Books for Schools

Alexander has been to Nursery for a while, but we enjoyed a weekly Thursday visit. Now he’s in Reception and goes to school every day.

He does love school although we do miss our time together.

I now have time with his little sister Isabelle, and we have fun too. She loves to sing and enjoys Nanny’s silly songs, which is good.

I go to pick up Isabelle early on a Thursday, which gives me a little bit of time with Alexander before I take him to school.

His class were doing the ‘The Naughty Bus’ as their class book.

It reminded me we read this book when he was two.

Here is his review aged 2.

The Naughty Bus’ – Jan & Jerry Oke

A bus story, and one Nanny has seen used in several schools.

Nanny doesn’t think he is as nice as her bus of course.

Alexander is not at all sure about this book, in fact he didn’t like the book at all.

Nanny has lots of real bus toys and they are not Naughty, they certainly would not be allowed to drive through Alexanders dinner! And I don’t think Alexander would like them to either!

Nanny’s bus story books are still a little too long for Alexander at the moment, but he will listen sometime and of course can listen to Nanny reading them on YouTube.

I must remember to ask him what he thought about ‘The Naughty Bus Book’ now he is 5.

I wonder if the class learnt ‘The Naughty Bus’ Song?Naughty Bus Song

The Naughty Bus song follows the same story and is catchy, easy to sing with lots of repetition.
Here is a link to my EYFS songs, which are all on my You Tube channel; sue bleazard SingKids!
Naughty Bus Song

I think it is silly enough for Isabelle and Nanny to learn and perhaps Alexander might like it too.?

We will certainly try it out.

Here is a message from

Jay-Jay the Supersonic Bus

I’m not a naughty bus you only have to see.

I’m a bus where you can come and play,

Naughty? That isn’t me.

What is naughty anyway, is it making lots of noise?

Is it shouting energetically when you play with all the toys?

Is it getting excited as you imagine lots of games?

Or is it finding it so funny as you make up silly names?

I won’t drive past you quickly splashing puddles full of rain.

Nor will I mess up your dinner time, that really would be a pain.

I’m a bus full of wonder where children come and play.

They can use their imagination making memories along the way.

Come and join in the adventures. Where shall we go today?

What is naughty anyway?

Jay-Jay TES Resources

Alexander's Reception teacher told me that the next book the class were doing was: -

‘Whatever Next’ by Jill Murphy

This is another great book used in pre-school and reception.

It was not a book I read with Alexander because it is a book I have used in schools before and in this case, it doesn’t have a bus. We do, however, know about the fun a box can bring.

We certainly had a lot of fun with boxes on our play days.

It reminded me of Alexander’s playtime and boxes.

In 2024 the Hackney Playbus celebrated its 50th birthday, they wrote 50 ideas for play with young children. I decided to write my own interpretation referencing and comparing the play ideas with Alexander’s.

Boxes

Boxes How many times have we seen little ones ignore the toy in favour of the box it came in?

When Nanny’s new fridge arrived, she kept the cardboard box and painted it.

Nanny made a door which opened, Alexander loved going inside and shutting the door. He loved posting keys through the hand holds.

Nanny had a second box which she used for ‘Cardboard Box’ day on her Early Years online learning day. EYFSHome. Box car

The box had holes where Alexander could plug in bottle tops (from baby food pouches), which were attached to screws (flat ended rather than points of course.). The idea was to create a fantasy cube just like the box we once had on our Playbus. No matter what age, the children loved it and it became so many different things.

Nanny later painted up her box and added paper plate wheels and a string to pull along the car. It was supposed to be for teddy, but Alexander loved riding in it until it broke.

Box train Christmas and Great Uncle David (of Bin Day fame) bought Alexander a Cardboard train kit. He LOVED it. Nanny wasn’t too sure, where indeed could she keep it each week, Mummy and Daddy thought it should stay with Nanny. As a result, it lasted for ages and was even used as Santa’s Sleigh for role play Santa.

It eventually broke (Phew!) but as Alexander loved it so much Nanny bought him a rocket kit for his 4th birthday. He absolutely loved both boxes, which came from Hobbycraft, the pirate ship looked good so Nanny bought that and enjoyed painting the pictures herself.

Hackney Playbus are certainly good for play ideas and crazy songs. Take a look.

Jay-Jay has a few bus play ideas on TES Resources