As the summer holidays approach, we understand that nine weeks off can be quite a stretch to keep children entertained. Ideas may be hard to come by, but fear not – our special wellbeing and transition booklet is here to help!
We are delighted to present this booklet, meticulously crafted to support your transition to the next academic year while fostering your overall wellbeing. Within these pages, you’ll discover tailored adventures and challenges for your year group, ranging from outdoor explorations to creative projects and mindfulness exercises.
We firmly believe that becoming a positive and resilient learner is key to success and our booklet aims to empower you on this journey. So, why not make the most of the summer break by ticking off as many activities as you can before September? Let the adventure begin....
Mr Thomson Head of Pastoral Care
GETTING READY FOR YEAR 2: Academic
Start a Summer Diary
Draw a picture and write a sentence about one thing you did each day during the summer holidays.
Easy As 1, 2, 3
Collect small items (e.g. buttons or beads) and practise counting them in different groups. Then, order them from smallest to largest.
Facts Are Fun
Choose your favourite animal and create a simple fact file, including its name, habitat, what it eats and an interesting fact.
Treasured Tales
Draw a picture of the cover of your favourite book and write a sentence or two about why you liked it.
GETTING READY FOR YEAR 2: Academic
Number Bonds
Write numbers 1 to 10 on cards and match them to make number-bond pairs to 10 (e.g. 3+7, 4+6). You could even try number bonds to 20!
ABCs
Practise recognising letters of the alphabet through games, songs or alphabet puzzles.
Test Yourself
Go through all of the Year 1 High Frequency Words and make sure you know them by the end of the summer.
Bar Graphs
Ask friends or family members their favourite colours and create a bar graph to represent the data.
GETTING READY FOR YEAR 2: Academic
Beat the Clock
Time yourself reading a page from a book and then explain to a family member what you have just read in a sentence or two. Try to beat your time next time!
Patterns Galore
Create and extend simple patterns using pattern blocks or coloured shapes (e.g. red-blue-red-blue). Lego is great for this!
Little or Large?
Do you know the difference between capital and lower-case letters?
Notice Your Surroundings
Draw and write about what you saw on a nature walk, including plants, animals and the weather.
GETTING READY FOR YEAR 2: Academic
Measuring Up
Use a ruler or a handful of paper clips to measure the length of different objects around your house. Compare and order them from shortest to longest.
For Me
Practise writing your own name with guidance and support from an adult or older sibling.
Tell Me About It
Look at a children’s magazine and find one interesting picture to talk about with a parent.
Get Lost in a Good Book
Take turns reading aloud from a favourite book with a family member.
GETTING READY FOR YEAR 2: Pastoral
Dress to Impress
Can you dress yourself independently each day?
Self-Care
Practise proper hand-washing and teeth-brushing techniques.
I Love Food
Prepare simple snacks like fruit salads or vegetable sticks and learn about all the delicious foods that are good for your body.
Cutlery Practice
Practise using your knife and fork together at meal times. Or make some Play-Doh peas and try with those!
Make a Play
And act it out in front of your family or friends.
GETTING READY FOR YEAR 2: Pastoral
Creative Fun
Draw, paint and colour in – express yourself with art! Practise cutting, glueing and colouring as accurately as you can.
Puzzling Puzzles
Solve simple puzzles like jigsaws or shape-sorting puzzles to develop your problem-solving skills.
Remember Remember
Play memory games where you have to remember the location of matching pairs of cards or objects.
What’s That Sound?
Play listening games where you have to identify different sounds you hear.
GETTING READY FOR YEAR 2: Pastoral
Walk in Nature
Go on a nature walk in the local park or garden and observe different plants, insects and animals.
Time for Green Fingers
Plant seeds in pots or a small garden patch and learn about how plants grow by watering and caring for them.
Come Rain or Shine
Spend lots of time playing outside in your garden and practise catching balls of different sizes.
Bounce Bounce Bounce
Play jumping games, frog jumps and hopscotch with friends. Skip, bounce, jiggle and wiggle!
GETTING READY FOR YEAR 2: Pastoral
Keep Things Tidy
Help out at home by tidying away your toys after you have finished playing with them.
