 As we approach the Easter Break, it is time to celebrate having 50 things in Portsmouth for a year.
Over this year we have seen settings and families taking part in a range of the experiences for our 0-5 year olds, which all support the development of communication and language skills and many other areas of learning within the EYFS.
This Easter we are encouraging families to get out and about (hopefully in the sunshine!) and take part in any of the experiences. We have selected 5 that you can promote to your families.
 Watching things grow and change is amazing! Explore how plants, creatures and even children grow and change. Plant flower, fruit or vegetable seeds in the garden or in a pot or jar on your windowsill, to show the magic of growing your child’s own mini harvest.
Talk to children about their own growth. Mark their height on a chart, wall or door to show how we all grow just like plants do around us!
Stories to share:
Toddlers:
- The Tiny Seed (Eric Carle)
- The Enormous Turnip (Traditional)
- Lola Plants a Garden (Anna McQuinn & Rosalind Beardshaw)
Pre-schoolers:
- Oliver’s Vegetables (Vivian French)
- Jack and the Beanstalk (Traditional)
- Jasper’s Beanstalk (Nick Butterworth)
- Eat Your Peas (Kes Gray & Nick Sharatt)
- I Will Not Ever Never Eat a Tomato (Lauren Child)
- Handa's Surprise (Eileen Browne)
 Explore bridges by walking across or under them. Children can enjoy watching water flowing or spotting fish in the water, but they might also love to pretend that a troll lives under the bridge! Play games like pooh-sticks by dropping leaves or sticks and racing them to the other side.
Stories to share:
Babies and toddlers
- The Three Billy Goats Gruff (Traditional)
- Each Peach Pear Plum (Janet & Allen Ahlberg)
- That’s Not My Goat (Fiona Watts & Rachel Wells)
Pre-schoolers
The Troll (Julia Donaldson)
Oi Goat! (Kes Gray & Jim Field)
 Everyone loves to receive a letter written for them! Write notes to friends, family or toys, or even create a drawing to send to someone special. Find your local post box and enjoy posting your letters and waiting for a reply! You could even send one to your own home address!
Bring the fun into your setting by turning an old shoebox into a post box, for your very own post office.
Stories to share:
Toddlers
- Postman Pat (John Cunliffe)
- Postman Bear (Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler)
Pre-schoolers
- The Jolly Postman (Allan & Janet Ahlberg)
- Stanley the Postman (William Bee)
 Having a good splodge, squeeze or scrape with dough, clay and gloop can be so much fun. Children love to make shapes, roll balls or make replica foods. Doughs can be easily made at home with everyday ingredients and provide children with the opportunity to see how these ingredients change when mixed together.
Stories to share:
Babies
- What Can I Feel? (Annie Kubler)
- That’s Not My… (Usborne touchy-feely books)
Toddlers
- Don't Put Your Finger in the Jelly, Nelly (Nick Sharratt)
Pre-schoolers
 Take a walk and follow the millennium promenade trail from Clarence Pier to The Hard. The trail takes you along 3 kilometres of Portsmouth's historic waterfront. As you walk along, look out for the different buildings around you. Look out to sea and spot the different kinds of boats that you see.
Stories to share:
- Brilliant Boats (Tony Mitton and Ant Parker)
- Boats (Anne Rockwell)
 We have teamed up with some of our local public libraries and they have been busy stocking some of the books which relate to these five experiences.
 Please encourage your families to take part and you can use our new 50 things tools to help. We now have the postcard packs and the leaflets available to give to settings. You can then loan out to families or share in any way you feel would help children access the project.
Those of you who attended the PEP conference last month will have collected your postcard packs and leaflets.
If you would like more packs, please let the Early Years team know. You can email ella.harbut@portsmouthcc.gov.uk and we will try to get them out to you.
In the summer term, Family Hubs and public libraries will also have the postcard packs to loan out to parents.
 And please do share your families experiences of 50 things with us! Any feedback we can gather will help shape the future of 50 things.
View the 5 activities in full and so many more on our fantastic FREE website and app. Keep an eye on our social media and please do share our posts with families.
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