Things we've done this week

Maths all week has been successful. I'm encouraging B to work a little on his own. During him time in school he'd always had an assistant sitting with him helping him complete his maths, and I'd done the same. I know he's capable of doing the tasks himself so I've been gradually been moving away to let him sort any simple problems out on his own. I don't think we've had any tears or sharp words over sums at all this week, from either K or B. Makes a pleasant change! K's been working on her fractions. We've completed two maths books for her age group with fractions and percentages being the two areas she gets stuck on. Must admit, it was only until my adult years that I understand these two areas myself, I didn't really see the point in knowing about them this!

We looked at how trees are symbolic to different religions for National Tree Week, using this website with K writing a little about three religions and both children writing lovely Haiku's about trees.

For "Around the World" we've finished watching the video and have also completed India, learning about the different styles of food from different parts of India, and also understanding more about the cobra, using this website. K made a lovely little card basket using her new basket weaving skills to safely house her pipecleaner cobra!

Club Penguin is still a main feature in the house and it's also taken over our upstairs hallway as K and B have made mini cardboard penguins (together with speech bubbles), igloos, a snowy slipway for the "sled" game (plus rubber rings to slide on!) and various other club penguin bits and bobs! It's great to see them using their imagination in this way and actually playing together so well (for once). B's also written a couple of small pages about club penguin and his particular furry friend (Bumpi Boy), and announced that he enjoyed writing after finishing this (something new there then!). As B's now joined on a monthly basis, he's learning fast about saving his coins to buy things for his igloo and clothes for himself. He's also got himself a little fluffy pet in this game, so he's learning about caring for that too!

Ready to slide on their rubber rings

Penguins in igloos

K started her swimming lessons this week. She was so excited about it but also, unlike her, quite nervous. As she's starting as a beginner K was swimming with a small group of younger children, but she didn't seem put out at all. She easily managed to swim widths of the pool unaided, but couldn't swim them aided (she just couldn't swim anywhere!). Really do want to try and get to the swimming pool, as a family, at least fortnightly. K and B love the water so much and it will help K to continue to progress in her lessons.

This week we've done two group activities. The first was to see Kensuke's Kingdom at our local theatre. The book, by Michael Morpurgo (a favourite author of Ks), was adapted for the stage and performed by the Birmingham Stage Company. It was simply, but very effectively performed and the kids loved it. I wondered how B would get on as it was his first proper theatre visit, but he took it all in as I found out the next day when they had to write a small review of the play. If you get the chance to see it, and it is travelling to various places, do go, it's well worth it.

Our second group activity was to our fortnightly get together. This time the theme was World War II, so K and B were able to understand some of what was going on as we'd done this topic earlier in the year. The new venue seems to be a hit with most people, especially those that enjoy the huge soft play area above the main rooms!

Two other things K and B have done this week: K's started making a Christmas scene with her models for a photo. She's sewing a tiny, tiny Santa outfit for one of her small dolls and has also started one of her lovely pipecleaner men to be Father Christmas himself! B's made a cute junk model penguin (will post a piccie in due course) using a toilet roll, material and feathers - very clever.

Bye for now!