Encourage the children to listen and hear the rhyming words – woo /do, day /away. When the rhyme is repeated, encourage the children to join in with the appropriate actions. Minibeast story bags – e.g. a plastic minibeast, a leaf, a twig, a cup and a shoe – tell a story as the children pull out the props Giles started writing stories when he was a primary school. He studied English at Oxford University and his first book for children, Rumble in the Jungle, was an instant hit. Giles has gone on to write many bestselling books for children, including The Lion Who Wanted to Love, winner of the Red House Book Award, and I Love My Mummy, winner of the Booktrust Early Years Award. Giraffes Can’t Dance, published in 1999, has become an international children’s classic, selling over 1.5 million copies worldwide. Simple, cheerful and humorous rhymes … great fun to read together, and also makes a good introduction to learning about the world around us” – Booktrust Giles Andreae is one of the most successful children’s writers today, and is best known for his picture books like Commotion in the Ocean.

Giles’s children’s books have, to date, sold more than 3 million copies, making him one of the most successful children’s authors working today. Minibeasts - the perfect theme for spring and summer! These are ideas only: ANY CURRICULUM LINKS DO NOT RELATE TO THE CURRENT (2012) EYFS REQUIREMENTS Sound discrimination: Cat invites the listeners to guess the sounds: bees buzzing and grasshoppers chirping . She then invites the children to think about the minibeasts which don’t make a sound - worms, butterflies, spiders, slugs and snails - and to think about how they move. Little ones will love joining in with all the noisy sound words and looking at the colourful pictures, as they discover all sorts of minibeasts. From slithery snails and buzzing bees, to wriggly worms and munching caterpillars!

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Autumn 2 - Where will the polar bears live? Inspired by The Last Polar Bear by Jean Craighead George Use props to support minibeast movement e.g. scarves for butterflies/ hoops as waterlillies for frog Make your own minibeast garden – collect natural materials and use box or small tray for each child Have an Ugly Bug Ball – make appropriate head wear for different minibeasts and dance to the Ugly Bug Ball music

This is the perfect project for Spring and Summer, with lots of scope for play and investigation in outside spaces. Looking at minibeasts provides opportunities to learn about how we care for other creatures and for our environment, as well as plenty of counting and sequencing activities. There is a wealth of fiction and non-fiction books that relate to minibeasts to support the topic. So get on those sunhats and that sun cream and explore! Overview