Sample of a nursery theme covering the 5 key areas of the nursery curriculum

The theme we could be looking at for a period may be shapes: We could incorporate shapes into the 5 key areas in the following manner:

Communication and language:

• Talking about shapes in our environment and in nature
• I-spy shape game - identifying shapes around us
• Looking at books all about shapes and shape songs and stories

Personal, social and emotional development:

• Musical instruments from around the world looking at their different shapes
• Different shapes and sizes of people

Knowledge and understanding of the world:

• Counting and sorting shapes
• Investigating different shaped containers, what we use them for and then using them to measure other things such as sand and beads
• Making patterns with shapes
• Threading shapes

Expressive and Aesthetic development:

• Shape pictures - potato printing, collage
• Shape cutting
• Models made out of 3D shapes
• Baking / cooking - making sandwiches into different shapes, baking scones and biscuits cut into different shapes

Physical development:

• Large action songs and circle games related to shapes