After-school care — Group I

This month in after-school care was marked by the spirit of Advent, the festive atmosphere and the joyful anticipation of the approaching holidays. Together, we enjoyed a period full of creative activities, exercise, games and sharing – all of which are an integral part of Christmas. In our drama activities, we drew inspiration from the much-loved characters Spejbl and Hurvínek, who were with us throughout the month. Through these activities, the children developed their imagination and creativity. Of course, we couldn’t miss out on making Christmas trees and singing Christmas carols and songs. We also focused on the Advent season – we talked about its significance and traditions. We experienced Advent not only through conversation, but also through fun games and activities. For example, the children enjoyed ‘Hurvínek’s Chase’ and the game ‘Spejbl is Looking for Hurvínek’, during which they stretched their bodies and burned off some excess energy. As after-school care event, we enjoyed some Christmas baking in December. Together, we managed to make four types of biscuits – wasp’s nests, gingerbread, coconut balls and whipped cream biscuits. The highlight of the whole month was Christmas in after-school care, which we all really enjoyed together. The children received lots of lovely presents, the biggest hit being a basketball hoop, which was put to use straight away. Joy, excitement and laughter filled the whole Christmas afternoon. December was a month full of cosiness, creativity, activity and Christmas magic, which we will remember for a long time to come.

Laďka, the after-school care teacher

November in after-school care was characterised by an autumnal atmosphere, the fairy-tale theme of ‘Křemílek and Vochomůrka’, and creative activities carried out together. Throughout the month, the children took part in drama and art activities, finished writing stories, acted out fairy tales ‘from moss and ferns’, made their own puppets and drew an autumnal forest. They also listened to relaxing music and played rhythm games. November also included identifying natural objects by touch, solving puzzles, playing themed games and simply enjoying time together. The ‘Kite Festival’, originally planned as after-school care event for the whole group, had to be moved indoors due to bad weather. Instead of flying kites, the children performed a dragon dance, made their own kites, and flew them through a ‘cave’- a course. This was followed by a competition to see who could throw their kite the furthest. The ‘Drakiáda’ concluded with the game ‘Kite in the Wind’, and everyone received a commemorative certificate for taking part. The end of the month was marked by preparations for the Christmas market. The children enthusiastically set about making little Christmas reindeer out of cotton. They enjoyed the creative work and it also got them in the mood for the approaching Advent season. We are now looking forward to December and its festive atmosphere.

Laďka, after-school care teacher

October at our after-school care was all about the forest, animals and autumnal nature. We explored the book “Robátko the Forester and Větrník the Deer”. Throughout the month, the children became little explorers, the forester Robátko and the inhabitants of the forest. Together, they explored the forest environment with all their senses – they played, created, sang and learnt new things. The children tried their hand at making telescopes, creating fingerprint art and crafting little animals out of chestnuts. During drama sessions, they acted out scenes from the forest based on the fairy tales they’d read. Of course, there were plenty of cheerful songs, such as ‘The Mushrooms Were Arguing’, as well as the sounds of the forest, which the children tried to imitate. The children also learnt to recognise animals from pictures and sounds, solved quizzes and riddles, and identified animal tracks. We rounded off the month with after-school care event called ‘Halloween’. The children took part in fun activities – a pumpkin race, a spooky dance, a hunt for hidden ghosts, cutting out and sticking together skeletons, and connecting the dots. Finally, there was a competition to create the best mummy. We all had a great time. I wonder what’s in store for us next month?

Laďka, the after-school care teacher

We kicked off September at our after-school care with a group chat about the summer holidays. Together with the children, we drew up some rules to help us all feel comfortable and safe at the club. Throughout the year, we’ll be exploring different fairy tales. In September, we were accompanied by Maxipes Fík and Ája. We spent the whole month getting to know one another and playing team games, during which the children learnt to cooperate, respect and support one another. Thanks to the lovely weather, we spent a lot of time in the school garden – playing dodgeball, skipping, playing tag, drawing with chalk and playing table tennis. We rounded off September with a whole-after-school-club event called the ‘BRAMBORIÁDA’, during which the pupils took part in competitions – a potato relay race, building a tower out of potatoes, making potato stamps and then using them to make prints, made homemade crisps, and there was also a potato quiz and a competition to create the craziest potato. We all really enjoyed the event, and I’m looking forward to the next one.

Teacher Laďka

WELCOME TO THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR 2025/2026!!!

We kicked off June with a whole-after-school-club event dedicated to Children’s Day. The celebrations included various competitions and fun activities, and we all had a brilliant time throughout the afternoon! This week, we focused on the theme ‘The Earth is Round’. We learnt about new concepts such as a globe and the Earth, and explored the differences between ‘the land’ and ‘the Earth’. We even drew the planet Earth with chalk; as part of our drama activities, we travelled to different countries; and in our music session, we danced to the song ‘Our Earth Is Round’. The second week was all about the Universe. Together, we created the story ‘How We Met an Alien’, and it was great fun. We acted out a space expedition, made a space collage and, during our physical Parents’ meeting, travelled through space. We really enjoyed this week and were already looking forward to the next one, when a school camp and a journey full of adventure awaited us. After returning from the camp, the final week of this school year lay ahead of us, which we spent looking forward to the summer holidays. Our activities were full of fun, joy and relaxation. We drew up plans for the holidays, deciding where we’d go, acted out our holiday activities using pantomime, and of course we couldn’t miss out on the song ‘Prázdniny’ and a dance to go with it. At the end of the week, we reviewed our year-long game and added a few travel quizzes.

All that remains is to wish you a lovely summer and a wonderful holiday! :)

Renča, the group leader

In May, we set off to explore the last continent on our globe: exotic Africa. Africa is a continent full of contrasts, unique natural beauty, history and culture. We tried our hand at painting animals, even becoming African animals for a while, and had a race. Our first stop was Egypt, which is full of pyramids and Sphinxes. Egypt is the perfect place to learn about ancient civilisations and explore marine life. Through role-play, we expressed the emotions, customs and traditions of Egypt; we drew Egyptian motifs (mummies, Sphinxes and pyramids); and through movement games, we portrayed the national animals (cats and camels). This week also saw after-school care event – ‘Baking for Mums’ – which we thoroughly enjoyed. We baked Linzer hearts for our mums to mark Mother’s Day and decorated them beautifully. The following week, we set about discovering Madagascar. Madagascar is an island with unique nature and wildlife. In drama, we acted out lemurs and fossa; in art, we created an island with its animal inhabitants and orchids; we drummed out the sounds of the rainforest and played the game ‘Baobab’. In the final week, we set off for Kenya. Kenya is synonymous with African safaris – which we naturally re-enacted – but it also boasts the stunning coastline of the Indian Ocean. We drew silhouettes of African animals at sunset, and in PE we practised the athletics basics as well as some athletics disciplines. This week also saw our traditional Spring Festival, where all the pupils at our school performed, and we all thoroughly enjoyed the whole event. And now we’re just waiting to see what the final month of this school year has in store for us!

Class teacher Renča

The month of April was devoted to exploring a new continent: Australia. It is a continent full of beautiful natural scenery and, above all, animals. We acted out and drew pictures of Australian animals, listened to Australian music and incorporated some movement activities. We had the most fun at the kangaroo races. The following week, we focused on learning about Australia’s major and significant cities. We learnt about the capital, Canberra, and the largest city, Sydney, and its opera house. We also talked about the indigenous people and acted out a few scenes. We also tried out a new art technique called ‘dot painting’, listened to the famous song ‘Waltzing Matilda’ and played with a boomerang, which is a typical Australian game. The following week, we got ready for Easter. We discussed Easter traditions and customs in different countries around the world, recited traditional Easter rhymes, and, of course, had an Easter treasure hunt. After the Easter holidays, we shared stories about what Easter had been like for each of us. The following week was dedicated to Earth Day and the environment. We put on a little play about nature conservation, made pictures using recycled materials, and played a game called ‘Eco-Run’, which was inspired by recycling. The final week was all about the Witches’ Festival. We read a few stories and fairy tales about witches, learnt about the traditions and Walpurgis Night, and even made our own witches out of natural materials. This week saw after-school care event – ‘Witches’ Night with Parents’ – which we all thoroughly enjoyed. Stations had been set up for the children and parents, featuring sporting challenges, fill-in-the-blank tasks and, above all, a witch’s trail. To round off our afternoon, we lit a fire, let our homemade witch burn, and grilled some sausages. We’re already looking forward to what May has in store for us.

Renča, after-school care leader

In March, we set off to explore another continent: North America. We learnt about various traditions, typical dishes, animals, the people and the natural environment. The first week was devoted to the USA, featuring a pantomime of American dishes as well as the creation of the Statue of Liberty and the Grand Canyon. We played rhythms inspired by the sounds of nature on Boomwhackers and also tried our hand at the national sport – basketball – which the children really enjoyed. In the second week, we moved on to our neighbours in Canada, where we explored local customs and traditions. Using pantomime, we guessed the national animals, created a collage of the Canadian flag, sang songs about bears, and didn’t forget the national sport – ice hockey, which we adapted into field hockey, much to the children’s delight. The following week, we set off for Cuba, an island full of colourful birds. We acted out a parrot’s journey out of the jungle, modelled tropical fruit, listened to the sounds of nature in Cuba (the sea, birds, the jungle) and, to round off the week, we played a movement game – the ‘Hummingbird Race’, in which the children had to collect coloured pieces of paper for their team, and it was great fun. We devoted the last week of March to Mexico. Mexico is a country full of colours and traditions; we played a Mexican version of ‘memory’ using pantomime and sounds, we painted Mexican motifs, which turned out very well (pyramids, cacti, a piñata, Dia de los Muertos), and we even had a race with a cactus. This week saw after-school care-wide event – ‘Easy Start Primary School’s Got Talent’ – and we also managed to fit in another activity: making the traditional Mexican dish, tacos, which the children were absolutely thrilled about and really enjoyed. We really enjoyed March; we also did a lot of reading, as it was Book Month, but now we’re looking forward to the next continent and new adventures!

Teacher Renča

February flew by in a flash, and with it our journey to another continent – this time, South America. We explored the fauna, flora, people, customs and traditions. In the first week, we set off for Argentina, working with maps and an atlas to get our bearings. We guessed motifs associated with South America, drew its flora and fauna, learnt the basic steps of the tango and listened to some authentic music. Last but not least, we didn’t forget to organise a mini football tournament, which is a typical feature of Argentina. In the second week, we set off for Peru, where we learnt some basic facts about the country and set about discovering the Inca script. We dramatised the life of the Incas in the mountains, created a collage of Machu Picchu – which turned out very well – and tried our hand at indigenous rhythms on the Drumbeny. In the final week, we moved on to a country full of colour, fun and carnivals. And it could be no other country than Brazil, which is, of course, also famous for its rainforests, love of dance and football. We drew pictures of rainforest motifs, learnt the basic steps of the samba, listened to lots of Brazilian music and explored the ‘rainforest’ through a relay race. This week also saw after-school care event – the Carnival – which we all thoroughly enjoyed. We tried out various activities and even played musical chairs, which completely captivated us. This month we’ve had lots of fun, enjoyed plenty of activities and had time to relax, and even in this freezing weather we didn’t forget about the birds.

And now we’re just looking forward to the spring half-term!

Renča, the after-school care teacher

In the first week of January, we welcomed in the New Year and talked about our Christmas experiences and the presents we’d received from Father Christmas. We didn’t forget the song ‘The Three Kings’ either, and we talked about them. In the second week, we set off for the coldest continent in the world: Antarctica. We went on a polar expedition so that we could explore it all. We made penguins, sang a song about them and even did the penguin dance. The following week, we learnt about life in Antarctica – its flora and fauna, its inhabitants and what makes it so interesting. We acted out life in an igloo and a dog-sled ride. We made a collage of Antarctica, which the children did really well, and we carried out an experiment with ice, which was a real treat for them. We didn’t forget to look after the birds either, and we put some seeds in the bird feeder for them. In the last week of January, we focused on winter sports and athletes. Using pantomime, we explored various winter sports, created the Olympic rings and, thanks to quizzes, learnt some new facts. This week also saw after-school care-wide event – the Sports Olympics – which, unfortunately, had to take place inside the school building due to bad weather, but despite this, we all enjoyed it very much and are already looking forward to next month!

Renča, after-school care teacher

December flew by in a flash and we enjoyed it immensely. In the first week, we talked about Advent – what it is, the significance of the Sundays in Advent, and what an Advent wreath and Advent calendar are. We read and listened to lots of Advent and Christmas stories and enjoyed the pre-Christmas atmosphere together. We made a devil and St Nicholas, danced at a devil’s disco, and completed a few Christmas quizzes and puzzles. In the second week, we focused on Christmas around the world – in other countries. We looked at who gives presents and where, what their customs and traditions are, and who cooks and bakes what. Some pupils even shared their own personal experiences, as they’d already celebrated Christmas in another country. It was a really lovely and enjoyable week. We listened to international carols, sang our traditional Czech carols accompanied by the piano – which we complemented by playing Orff instruments – made our own Christmas cards and cut out lots of snowflakes. We acted out some of the Christmas carols and traditional Christmas dishes using pantomime; this activity was great fun. We also played a human Christmas memory game, which the children really enjoy. In the final week, we were already looking forward to the arrival of Baby Jesus. We discussed how Christmas is celebrated in the Czech Republic and in each of our own homes, and what customs and traditions we uphold at home. This week saw our favourite whole-after-school-club event – Christmas baking. This year we baked Linzer biscuits, gingerbread and lotus seed balls; the children really enjoyed them and had a great time making them. On Thursday, Father Christmas visited us and gave us lots of new and fun games, which we played with on Friday afternoon.

We really enjoyed the last month of the year and are already looking forward to more adventures together!

I wish you all a peaceful Christmas and look forward to seeing you all in the new year, 2025.

Renča, the after-school care teacher

And here we are in November. This month, we travelled to another continent: Asia. We crossed the Ural Mountains and arrived in our first country – Russia – where we explored its customs and traditions. We put on a dramatisation of the fairy tale “Mrazík” and played a movement game of the same name. We made matryoshka dolls, guessed pieces from well-known ballets, and conquered our journey across Russia via an obstacle course. Thanks to one of the mums, we also had the chance to handle and try out authentic traditional items from Russia, which we were absolutely thrilled about. In the second week, we explored in greater depth the ‘land of dragons and tea’, as it is nicknamed. We focused on Japan, where we explored calligraphy and, using this technique, wrote our own names – we really enjoyed this activity. We made lots of traditional Japanese fans, learnt about traditional Japanese music, tried our hand at meditation, and even took part in a ‘dragon hunt’. This week also saw after-school care event – the Kite Festival – which, despite the bad weather, had to be moved indoors to the primary school building, but we all enjoyed it together nonetheless. We had the chance to try making kites from ceramic clay, we worked together to create large paper kites based on our imagination, and we even took part in physical activities with the kites; the whole afternoon was great fun. The following week was dedicated to China, which the children have enjoyed the most so far. We read the story “The Monkey King”, which is very interesting; we dramatised a traditional Chinese festival; we used a printing technique to create the Great Wall of China; and we even danced with colourful scarves. We also had a cultural and culinary experience with Chinese chopsticks and noodles; we learnt how to use them and then played a relay game with the noodles, which completely captivated the children. We also learnt the Chinese alphabet and solved various puzzles using it. In the final week, we moved on to India, where we explored important figures, myths and legends. We staged a dramatised Indian market, which was great fun; we drew peacocks; we practised Indian rhythms on the Drumbeny; and during our movement session, we played at being animals. This month also saw our traditional Christmas fair, for which we made various crafts throughout the week. We really enjoyed November and are already looking forward to the next continent!

Teacher Renča

In October, we set out to explore our first continent, which was Europe. In the first week, we explored the Czech Republic, created a mind map and learnt some basic facts about the country. We sang the Czech national anthem, made a flag out of crepe paper and learnt about folk dances. The second week was dedicated to our closest neighbours: Slovakia. We learnt about local customs and traditions, acted out the story of Cinderella and listened to the legend of Jánošík. We sang and danced to the song ‘Tancúj, tancúj vykrúcaj’, drew Slovak symbols and rounded off the week with an obstacle course across the ‘Tatras’. The following week was dedicated to Italy, a country familiar to us all, where we explored Italian landmarks and traditions. We accompanied the song ‘Bella Ciao’ on percussion instruments, listened to stories set in Venice, and created a mosaic in the style of Roman monuments, which turned out very well. This week we also enjoyed a culinary experience, making our own Italian pizza, which the children really enjoyed. To round things off, we tried our hand at a modified version of the traditional Italian game of bocce, which was great fun. The following week, we moved on to the Netherlands, which we really enjoyed. We gathered various facts and recorded them on an information sheet. We listened to Dutch classical music, told stories about products from the Netherlands and made windmills. Through role-play, we acted out Dutch legends, and during our PE session we even had a go at the Dutch ‘run between the windmills’. At the end of each week, we stuck the flag of the relevant country into our passports, which gave us great pleasure. We then recharged our batteries during the autumn half-term and rounded off October with a whole-school Halloween event, which we thoroughly enjoyed thanks to a range of activities. And now, on to the next month and continent!

Teacher Renča

And our first month at school is behind us! In the first week, we learnt about the rules for after-school care, both indoors and outdoors, drew up our own set of rules and, above all, got to know one another through various games. We also shared stories and drew pictures of our summer holiday experiences. We introduced this year’s theme, which is ‘Around the World’. We made our own passports and learnt about all the continents. In the second week, we spent a lot of time exploring the continents and the formation of the Earth; we learnt the song ‘Cestovní’ and drew the outlines of the individual continents. Using pantomime, we demonstrated the different modes of transport we can use to travel the world, and we stretched our bodies with some children’s yoga. In the third week, we consolidated our knowledge of the continents and their characteristic landscape features, and learnt new terms such as ‘atlas’, ‘globe’ and ‘map’. We made a 3D model of the Earth out of modelling clay, which the children really enjoyed, and we used a movement game to run between the continents – it was great fun. In the final week, we focused on modes of transport and all the different ways we can travel; we even acted out some traffic scenarios. We drew pictures of various modes of transport, and in our music session we played a ‘transport orchestra’, which really captured the children’s interest; we had a great time imitating the sounds of different modes of transport. In our physical Parents’ meeting, we simulated a spaceship, which really drew the children into the game. This week also saw after-school care event called the ‘Chocolate Party’. At the event, the children learnt about the history and production of chocolate, and there were plenty of chocolate-themed activities – an obstacle course, a blind taste test and a Tetris game using chocolate bars. To round off the afternoon, a chocolate fountain with fruit awaited the children, and they really enjoyed it! We all had a great time together and are already looking forward to our adventures next month.

Teacher Renča

WELCOME TO THE 2024/2025 SCHOOL YEAR!!!

The summer holidays are over and we’ve become big schoolchildren – a major event that we in after-school care have been looking forward to too! We’re delighted to welcome Year 1 to our first group. The theme running through all of after-school care – and indeed the whole year – will be ‘Around the World’. You can look forward to lots of games and fun with your classmates, ‘travelling’, learning new things, relaxing and getting to know after-school care. I’m really looking forward to seeing you in this new school year, Renča, your after-school care teacher

Time flies when you’re having fun, so before we knew it, the final school month – June – was upon us. The theme for June in our class was ‘What would I like to be when I grow up?’ So, in the first week of June, we drew pictures of our dream jobs, acted them out with plenty of drama, played a movement game called ‘musical professions’, enjoyed a musical story, and talked about how every profession has its own importance in society. We also marked World Environment Day and discussed ways we can save water. The second week of June was entirely dedicated to dads, as we celebrated Father’s Day. We drew cards for our dads, acted out and guessed our dads’ jobs, and the nursery sang the song ‘A Flower for Dad’. During PE, we enjoyed ‘ball games’. We talked about how to manage rubbish whilst travelling, which will certainly come in handy during the upcoming summer holidays. The third week of June was our school camp, and on the Friday after we returned from the camp, we talked about our experiences in after-school care and even drew pictures of them. June was full of lovely weather; we made the most of the school playground and also helped water the plants in the school garden. And the final week of the school year was themed ‘Summer’. We drew pictures of what we’re looking forward to during the summer holidays; in PE, we cheerfully hopped along the ‘Summer Holidays’ obstacle course, we acted out what we want to experience during the holidays, and the song ‘Summer’ suited the theme perfectly. In after-school care, we summarised the year-long theme and thus brought our ‘journey through various professions’ to a close. On the last day of the school year, we learnt about safety and behaviour during the summer holidays, and we’re already really looking forward to seeing each other again in September – so, let’s go for summer!...

Teachers Vendy and Majda

Throughout May, we focused on art. During our themed weeks, we explored art through movement games, such as playing ‘Freeze’ or dancing to the song ‘In One Stroke’. As well as physical activities, we also tried some quieter activities, such as exploring the colour spectrum – the palette – and creating with aluminium foil, from which we conjured up some beautiful, imaginative sculptures. In music, we sang the song ‘The Musician’s Family’. When it comes to theatre, the children’s favourite activities are dramatising, performing and guessing various themed sketches, which we focused on. Around mid-May, we brought all the art forms together and organised after-school care event for the children called ‘Easy Start Primary School’s Got Talent’. The children were very creative and had prepared carefully to show their talents to their friends. Everyone prepared, either on their own or in small groups, something they’re good at or enjoy doing. The children even brought their own props, equipment and musical instruments. It was wonderful to see how enthusiastically everyone showcased their talents. Equally wonderful was the support – and thus the overall atmosphere of the event – from their friends and classmates in the audience. We have some brilliant musicians, sportspeople, dancers, creators, painters and joke-tellers amongst us. Our regular activities also include environmental initiatives, where we’ve learnt about things such as recycling through the medium of art. The end of the month was marked by Children’s Day celebrations. The children made their way through the various stations, completed fun tasks and activities, collected stamps, and at the end were treated to prizes and a celebration with refreshments in the form of a buffet. We all had a marvellous time this month; it flew by in a flash, and we’re looking forward to the final month of the school year – June.

Teachers Majda and Vendy

Even in April, after-school care can be stimulating, joyful and, above all, fun. Our theme for the month was ‘Health through Sport’. And we explored the topic of sport thoroughly in our group, both in theory and, above all, in practice. In the first week of April, under the theme “I do sport, you do sport, we do sport”, we played the movement game “The Giant and Tom Thumb”. We acted out various sports using mime and tried to guess what they were. The song “Sports – Kristýna and Kája” played in the background as we played. We talked about how we can behave in an environmentally friendly way even at sporting events, and, above all, about which sports we like and why, as well as which sports we actually practise. As our year-long theme ‘revolves’ around careers, we already know which sports-related careers we’re familiar with. Over the next two weeks, we explored ‘summer and winter sports’ and the Summer and Winter Olympics in detail. We acted out fair and unfair behaviour and discovered that it isn’t all that easy to play the ‘villain’. We tried our hand at classic running and hurdle running, and we also learnt the basics of running. We are now familiar with the term ‘charity runs’ and understand their purpose and aim. But amidst all this sporting activity, we didn’t forget to mark Earth Day on 22 April. We sang the song ‘Our Round Earth’. We regularly include environmental activities because we love nature, which can be truly magical at this time of year and rewards our care with its beauty. We also expressed the beauty of spring nature and all kinds of sports through art. The theme of various sports in April’s changeable weather suited us down to the ground. In the last week of April, we marked European Sun Day and talked about the importance of the Sun. And the last day of April was, of course, dedicated to the all-group ‘Witches’ event, where, dressed in witch costumes, we enjoyed a competitive afternoon with our parents, complete with lots of fun tasks and the chance to roast sausages. The event was a great success, but now it’s time to head out – the sun is calling us, as the weather is lovely and a blossoming May awaits us...

Caregivers Majda and Vendy

In March, we enjoyed exploring further shared themes relating to different professions. We built on the first theme of March, ‘My Role Model’, and planned the following weeks based on what the children were interested in. We explored the professions of gardener and confectioner, and to round off the month we looked at a topic related to working with books. Across all the themes, we began our activities by sitting together in a circle on the carpet, where we talked about the topic, discussed it, looked at pictures, and sometimes shared personal experiences that the children had had or seen for themselves. Each theme included a dramatic performance; we always incorporated an element of environmental awareness, sang songs, drew pictures, and stretched our bodies during our physical activity sessions. In March, we were busy preparing for our big school-wide event, the ‘Easter Fair’. Together in after-school care, we crafted, cut out, glued, baked and decorated. You’ve already seen or tasted the finished products for yourselves on the day of the event. At the end of the month, we held after-school care-wide event called “My Book”. The whole of March is dedicated to books, which is why we organised this event to round off the month: everyone brought in their favourite book and introduced it to us using pictures or short excerpts. Together, we created a small book exhibition in after-school care, which served as inspiration for our friends. And we can already look forward to April, which will be themed ‘Sport for Health’.

After-school care teachers Majda and Vendy

February was short, but all the more intense for it. Our theme for the month was ‘work through play’ and we really enjoyed it. In the first week of February, we played at being ‘postmen’. We drew letters, stamps and little notes. The active game ‘Post Office’ was great fun, and we also got to experience what it’s like to deliver parcels and collect post. The whole group sang the song ‘He’s coming, he’s coming, the little postman, he’s coming, he’s coming, to Rokycany…’ On Friday, during our environmental activities, we talked about different materials and how they can be reused – for example, how a parcel box can still be used to send a parcel. In the second week of February, we played at being refuse collectors. We drew a refuse lorry and bins for sorted waste. We now know how these bins for sorted waste are colour-coded. The ‘rubbish tip’ obstacle course was great fun, as was walking blindfolded to the ‘rubbish bin’. Of course, we added plenty of drama to our game of playing rubbish collectors, and after-school care was filled with a song undoubtedly called ‘Rubbish’. But we don’t just see recycling as a game; every Friday we actively take part in taking out the sorted waste, and we already know how to sort it properly and where to put each item. After the spring half-term, we got together in after-school care with an equally entertaining theme and profession: ‘photographer’. We drew a vintage camera and spent the whole week playing at being photographers. In our music sessions, we rounded off February with the song ‘Masopustní’ and also had a chat about safety and sending photos, discussing what we’re actually allowed to photograph and what we can and cannot share. We’re wrapping up February here by happily sharing photos from our after-school care’s ‘Carnival’ event, and we’re looking forward to more fun after-school care get-togethers.

Teachers Magda and Vendy

In January, we explored the theme ‘Clothes make the man’ together. We talked about careers related to fashion, clothing production, working with fabrics, and so on. The most fun were the hands-on games and activities, where we drew dress designs, walked down the catwalk like models and showcased different styles of clothing, explored various types of fabric, identified them by touch and tested which ones felt most comfortable to us. To really get moving, we learnt some new movement games linked to our theme, such as the game ‘We’re Sewing’, where we weaved our way through our friends like a needle. We also had a dressing-up race. And to be able to dress properly, we need to know the parts of our bodies. That’s why we played a fun speed game called ‘Head, shoulders…’. Together, we sang two English songs and played on drumbeny, drumming out the names of different types of clothing. And we learnt a new drumming game in which we went on a journey. For the journey, we each had to pack one item of clothing into a suitcase, which our friends then had to remember and subsequently add their own item of clothing to the suitcase. This month, we enjoyed after-school care event called “Art Workshop”. Everyone had the chance to try their hand at and create three artworks: finishing half of their own portrait based on a photograph, creating their name using salt by letting colours seep through, and mixing colours in shaving foam, into which a paper heart had been pressed. All the artworks turned out really well. Throughout the month, we’ve been following a book with a serialised reading, which takes place during quiet time after lunch. In our spare moments, we’ve been enjoying free play to the full. We’ve been building with Lego, playing Stiga hockey and football, and learning new board games. We also really enjoy iron-on beads, magnetic building sets, racetracks with toy cars and free drawing. One interesting activity was drawing ‘ice dresses’, where we created icy, frozen effects using an eraser on paper coated with ink. When the weather was fine, we went to the school playground, where we let off steam playing proper football, explored frozen water and played hide-and-seek. We’re already looking forward to February, when we’ll be exploring the theme ‘Work through play’.

Teachers Majda and Vendy

The theme for December was ‘We know what we eat…’, so at the start of the month we introduced the children to this topic. During the first week of December, we therefore talked about healthy and unhealthy foods and discussed related professions such as chefs, pastry chefs, nutritionists and so on. The rhythmic activities based on food names, such as “The baker bakes rolls…”, were great fun. Fortunately, the only time we experienced a long queue at the till was when we were playing shop. We’ve also learnt how not to waste food and how to shop sensibly. As St Nicholas visited us in the first week, we drew pictures of St Nicholas, angels and even devils, and used our drawings to decorate after-school care. In the second week, we did some baking – not just as part of a game, but for real. First, in after-school care activity, we baked three types of biscuits: gingerbread, whipped cream biscuits and no-bake balls. And we really ‘enjoyed’ this hands-on game of playing at being bakers. But after something sweet, you need to get moving, which was sorted by the active game ‘Kuchta buchta’. We had great fun acting out all the food-related jobs, such as ‘waiter, pizza chef, sushi chef…’, and some of the roles were quite tricky to guess. We also discovered in after-school care that you can ‘knead’ dough during musical activities too. We also learnt the basics of ‘table manners’. And as Christmas was approaching, the themes of Christmas carols, discussions about traditions, and drawings of Christmas and winter motifs were interwoven throughout our activities. When the weather was on our side, we also enjoyed playing games outdoors. And during the last week of December in after-school care, we were really looking forward to the upcoming Christmas. We drew a Christmas tree with presents. Of course, we also unwrapped our after-school care presents and played with them. Singing carols was certainly on the agenda, and we got active again, this time with the ‘Linzer…’ movement game. To round off the month and the year, we had great fun in the Christmas photo corner. We wish you all a very Merry Christmas and look forward to seeing you again in the new year, 2024!

Vendy and Majda, after-school care leaders

Throughout November, we explored the theme of ‘Transport’ together. We chatted, drew, painted, sang, danced, composed, created and took part in lots of activities centred on transport and everything related to it. We discussed the different modes of transport that fly, sail and drive. Road signs are an integral part of transport, and the children learnt to recognise them. We used various books, encyclopaedias and audio-visual materials to help us; for example, the children learnt to recognise the sounds of different modes of transport by ear. As part of the transport theme, the children tried their hand at being a ship’s captain, a train conductor, a driver, a courier, a traffic police officer and so on. We also included pedestrians in the transport theme – not as a profession, but to promote safe behaviour when crossing the road, walking on the pavement, near the carriageway, or travelling on public transport. Thanks to the lovely weather, we were able to carry out many activities outdoors, where the children used chalk, for example, to draw a ‘zebra crossing’ for pedestrians, traffic lights, pedestrians and cars; this was followed by a wonderful role-play demonstrating how things should and should not happen in traffic. We focused more on activities relating to left-right orientation, as here too the children experienced first-hand how important it is to know the difference between right and left and the possible consequences of not doing so. During our music sessions, we enjoyed playing Orff instruments and drumbeny together. In our art sessions, we created works using various art materials and tried out different art techniques. For the first time, we introduced technical and craft education, during which the children tried their hand at using a saw and carved tracks, which they then assembled from cut-up sticks. This activity sprang from the children’s spontaneous imagination and we had a lot of fun with it. Throughout November, we also continued with our serialised reading, this time featuring Mach and Šebestová, who introduced us to yet another ‘means’ of transport, which they used to get wherever they needed to go. And when the autumn weather wasn’t on our side, we got out our grid paper and played classic, timeless games such as noughts and crosses, or made paper aeroplanes. And how beautifully they flew… Throughout the month, we also worked hard preparing for the Christmas fair, where we helped create interesting Christmas crafts. The end of the month was, as usual, dedicated to our after-school care-wide event – the Kite Festival. The event was also organised for our parents. We kicked off the Kite Festival together at our after-school care, where, together with friends from the second group, we made a giant kite with a very long, ribbon-tied tail. Thanks to this, we enjoyed making handprints with coloured hands, folding bows from coloured paper and sorting them by colour. This kite wasn’t meant for flying, but to decorate our school corridor. We then headed out to Lobez Park with our flying kites. In Lobez Park, we waited impatiently for the right wind conditions, and as soon as the right breeze came our way, we launched our kites into the sky. A wide variety of kites were on display at our event; at the end, prizes were awarded for the kite that flew the highest, the smallest kite, the largest kite and the most original kite. Parents had the chance to win prizes for the fastest parent flying a kite and for a kite slalom. At the end, every participant in our kite-flying event received a medal, a tasty treat and a themed flying gift. We’d like to thank the children and parents for a lovely afternoon and a brilliant atmosphere, and we look forward to seeing you again next year, perhaps. Here in after-school care, we’re all looking forward to the coming month of December, when we’ll be exploring the theme ‘We know what we eat’.

Teachers Vendy and Majda

The theme for October at our after-school care was ‘helping and protecting’. How can I help? How can I protect others? What professions does this monthly theme cover? We explored all these questions during the lovely autumn month of October. Through art, PE, music and drama activities, we learnt the important emergency numbers: 150, 155 and 158. The first week focused on the theme ‘police, fire brigade, ambulance service’, and so the song ‘Hašičská’ was played throughout the week, accompanied by movements. We enjoyed acting out various dangerous situations and learning how to react in them, for example, if there’s a fire or if someone tries to lure us somewhere. In the second week of October, we focused on the theme ‘ambulance crews, first aid’, and we drew a picture of an ambulance. We also covered the contents of a first-aid kit both in theory and through drawing, as well as the principles of first aid, which we discussed. We enjoyed acting out scenes about calling for first aid. We put our knowledge of dialling the correct emergency number into practice during a PE game called ‘The Injured Person’, whilst the group sang the song ‘The Ambulance’. We’ve also learnt how important it is to know our address and where we are at any given moment. The third week was all about detectives and the police. We enjoyed playing cops and robbers, so the song ‘Policemen’ came in handy, and we chatted about what this job actually involves… The weather was kind to us during the first weeks of October, so we spent plenty of time outdoors on the school playground, taking in the beauty and scents of autumn, even whilst raking leaves. Towards the end of October, Halloween came round; we decorated after-school care in keeping with the festival, drawing festive motifs such as pumpkins, spiders, bats and ghosts, and we even created a live memory game. During our whole after-school care Halloween event, we worked together to draw a Halloween picture and carved our own pumpkins. October was colourful and fun; in its final days, we summarised the month’s theme, but now it’s time to set our sights on November!

Teachers Vendy and Majda

The first month of term flew by in a flash. At the start of September, we drew up our class rules, with every pupil playing a part. We wrote the rules down, printed them onto biscuit cutters and displayed them in a prominent place in our after-school care classroom. At the same time, we each made a colourful fingerprint on one of the cake templates to confirm that we agreed to the rules. Throughout September, we played icebreaker games and took part in team activities, which allowed us to get to know all our friends and classmates from our school in a fun way. At the start of the school year, we were also introduced to after-school care’s theme for the year, which is called ‘No pain, no gain’. Every month, we’ve got loads of fun activities, tasks, games and creative projects lined up, through which we’ll learn about different types of jobs and even have the chance to try some of them out for ourselves. In September, we talked about jobs in general; we played games such as charades and guessed which profession each child was acting out, as well as various puzzles about professions and, for example, the word game ‘Hangman’ – where we uncovered hidden words related to our theme. During our rest period after lunch, we read the serialised book “How Vítek Went to Prague” – as the book also mentioned a number of professions, it fitted in nicely with our topic. As well as our year-long game, the pupils have the opportunity to engage in individual activities both before and after lunch. It’s up to each child to choose whatever they feel like doing – free drawing, board games, table football, beading, building with magnetic blocks, reading books or magazines, and plenty of other activities to suit their preferences. Throughout September, we also made figures representing various professions. Everyone chose a profession they liked, coloured in their figure, and we placed a photo of a specific children’s author in place of the figure’s head. The figures now form part of the decoration in our after-school care classroom. Every month, we’ll have a joint after-school care event. This September, we held a joint event called ‘Heart Day’ – we learnt about one of the significant days on the calendar, ‘Heart Day’. As well as learning about the significance of this day, we also enjoyed several activities that helped us celebrate Heart Day even more. We were blessed with lovely weather, so all of after-school care event took place outside in the school garden. The pupils had the chance to try their hand at drawing a heart and demonstrating blood circulation using a magical experiment involving warm water, bicarbonate of soda and soap with turmeric. They also made a heart-shaped decoration on a skewer and a heart-shaped bracelet. For the very brave, there was the chance to dip their hand into a glass full of ‘bloody’ liquid and identify, by touch, what was in the ‘blood’. And in another ‘bloody’ glass, everyone could fish out a little heart to keep as a souvenir. There were also heart-shaped messages, and it was then up to each child to decide to whom they would give their heart with a message. To mark the end of the month, we celebrated Czech Statehood Day and, at the same time, the feast day of St Wenceslas, Prince of the Přemyslid dynasty and patron saint of Bohemia and Moravia. And we’re looking forward to October, when we’ll be taking a look at the professions we’ve grouped under the heading ‘To Help and Protect’.

Teachers Majda and Vendy

And that’s it for this month! This month, we focused on comics linked to the theme of good and evil. We analysed a selection of Marvel and DC comics and discussed what everyone likes. On 1 June, we celebrated Children’s Day with after-school care event, where various competitions were organised for the children, and there were plenty of prizes too. The children really enjoyed the day. In the first week, we created an underwater world to mark International Ocean Day (8 June), practised the basics of athletics, sang like little birds, and the children also presented their favourite comics and characters. In the second week, we tried our hand at drawing our own comics, discussed the characteristics of comic book heroes, listened to modern music and built an obstacle course. We didn’t forget about Father’s Day this week either, which fell on Sunday 18 June; we made personalised cards for our dads, prepared a worksheet for them and had a lovely chat about them. The following week, after-school care was closed due to the school trip. In the final week, we focused solely on enjoyable activities, namely chatting about the summer holidays. We discussed who was going where and what our plans were. The children coloured in giant colouring pages and enjoyed our last moments together. Together, we looked back on the past year and our annual theme, which we rounded off with a fairy-tale quiz. This month – and indeed the whole year – has flown by, and all that remains for me is to wish you a wonderful summer full of relaxation and new experiences!

Group leader Renča

Slowly but surely, we are approaching the end of our school year, and May is now behind us. This month’s theme was myths and legends, linked to the motto of friendship and betrayal. We explored “Old Czech Legends” and “Old Greek Myths and Legends”, and of course we couldn’t leave out their authors – Alois Jirásek and Eduard Petiška. The children really enjoyed this theme; they brought in books on the subject as well as CDs to listen to, and of course we watched some documentaries too. We drew Šemík, Icarus and other characters from the legends, and tried our hand at lots of activities from that period – the boar-throwing game, Šemík’s leap and the Girls’ War. There were also dramatisations and pantomimes of various legends, which really struck a chord with the children; it was simply great fun. The following week, we focused on our mums and their special day. We made some lovely cards for them with messages, drew their portraits, chatted about them and filled in a worksheet describing what they’re like. The following week was all about emotions and feelings, which flowed beautifully from our monthly theme. We read various stories about emotions and discussed them. We also made our own memory game featuring emotions and tried our hand at drawing an abstract piece influenced solely by our current feelings – something the children managed to express very well through colour. Every day, we also moved pegs along the ‘circle of emotions’ to show how we were feeling at that moment. On 23 May, it was World Turtle Day, which we spent making turtle crafts. This month’s after-school care event was linked to the whole-school Spring Festival, which was a great success. In the last week of the month, we discussed the topic of friendship, which is important in our lives. The main question was what friendship actually means to us, and of course it means something different to everyone – which is exactly as it should be. We drew portraits of our best friends, tried our hand at partner dancing – the Mazurka and Bachata – and finally acted out a few typical scenes about friendship, which the children really enjoyed. And now we’re welcoming our final month before the summer holidays: June!

Teacher Renča

In April, we explored the theme of fables and the motto ‘cleverness and foolishness’. But in the first week of April, we delved into the topic of Easter, where we learnt about the various traditions associated with it. We also made Easter cards with different designs and practised some Easter rhymes. We then enjoyed the Easter holidays and, the following week, set about analysing fables and the life of Aesop. We read through various fables and, above all, discussed the moral lessons to be learnt from them. We also tried our hand at keeping rhythm with sticks and Boomwhackers to various songs. In PE, we played a relay game of ‘Chinese whispers’, jumped rope and played various ball games. The children really enjoyed dramatising the fables; they love it when they can let their imaginations run wild. We didn’t forget about environmental protection either, which took centre stage this month on 22 April – Earth Day. We tried our hand at charcoal drawing, focusing on nature and animals. We discussed how we should treat nature, what is good and what is bad for it; we also sang a few songs about nature, and of course we couldn’t miss out on pantomimes of animals or scenes from nature. In the final week, we couldn’t leave out the topic of the Witches’ Bonfire. We read lots of stories from “The Little Witch”, learnt about the traditions associated with the Witches’ Bonfire. We also talked about how things used to be with witches in the past, how they are today, and what people do on May Day. Together with the children, we made a hanging witch, sang witchy songs and, of course, we couldn’t miss out on a witch’s dance or a ride on a broomstick. We learnt Baba Yaga’s spell, a witch’s poem and, last but not least, we had to perform a few magic tricks whilst making potions. At the end of the week, we had after-school care event, which this time was an art workshop. Here, the children had the chance to try their hand at still-life drawing as well as abstract art, which received a lot of positive feedback. We really enjoyed this month and are looking forward to the next one.

Caregiver Renča

The theme for March was animated fairy tales, with bravery and cowardice as their central themes – and we managed to explore all of this in the very first week. We tried to recognise animated fairy tales by their theme tunes, and of course we couldn’t miss out on acting them out, which the children really enjoyed. In art class, we created 3D figures of Shrek, the Smurfs and Minions, and we didn’t forget to make crafts for the Easter fair either. In the second week, we drew animated characters based on a random draw, and the children did a brilliant job. We combined music with movement whilst playing at being musicians. We also had fun with the Czech language – we tried out various tongue-twisters and wordplay, and of course there were plenty of jokes too. The following week, we slowly began to welcome spring, so we made a tulip-shaped flower pot decoration, which the children were delighted with. We discussed what happens to nature and around us in spring. We sang lots of spring-themed songs and also played Orff instruments. Last but not least, we improvised some spring-themed activities, which really captured the children’s interest and led to some lovely performances. This week also saw after-school care event centred around presenting favourite books, as March is Book Month. The children spoke very nicely about their books, and some even brought soft toys to go with the stories. We read lots of spring stories, some of which were about animals and their senses of hearing and smell. In the last week of March, we focused on spring activities, specifically making spring and Easter decorations for our after-school care. This was followed by the song ‘The Gardener Went into the Garden’, complete with actions, and the next day we sowed our Easter wheat. We also held a nature quiz to test our knowledge a little and, where possible, broaden our horizons. Finally, we tried our hand at making a mini-book, a story or a comic strip, which brought March – the Month of the Book – to a close. And now, on to April and, with it, Easter!

Teacher Renča

Our shortest month has come to an end, and with it comes a look back at our activities. At the start of the month, we wrapped up our work on the theme of family, where we created our own family trees and completed worksheets about ourselves and our loved ones. February was all about modern fairy tales, which the children are currently very keen on. We tried our hand at charcoal drawings of our favourite characters from Frozen, Madagascar and Ice Age. We did an audio quiz on modern fairy tales and didn’t forget to dramatise the theme of the month, performing little scenes about generosity and greed. We also held competitions in various sports, which the children really enjoyed. The following week brought the spring half-term holidays, and straight afterwards we shared stories of our experiences during them. In the week that followed, we focused on our senses; art and craft activities centred on crayons and ink, where we practised our sight. We also tasted various treats to explore our sense of taste, and of course we didn’t forget about our sense of smell either. These activities were a great success with the children. The tactile activity took the form of a game of ‘Kim’, and we practised our hearing by dancing to songs of our choice. The last week of the month was dedicated to Shrovetide, or carnival, which was also the name of our after-school care event. The children learnt about the folk traditions of this festival, made their own masks and enjoyed our after-school care carnival in their own costumes. It was a magical end to February and we’re already looking forward to March.

Teacher Renča

And here we are in the new year, and with it comes January. This time, we’ve focused on fairy-tale films centred on the themes of modesty and greed. In the first week, we talked about “The Three Kings”, made their crowns and sang a very well-known carol about them. Of course, we didn’t forget to talk about what Christmas was like for each of us and what Father Christmas brought us. We devoted the second week to the ever-popular Harry Potter and the Lord Whose Name Must Not Be Spoken. We couldn’t miss out on making Hedwig the owl, learning world-famous spells, or acting out scenes from the film series, which the children thoroughly enjoyed. The following week, we tackled a more complex topic: the signs of the zodiac, which literally captivated the children. They drew their constellations on black backgrounds, completed worksheets about themselves, analysed their star signs in detail and then tried to portray them using their bodies. This week saw a talent show organised at the suggestion of the children from the second after-school care group, and it was a great success. And finally, we had a week dedicated to classic Czech fairy tales, during which we each drew a fairy tale that we know very well. We analysed Czech fairy-tale films, identified specific examples of the month’s theme within them, and, through role-play, tried to adapt the stories to the present day to see what the whole thing might look like. In the PE sessions, we tried out various sports competitions and gave Pilates and elements of children’s yoga a go, which the children really enjoyed. In the music session, we listened to and sang songs from film fairy tales, did rhythm exercises to songs by Uhlíř and Svěrák, and played the Drumbeny. This month, we held after-school care-wide event centred around a knowledge quiz, which also touched on our club’s themes. And on the last two days of January, we focused on the theme of ourselves and our families.

Care worker Renča

And so the most eagerly awaited month of the year arrived: December. We dedicated this magical time to the theme of classic Czech fairy tales and the motto ‘love and hate’, which is quite apt for this topic. We spent the weeks of December talking about Advent candles, Christmas traditions at home and abroad, our favourite fairy tales that are broadcast at Christmas, and, above all, what Christmas is like for each of us and all the things we do to celebrate it. Of course, we couldn’t miss out on reading various Christmas stories and fairy tales. We didn’t forget about St Nicholas and the stories associated with him either. We also managed to write or draw our wishes to Baby Jesus. As part of the theme, the children learnt about the writers Božena Němcová and Karel Jaromír Erben. They also tried their hand at a dramatisation based on the month’s theme and the fairy tale “The Twelve Months”, after which everyone reflected on their own performance. Of course, we couldn’t miss out on singing well-known songs from fairy tales, but above all carols and Christmas songs. In our art session, we made Christmas bells using ink and an eraser to reveal a winter landscape, and we also made little Christmas carp. We rounded off the month with after-school care event where the children made Christmas cards using various techniques, which they really enjoyed. Father Christmas also paid us a visit and presented the club with new toys and learning materials. And on the last day, I set up a Christmas photo corner for the children, which they absolutely loved. We all thoroughly enjoyed the month of December and even had a few snowy days, which were just what the children needed to be completely happy.

Wishing you a peaceful Christmas and a happy New Year, Renča, after-school care teacher

This month was all about bedtime stories, which was lovely, and we managed to discuss lots of fairy tales. November’s theme was compassion and indifference, which some children found very difficult to understand. Our main characters were from the fairy tales “From Moss and Ferns” (Křemílek and Vochomůrka), Pat and Mat, Bob and Bobek, Žofka the Zoo Director, and Rákosníček; but we also discussed Večerníček himself and his origins, which the children found very interesting. We made Večerníček’s hat out of newspaper and, using various tools, drew Křemílek and Vochomůrka or Pat and Mat based on templates. We also made our final autumn elves and hedgehogs. In music lessons, we sang ‘Večerníček’ by K. Černoch, learnt the song ‘Listopad’ and recognised melodies from various Večerníček episodes, which of course had to be accompanied by moving to the rhythm. We set up lots of obstacle courses, some of which even included a slalom run. We practised our quick thinking and patience through various games – for example, during matches of the bedtime story memory game. We discussed Saint Martin in detail, which the children found very interesting. Pantomime proved to be the most popular activity once again; this time, the children acted out their favourite bedtime story, followed by an analysis of it and, finally, modelling their favourite character. At the end of the month, we looked through encyclopaedias about birds, where we learnt about various species, but especially those that had flown off to warmer climes. There was nothing left to do but make little birds in a bird feeder together and then feed them outside our school. We also had a discussion about the first Sunday in Advent, the first candle being lit, and the gradual preparation of Christmas decorations. We also spent the whole month making crafts for the Christmas market, which was a great success. We rounded off November with after-school care event – a theatre performance – which was a great success for all those involved.

Teacher Renča

The theme for October was puppet fairy tales, and the motto was ‘sadness and fun’. In the first week, we looked at different types of puppets and the techniques used to operate them, and we tried our hand at making our own finger puppets, which we then used to put on a puppet show. This week also saw International Animal Day, when the children drew their favourite animal, and International Smile Day, for which the children had to create a smile in any form they liked, working in small groups. The second week was dedicated to Hurvínek and Spejbl, during which we listened to various stories about them and, based on these, had to draw their portraits. The following week was dedicated to the Bee Bears, whom we naturally drew as well, but above all we learnt their songs, which we accompanied by playing the piano, body percussion and melodic instruments. We also tried acting out a few scenes from “The Bee Bears” using pantomime. On 20 October, it was Tree Day, and using natural materials, we made a tree that was half deciduous and half coniferous. We also spent a few days on free play, various group games and building activities, and we didn’t forget about physical activity either – we practised the running drills, played hopscotch and had a skipping competition. We spent the last week getting ready for Halloween: we decorated the classroom and made bats, pumpkins and ghosts. The children were also set the task of painting or making a ghost of their own imagination. We rounded off the month with a whole-after-school-club Halloween event, where the children wore costumes all day – including us teachers – and we had prepared various spooky tasks for them, followed by a sweet treat.

Teacher Renča

And we’re back at school! This month has been all about icebreaker games, drawing up class rules and getting to know the annual plan, as we’ve welcomed some Year 1 pupils to our class and had to show them all of this. Our annual plan is called ‘The Kingdom of Fairy Tales’, and in September we focused on fairy tales in verse, with the theme of the month being ‘malice and nobility’. The main fairy tales we covered were “Budulínek” and “The Gingerbread House”. In our art sessions, we painted scenes from our summer holidays, made foxes out of paper coasters, and assembled and coloured in “The Gingerbread House”. In our craft and technical activities, we made modes of transport other than cars (to mark International Car-Free Day) and hot-air balloons. In our literary activities, we analysed verses, explored themed stories and composed our own poems. We also completed a few themed worksheets to ensure we stayed on track. Our music sessions included playing Orff instruments and Boomwhackers, clapping out various melodies and singing our favourite songs. Pantomime performances of fairy-tale creatures and animals proved very popular, but we also managed to put on dramatised versions of “Budulínek” and “The Gingerbread House”. In our physical education sessions, we went over the rules of fair play, took part in lots of physical activities, various relays and tag games, and ‘Indian Post’ became a favourite game. As part of the national holiday celebrations, we learnt about the story of Saint Wenceslas, during which we painted or made a portrait of him. We rounded off September with after-school care-wide event: a board game tournament.

Caregiver Renča

And here we are at the end of the last month and the whole school year. At the start of the month, we celebrated Children’s Day together. We organised lots of games, competitions and an entertaining programme for the children. We all had a brilliant time. As part of our art lessons, we drew our dream day – a day just as we’d like it to be – in comic-strip form. The children really enjoyed it and did a brilliant job.

We devoted the whole of the following week to the theme of the oceans. The children drew pictures depicting the ocean – clean and teeming with wildlife. Throughout the week, we talked about the animals and plants we can find in the oceans, which animals are endangered, and how we could help make the oceans cleaner. We also worked with an encyclopaedia, looking up what each creature looks like and finding out basic information about them. This week was both educational and fun; we really enjoyed it.

Father’s Day is celebrated in June, and we thought of that in after-school care too, making cards for our dads. As part of our physical education activities, we took part in sports and games on the school playground.

The following week, the children went on a school camp, and upon their return, our theme was clear: the summer holidays.

The children talked about their plans for the holidays, what they were looking forward to and what lay ahead. They also drew pictures of all this, and we put the drawings on the noticeboard.

We really enjoyed the whole month, just as we did the whole school year, and I’m very happy about that.

I wish everyone a wonderful summer, full of lovely experiences and joy.

Thank you, Majda, the teacher

Another month has come to an end and it’s time to recap our activities in May. At the start of May, we celebrated Star Wars Day together. I prepared some fun worksheets for the children; we listened to songs from the films and talked about the basic plot and which characters we like best. We also didn’t forget about Sun Day, which we celebrated with the children’s lovely drawings and by talking about the Sun. Nor did we forget about Mother’s Day, when the children made beautiful cards. Each card contained a sweet for Mum, and I hope all the children managed to give their mums the cards in one piece :-) .

The following week, we hosted after-school care event called ‘Easy Start Primary School’s Got Talent’, where the children showed us all the things they can do. We had the chance to listen to singing, piano and flute playing, watch group and solo dance performances, see Rubik’s Cube challenges against the clock, and even witness the creation of a 3D model of a train. The whole talent show was a great success; the children thoroughly enjoyed themselves and everyone took home a certificate. As a reward for their courage in showcasing their talents and performing in front of others, each child also received a small gift.

As part of our craft activities, I worked with the children in after-school care to make decorations for the spring festival. The children made beautiful butterflies and floral decorations, and with their help I created a large rainbow. I then arranged the children to form letters, and together we spelled out the word ‘spring’. Both the children and I really enjoyed this activity.

The following week, our theme was the forest and everything we know about it. We drew pictures in pairs depicting life in the forest; during this activity, the children also developed their auditory and creative perception. I showed the children information cards about the forest, where they found lots of information and pictures. We talked about what to wear when going into the forest, how to behave there, and what to do if we come across an animal or an injured animal.

Another important day was Turtle Day, which we also celebrated in after-school care. The children drew some truly beautiful pictures of turtles, which we immediately put on display on the noticeboard. We also worked with an encyclopaedia, where we found basic as well as interesting new information about turtles. We looked up the best-known turtles, as well as some of the lesser-known ones. The children really enjoyed this activity.

We finished reading a book full of proverbs with the Year 3 children, so to round things off I prepared a little activity for them to test their attention. They had to match a short description with the name of a proverb so that the proverb was correct. I must say I was pleasantly surprised at how well they did and how much they remembered from our reading together.

As part of our PE lessons, we go outside as much as possible. The children enjoy playing dodgeball together, skipping, or making up their own games. They have access to a very popular table tennis table, which they use a lot. Together, we then play games such as ‘sugar, coffee, lemonade’ or ‘Pope, Pope’.

On these sunny days, we don’t forget about the flowerbed either; the children help me water it, which they also really enjoy.

We’re already looking forward to the final month of this school year, and I hope we’ll enjoy it to the full :-).

Have a lovely day, Majda, the teacher

At the start of this month, we celebrated Bird Day with the children. We talked about the birds we know that live here, as well as those found elsewhere. To get a better idea, we looked through an encyclopaedia, which the children are already very good at finding their way around. We looked up a large number of birds, which the children then drew. We put the pictures on display in after-school care. As part of our music session, I played the children recordings of birdsong, telling them which bird each song came from. The children tried to imitate the birdsong, so all of after-school care broke into song :-).

Before we could relax over the long Easter weekend, we focused on the theme of Easter. We talked about the Easter traditions we know and which ones are still observed in our families. As part of our craft session, I helped the children make Easter cards, which they took home.

After the Easter holidays, we had after-school care-wide project, which this time lasted a whole week. It was an environmental project to celebrate International Earth Day. We started with some basic information about waste sorting, and we also played lots of games on this topic. Outside, the children had various activity stations set up where they completed different fun tasks, either on their own or in groups. To finish off, they all played a special ‘rubbish’ game of dodgeball together. We then talked with the children about the impact that litter has on nature and animals. We discussed how each of us can help keep the planet clean. On the final day, the children wrote a wish or a promise to Planet Earth, which I displayed alongside a picture of the planet. The children really enjoyed this project; we all had a great time, and I was pleasantly surprised by how much the children already knew about waste sorting and what a lovely relationship they have with nature.

The following week, we loosely continued with this theme and talked about trees and forests: which well-known trees and forests there are; how to behave properly in the forest; what we can find there; what we can collect and, conversely, what does not belong in the forest; and what is not edible from the forest.

In art lessons, the children drew a lovely view of spring through a keyhole. They also used watercolours and stencils to create beautiful spring flowers.

Weather permitting, we go to the school playground, where the children play dodgeball, jump rope and use other play equipment.

Wishing you lovely spring days, Teacher Majdad

Another month has come to an end, and with it our March activities. Our activities mainly centred on the onset of spring. We decorated after-school care with paper spring flowers that we’d made ourselves, as well as pictures of flowers drawn by the children. We discussed which flowers bloom first and how nature and animals respond to the onset of spring. The children drew some lovely pictures on this theme. We also celebrated World Water Day. We talked about how important water is to us. We discussed all the ways in which we, animals and nature need water. We often focus on building friendly relationships here in after-school care; we work in groups, listen to one another and learn to respect other people’s opinions. We also make good use of balance boards with the children to develop their balance and help prevent flat feet. The children enjoy these aids and use them quite often. As the weather began to improve, we spent a lot of time outdoors. We’ve got a new bird feeder, where we regularly put out some tasty treats for the birds. Outdoors, the children make use of all the equipment we have, such as skipping ropes, balls, flying discs and chalk for drawing on the pavement.

As part of our craft activities, we made little gifts for the Easter fair. You’ll be able to see how they turned out next Wednesday at the fair ;) .

This month, we rounded off with after-school care event: a board game tournament. The children brought board games from home and spent the whole afternoon taking turns to play them. They really enjoyed it.

I wish you lovely days, full of smiles and joy.

Majda, the after-school care teacher

The shortest month of the year is now behind us, and as it draws to a close, here is a summary of our after-school care activities. We devoted our first activities to the spring half-term, when the children talked about all the things they’d experienced and the places they’d been. They then drew some lovely pictures of their half-term.

We then focused on the theme of friendship. First, we talked all about our closest friends. The children said which qualities they value most in a friend and, conversely, what annoys them a little. We looked for books, stories or film titles where friendship plays a central role. This was followed by the children’s favourite activity – art – during which they drew pictures of themselves and their best friend doing their favourite activity together.

This was followed by a week dedicated to the carnival. At the start of the week, the children learnt about the history of the carnival, drew masks and a parade, and together we used their pictures to decorate after-school care. On Thursday, we held our after-school care carnival. As well as the beautiful masks the children wore, we had lots of fun playing games and taking part in competitions. We all had a marvellous time, and the children were given some prizes and a certificate of participation.

As well as indoor activities, we also enjoy outdoor ones. When we’re not out on our regular walks, the children spend time on our school playground.

This month has really flown by, so we’re already looking forward to the next one – and with it, the arrival of spring :-).

Wishing you all lovely days during these difficult times, Majda, after-school care teacher

The first month of this year has come to an end, and with it our January activities. As the children were still buzzing with excitement from Christmas and the Christmas holidays, our first activities focused on this theme. The children drew lovely Christmas pictures: what they’d received from Father Christmas, how and where they’d spent their Christmas, and what they’d enjoyed most. Each child also told us a little something about each picture. At the same time, we introduced some new games that had arrived in after-school care, so we learnt some lovely new games together. The following week was devoted to the theme of winter sports. We talked about which winter sports we know, which ones we do, and which ones we’d like to try. As part of our art activities, the children drew their favourite winter sport, and we briefly discussed the rules for each one. The next theme was about animals in winter. We learnt to recognise animal tracks in the snow, and discussed which animals hibernate during the winter and which remain active. We also discussed how to treat animals, not just in winter. The children drew pictures to go with this.

We’ve been given some new balance boards, which I really like and enjoy working with. The children took to them straight away, so we often set up an obstacle course, allowing the children to practise their balance and strengthen the soles of their feet. As part of our physical education activities, we regularly go for walks around the school, observe our surroundings and learn to find our way around. When we’re not out walking, we’re on the school playground, where the children play with a ball or make up their own games.

We’ve now got the spring half-term coming up, and after that our after-school care activities will resume – something I’m really looking forward to with the children.

Wishing you all a lovely day, Majda, the after-school care teacher

The last month of the year has come to an end, and with it our December activities. This month, we focused mainly on winter and Christmas activities. As part of our art lessons, the children drew winter landscapes using crayons and watercolours; we then put the pictures up on the noticeboard. This month, we focused a great deal on the Christmas theme. We read Christmas stories and fairy tales every day. I read to the children about interesting ways in which Christmas is celebrated in other countries. The children talked about how each of them celebrates Christmas. We discussed what Christmas means to us, what we look forward to most at Christmas, and what the children had written in their letters to Father Christmas. We put up some beautifully coloured Christmas trees on the noticeboard – which the children had drawn themselves – and at the same time we talked about the history of the Christmas tree. As part of our craft activities, we made Christmas cards and small decorations with the children.

Weather permitting, we go for walks or to the school playground, where the children take part in physical activities. We’ve already had our first snowfall and built a couple of little snowmen.

As a surprise, I set up a Christmas photo corner for the children, which they really enjoyed. Every day, the children stick the dates onto our Advent Santa so that we can count down the days to Christmas together.

Now we’re all looking forward to Christmas, to presents and to spending time together with our families.

I wish you all a wonderful Christmas and, above all, good health in the New Year.

Majda, after-school care teacher

This lovely autumn is in full swing and another month has come to an end, so here’s a brief round-up of our after-school care activities. We kicked off the month by sharing stories about our autumn half-term holidays, which the children then drew on paper and we put up on the noticeboard. We welcomed the superhero who is accompanying us this month and began working on a superhero diary, in which we made our first entries.

We told the children the legend of St Martin and put together a St Martin’s Day display of their pictures.

As part of our craft activities, the children made Native American decorations out of wool, which are a great way to practise their fine motor skills, as well as their patience and concentration. Another topic we explored with the children was Car-Free Day. Together, we discussed the impact cars have on the environment, and the children then – either on their own or in small groups – devised and drew their own means of transport designed to have the least possible harmful impact on the planet. The children were also able to use old magazines, cutting out and sticking pieces to make collages. At first, the children weren’t quite sure what to do, but they soon got the hang of it and the results were brilliant. The more adventurous among them then tried to build their models using construction kits.

Weather permitting, we take the children outside to the school garden, where they use the climbing frames and play ball games. We also go on regular walks around the neighbourhood, where we do various autumn activities, play active games or simply observe autumnal nature and the changes taking place.

As part of music lessons, I played clips of songs or fairy tales for the children, and they had to identify which fairy tale or song it was. These activities are accompanied by games designed to develop auditory perception, observation skills and memory.

As it was World Greetings Day, we didn’t forget to mark the occasion. I told the children which greetings are appropriate in different situations, as well as some interesting greetings from other countries.

I made a ‘superhero wheel’ for the children, where, depending on their mood, they can place a token with their name on it into the slot that best describes how they’re feeling that day.

This week we’re focusing on birds. We’re talking about the birds that overwinter here, the birds we’re familiar with, and together we’re now making a bird tree. We’re also discussing why and how to feed the birds in the bird feeder properly, and we’ll be having a look in the encyclopaedia too.

And next week, we’ll slowly but surely start our Christmas activities and crafts.

Wishing you lovely, colourful autumn days – Majda, the teacher

Another month is drawing to a close, so it’s time for a brief round-up of our after-school care activities. Through games and fun activities, we’ve had no trouble getting to know our new friends, familiarising ourselves with how the club works and learning the rules for outdoor play. With the arrival of October, the beautifully colourful autumn was also upon us. We also captured autumn in a few pictures as part of our art lessons. The children beautifully drew all the splendours and colours of autumn. But we didn’t stop at just drawing autumn and its colours.

We celebrated International Animal Day, when we talked about animals, and the children told me which animals they liked best. If anyone wasn’t sure which animal we were talking about, we looked up the information in picture encyclopaedias. We played an animal charades game, which the children really enjoyed, and we had a good laugh doing it. We continued with the animal theme during our ‘Pets Day’ celebration, when the children were allowed to bring their small pets to school. So, all of a sudden, we had mice, hamsters, guinea pigs and even a stick insect in after-school care.

As part of our physical education activities, we go outside for walks around the school, where we practise spatial awareness, observe the school’s surroundings and note the changing seasons. On the school playground, the children play various ball games, jump rope or use the climbing frames.

As part of our annual thematic plan, this month we’re focusing on the superhero Spider-Man. We had a brief discussion with the children about what the story is about. We analysed Spider-Man’s superpowers and his positive qualities. The children then drew Spider-Man, coloured in a colouring page and used these to decorate the noticeboard.

Now after-school care’s décor has taken on a spooky, Halloween theme. We’re making paper decorations and ornaments with the children, which has given the club a wonderfully spooky look. We’re getting ready for next week, when we’ll be celebrating Halloween.

I’m looking forward to more fun activities with the children.

Wishing you all lovely autumn days, Majda, the after-school care teacher

The holidays flew by in a flash and the new school year has begun for all of us. Let’s hope everything goes well and we can attend school without any interruptions. :)

This year, my class has a mix of children from Year 1 and Year 3. We already know the Year 3s, whilst we’re just getting to know the Year 1s. We’re playing icebreaker games, we’ve drawn up after-school care rules together, and they’re gradually getting to grips with how the school and after-school care work. It’s all new and certainly a bit of a challenge, but I’m confident that, with my help and that of the Year 3 pupils, they’ll manage it well. :-) I’ve introduced the children to this year’s theme: ‘The Year of Superheroes’, where superheroes will be with us throughout the school year. I hope the children will enjoy after-school care and that they’ll look forward to coming along. :)

Wishing you all lovely days, Majda, the after-school care teacher

The final month of this school year has come to an end, and with it our after-school care activities.

Right at the start of the month, we celebrated Children’s Day. The children had lots of activity stations with tasks and sports activities. They could complete the tasks either on their own or in pairs. There were great prizes and certificates prepared for everyone. We also celebrated Oceans Day, when we drew pictures of the oceans. I showed the children some short videos, and we talked about the underwater world and all the ways in which we need the oceans. We also talked about pets, and the children drew pictures. For Father’s Day, we made cards. And, of course, we spent time on the forest sprites and our forest diaries. As part of our physical education activities, we spent time in the school garden, where the children played ball games, jumped rope and so on.

At the end of the year, we said goodbye together to the elves, whom we’d managed to rescue from the forest. The children took home their forest diaries, which they’d been working on all year and completing tasks in order to rescue the elves.

This school year has been a little more demanding, and you can tell the children are feeling a bit tired. I hope they’ll recharge their batteries over the summer holidays for the next school year and that they’ll have a wonderful time.

I wish you all a wonderful summer, full of pleasant experiences, sunshine and relaxation.

I look forward to seeing you all next school year.

Majda, class teacher

Spring is in full swing and another month has come to an end. In May, we spent a lot of time on spring activities in after-school care. This month, we marked Sun Day, when we learnt some basic facts about the Sun, why we need it and how we perceive it. The children then drew pictures on the theme ‘The Sun and Us’, using nothing but their imagination to create some beautiful artwork. As part of our art activities, we decorated pictures of a spring meadow, onto which the children stuck paper flowers. We didn’t forget about mums and their special day either, so the children made them some lovely cards.

At the same time, we’re still working on our forest diary; this time, we filled in questions about what we know about the forest. The children worked with information cards, recorded their answers in the diary and tried to work together.

In May, we also celebrate World Bee Day. So we talked about bees: what they do, their roles within the hive, and just how much we need them. We coloured in a few pictures and made a honeycomb and a few little bees. These little bees now look lovely decorating the door to after-school care.

In the last week of May, we focused on the theme of parks, as it was European Parks Day. We looked up the 10 most famous parks in the world, shared some basic information about them and looked at some lovely photographs. The children then came up with their own park and drew their ideas on paper. Their drawings turned out really well and look lovely on the noticeboard in after-school care.

We also played games to develop auditory perception, cooperation and communication. We haven’t forgotten about physical activities whilst spending time in the school garden either.

We have the final month of this school year ahead of us, so I’m looking forward to our upcoming activities with the children.

Have a lovely day, Majda, the after-school care teacher

As another month draws to a close, here is a summary of our activities in after-school care. First of all, we chatted with the children about what we’d been up to since we last saw each other, what’s new, and how much we’d been looking forward to seeing our friends again. The children even drew pictures to illustrate their stories, making them all the more colourful. We devoted the whole of the following week to celebrating Earth Day. I organised a small project for the children, where every day we discussed how to treat the planet and nature, how to sort waste properly, and how to minimise waste as much as possible. We also talked about how litter has a harmful impact on animals. On the topic of sorting and recycling waste, I’d prepared activities for the children and a fun way to revise what they’d learnt. Together with the children, we drew a picture of our planet on the noticeboard, and everyone added their own personal message: for people, for the planet, or a word of thanks.

The following week was devoted to the topic of trees and forests. Beautiful pictures of blossoming trees adorned our door. We talked about the trees and forests we know, and how important forests are to us. We also worked on a forest diary, where the children completed a few worksheets, and we’re eagerly awaiting the next letter from the forest sprites.

We’re not just ‘lazing about’ in after-school care; we’re making the most of the lovely weather and the space in front of the school, and we’re going outside to play active games.

As we were all looking forward to coming back to school and after-school care, we’re really enjoying our time together, and I’m looking forward to more activities with the children.

Wishing you all lovely days.

Majda, after-school care teacher

This month was, once again, a bit different for all of us. The children were learning via distance learning and the school was closed. Whilst the teachers continued to teach the children, the teaching assistants were hard at work. Whilst the school was closed, we prepared learning materials for the children to use. We managed to make a great many of them, so the children have plenty to look forward to. At the same time, we tidied up the after-school care rooms and got them ready for the children’s return to school.

This week, the children were able to return to school, and there are plenty of activities waiting for them in after-school care. I’m looking forward to spending time with the children and I hope we’ll continue to see each other until the end of the school year.

Wishing you all lovely days

Majda, After-school care teacher

Another month full of after-school care activities has come to an end. This month, we focused mainly on winter themes. As part of our art and craft activities, we decorated the noticeboard with winter dancers. The picture was a combination of art and craft work, and I must say the children did a brilliant job with the dancers. Our next theme was winter sports. We talked about the winter sports we know and all the different ones that exist. We briefly discussed the rules of these sports, the principles of fair play, and our top athletes. The following week, we stayed with the winter theme and talked about animals that live on ice and the Arctic Circle. With my help, the children looked up Arctic animals in encyclopaedias; we then read some basic information about them or went over what the children already knew. The children really enjoyed this activity, so we created a bear-themed noticeboard. Once again, combining practical and creative work, the children drew a picture of a polar bear on the ice.

In between these activities, we also play games with the children to develop their auditory perception, observation skills and memory. During outdoor physical education sessions, we play movement games, observe our surroundings, follow tracks in the snow and feed the birds. During the severe cold spell, I tried a ‘frozen bubble’ experiment with the children; although the experiment didn’t quite go to plan, we had plenty of fun doing it.

The children have been given new building sets, which they are absolutely delighted with.

As part of our craft activities, we also worked with wool, allowing the children to make an Indian-style decoration. We’re also continuing to work on our forest diary; this month, we did activities about who lives in the forest and what they eat.

At the end of the month, the main theme was the carnival. We made a carnival noticeboard with the children featuring their own drawings, decorated after-school care and talked about the history of the carnival. On Thursday, a carnival awaited them in after-school care, complete with games, competitions and fun. After-school care was instantly transformed into a room full of witches, skeletons and magicians, where we even found a snowman, a couple of hares and more. We really enjoyed the carnival.

The sun is already shining beautifully outside, spring is in the air, and I’m looking forward to spending more time outdoors and to more activities and fun with the children.

Wishing you lovely, sunny days, Majda, the after-school care teacher

Another month is drawing to a close, and it’s time to summarise our activities. Unfortunately, after Christmas we returned to school with a reduced number of pupils; the Year 4 pupils are continuing with distance learning. So, for the time being, I only have Year 1 pupils in after-school care. Our activities in January focused mainly on winter, winter landscapes and snow games. In art class, the children created Eskimos from a distant, frozen land. As part of our craft activities, the children cut out and glued snowflakes, which we used to decorate after-school care. We also turned after-school care into a gallery for a while, where the children drew pictures on the theme: ‘My Imaginary World’, which we then stuck up in the club. We organise physical activities outdoors in the school garden, as well as on walks to the park. The children play in the snow, build snowmen, make snow angels – they simply enjoy the snowfall. We also look for tracks in the snow, which we learn about from worksheets that we include in our forest diary. We’ve received another letter from the elves; we helped them get from the fairy-tale forest back to the real one. We managed it, so we’re waiting for the next letter. In the meantime, we’re working on identifying animal tracks in our forest diary. During our craft session, the children also helped me make a bird feeder; it isn’t perfect, but it’s sturdy and the birds happily fly to it.

We’re looking forward to another month together and to the rest of our friends returning to us.

Wishing you lovely winter days, Majda, after-school care teacher

December isn’t over yet, but for us at school it is, so it’s time to summarise our after-school care activities. The main theme this month was Christmas. To start with, we talked to the children about Advent – what it means during the festive season, why we make Advent wreaths and why we light candles every Sunday in the run-up to Christmas. The children drew pictures of Advent wreaths, which now decorate their tables at home. We also decorated after-school care with a wreath we’d made ourselves. Another theme was St Nicholas’ Day. We discussed why the festival is celebrated and why St Nicholas, an angel and a devil visit the children. Everyone told us what they most often receive from St Nicholas, and we recited a few poems too. As part of our craft activities, the children made Christmas decorations from iron-on beads. I also helped the children weave a Christmas tree from newspaper tubes. The finished tree was then painted, decorated, and everyone was able to take theirs home. As this activity is quite time-consuming, many of the children won’t take their trees home until January. During quiet time, I read Christmas stories and fairy tales to the children. We had a real Christmas atmosphere in after-school care thanks to our decorations and the Christmas songs I played for the children. We talked about our Christmas traditions, the traditions each family has, and even traditions in other countries.

Every day we went out into the garden, where the children played football, rode their scooters and where we played games together, such as ‘Frosty the Snowman’.

As a surprise for the children, I set up a Christmas photo corner where I took photos of them. The children really loved the surprise, and I hope the parents did too – I’ve sent all the photos to them by email. :-)

Now we’ll all be enjoying the festive cheer and atmosphere and looking forward, hopefully, to a calmer New Year in 2021.

I wish you a wonderful Christmas, full of peace and, above all, good health in the coming year.

Majda, after-school care teacher

We’ve had two rather challenging months. For parents, children and us alike. Even before the school closed due to the pandemic, we managed to welcome in autumn with the children. We made some lovely autumn decorations in after-school care, took part in autumn-themed activities, played games together and enjoyed the fresh air in the school garden.

Now the school has reopened and we can carry on with the activities I’ve prepared for the children.

As part of the hygiene measures, I currently only have Year 1 children in after-school care. Ms Havířová is in charge of the Year 4 children. Once again, we are slowly saying goodbye – this time not to summer, but to autumn – and are gradually beginning to welcome the arrival of winter. We spent the whole of last week learning about birds. We talked about which birds fly away to warmer climes and which ones stay. We also discussed when and how to feed the birds. As part of our craft activity, the children made origami birds out of paper. Together, we then drew a large bird tree, onto which we stuck lots of birds that the children had coloured in. The final activity was part of our music lessons, during which I played recordings of birdsong to the children and they tried to guess which bird each song belonged to. It was a very difficult task, but the children still enjoyed it immensely. We also focus on physical activities, and I take the children outside every day. Out there, the children play on their own or we play games together, during which they get to run about a bit and warm up.

Now that December is here, we’re starting to decorate after-school care with Christmas decorations, and we’re launching our ‘Father Christmas’ workshop, where the children will make their own Christmas presents. And we’re patiently waiting for another letter from our elf friends. :-)

I wish you wonderful days, full of good cheer and good health.

Majda, after-school care teacher

The first month has flown by, so I’d like to summarise what we’ve been up to in after-school care during that time. As I’ve already mentioned, this whole month has mainly been about getting to know one another. We’ve drawn up some club rules, which we’ve put up on the door so we can always see them.

We received our first letter from the elves, along with our first tasks for the forest diary. The children really enjoy this and are looking forward to the next letter, which will arrive sometime in October. We’ve been making the most of the Indian summer and the lovely weather; we go outside every day, and now that the weather’s getting colder, we go out for at least a little while. On Mondays and Wednesdays, we take some of the children outside the school garden grounds. During our walks, we learn to find our way around the area near the school, play games and do physical activities.

Autumn has begun, and with it come autumnal activities and crafts. We’ve made some autumn decorations, and we’re talking to the children about how animals and nature as a whole prepare for the arrival of winter. We’re also discussing how the change in weather affects us humans – our moods, our wardrobes and our increased focus on hygiene.

We’re having a great time in after-school care, and I hope we’ll continue to enjoy it for a long time to come. :)

Wishing you a lovely autumn, full of good cheer, from your carers Majda and Markéta

The start of the school year in after-school care

Our after-school care has children from Year 1 and Year 4. The Year 1 pupils first got to know their new surroundings and how the club runs. Then we all got to know one another through some fun icebreaker games. We’re still playing games to help us remember our new friends’ names. :-)

I introduced the children to our themed programme, which will guide us through the whole year in after-school care. Together, through various activities and tasks, we’ll be rescuing the elves from the enchanted forest.

After the holidays, the children told us all about their summer adventures, and we decorated the noticeboard with their drawings depicting their summer experiences. :)

We’re making the most of the lovely weather and go outside every afternoon, where the children have access to a climbing wall, a slide, as well as lots of balls, skipping ropes and more.

Next week, the children are off on a school camp, but we’re already looking forward to more adventures in after-school care. :)

Have a lovely day, Majda, the after-school care teacher