Not just play!

Our children are very hospitable! They tried their best to entertain Ms. Crab. Then the question arose: What does the crab eat? The children successfully searched for pictures of the crab's habitat on the internet. Based on these pictures, the children divided into several groups and began to build homes for the crab!

• Working with Milo, Sophie began hunting in our outdoor area for grass. Along with Ms, Judy, they gathered long grass and flowers for our new crab friend! They cut them carefully, gathering them all in a basket before adding them to our crab enclosure.

   

• Audrey took Ms. Kathryn with her to hunt for rocks to decorate the crab enclosure. Digging through the dirt, they began to find the glass stones! “I think the crab will want a pretty house” Audrey said, as she gathered the stones. Jennie from EY3&4 had finished her water collection already, so she came over to help. Together, they gathered lots of pretty and practical rocks for the crab to live on. 

   

• Ian and Anna were put in charge of gathering our sand for our little crab friend. Using buckets and shovels, they dug in the sand pit and transported heavy buckets of sand back and forth between their and the crab enclosure. They piled the sand up, creating small islands and hills for our crab to scuttle around on. 

   

• Leo and Jennie were put in charge of collecting the water. Using a variety of equipment, they filled the crab’s enclosure with water so it could play and clean itself! As it was raining, they were able to scoop up plenty of water from the outdoor river.

Then the children brought Ms. Crab to its new home! Some children asked the question: does Ms. Crab have a name? We can give it a name! After some discussion and communication, the crab was given a brand-new name "Cinderella"! So, our crab Cinderella took her place in her new home. She explored the water and rocks, the sand and flowers, as the children watched her closely. The children were excited to share their findings.

• “She finds it hard to climb out, the sides are slippery!”

• “We can use a flower as a hat for her!”

As we watched her play, some of the children thought of something else – Where is her family? Maybe she misses her mummy and daddy? Thinking about this, we made the decision to return the crab to her home down by the river. In the afternoon, it was time to say goodbye to our new friend Cinderella the Crab. We watched as she scuttled away and hid herself in the grass. It was lovely to meet you Cinderella, hopefully we will meet again!

The famous educator, Lev Vygotsky, once said in his book "The Fundamentals of Defectology" : "Education cannot be separated from nature, where children can grow with unlimited possibilities: poets, painters, musicians, philosophers." Unlike commercial toys that are given specific meanings and purposes, everything in nature is filled with a natural attraction that draws children into it.

When children are in nature, their senses are fully activated: they see colorful flowers and lush green forests; they hear the pitter-patter of raindrops and the croaking of frogs; they smell the fresh scent of grass and the fragrant aroma of flowers; they touch the soft soil and the cool rainwater. Being in close contact with nature helps young children acquire diverse knowledge, which is of great help to their learning and life.

At Hiba Academy Nantong, we hope to help children establish a stronger connection with nature, so that they can remain curious about the earth they live on, develop empathy, and plant a seed of caring for the environment and the fate of humanity from a young age.

If you would like to learn more about Hiba Academy Nantong, please get in touch with us using the links below. Our Co-Heads of Lower School would be delighted to welcome your family to the Nursery for a Day Pass experience so your child can participate in our wonderful learning opportunities with current Nursery students.