Hatching a plan for quacking learning with new feathery friends!

Here at Cygnets Preschool there has been no plastic or paper in sight... instead we have been thrilled to welcome some very different new arrivals – in the form of 5 fluffy ducklings!.

Our expert childcare team, guided by our student, Miss Yasmin “Mother Duck”, have been expanding their skillset and taking care of the adorable ducklings, which all hatched in our setting at the end of the April.

The children have been utterly enthralled to take part in the whole process and as always have been like sponges, soaking up lots of new information and learning egg-citing facts and this whole uniquely stimulating experience seamlessly links in with the government's Early Years Foundation Stage targets; with the ducklings' physical growth mirroring our children's emotional and intellectual development.

The children's curiosity was originally ignited by the presence of the eggs in the incubator, and they were using their observational skills - looking and listening - and waiting for that all important TAP, TAP, CRACK!

WATCHING & WAITING
The children experienced a sense of patience and anticipation with this activity. Sharing skills and inter-personal relationships have been developed as the children have taken turns to view the eggs, as it would harm the embryos to lift the lid off the incubator. Lots of questions were asked: What's inside the egg? Why do the eggs needs to be kept warm and humid? Why do the eggs need to be turned? How long will they take to hatch? What will the ducklings look like when they come out? Critical thinking galore!

CRACKING FUN
Levels of concentration reached an all-time high as soon as the first tiny cracks appeared! The children were engrossed and they learned about managing emotions... resisting the temptation to speed up the process and “help” the ducklings crack open the shell, as well as controlling feelings of over-excitement to ensure a calm, quiet environment for the hatching babies.

FLUFFY FRIENDS
At 2 days old the ducklings were at last ready for a cuddle! The children had their senses of sight, sound and touch fully engaged – hearing the chirps, practising gentle handling of the bundles of soft fluff, feeling the soft fuzziness compared to the hard beak, and seeing and touching the tiny webbed feet.

The children have expanded their vocabulary and knowledge: “hatch”, “humid”, “incubator”, “webbed feet” “temperature”, and “waddle”. A great science lesson on life cycles!

GROWING UP
Keeping the eggs and ducklings warm, fed and safe and helping them grow reflected the exact experience of the children in our nursery; the children can relate to the baby ducks and feel a sense of security, confidence and belonging in their surroundings. The children also learnt about hygiene – keeping the ducklings' housing clean, and self-care with hand-washing after handling them.