How Avenues of Learning are Opened!

If, like me, you sometimes second guess yourself then you will totally be on my wavelength here.  If, unlike me, you are always totally level-headed and rational about planning for the EYFS then you will be groaning and saying well... yeah, of course!! So to get on with the story, I have been wanting to take the children to the National Sealife Centre in Birmingham for a while but putting it off because I thought it should be part of a 'theme' rather than stand alone because they would get more out of it that way.  Well yesterday I decided to make it happen and we went today.... and I have completely changed my mind!

Where do I start?

• The rays were partially hidden on the floor of the tank and the girls discussed camouflage from what they remembered from Eric Carle's 'Mr Seahorse'.
• They also remembered that the male seahorses looked after the eggs and babies, and took their own pictures of the seahorses.
• They watched a ray breathing and commented on them breathing under water so we talked about that.

• They were shown a rectangular ray 'egg' and were fascinated to discover that not all eggs are ovoids!
• They came up close with a starfish and now know that they have five eyes (one on the end of each leg), that they have legs on the arms, and that if one arm is lost, they can grow another one!!

• They discovered themselves that crabs walk sideways. not forwards like they do.
• They thought that the nautilus at the top of the page was the same as the fossils they had seen at the dinosaur museum!

It was an amazing day for them and for me!! It has opened up so many ideas to take further and to talk about again. Very well worth not over-planning it and just seeing where the children took it!