Change sessions at Hillier Gardens - Foundation stage

Foundation stage

Activities

A day’s programme does not necessarily include all the listed activities and can be adapted to suit individual needs and requirements. Normally we fit in three to five activities during your visit.

Activities Learning objective: the children should learn...
Season hoops about how the cycle of the seasons and changes in the weather affect plants and animals
Leaf sort to appreciate the wide variety of different colours and shapes of leaves
Bud hunt to make careful observations about the changes occurring to plants in the spring
Bee game through a drama activity about the life cycle of a plant and the role of bees in pollination
Seed survival about the life-cycle of a seed by playing an interactive game
Caterpillar game about the life-cycle of a butterfly through role play. Note, this is a blindfold game of trust
Colour sticky strips about the range of different coloured and textured materials found in the Gardens by collecting items to create an individual coloured strip
Bamboo products hunt to distinguish between an object and the material from which it is made
Pond dipping to observe and identify the variety of aquatic life found in ponds
Session times
  • Pre-school 10am to 12pm
    You are welcome to stay for lunch
  • Reception 10am to 2.30pm
    with a break for a picnic lunch at 12pm in or near the Education Centre
Suggested pre-visit activities
  • Discuss what is a life-cycle is (read “The Hungry Caterpillar”)
  • Be familiar with the months of the year and the different seasons
  • Observe, record and discuss the changes in day length over a period of time
Suggested post-visit activities
  • Make the life-cycle of a frog/butterfly out of clay or as a collage
  • Act out the different seasons/weather conditions using props and/or costumes if possible
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