Year one had a wonderful time exploring The Discovery Centre on Friday, where they were able to engage in lots of hands-on, interactive activities to support their scientific learning and enhance their ‘Curiosity Chimp’ thinking!
The children enjoyed playing with boats on the indoor stream and seeing if they could build a dam to redirect the water – why is it shallower in some parts than others? How can I make the boat travel faster? They were able to learn about locks and the importance of opening water gates at the correct times and have a go at making music on the pan pipes using paddles.
At the insect enclosure, the children discovered a range of wild insects, amphibians and reptiles including hissing cockroaches, giant millipedes, African land snails and a corn snake named ‘Cornflake’! They enjoyed reading the ‘fun-facts’ about the creatures that helped them learn a little about each one.
Next, they visited the exhibition that challenged their bodies and brains – how do you create an electrical circuit? How might a magnet help you open a treasure chest? The children had fun playing with the magnetic wall and making their paper creations fly high at the wind table, before solving the jigsaw of the human body and creating (beautiful!) music on the giant keyboard.
A firm favourite part of the trip was the ‘Build It’ zone where Year 1 got to work as part of the construction crew, working together to help build the house and lay tiles on the roof. They had to navigate the tile chute and drive dumper trucks to transport giant building blocks around the construction site – excellent communication was required to get the job done!
After lunch, the children attended an interactive workshop where they were sat inside an inflated dome, and gained a deeper understanding of zodiac signs. Everyone enjoyed looking for their sign in the ‘sky’.
We rounded off the trip with time to explore the outside climbing and play facilities, including imaginative games on a wooden ship and defending a magnificent fort!
To find out more about how our engaging curriculum ignites enthusiasm for learning, visit the Prep School Curriculum page.
