Chalfont’s Lockdown Diaries

So we haven’t posted any news in a while and we hope you understand why – it is now a slightly longer update!  We have been busy caring for and having fun with all the children of our very special keyworker parents who we want to firstly take the opportunity to thank for all that they do!  Thank you.

We also can’t miss this opportunity to thank our very special team.  Their dedication to the continuity and level of care has blown us away and we can’t thank them enough for all they have done to support everyone at Footsteps.

We have had so much fun, despite missing our regular children, we wanted to share some of the exciting things we have been up to.

Talking about the pandemic

This is a confusing time for adults let alone children.  With all the mixed messages the children receive, we hope that we have been able to support them here at Footsteps.  We have been doing lots of role play, thoughtful discussion and craft work to help them make sense of this time.  Luckily we have access to lots of amazing outside space in our meadows so have been able to burn off lots of energy too in this beautiful weather whilst easily following social distancing guidelines.  We have also had lots of hospital role play, celebrated International Nurses Day, made stethoscopes and did some fun handwashing and germ demonstration experiments.  We also talked about Florence Nightingale and made lamps.

We created a Covid19 book to help talk about all of the things going on around them, at home, in their communities and the changes going on in the world, as well as document the news in an appropriate way for them to understand.  We used lots of great resources to support this, drawings, books and using the computer to develop our skills.  We have been so very proud of their understanding and their resilience!

Science

We have also been very proud of the book of science experiments we have produced over the last couple of months.  The children absolutely adore exploring the world around them and marvelling at the activities we have set up. Just some of the spectacles we have enjoyed have included bouncing eggs, coloured rain, volcanoes and lava lamps.  Our mini Einsteins were so engaged and were incredible at developing their scientific vocabulary and understanding

Cooking

Like many people at home over lockdown we have been enjoying expanding our repertoire of delicious treats, snacks and meals for the children to enjoy creating and eating.  It is fantastic for developing fine motor, maths and vocabulary as well as helping them understand the process involved in the food we eat.  We have made so many delectable delights including cheese and bacon puffs, jam buns, ginger snaps, breadsticks, Yorkshire puddings as well as lots of cakes, biscuits, pizzas and getting inventive with animal shaped fruit and veg.

Forest School

Forest School has been an incredible retreat for physical and mental wellbeing, enjoying nature and utilising natural resources to get creative.  The amazing weather has really helped us to get out at every opportunity.  The children especially loved making our sun-catchers and collecting materials like leaves and flowers to make medicinal potions for the hospital role play.

Special celebrations

During this time there have been lots of special days to celebrate.  As well as birthdays (which we know have been difficult without contact with family and friends) we have been acknowledging some other national celebrations too.  We had an amazing day celebrating VE day.  With British themed decorations and an incredible tea, the children really got into the spirit and asked lots of great questions about its significance. We also celebrated National Sandwich week, National Doughnut Week (yum yum!) and Mental Health Awareness Week.  We were able to take some special time to talk about friendships and being kind and the children made some beautiful friendship bracelets as well as a gorgeous friendship tree.  The relationships at Footsteps are so special and it was lovely to acknowledge them.

We are so pleased now to start welcoming children back.  With catering for children throughout this strange time, we are well prepared to look after everyone’s well-being and enjoy spending time with one another again.  Don’t forget too that applications for our September places are now open.

Thank you for all of your support, keeping in touch and all the lovely messages.

We are so grateful for our Footsteps family x