Mother Earth Day with Alexander

During Lockdown I was invited to do some 'online' learning activities for EYFS Home.

Some of the days were based around my story books and some were themed days that I was asked to work on.

I could usually draw on my Playbus and teaching experiences to come up with a few ideas to support the topic of the day. The idea was for young children to join in at home, with their parents.

I would plan a sequence of activities to use through day, and, in the best Blue Peter tradition, I had a few resources and examples to help with the tasks set.

The day was planned, set and published online for children and families to access in lockdown.

It was certainly a lot of fun and at times it reminded me of the fun I had when working on the Playbus.

I enjoyed the opportunity to play and share ideas, but I didn’t have an apprentice to try it out with, would it really work in reality. My grandson, at the time, was still only a baby and was in lockdown too.

Mother Earth Day 2023 – and Alexander

Now, Alexander is three and a half, Nanny thought we could use the ‘Mother Earth Day’ plans to try out on our Thursday playday.

Would the reality match the planning?

Activity One - Our Planet

We started with the first activity which was to make a paper plate world, with the planet Earth on one side and a collage of our home on the other side.

We began by painting the plate all over with blue paint (the oceans) and then using a sponge we dabbed on areas of green to reflect the land.

This was quite messy and we had to let our plates to dry while we cleared up the paint from our hands and worktop. (And Nanny’s chair!)

Our Home

When the plates were dry, and with gummed paper shapes we were ready to create our house collage. Alexander watched Nanny very closely and decided he wanted to do the same.

The plates were very effective so we attached a piece of string and went out into the garden to hang them in the trees to rotate and blow in the breeze.

Activity Two - Nature Collage

In the garden we collected a few leaves and grasses, sticks and flowers and wove them in our weaving frame. We were enjoying looking for suitable pieces of nature. Alexander is definitely a good hunter of sticks.

We even made our own stick tree.

The resulting collages were effective and were also hung up in the garden.

I’m sure we will use these weaving frames again at other times of the year, collecting different things we might find.

A song to sing for Mother Earth

Mother Earth Day also included the song ‘What a Wonderful World.

Nanny will teach Alexander her actions to go with the song but thinks maybe he should hear the Alison Moyet version rather than Nanny’s singing?!

(Originally released in aid of Comic Relief on 1st March 1999 - Used many times in school by Nanny)

Mother Earth Story Time

The Mother Earth Day on EYFS Home ended with a story told.

The story Nanny told was about her little brother pretending to be a bin-man.

Putting on a hat he would take on a role. The story told led to Nanny writing the story which is now published.

Alexander has not only heard and enjoyed this story but has also had his own adventures with our local binmen.

Alexander's Bin Day Adventure (Here)

David’s Bin Day was also followed by another story of her brother’s playtime, this time it was his bathtime adventure.

David’s Bathtime Adventure

Maybe Alexander’s playtime might result in a few stories too?

Mother Earth Poster

We didn’t get time to do this, this year, but perhaps that might be something for another time. Maybe we could use a hand print from our painting days?