Here are some ideas to show how a nursery can build up a wealth of resources to help children to learn, appreciate and have fun with the largest land animal, from Jean Evans.
From seeing the sky in puddles to finding the symmetry in faces, there are lots of ways to mirror all areas of the curriculum, say Carole Skinner, Fran Mosley and Sheila Ebbutt.
Play involving hands and feet can help develop observation and thinking skills beyond simple recognition of size, shape and pattern. Marianne Sargent suggests some ideas.
A 'monster' sighting at one nursery sparked a project looking at a range of themes.
Creative 'jungle' play can help improve children's understanding of the world, says Nicole Weinstein.
Using these historic creatures to inspire games and activities can help to build curiousity and imagination, advises Marianne Sargent.
Understanding both physical and psychological environments is key when creating areas for two-year-olds. Julia Manning-Morton explains how settings' management of this impacts on children's...
Are you a mud-lover, a mug-hugger or somewhere in between? Annie Davy explains why being an early years practitioner today is an outdoor job.
Children gain an immense sense of achievement from creating something beautiful from a few simple sticks, says Julie Mountain.
Practitioners can support children's learning by providing as many real-life experiences with minibeasts as possible. Nicole Weinstein suggests resource ideas to make this possible.