Pancake Day is fast approaching, and as we will not be at nursery, we decided to celebrate a little early. The children helped make the pancake batter by mixing all the ingredients together. An adult cooked the pancakes, as this would not be safe for the children to do. The adult put oil in the pan and heated it up. When ready, the batter was poured into the pan, cooked on one side, and then the pancake was carefully flipped to cook the other side. Once the pancakes were cooked and cooled down, sugar and lemon were added, and the children ate them. The children really enjoyed this activity. They all followed instructions when making the mixture and were very attentive while watching the pancakes being cooked.
This week, our two-year-olds have been learning about and celebrating Lunar New Year. The children enjoyed a variety of hands-on activities designed to introduce them to the traditions and cultural significance of this special celebration. Throughout the week, they explored their creativity by making decorative lanterns and crafting a lion’s head, inspired by traditional New Year festivities. The children also had the opportunity to practise Chinese number writing, developing their early mark-making skills in a meaningful context. Our sensory exploration included a themed tray filled with rice, coins and pom-poms. Using tweezers, the children carefully picked up the items and placed them into red envelopes, which are traditionally given as gifts during the New Year celebrations. This activity supported fine motor development while introducing the children to an important cultural tradition. We also incorporated a range of red objects into our play, learning that red symbolises good luck and happiness. To conclude our celebrations, Jim prepared a delicious stir fry with noodles for the children to enjoy. We ended the week with a lively lion dance in the garden, moving to the rhythm of the drums and celebrating together. It has been a joyful and enriching week of learning, creativity and cultural discovery for our two-year-olds.
