Understanding the World

By the time children leave Small Wonders Preschool we want them to be able to;

Be aware of their natural environment and how that changes through the seasons. Plant a seed

and understand that it needs water and sunlight to grow. Have awareness of and talk through

aspects of the life cycle of a chicken, butterfly and frog. Have experience of various sensory

materials and know that ice melts to water or mixing materials can produce something else. Use

cause and effect i.e use forces such as pushing, pulling and turning to work mechanical equipment.

Our themes are often based around seasons with observations of what is happening in nature

around us. We go on an autumn walk to point out and experience changes in our environment. We

explore hibernation in winter through books and stories and how ice melts to water through ice

exploration. We grow daffodils in the garden to point out when spring is here and plant seeds such

as sunflowers and beans to take home and tomatoes and cress to grow and eat at preschool. We

have live egg to chick and caterpillar to butterfly experiences for children to observe real changes in

a lifecycle. Our story books and rhymes themes explore lifecycles such as butterflies and frogs along

with various resources and craft activities. Children learn how to care for our African land snail pet

by helping to feed and clean out their habitat. We provide a range of resources including wood,

metal, plastic for children to explore texture shape and weight. We provide sensory play spaces for

children to explore various materials and textures from sand and water to slime, gloop, foam, soil,

straw etc. and how mixing materials can change them such as water with sand or custard powder

and water. We provide cause and effect equipment such as cogs and wheels, pull back and wind up

toys. Staff demonstrate and encourage children to explore various equipment and how they can

problem solve to have the desired effect on various equipment.

Have a strong sense of self and be able to understand how they are the same or different from

their friends. Be able to talk about their family and understand that families are different. To be

able to talk about past, present and future events. Show interest in different occupations and how

people can help us. Know that there are different countries in the world.

Our busy body theme celebrates what makes us the same or different from others this may be how

we look, what we like or what we do well. During this theme we draw self portraits using a mirror for

children to see and match colour for eyes, hair and skin tone to represent ourselves. We celebrate

achievements with praise. We celebrate festivals and events from various cultures and encourage

children to share their experience of their family celebrations with friends and staff. We use a variety

of activities and resources such as food tasting, messy play, puzzles, books, home corner and

dressing up equipment to bring differences and similarities to life for the children. People who help

us theme introduces children to the understanding people in our community and around us who

have various occupations and how they can help us. We invite people from various occupations in

their uniform into preschool to meet the children. We have various dressing up costumes and

resources to support role play. We have various small world resources for children to act out family

events or explore scenarios of people working in various occupations. Our summer fun theme

explores where children go with their families on days out or holidays in England or abroad. We use

maps and globes and resources such as animals from around the world or sand and water play to

represent the seaside or small world farms and zoos to explore other countries and how they are

different. We encourage children to talk about their experience sand share photos with friends and

staff.

Understanding the world- Aspects - People, Culture and Communities The Natural World Past and

Present

3 and 4 yr olds Assessment and monitoring milestones

• Explore materials with different properties, including natural materials both indoors and out

• Use all their senses to explore. Use descriptive vocabulary to talk about what they see and

feel.

• Notice differences and similarities between them, their family and others. Begin to make

sense of their own life story and family history. Talk about family and events outside of

preschool.

• Explore how things work e.g mechanical equipment, cogs, wind up toys, pulleys.

• Plant seeds, care for growing plants. Understand key features of life cycle of plants and

animals. Begin to understand the need to respect and care for the natural environment.

• Explore and talk about different forces they can feel e.g push and flow of water, magnetic

attraction and repulsion, stretching, snaping, bending of materials.

• Explore and talk about changes in materials e.g ice to water or how combining things can

produce something else as in cooking or messy play.

• Explore sinking and floating, explore light play and shadows.

• Know that there are different countries in the world and talk about the differences they

have experienced or seen in photos.

• Develop positive attitudes about differences between people, their culture and religions e.g

by joining in varied festivals and celebrations