  Try to answer any questions honestly but keep things in context e.g. “Sadly, some people do die, but the vast majority of people will recover, and children seem to be only mildly affected”.

 Reassure them that their own risk is very low but that we all need to ‘do our bit’ to look after people who might be very unwell. Underline how helpful they are being by following the rules about hygiene and social-distancing.  Knowing we’re being altruistic helps us to bear the tough times.
Give positive messages about everything you are doing as a family to keep yourselves safe.  Talk about all the work people around the world are doing to find treatments and a vaccine.  
Keep explanations developmentally appropriate. 

o   Young children up to about age seven will need very simple explanations that relate to their own experiences.  Explain that, like other germs, Coronavirus can spread between people and make them ill.  But because Coronavirus is a new germ that we don’t know everything about, we need to take more care and so things might be a bit different for a while.

o   Older children and tweens will want to know more.  They may have heard partial explanations and ‘filled in the gaps’ themselves with their own ideas, so check what they already think they know about it.

o   Teenagers will have a similar capacity to understand what’s going on as adults.  They will need calm, factual information and opportunities to talk through their worries and disappointments.

Give them an opportunity to talk about their feelings.  Our instinct might be to ‘make it all better’, but it is normal to feel scared, sad and angry in the face of what’s happening.  Tell them that what is happening is not normal but that their feelings are.

Temporary Menus

We will try as much as possible to source foods to provide the children attending with balanced meals. Parents may be required to provide packed lunches if sourcing food becomes a problem in the coming weeks...

Temporary Menu W/c 23/03/20

Monday - Snack - Fruit and Milk 

                 Lunch - Tuna + Tomato Pasta Bake 

                 Babies Tea - Scrambled egg on toast 

                 Pm Snack - Bagels and soft cheese 

Tuesday  - Snack - Fruit and Milk 

                   Lunch - Mild Chilli and Rice 

                   Babies Tea -  Tuna Pasta Bake 

                   Pm Snack -  Tuna wraps with Cucumber 

Wednesday - Snack - Fruit and Milk 

                       Lunch - Cheese Pie, Mash and Veg

                       Babies Tea -  Chilli and Rice 

                       Pm Snack - Selection of crackers and cheese

Thursday   -Snack - Fruit and Milk 

                     Lunch - Chicken dinner with all the trimmings

                     Babies Tea - Cheese pie, mash and veg

                     Pm Snack -  Cheese wraps with carrot and cucumber sticks

Friday -   Snack - Fruit and Milk 

                 Lunch - sweet and smoky chicken strips(Quorn) with wedges and sweetcorn

                 Babies Tea -Chicken dinner with all the trimmings

                 Pm Snack - Garlic bread