Home Learning Resources

We know that learning doesn’t stop when children leave nursery - it continues at home in all the everyday moments you share together. This page is designed to give you simple, practical ideas and activities to support your child’s development at home, using familiar routines, play, and opportunities that fit easily into family life.

The suggestions and links provided are designed so children can often explore them independently or with minimal support. However, the most powerful learning happens when you join in too - talking, playing, and discovering together helps to build confidence, language, and a lifelong love of learning.

              Daily Phonics - Speed Sounds Set 1 and Story Time with Nick    

Online Safety

There is a lot of of support available to keep your child safe online.  Below are some useful links to help support parents and carers to keep children safe online.

• Thinkyouknow  (advice from the National Crime Agency to stay safe online)
• Internet matters  
• Parent info
• LGfL 
• Net-aware  (support for parents and careers from the NSPCC)

Further suggested activities and websites that have great simple ideas for home learning - perfect for our Nursery children!

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE, AND LITERACY

• I spy with my little eye (in and around the home) saying the first sound of the thing you see - 'something beginning with b-b-b-b'
• I hear with my little ear (in and around the home) something that makes this sound - 'Woof! Woof!'
• Learn to recognise and write your name
• Practise using scissors (cutting old magazines and catalogues)
• Matching sound to objects in and round the home (telephone, tap running etc.)
• Sound walk/hunt (What noises can you hear in the house/garden)
• Read and share stories
• Following simple instructions
• Engage in story talk using props, puppets and resources
• Phonics Games 1
• Phonics Games 2
• Alphablocks 
• Learning Letter Formation 

MATHS

• I spy for number (in and around the home)
• Baking
• Lay/set up the dinner table
• Play board games, dice games, simple card games
• Make a sandwich
• Help make and cook dinner
• Colour/size sorting (washing)
• Shape hunt (2D shapes
• Number songs and rhymes lyrics
• Numberblocks  Use this guide to give you an idea of what to do with your children whilst watching an episode.

UNDERSTANDING THE WORLD

It is important for the children to learn knowledge and skills with regard to the world around them, this includes showing care and concern for living things, representing and sharing experiences they have been a part of at home, in school and within their community. As well as using technology and exploring different environments, textures and events.

• Use technology to take pictures of your home learning
• Send the Nursery a postcard (Don't forget to send letters, drawings and photos to those members of your family who are vunerable and will be missing you!)
• Learn facts about your favourite animal
• Nature walk in the local area 
• Nature collage making
• Potion making (petals, water, pans, bottles)
• Bug hunt in the garden
• Planting and growing
• Leaf rubbing
• Making a rain shaker (bottles and rice)
• Make a family tree
• Science activities 1
• Science activities 2
• All about animals
• Nature Detectives - Woodland Trust
• Watch it and Read it learning opportunities
• Cheap and easy craft activities

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT  

• Skipping is a great exercise for cardiovascular workout
• Throwing and catching different sized balls
• Kicking, dribbling and stopping different sized balls
• Jumping and hopping
• Obstacle courses
• Running races
• Balancing activities
• Making body shapes
• Play Simon Says (See below)
• Children can devise their own games and come up with a set of simple rules
• Cosmic Kds Yoga
• GoNoodle
• Daily 5 minute Joe Wicks workouts
• Just Dance Kids
• Just Dance Disney

GENERAL ACTIVITIES 

• Create a rainbow picture to display in your window as part of the national campaign 'Chase the Rainbow'.  Not     only will this lift people's spiritis, but children can also do rainbow spotting whilst out walking for exercise.
• Story-telling
• Jigsaw puzzles
• Painting - try using various implements, toothbrushes, combs, sponges, nail brushes, fingers, toes, etc.
• Messy play - water, sand, soil, mud, bark chippings, straw, leaves, paint, glue, flour, glitter, foam, clay, playdough, plasticine, bubbles, etc.
• Construction toys - Duplo, Stickle Bricks, Lego, Mobilo, wooden blocks and bricks, magnetic sets, nesting cups, twigs, sticks, stones, etc. 
• Build/create something from junk modelling/cardboard boxes
• Make cards, bonnets and decorations for Easter
• Draw a self-portrait
• Have a teddy bears' picnic
• Have a dolls' tea party
• Turn-taking games
• Practise putting on coats and shoes independently
• Learn to zip up coat independently
• Potty training, where appropriate
• Make musical instruments with pots, pans, plastic bottles, yoghurt pots, wooden spoons, rice, dried pasta, etc.
• Water activities in the bath with cups, pans, bowls, jugs, etc.
• Dressing up
• Role play - doctors, nurses, dentists, schools, vets, policemen, shopkeepers, builders, post office, office workers, etc.
• Helping with domestic chores - sweeping, vacuuming, washing up, etc.
• Perform a puppet show
• Den building - both inside and outside
• Kids' cooking activities

More useful links:

• Make playdough
• 50 activity ideas
• Singing
• Home learning activity ideas
• Daily play emails
• Try at home ideas
• 28 days of activities
• Hungry Little Minds has home learning ideas for 0 to 5 year olds.
• Love My Books has ideas and activities for reading at home.  There are also sections on the main website for children with fascinations such as dinosaurs, animals, heroes, villains, space, toys, going places, speicial times, our world and ourselves.  Check out the 'Make and Do' section, and also the pages for 'Books for 0-3 years' and 'Books for 3-5 years'.
• Education City
• Topmarks
• Crickweb
• CBeebies has games, videos, puzzles, quizzes, activities and bedtime stories suitable for younger children.
• sfskids.org - has fun music games to play and investigate.
• abcdoes - at least 50 fantastic ideas to try at home.  
• Super Simple - Early learning activities, songs and crafts.   
• Sesame Street - Pre-school games, videos and colouring pages.    
• Free printable worksheets 1
• Free printable worksheets 2