Keyworkers’ children keeping busy at nursery

THROUGHOUT the Covid19 pandemic Ninewells Nursery has continued to teach the children of keyworkers – and they are helping out other good causes too.

Staff have had to adapt and change many things within the nursery but one thing they have tried not to change as far as possible is the children’s daily routines.

Adelle Taylor, nursery manager, applauded both the kids and staff for carrying on during these weird times and took a break from nursery life to donate food to both Ninewells staff and a local foodbank.

She said: “The nursery children have coped really well throughout these last few weeks, they are missing their friends but we have still had a busy fun time planting and growing sunflowers and talking about the importance of handwashing and staying safe. “We have tried not to change the children’s routine too much as we don’t want to cause any more upset or confusion for them than what they are already going through, but we obviously needed to adapt our cleaning routines within the nursery and make sure the children are keeping up personal hygiene.

“We have made handwashing more fun and doing it more often by singing songs and counting numbers and we have also read stories about handwashing such as Germs Are Not For Sharing, so that they can understand why we need to keep it up.

“The children have also been introduced to the book Lucy’s Blue Day and Lucy the doll, which helps to teach the children about different emotions and that it is OK not to be OK in these sad times.

“To keep going with our normal curriculum we have also been enjoying learning all about spring time and we have all been in the garden and becoming green fingered growing sunflowers, cress seeds and making flower picture frames and dandelion pictures. “We have also been trying to support some local good causes where we can.

“Recently the nursery all decided that we would bring some cheer to some of our keyworkers and we donated a tray of sandwiches, sausage rolls and cup cakes to the staff in the gynaecology department at Ninewells Hospital ,and the children made pictures for them to display as well to put a smile on their faces.

“We also held a food collection for the Menzieshill community centre as it has been feeding many families throughout the community.

“Staff, children and parents helped collect items of food for the local foodbank and it was fantastic to see how much was donated when lots of people are under pressure themselves. “The staff have been amazing throughout the last few weeks and have been able to keep the nursery going which has been incredible.

“We are all really missing the rest of our children though and can’t wait to get them all back in to the nursery when it is safe to do so.”

Flower pictures are a favourite activity.