Nursery World - On a roll (1)

Set learning in motion with a project to explore wheels by using vehicles, constructing wheels and visiting a repair shop, with Sheila Ebbutt and Carole Skinner Many young children have a fascination with wheels and things that go round. That fascination is often reflected in their movements, such as spinning round and round, drawing circles and curves and building with blocks in enclosed circular spaces.

Many young children have a fascination with wheels and things that go round. That fascination is often reflected in their movements, such as spinning round and round, drawing circles and curves and building with blocks in enclosed circular spaces.

Early years practitioners can respond to that interest by providing opportunities for children to use and examine bicycle and motorbike wheels, to build with small-world wheels, to use wheels as printing devices and to explore peculiarities such as caterpillar wheels on tractors, cogs on machinery and clockwork toys, yoyos, or ball wheels on wheelbarrows. Such activities can also be linked to circular movements, rolling movements, circular and spiral representations.

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