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Night, night!

Children will enjoy having a giant 'sleepover' at the nursery with these activity ideas from Denise Bailey Adult-led
Children will enjoy having a giant 'sleepover' at the nursery with these activity ideas from Denise Bailey

Adult-led

Off to bed

Bedtime is a significant part of young children's lives. Encourage children to explore their ideas and feelings about this special time through stories, role play and a pretend 'bedtime' day in the setting.

Key learning intentions

To use language to imagine and recreate roles and experiences relating to bedtime

To link events from their own experiences and from stories Adult:child ratio 1: 8

Resources

*Torches *blankets *pillows and cushions *sleeping bags *alarm clocks *sand timers *pyjamas *dressing gowns *teddy bears or other soft toys *tapes and CDs of bedtime songs and lullabies *stories and rhymes about bedtime and night (see box)

Preparation

* Read the stories about bedtime with the children the day before the 'sleep-in'. Encourage them to discuss the stories, share their own experiences of bedtime and talk about any positive and negative feelings they may have about bedtime, night and the dark.

* Talk about having a pretend bedtime at the setting. Suggest they come to nursery in their pyjamas if they wish, and bring their favourite storybook or soft toy.

* Ensure that children understand that they will only be pretending to go to bed and emphasise that they will go home at the usual time.

* Provide materials for children to express their ideas and feelings by painting, drawing and writing about their bedtime experiences.

* Clear a large area in the setting for the blankets, torches, CDs and other resources. Ensure they are easily accessible to the children.

* Organise the other areas of the setting as normal so that the usual activities are available to children not wishing to participate in the bedtime roleplay.

* Practitioners may also choose to wear pyjamas and dressing gowns, but be sensitive to the fact that some adults may not want to.

* Write a letter to parents and carers explaining the activity. Request that children come to the setting dressed in their pyjamas or dressing gowns or that they bring them and change at the setting. Suggest that children bring a favourite bedtime soft toy or book and request the loan of alarm clocks and torches. Emphasise the importance of allowing the children to choose whether or not they wish to take part in the activity.

Ensure that everyone is well prepared for the day and emphasise that it will be a special fun day in the setting.

Activity content

* Encourage the children to explore the bedtime area and resources provided and the items that they have brought with them. Allow plenty of time for them to talk about their bedtime routines at home.

* Some children may wish to dive straight into bed and pretend to sleep; others may wish to re-make the 'beds', move materials around or investigate the torches and clocks.

* Encourage the children to read bedtime stories to each other or use the torches to read under the covers.

* Work with the children to set the alarm clocks before they pretend to go to sleep and model waking up in the morning, using appropriate language.

* Play tapes of bedtime stories or lullabies.

* Model going to sleep yourself. Ask the children to read you bedtime stories or demand pretend drinks or a soft toy to cuddle.

* Take photographs throughout the session to put together in a 'bedtime'

book. Scribe in the book children's comments about the photographs. Keep the book in the story area so children can read the book themselves or with an adult.

Key vocabulary

Day, night, light, dark, sleep, dream, tired, yawn, stretch, wake up, asleep, awake, bedtime, morning, evening.

Child-initiated learning

Encourage the children to develop their own interests across the curriculum by adding topic resources to the basic play areas.

Imaginative roleplay area

Additional resources

*Dolls *cots *small blankets *alarm clocks *torches *soft toys *pyjamas *dressing gowns *sleeping bags *sheets or blankets *torches *story books *bags and trolleys

Possible learning experiences

* Using the materials in the home corner to continue to explore bedtime roleplay activities.

* Using toys such as dolls and soft toys to re-create preparing for bed, sleeping and waking up.

* Using bags or trolleys to move materials outdoors so children can continue to explore bedtime in the outdoor area.

* Using blankets or sheets to create dens so that children can experience being in a dark area and so build up their confidence and understanding of the properties of dark and light.

The practitioner role

* Engage in the children's role play to develop imaginative ideas.

* Model use of appropriate vocabulary and support children's ideas and understanding.

* Enable children to initiate activities in different areas in the setting and to choose and use resources in ways that are valuable to them.

Creative area

Additional resources

*Black and white paper *chalks *black crayons and pens *white and black paint *star shaped printing blocks *magazines and catalogues *scissors *glue *junk materials *small pieces of fabric

Possible learning opportunities

* Painting on black or white paper using black and white paints.

* Investigating colour mixing of black and white to make shades of grey.

* Printing white stars on black paper to create the night sky, which could be displayed on a wall or window.

* Mark-making using black pens on white paper, or white chalk on black paper.

* Cutting 'night' and 'day' pictures from catalogues or magazines and using them to make collages or books.

* Using junk materials to make beds for small-world people, clocks or torches.

* Sharing songs and rhymes about bedtime. Adapt the song 'Here we go round the mulberry bush' to cover bedtime activities and actions. For example, 'This is the way we brush our teeth/climb into bed/go to sleep' and end with 'on a cold and frosty evening'. If you wish, continue the song with morning routines. Encourage the children to suggest activities and actions.

* Singing and acting out the counting rhyme 'There were ten in the bed' (or five in the bed if you are singing it with younger children).

The practitioner role

* Experiment alongside the children, providing technical help and modelling skills and techniques.

* Observe and record information about children's development to inform future planning.

Resources

* Can't you sleep little bear? by Martin Waddell (Walker Books, Pounds 4.99)

* Owl Babies by Martin Waddell (Walker Books, 4.99)

* Ten in the Bed by Penny Dale (Walker Books, 4.99)

* One Bear at Bedtime by Mick Inkpen (Hodder Children's Books, Pounds 4.99)

* This is the Bear and The Scary Night by Sarah Hayes (Walker Books, Pounds 4.99)

* Whatever Next! by Jill Murphy (Macmillan Books, 4.99)

* Peace at Last by Jill Murphy (Macmillan Books, 4.99)

* Home Before Dark by Ian Beck (Scholastic Children's Books, 5.99)

* The Very Noisy Night by Diana Hendry (Little Tiger Press, 4.99) Poems and rhymes

* Twilight Verses, Moonlight Rhymes compiled by Mary Joslin (Lion Publishing, 10.99)

* Poems about Day and Night selected by Amanda Earl and Danielle Sensier (Wayland Publishers, 8.99)