🌟 Wrens Make a Splash With Their Ocean Learning!
Our Early Years Wrens children have been fully immersed in a magical Ocean theme this half term, exploring how to Love, Learn and Shine as they discover more about life under the sea and how we can care for our precious oceans.
A highlight has been our shared reading of “The Whale Who Wanted More” – a beautifully illustrated story that has inspired rich talk, imaginative play and some truly splendid writing.
🐋 The Whale Who Wanted More
The story follows Blue, a gentle whale who loves collecting treasures from the ocean floor. But Blue is never quite satisfied – no matter how many things he gathers, something always feels missing. When his ocean home becomes cluttered and messy, Blue realises that what he really needs isn’t more stuff… it’s more friendship, kindness and care for the ocean.
It’s been a wonderful springboard for conversations about protecting our seas and making thoughtful choices.
✍️ Wonderful Writing, Reading and Play
Mrs Renton and Miss Ward shared:
“We are so proud of the Wrens children. Their curiosity has shone this week – through their writing, reading, provision and imaginative play. The children have embraced every opportunity to explore and their ideas have been just brilliant!”
Children have enjoyed:
- Writing inspired by Blue the Whale – describing ocean creatures, writing messages in bottles and creating ocean-themed story maps
- Exploring rich reading provision with non-fiction ocean books, sorting activities and vocabulary challenges
- Role play in our brilliant new boat, designed and constructed with the children’s ideas and problem‑solving
- Sorting plastic waste for recycling, thinking carefully about what can be reused, recycled or repurposed
- Creative play with ‘junk modelling’ materials, turning boxes, tubes and lids into submarines, sea creatures and underwater homes
This has been an excellent way to help children understand how small actions make a big difference.
🌱 Early Years Foundation Stage
This learning has supported children across many EYFS areas, including:
- Communication & Language – storytelling, sharing ideas, asking questions
- Literacy – mark‑making, early writing, story structure, key words
- Understanding the World – learning about oceans, sea habitats, recycling and caring for our environment
- Expressive Arts & Design – junk modelling, constructing the class boat, role play and imaginative small world
- Personal, Social & Emotional Development – working together, caring for creation, understanding how our choices affect the world
- Physical Development – cutting, sticking, joining, building and using tools safely
🏡 Ideas for Home Learning
Here are some simple ways parents can keep the learning flowing at home:
🌊 Talk Together
- “Why do you think Blue felt like he always needed more?”
- “How can we help protect the ocean?”
- “What could we reuse in our home instead of throwing away?”
♻️ Try Some Ocean‑Friendly Activities
- Junk‑model a sea creature from clean recycling
- Sort household waste together (plastic, card, metal)
- Go on a “plastic hunt” during a walk – notice what can be recycled
- Draw or paint an underwater scene
- Read more ocean books together
📚 Helpful Links
You can find short videos and games about recycling, habitats and sea creatures on
BBC Bitesize Early Years: Simple click
here.
