My Friends and Family

(Non-screen activities)

Lots of us are missing our friends and family who we can't see at this time. They are all staying at home and are safe. Here are some ideas to help us keep in touch and remember them

• make a collage picture (or a drawing) of your friend or friends. Photograph it and send with a message, and I can share it on the "Nursery friends" page!
• look on the Nursery Friends star. Talk about the photos. Ask your child what they remember about particular friends. What did they like to play with them? Let them really look at the photographs and talk about what their friends are doing. How are their friends feeling? They are all happy in the photographs, so we know they are happy and safe.
• if you go right to the bottom of the class pages page there are more Nursery photos from this year. Look at these and let your child talk about who they can see and what they are doing.
• choose a friend to write or draw something for. This could be anything! a picture, a secret letter, a card,a book of their favourite things.  Even if you can't send it, it will help your child to keep their friends in their mind.
• do the same for family members who you're not able to see. Make something for them. Talk about their favourite things. Look at photographs-seeing family in happy times altogether helps children to feel safe.
• make up a game to play with your friend. This could be anything! An active game, a game on paper, a matching game,a card game. Think about what your friend really likes to do and include this in the game.
• talk about a game which you play with your friend. Can your grown up or brother or sister play it too?
• build something for your friend. This could be out of blocks which you then take a photograph of, or some junk modelling. All you need here is boxes, scissors and sellotape. You could make a model of Nursery, draw your friends and put them in it!
• make families up with your toys. give the toys different roles-who is the Mummy, the Daddy, the Grandma. Talk about their characters and act out stories with the new family
• make families and friends from toilet rolls-now we have them! add faces, hair and clothes, with pens,paper, wool, string, anything you have lying around.
• make gifts for your families and friends. Make pasta bracelets with wool/string and pasta (now we have some!) decorate an old photo frame or make one from card or paper.
• find a jar or container. Write a lovely word or message about a family member (someone who's at your house or someone you're not seeing right now) or friend. Save them for friends and family you're not seeing. Share them at the end of the day or week with family at your house.
• make a board or big picture with all the things you have been doing at home
• make some natural art faces outside of your friends and family with anything you can find. Or use chalk, or a paintbrush and water.
• make a stick family
• make family playdough faces
• make a paper hug and send it to a friend or family member,or save it for when you see them