b"Issue 14 The British School of AmsterdamNursery The Nursery classes have been working on a project to make planters for the playground this year. They started by building the planters themselves, following instructions to know which piece of wood to place where and each class put theirs together like a big puzzle. In recent weeks the children have filled their class planter with lots of soil and have planted many bulbs. It will be difficult for the children to be patient and they do keep checking for the first signs of green to show but in February we expect the first flowers to bloom and if we are lucky there will be flowers in the planters until June 2023please keep an eye on the planters in the Early Years playground.Reception The children in Reception enjoy their Dough Disco sessions and always have fun as they warmup important muscles in their hands, arms and shoulders ready for a busy day in the classroom.Dough Disco is a fun activity which combines theChildren are each given a ball of playdough, then,use of playdough with a series of finger exercisesto the beat of the music, the children copy the adult designed to improve fine motor control. Theas they demonstrate various ways to manipulate movements develop children's fine and gross motorthe playdough, by rolling it into a ball, flattening dexterity, hand-eye coordination and self-esteem.it, putting each individual finger into the dough, Dough Disco is designed to encourage maximumrolling it into a sausage and squeezing it, exercising participation from all the children. The sessions areas many of those important muscles as possible.created for all levels of ability. Children developThe Reception children are experts at helping their fine motor muscles by manipulating the dough in ateachers choose which movements they wish to do and variety of ways, which in turn helps to support andenjoy moving their bodies to the music at the same time.improve their mark making and handwriting skills.5"