Adult-led activities
Moving stories Start the project with a selection of related stories so that, through your discussions with the children, you can be aware of their personal experiences of moving and their understanding of what is involved.
Key learning intentions
To respond appropriately to significant experiences
To listen with enjoyment to stories
To retell narratives in the correct sequence
Adult:child ratio 1:4
Resources
Copies of stories about moving house, such as I Want That Room! by Jen Green (Hodder Wayland, 4.99), Moving Molly by Shirley Hughes (Red Fox First Experiences, 4.99), Moving House by A Civardi (Usborne Publishing, 1.25) and Moving House with Teddy Bear by Jacqueline McQuade (Chrysalis Children's Books, 3.99)
Activity content
* Place some floor cushions in the home area or create a den outdoors with some fabric.
* Invite the children to come and sit in the space that you have created and take the selection of books with you. Explain that you have chosen to sit in the home area or den because these stories are all about moving house.
* Hold up the books so that the children can see the titles. Point to and read out the name of each book, the author and illustrator.
* Pass around the books and invite the children to talk about the pictures in the books before choosing one that they would like you to read.
* Read the story and talk about the characters in it.
* If the children are eager to continue, read another of the stories and make comparisons.
* Leave the books in the home area to stimulate imaginative role play related to moving house.
Extending learning
Key vocabulary
Words will depend on the stories chosen but could include: sell, buy, rent, move, pack, leave, arrive, load/unload, cases, crates, removal van, estate agent, for sale, sold, journey, transport, old, new, room, friends, neighbours.
Questions to ask
Why do you think families sometimes need to move house? Did the people in the story feel sad about saying goodbye to their friends and neighbours? How do you think they will feel when they meet their new neighbours and go to a new nursery? How did the people in the story get to their new house? If you were moving house, what would you do first?
Extension ideas
* After talking about the sequence of events in the stories, make up your own story about moving house and create a book to add to a themed book display.
* Make a long wall display based on one of the books. Have a house at each end, a road linking them and depictions of each of the stages of moving house. Make the houses from boxes stapled to the board, the road from thick string, the removal van from a small open box - thread the 'van' through the string so that it can be moved along. Mount pictures of household items, cut from catalogues on to card, to put in the van. Attach children's paintings of the things the family pass on their journey, such as trees and shops. Encourage the children to retell the story in sequence, moving the van along the string accordingly.
Time to pack
Pack up and move house.
Key learning intentions
To use talk to imagine and recreate roles and experiences
To use own methods to solve a problem
To play co-operatively as part of a group to act out a narrative
Adult:child ratio 1:4
Resources
3Home area with furniture and equipment 3three-sided screen or wall of large plastic bricks 3different sizes of boxes with lids trolley writing tools paper tape
Preparation
* Set up a three-sided screen, or define an area with a rectangle of large plastic bricks, to represent the new house. Ideally, position it as far from the home area as possible with a clear pathway between the two.
* Put the storage containers and trolley outside the home area.
Activity content
* Sit with the children in the home area and ask them to recall the stories about moving house. Suggest that they pretend to move house.
* Take the children to the new 'house' and ask what and how they will move there. Explain that furniture removers will move the furniture as it is very heavy. Talk about what furniture removers do.
* Return to the home area and suggest that the children pack the small items in the house. Decide how to sort and pack the items.
* Once packed, seal the full boxes and support the children as they write labels detailing the contents of the boxes.
* Discuss how to transport the boxes to the new house.
* At the new house, unpack the boxes and sit on the floor for a well earned cup of tea.
Extending learning
Key vocabulary
As for introductory activity. Additional mathematical vocabulary: bigger, smaller, heavy, light, same, balance, cube, top, bottom, under, full, empty, sealed, sort.
Questions to ask
What can you remember about the stories we read? How can we move the things from our old house to the new one? Could we manage to carry them? Would this trolley help? How? Which box will be the best to put the doll's clothes in? Why? How do you know what is in this box? Which box is on top of the box with the cups in? How many boxes should be put on the trolley at one time?
Extension ideas
* Talk about how houses need to be cleaned before the next occupants arrive, then clean the home corner.
* Introduce a soft toy pet, such as a cat or dog, and talk about how to transport it safely. Make a carrying case or use a real one.
* Invite a parent or estate agent to come and talk about renting, selling and/or buying a house.
* Create a removal van from a large packing case. Paint wheels on the side and put two chairs at the front for the driver and assistant. Fill the van with packed boxes and 'drive' to the new house.
Child-initiated learning
Encourage the children to develop their own ideas and interests across the curriculum by adding resources for transporting objects and moving house to your basic provision.
Outdoors
Additional resources
Trolleys wheelbarrows buggies prams old blankets cartons planks dolls plastic storage boxes cases rucksacks plastic cups dishes and plates clipboards card pens Possible learning experiences
* Constructing homes with large materials.
* Interacting with others, negotiating plans and activities and taking turns in conversation during imaginary play.
* Using language associated with position, size, shape, weight and capacity.
* Exploring ways of transporting items from one place to another.
* Showing independence in selecting resources when transporting materials.
* Pretending that one object represents another.
* Using resources to create props to support role play.
* Introducing a storyline or narrative into play.
The practitioner role
* Encourage the children to recall stories and indoor activities related to moving house.
* Support the children in their attempts to build houses from materials available by supplying additional resources, such as tape or string, if necessary.
* Extend the children's ideas by joining the play in role, for example, as a removal van driver, estate agent or prospective buyer.
* Help the children to create signs, such as 'For sale' or 'Sold' to hang on their houses.
Role-play Set up an estate agency to encourage writing for a purpose.
Additional resources Brochures about houses for sale or rent property section of local newspapers noticeboard writing tools and materials telephone computer (created from boxes if necessary) notebooks appointment books camera scissors glue sticks Possible learning experiences
* Extending their vocabulary associated with buying and selling houses.
* Using writing as a means of communicating and recording when creating signs and brochures, booking appointments and writing down details of houses.
* Showing an interest in the world in which they live.
* Finding out about the uses of information technology to support learning.
The practitioner role
* Join play initially to model the roles of the estate agent and buyer.
* Suggest making 'For sale' and 'Sold' signs, address cards and brochures, and model answering the telephone and booking appointments.
* Ask to view the home area as a possible property to purchase and pretend to take photographs and write down features in a notebook.
Construction area Additional resources Construction equipment of different types small-world people furniture and transport recycled boxes of varying sizes clipboards pencils paper plans photographs and pictures of homes Possible learning experiences
* Sustaining interest for a period of time on a construction, for example, building houses for small-world people.
* Ascribing meanings to marks as they draw plans to represent their ideas.
* Demonstrating increasing skill and control in the use of mark-making implements, blocks, construction sets and small-world activities.
* Playing alongside other children who are engaged in the same theme.
* Using their imagination in imaginative play and stories as they build houses and move small-world people and their belongings from one home to another.
The practitioner role
* Display the photographs, pictures and plans on a low board in the area.
Draw children's attention to them by talking about the buildings depicted.
Suggest that the small-world people might like to move into houses like them.
* Support the children as they explore their ideas and extend them with appropriate suggestions and information.
Design and technology Additional resources Pictures and photographs of removal vans small noticeboard recycled boxes of different sizes PVA glue scissors tape string lids of different sizes Possible learning experiences
* Using talk to organise, sequence and clarify thinking, ideas, feelings and events.
* Trying out a range of tools and techniques safely.
* Constructing with a wide range of objects, selecting appropriate resources and adapting their work where necessary.
* Engaging in activities requiring hand-eye co-ordination.
The practitioner role
* Display the pictures and photographs of removal vans on the noticeboard and draw children's attention to it. Explain that the small-world people are moving and do not have a removal van. Talk about creating one from the materials available before leaving the children to play freely, leaving the noticeboard alongside for reference.
* Support the children by supplying additional materials if necessary to enable them to explore their ideas fully. Encourage them to discuss their ideas with others.
* Ask appropriate questions to extend thinking, for example, 'How will you make the wheels?'
Project guide
This project recognises that:
* settings should be constantly resourced and organised in such a way as to offer learning opportunities across all areas of the Foundation Stage curriculum
* topics can enhance basic provision and respond to children's interests
* children need plenty of first-hand experiences and time to develop ideas, skills and concepts through play
* the practitioner has a vital role in supporting children's learning.
This project, therefore, suggests:
* adult-led activities for introducing the theme
* resources that enhance basic provision and facilitate learning through child-initiated play
* how the practitioner can support children's learning.
When using the project, practitioners should recognise that:
* activities should be offered and never imposed on children
* children's experiences, and learning, may differ from those anticipated
* the learning, planned or unplanned, that takes place is valid
* the process is very valuable and should not be undermined by an inappropriate emphasis on outcomes or concrete end results.
