BUBBLE PLANNING Practical and safe ideas for small group teaching when children return
EYFS & KS1 EDITION
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Suggestions for structuring sessions Meet and Greet Welcome Circle examples Circle Activities Wellbeing activities Wellbeing resources Suggestions for safe continuous provision Outdoor /Big Space Activities Socially distanced games for Break and Lunchtime Closing circle Transition
Suggestions for structuring sessions • Meet and Greet – some children might need this to help them leave their parent/carer calmly • Welcome Circle • Activities – topic driven curriculum if appropriate • Focus Adult led wellbeing activity • Continuous provision • Opportunity to play or pursue own project • Snack • Closing circle
Meet and Greet Adult to meet each child individually as they come into the building or classroom Greetings could include: funny dances, elbow taps, bows, curtsies, funny waves etc. (the teacher copies at the same time or repeats back) The children really seem to like this as they are very personalised.
You may have seen some of the ideas that Paul Dix has been sharing or YouTube videos where children come into schools/classrooms and greet the teacher individually.
Welcome Circle • These are best done when chairs are used to form the circle. Could be done in or outside. • “Hello song” • “For breakfast I had… On the way to school I noticed/saw……Last night I….” • “Today I am feeling…….” (could use a value line here or colour to reflect feeling). • “Today I am next to…. Something I like/notice about them is…” • “Something I am looking forward to doing today is…” • “I would like to swap places with…….” Could meet the person in the middle and bow/curtsies/wave/smile etc to each other. The adult could tell the children what the session/day is going to look like here. Referring to a time line and visuals here and throughout the session/day will be helpful to the children.
Circle Activities • Action songs :This little piggy , round and round the garden (to self), 2 little dickie birds, Tommy Thumb, Wind the Bobbin up, Open them shut them, Heads, shoulders, knees and toes. • Nursery Rhymes • Songs including children's names such as Down in the Jungle. Rounds • My favourite animal, food, drink, game, smell, book… • The best thing about me/my mum/dad/sister/brother/people in my street is….. • My middle name is…. If I had a shop I would sell….. • “I went to the shop/forest/park/beach… and I saw………”
Circle Activities •
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Fun Games Rain Forrest, Penguin Race, Last man standing (balance on one leg) Pass a smile/clap/knee clap/funny face ….. “Good morning your Majesty “ One person sits in the middle. The adult chooses one child to say “Good morning……” in a funny voice. The Majesty has to guess who it is. “Simon Says” Wink Murder “Hands up if…..you like….. You are wearing… you have a pet….etc.
All learning can be done in a circle. Using chairs means the children are less likely to get into each others space.
Focus Wellbeing activities: whole groups This can be done in a circle with the children on chairs. • Using puppets to tell stories or scenarios that might need problem solving by the children. Would be good to use to retell their” coronavirus story.” • Use books/stories as starting point for children and adults to share/talk about their experiences while they have been at home. Discuss these, some will be sad, some may be good. How do we feel now being back in school. Discuss how it may be different and why. • Use photos/pictures of children showing different emotions, sad, happy, scared, worried etc. Ask the children what they think may have happened, what do they think that feels like, have they ever felt that way, who could help them if they felt like that – at home and school. • Discuss what children and adults in the group share in common and what differences they have. • Discuss what having a friend means, what can you do with them at a distance to show you care.
Focus Wellbeing activities: 1 or 2 children Of course these could be any activity. But activities that don’t have a fixed outcome are often easer for children to feel safe with. • Junk modelling and other art activities. • Making a sandwich, to be eaten during a group snack. • Group snack, where all sit down at a table and have their snack are really great for promoting relationships and social cohesion. You could still do this at individual tables , with the teacher sitting down too. • Draw round your hand and write/draw inside what you are good at. Display them all together. Collective art projects like this are great for belonging. You could link it to the name of your group .
Other wellbeing resources • Video to show young children alternatives to hugging their friends https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PnnFrP aRgY • Activities for under 5s https://hungrylittleminds.campaign.gov.uk/ • The Invisible string” by Patrice Karst – great for separation anxiety . Watch it being read on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W lUxXexjhYI • “The Day we went back to school” Primary Jigsaw book • https://primarysite-prodsorted.s3.amazonaws.com/oakgrovebehaviour-supportservice/UploadedDocument/e136521d9d904 9b58a3ffaaa1fb3ac4d/the-day-we-went-backto-school-by-primary-jigsaw-pdf.pdf
Continuous Provision Activities It could be possible -with increased hygiene measures- for the children within a group to move between activities. Refer to you school’s hygiene policy and the Headteacher for guidance on this, as the advice changes. • All resources that don’t contain soft materials and can be easily cleaned could be used. • Resources could be placed outside on mats or a tough spot. They could be spread out and a limited number of children could play at them, maybe 2 to enable them to stay distanced. • Items could be sprayed, washed at the end of a session to ensure they are clean and ready to use for the next group. • Provision could include all the usual activities : – construction, – small world play – jigsaws – Craft, art, writing activities, – role play no sharing of costumes) – fine motor control activities – sand and water trays could have detergent added to them
Outdoor/Big Space Activities • Check out our website for lots of outdoor activities https://www.behavioursupportservice.co.uk/bss-forestschool-resources/ • • • • • • •
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Grandma’s footsteps Hide and seek. “123 where are you?” North, South, East West. Dead Ants (Adult shouts out a number 0 – 4. If one is shouted children are allowed 1 limb on the floor etc, if 0 is shouted all children to lie on their backs. Den making, using boxes or large construction. One den each. Or small dens for a doll, small world figure. Football skills – dribbling through cones / keepie uppies with no ball sharing Footgolf – kicking balls of different sizes into a hula hoop one at a time Set a time challenge for running, skipping, hopping hula hooping etc - keeping equipment separate for each child
Design a Game -children will love designing their own games to play as well. Give clear instructions about social distancing and encourage children to be creative
Socially Distanced Games for Break and Lunchtime Here are some games that an adult can lead. This is a great opportunity to play along and model skills like cooperating and being a good sport , as well as boosting frelationships and trust by having fun together
More playground games
For more ideas, there is a free download of “Games To Play Whilst Socially Distancing: For Children Aged 3-7” by Martin Williams. Get it from Amazon UK. You can just read it on the website -you don’t need a Kindle to access it.
Closing Circle This can be a positive way to end the session. It reassures the children that all is well and that you are looking forward to seeing them again the next day. • “Something I did today that I enjoyed/am proud of/made me smile…” • “Someone I enjoyed spending time with today is…. because…” • “Someone who helped me today/I am looking forward to seeing tomorrow…” • “I am feeling…… about coming back tomorrow” • “I would give today….out of 10” • “Something I am looking forward to doing tomorrow is…..” • You could include a short game/activity if you wish
Transition • The L.A. has created a set of resources for transition from Early Years to Reception. This has been emailed to every SENDCO and contains lots of ideas for you to discuss with your partner setting to see what you can put in place this summer. A One Page Profile template is included, plus additional information sharing documents, as well as creative suggestions for working with children and supporting parents/carers.
• All the resources are also on the Local Offer page. https://stockport.fsd.org.uk/kb5/stockport/fs d/advice.page?id=GSSR5lIIAbw