England Class home learning by Laura Gibbs

Nursery Rhymes

lgibbs28 — 2026-03-25 15:48:41 UTC

Nursery rhymes play a really important role in your child's development. By singing, listening and joining in with rhymes, children build key skills that support their learning both now and as they grow.

How you can help at home:

Sing nursery rhymes together regularly
Add actions to make them interactive
Repeat favourite rhymes often
Encourage your child to join in with words or actions

Learning to read - phonics

lgibbs28 — 2026-03-25 16:05:49 UTC

Phonics helps children learn how to read and write by teaching them the sounds that letters make and how to blend them together to read words.

You can support at home by:
• Practising the sounds we send home
• Reading little and often together
• Encouraging your child to sound out words when reading
• Playing simple sound games (e.g. “I spy something beginning with…”)

Celebrations from around the world

lgibbs28 — 2026-03-25 16:14:27 UTC

In Reception, learning about different celebrations from around the world is a really valuable part of children’s development. It helps them begin to understand and appreciate the diverse world they are part of.

Getting ready to write

lgibbs28 — 2026-04-01 14:49:35 UTC

Fine motor skills involve the small muscles in the hands and fingers, which are essential for everyday tasks such as writing, drawing, cutting, buttoning clothes, and using utensils. Developing these muscles early helps children gain confidence and independence.

Playdough is a fun and effective way to strengthen these skills. When children squeeze, roll, pinch, and shape playdough, they are:

Building hand strength and control
Improving hand–eye coordination
Developing finger dexterity needed for writing
Practising concentration and creativity

These playful activities lay the foundation for later learning, especially when it comes to holding a pencil correctly and forming letters.

Understanding number

lgibbs28 — 2026-04-01 14:51:36 UTC

Watching Numberblocks at home is a great way to support your child’s understanding of numbers. The programme introduces early maths concepts in a fun and engaging way, helping children recognise numbers, counting, and simple problem-solving. This can build confidence and reinforce the learning we do in school.

Learning to read

lgibbs28 — 2026-04-01 14:56:00 UTC

Junk modelling

lgibbs28 — 2026-04-01 15:08:00 UTC

Junk modelling (using recycled items like boxes, tubes, and cartons) is a fun and valuable way to support your child’s learning at home.

When children cut, stick, and build, they are strengthening the small muscles in their hands, which helps with writing and everyday tasks. It’s also a great way to spark their imagination—your child can turn simple materials into anything they like, from rockets to houses!

This type of play encourages lots of talking too. Children often explain what they are making, which helps build their confidence and language skills. It also supports problem-solving, as they figure out how to join materials together and make their ideas work.

Junk modelling is also a lovely way to introduce the idea of reusing and recycling materials in a simple, hands-on way.

Talking about feelings - The Colour Monster

lgibbs28 — 2026-04-01 15:15:38 UTC

Young children feel big emotions but don't always have the words or skills to manage them. When we talk about feelings with them, we help them understand themselves and the world around them. Naming feelings like happy, sad, angry or worried helps children recognise what they are experiencing. This is the first step in learning how to cope with these emotions.

50 things to do before you're 5

lgibbs28 — 2026-04-01 15:32:14 UTC