By Guest

• June 23, 2011
Juliet Mickelburgh Another topic support article on a favourite theme, with 12 focus activity sheets, a booklist and a mindmap. These are ideas only: ANY CURRICULUM LINKS DO NOT RELATE TO THE CURRENT (2012) EYFS REQUIREMENTS

This is a wide ranging topic with plenty of opportunity to make connections between people and places. It includes every aspect of the local community, from friends to childminders and from shopkeepers to fire fighters. Inviting adults who fulfil helpful roles to visit can bring the topic to life for children. It is also ideal for discussing how we can help others.

Overview

In this section you will find a mind map and a list of the areas of learning with some quick suggestions and ideas. These also include some activity plans for each area, linked to the EYFS (click on the icon corresponding to the format you'd like - either MS Word or acrobat(pdf) ). There is a book list to accompany the topic, including non fiction books and rhymes.

Personal Social and Emotional Development (PSED)

Communication, language and literacy (CLL)

Knowledge and understanding of the world (KUW)

Mathematical Development (MD)

Physical Development (PD)

Creative Development (CD)

Personal, Social and Emotional Development (PSED)

Ideas and Suggestions

• Role play areas – doctor’s/dentist’s/opticians/vets/post office etc.
• Visits from people who help us, e.g. childminder/health visitor
• Small world play
• Circle times
• Make badges to wear for being helpful – ask children to pick who wears them
• Talk about who helps us everyday
• Talk about friendship
• Make a friendship chainStories and songs

Activities

At Home /forums/uploads/word.gif /forums/uploads/pdficon.gif

Friendship chain /forums/uploads/word.gif /forums/uploads/pdficon.gif

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Communication, language and literacy (CLL)

Ideas and Suggestions:

• Role play areas
• Dressing up in uniforms
• Make a book about people who help us/about friendship
• Mobile phone and walkie-talkie play
• Letter writing/post office play
• Learn your own address
• Small world play
• Visit the library
• Books, rhymes and songs

Activities

Set up a Library /forums/uploads/word.gif /forums/uploads/pdficon.gif

What’s in the parcel? /forums/uploads/word.gif /forums/uploads/pdficon.gif

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Knowledge and understanding of the world (KUW)

Ideas and Suggestions:

• Watch the rubbish being collected
• Recycle things in the nursery area
• ollection of small world emergency vehicles
• Other small world play
• Doctor’s and nurse’s kits
• Being helpful – doing the cleaning
• Giving directions games
• Non-fiction books
• Uniforms to dress up in
• Make a family tree

Activities

Reuse and Recycle /forums/uploads/word.gif /forums/uploads/pdficon.gif

The Doctor Came /forums/uploads/word.gif /forums/uploads/pdficon.gif

Display example

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Problem solving, reasoning and numeracy (PSRN)

Ideas and Suggestions:

• Setting up different types of shop – bakers/newsagents/grocers/haberdashers
• Money – shop role play
• Weight – use scales to weight things in a shop context
• Size and shape – compare and recognise in a shop context
• Sorting activities
• Make cakes and sell them – give the money to a local charity that helps people
• Deliver newspapers and letters to numbered locations around the nursery
• Mini surveys on children’s favourite items such as cakes/breakfast cereal
• Visit the supermarket

Activites

Ladders and Ropes /forums/uploads/word.gif /forums/uploads/pdficon.gif

The Baker /forums/uploads/word.gif /forums/uploads/pdficon.gif

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Physical Development (PD)

Ideas and Suggestions:

• Collection of large boxes for using as emergency vehicles
• Junk modelling
• Deliver post in large wheeled toys
• Lift large objects e.g. sack of parcels/bag of newspapers/crate of milk cartons
• Lollipop lady follow my leader
• Fine motor control with buttons and zips on dressing up clothes
• Climbing ladders on climbing frames (like fire fighters)
• Large wheeled vehicles outside as emergency vehicles

Activites

Stop! Ambulance! /forums/uploads/word.gif /forums/uploads/pdficon.gif

Fold it! /forums/uploads/word.gif /forums/uploads/pdficon.gif

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Creative Development (CD)

Ideas and Suggestions:

• Acting out caring scenarios, e.g. with baby dolls
• Role play areas
• Dressing up in uniform and taking on a role
• Finger painting (or printing, like the police)
• Baking for a baker’s shop
• Play dough
• Large block play vehicles
• Songs and stories
• Making thank you gifts or cards for people who help us

Activities

Finger Print Pictures /forums/uploads/word.gif /forums/uploads/pdficon.gif

Thank you pots /forums/uploads/word.gif /forums/uploads/pdficon.gif

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Other Resources

• A booklist is available here:

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• 'mindmap' document here:

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