LEARN, LAUGH, AND GROW TOGETHER
I started Teddy-cation because I wanted a class that provided fun educational, interactive learning opportunities that covered different subject areas and worked different areas of the brain firing the imagination of young minds. I wanted a class that also provided a rich combination of educational experiences and fun innovative ways of learning, which would give parents practical ideas that they could use at home with their children and help prepare them for school life. A class that didn’t already exist out there for my toddler twins.
I have 17 years of primary school teaching experience including being Deputy Head for a number of years. This experience as well as being school ambassader for BLP, (Building Learning Power) and Assessment Lead, has helped to create the Teddy-cation curriculum for children aged 2 ½ to preschool age.
Being a mum of 6 year old twins has made it clear to me how important it is to introduce children to new educational experiences in an informal fun format creating a foundation block to build upon for future learning. I use elements of the Early Years Curriculum to help structure my classes, with a clear learning intention and fun activities working alongside parents with time to reflect on what we have achieved.
I also offer educational consultancy services and I am currently working with the Children’s Play Village in Warwick.
Educational benefits
Teddy-cation is a unique pre-school group in Warwickshire that provides Budding Brains (Buddies) with an opportunity to take part in a range of practical and rewarding activities based on: Communication, Language & Literacy, Physical Development, Mathematics, Understanding of the World, Expressive Arts & Design, Personal Social & Emotional Development in line with the Early Years Foundation Stage. Using physical brain warm up technique principles helps to fire up neurons in the brain.
Many educators believe that using brain exercises helps improve childrens’ concentration, memory, physical co-ordination and self-responsibility in learning new skills and concepts. Learning takes places through explorative and imaginative play and through listening, talking and discussing.
These are short fun movements/exercises that take place at the start of the class designed to engage the brain for example:
This is an important developmental skill needed for everyday tasks such as putting on your shoes or hitting a ball. Crossing the midline with the dominant hand provides practise to develop good fine motor skills. It is suggested that not practising crossing the midline may make it difficult to track moving objects from one side to another or even tracking reading from left to right.
About our Classes
Teddy- cation is a new toddler class that combines education, with fun interactive activities covering different skills in the subjects areas; Art, English, Maths, Science, D&T, P.E. Geography and Music linked with Early Years Foudation Stage. By covering different subject areas and skills, each lesson is a new and exciting learning experience pitched at an age appropriate level .
Teddy- cation is tailored specifically to the pre school (2 ½ – 4yrs) developmental phase and develops language and communication skills, listening skills, social and emotional skills, confidence, co-ordination, imagination, enquiring minds, creativity and exploration of different subject area skills.
The classes follow a set structure with Teddy Neuron greeting each child, a brain warm up exercise, a mission set by Teddy Neuron, a fun practical activity based on a subject area, a circle time sharing and communication of the learning experience and sticker in their Super Hero Card, a self assessment activity to reflect on their learning and a good bye high five from Teddy Neuron. Each class teaches parents/carers simple skills and activities in different subject areas that can be used at home with the children.
Each class runs for 45 minutes over the course of a Warwickshire school term and has a maximum of 14 children attending each session. In the last week of each term Teddy Neuron’s Budding Brains (Buddies) get a certificate, and in the last week of the summer term they graduate into becoming Super Heroes themselves.
The Buddies are given the opportunity to speak and listen in a range of situations that will help to build their confidence and skills in expressing themselves. Through the class activities the children will respond to what they hear with relevant comments, questions and actions. The children will be given simple instructions involving several ideas and actions. The Buddies will be given opportunities to express themselves talking about events that have happened in the class and what might happen next, and to make connections between ideas and events e.g. at the end of the session reflecting on their experiences throughout the session.
The Buddies will be given opportunities to practise skills in counting numbers, identifying shapes and exploring measures (talking about sizes and comparing them).
This involves providing opportunities for the Buddies to be active and interactive and develop their co-ordination, control and movement. The Buddies will be given the experience to explore large and small movements to work towards becoming more confident in a range of ways, for example: safely negotiating space and controlling equipment to include throwing and catching balls; handling different tools to develop fine motor skills including using a pen, pencil and paint brushes.
The Buddies will be guided to make sense of the physical world through opportunities to explore and observe what is around them, looking at objects, materials and living things.
The Buddies will be supported to explore and play with a wide range of media and materials. We will provide opportunities for sharing their thoughts, ideas and feelings for a variety of activities in art, music, dance, design and technology.
Buddies will be helped to:
We aim to encourage Buddies to become confident in trying new activities, to be able to speak in a familiar group about their ideas and work as part of a group following the rules of the class.
Angela Lewis reviewed Teddy-cation – 5 star
13 October 2016
This is definitely the best class I do with my daughter (2y9m). She talks about it all the time, knows the day it’s on and is always enthusiastic to go even on grumpy days. It took her a few sessions to get used to Teddy Neuron but now she high-fives him with all her might grin emoticon:D
Each themed session has 3 main activities (a mix of crafty or active, all with an educational objective) aimed & timed well to suit all ages in the group, and we often have something to bring home to show Daddy.
Learning IS fun!
Andrea Docherty reviewed Teddy-cation – 5 star
3 December 2016
I have been taking my 3 year old twin sons to the class for a term now and we love it and have already signed up for the Spring term. It’s an extremely well run class, full of fun and activity. Every week is a different theme with extremely well thought through activities held in a really friendly environment. It’s the best pre school class we do and I’d highly recommend it.
Donnamarie Davenport reviewed Teddy-cation – 5 star
29 April at 05:47 ·
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What a fantastic class my little girl loved the variety of things to do. This week there were things to find and match relating to the seasons, things to create a lovely flower picture and things to plant our runner bean so a real opportunity to engage all the senses – there was a bit of avid listening too!
My little girl also enjoyed the class a few weeks ago and has really mastered using scissors since coming along. Great entertainment for me and my pre-schooler
Sarah Abercrombie reviewed Teddy-cation – 5 star
21 April at 13:18 ·
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We had a great time at Teddy-Cation, the girls loved all the different activities and were constantly stimulated (no mean feat). Becky’s experience lends itself perfectly to this class and preparing the little pre-schoolers for the big day! Thank you
Sarah Abercrombie
Laura Foster reviewed Teddy-cation – 5 star
4 December 2016
We’ve just finished our 2nd term at Teddy-Cation and I really can’t recommend this class enough. Every single session is beautifully creative, engaging and so well organised. I feel these classes are really helping prepare my August baby for starting school next year. Thank you Becky & Teddy Neuron! �
Sophie Bullivant reviewed Teddy-cation – 5 star
16th May 2015
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First and foremost Becky is literally the Mary Poppins of the Midlands ! She has this really unique way of teaching whilst making the lessons oodles of fun ! Simply put this is exactly how teaching should be ! All the red tape and pen pushing measures from the government have put a stop to fun learning . These classes are so refreshing ! My kids have so much fun they don’t even know they are learning and can’t wait to go back ! A fantastic concept which I know is going to be a huge success …. So much so that I’m going to book ahead for as many sessions as I can !
Helen Watkins reviewed Teddy-cation – 5 star
3 May at 00:07 ·
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Ella and I had a fantastic time last she hasn’t stopped talking about teddy neuron and the things we did. Great mix of fun but learning and allows parent child interaction as well, we’re coming back
Sarah Tsang reviewed Teddy-cation – 5 star
1 December 2016
Fabulous class, well structured, educational and lots of fun. Lots of seasonal themes with plenty of variety in the activities each week. My son loves to tell everyone about what he has been doing with Teddy-neuron each week, and is always eagre to go to class. Highly recommended smile emoticon
Bally Wadalia reviewed Teddy-cation – 5 star
6 October 2016
Highly recommended, it was our highlight of the week! My boys loved going to Teddy-cation. Becky is fantastic – she is so encouraging that the children can’t help but throw themselves into the activities. It also gave me ideas for new play and games at home.
Lisa Dennis reviewed Teddy-cation – 5 star
27 June 2016
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Hi Becky
I just wanted to share my praise for the class you run on a Tuesday at Hatton Park Village Hall. Lexie really enjoys the class and loves the activities yourself and Teddy Neuron set. I like the way you use elements of the Early Years Curriculum to help structure your classes, which are fun and keep Lexie entertained while she is learning at the same time. I think it’s great that there are different themes each week and I love the fact that I can also take part and interact with Lexie on the activities which gives us great mum and daughter time especially when I want to make more use of our time together now that I have a newborn baby daughter. Keep up the great work and thank you.
Ayshea Tovey reviewed Teddy-cation – 5 star
19 April at 22:41 ·
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Great session this week Becky thank you. D is loving the sessions and she counted the 11 studs on my jumper last night, touching one stud for each number she counted. Amazing since she wasn’t doing that 2 weeks ago when we did the giant dice activity. X
James Dex reviewed Teddy-cation – 5 star
24 April at 14:08 ·
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My son Isaac loved the session, just the right mix of brain teasers, dexterity and physicality for him. He was singing the teddy neuron song all day afterwards!
Photos taken by Lynne Gougeon and David Fawbert
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 Hatton Park Village Hall |
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Warwick Gates Community Centre |
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Whitnash Community Hall |
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Warwickshire Gym |
Starting School By Becky – Teddycation Starting school is a big milestone. It signifies a new chapter of independence and learning for your child! It is an exciting stage in your child’s development. As a teacher of 17 years you’d have thought I’d know the ropes when my twins started school in 2016, but being…
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Autumn has landed in Teddy-cation classes this week! We have explored Autumnal colours, changes in the environment around us and hibernating animals! We also pretended to shake leaves (coloured balls) off an autumnal tree (parachute). How cute are the hedgehogs 🦔 Love this time of year #autumn #signsofautumn🍁 #greatoutdoors #leaves #painting🎨 #clay #hedgehogs #preschoolclass #warwickshire #creative #imaginativeplay #learningnewskillsisfun #earlyyearsplay
Sarah AbercrombieWe did it The Great Birmingham Run! The weather wasn’t too bad either! Thank you all your support I have raised £752 including gift aid for TAMBA. Now for a large glass of gin and a bag of crisps! #greatbirminghamrun2019 #halfmarathon #runningforcharity #hitmytarget #twinsandmultiplebirthsassociation #thanksforyoursupport❤️ #gintime #saltvinegarcrisps
Good luck to all the Teddy-cation mums and dads who are running the Birmingham Half Marathon and the Green Leek 10km – I am feeling your pain! Thank you so much for all your generous Sponsorship, I have smashed my £600 target thanks to you all 🥰✨ but more sponsorship is always welcome x
Image John Lewis
Morning, tomorrow I will be running the Birmingham Half Marathon for TAMBA (Twins and Multiple Birth Association) an amazing charity that supports and improves the lives of families with twins, triplets or higher multiples. They are also supporting research for multiple sclerosis (higher risk in multiples) and campaigning for changes in maternity leave for parents of premature babies to name just a few amazing things they do. Issues that affect other families too! I am £147 pounds off my £600 total, if you could spare a few pounds to help me try and hit my total I would be so grateful. The link is below:
uk.virginmoneygiving.com/RebeccaMartin50/1?
Thank you so much for your support x
#twinsandmultiplebirthsassociation #charity #birminghamhalfmarathon2019 #runningintherain #hitmytarget #thanksforyoursupport #helpmereachmytarget #makeadifference #donate
Come and join us on Friday 25th October for a Halloween 🎃 inspired Outdoor Learning Session. We will be making a broomstick 🧹 and wand for all the woodland witches and wizards 🧙♂️ It will be popular so book early 🐻
bookthatin.com/BookingWidget?id=170
Just a reminder that Outdoor Learning isn’t on for the next two Fridays 😢
We were very lucky to be asked to host Flossy’s 4th Birthday party 🥳 and we had a fantastic time. The children were just gorgeous and loved making the fairy potion and painting the fairy houses! We were so lucky with the weather 🌝
If you would like to have a Teddy-cation party please get in touch, we can work around any theme you would like. We already have bookings for January and May 🐻
Thank you to everyone who entered the Teddy-cation competition. We drew the winners this morning…
💫3 free classes for you and a friend is Katie Eloise
💫Mini Teddy Neuron – Rachel Hartley
💫Free T-Shirt – Charlotte Victoria Nesbitt
Congratulations!!
As a way of saying thank you to those of you who took the time to enter, we would like to give you 10% off Autumn Term for new attendees and 10% off Spring Term for existing attendees!! 🐻
You missed out today! We had so much fun, collecting water, making mud pies and then building a shelter! Can you spot the fire 🔥 we used a finger light to create it and what’s great the children have taken it home to make a shelter and fire out of other material.
No Outdoor Learning next week.
Don’t forget that tonight is your last chance to enter our competition below 👇🏻
Come and join us this morning for some outdoor fun! I can’t guarantee a wave to surf on but we will be playing with water and mud!
Book a place via this link:
bookthatin.com/BookingWidget?id=170
Outdoor Learning tomorrow in the grounds of The Warwickshire, Leek Wootton 10am. Book via this link:
bookthatin.com/BookingWidget?id=170
It looks like rain but if you come dressed for it there are so many benefits:
☔️ learning about the joy of nature
☔️ learn to navigate slippery surfaces
☔️ learn through senses
☔️ learn about rain through first hand experience
☔️ learn about the properties of water
Come and join us for a fun morning playing with rain 🌧
Don’t forget to enter our competition, closes Friday 🐻
www.facebook.com/1200920659941954/posts/2800050896695581?sfns=mo💫Competition Time💫
🐻1st prize is 3 classes each for you and a friend for the Autumn Term
🐻2nd prize a Mini Teddy Neuron
🐻3rd prize a Teddy-cation t-shirt size 3-4 or 5-6yrs
✍🏻Terms and conditions
🤞🏻Like my page (not post)
🤞🏻Comment with the words – Teddy Neuron (tag a friend for extra chances of winning)
🤞🏻Share the competition
One entry per person, no monetary equivalent of the prize may be given. Classes only apply to Teddy-cation classes not Outdoor Learning. Facebook has no affiliation with this competition. All entries will be allocated a number and the winning numbers will be drawn at random.
Winner will be announced Saturday 5th October Am.
Good Luck 😉
Dinosaur 🦕 Week! We had a roarsome time, hatching a dinosaur egg, making a dinosaur and a fossil! I love how the children are experts in this area – always learn something new!! Why not join us this week and step back in time when dinosaurs ruled the world 🌍 #dinosaursarecool #dinoexperts #preschoolers #imaginativeplay #earlyyearseducation #toddlerartclasswarwickshire #science #fossils #creativity
💫Competition Time💫
🐻1st prize is 3 classes each for you and a friend for the Autumn Term
🐻2nd prize a Mini Teddy Neuron
🐻3rd prize a Teddy-cation t-shirt size 3-4 or 5-6yrs
✍🏻Terms and conditions
🤞🏻Like my page (not post)
🤞🏻Comment with the words – Teddy Neuron (tag a friend for extra chances of winning)
🤞🏻Share the competition
One entry per person, no monetary equivalent of the prize may be given. Classes only apply to Teddy-cation classes not Outdoor Learning. Facebook has no affiliation with this competition. All entries will be allocated a number and the winning numbers will be drawn at random.
Winner will be announced Saturday 5th October Am.
Good Luck 😉
Today was a busy one, we had the annual pumpkin 🎃 and baking competition in the village. Well our pumpkin was an impressive 59lb 3rd place (missed out on 2nd place by 2 lb) winning one was an almighty 133lb and the children took 2nd place in the children’s baking competition 👍🏻
Talking about competitions, ours starts tomorrow evening, all you will need to do is like my page, comment Teddy Neuron and share it to win – simple as that! 🐻
