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.
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! �
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
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!
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 !
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.
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!
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
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
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.
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
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.
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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We are going to complete this scavenger hunt around the estate where we live and the children receive a prize at the end rather than trick or treating. This fab sheet was created by an amazing TA I used to work with, he has lots of amazing ideas on his page:
Wishing my gorgeous Teddy-cation children who are starting school for the first time (or returning) all the luck in the world. Everyone is a star and deserves the right to twinkle ✨
www.facebook.com/166315510062374/posts/3837191706308051/?d=nLEGO MATH! I’ve put all our elementary math activities (and there are several!) all in one place. So many fun ways to learn math concepts!
LINK: frugalfun4boys.com/lego-math-activities-for-elementary/
🐻Well, we have been very quiet recently, a lot has happened over the last few months – house move, working back in school with key worker children, home educating my own children and finally being able to visit my parents in Devon after 7 months!
🐻I am hoping to start classes back in September but a scaled down timetable with Covid measures put into place.
🐻I will post more details over the next few days.
🐻We have really missed our Buddies and their parents and are particularly sad that we couldn’t say goodbye to some of the children who will be starting school in September – hopefully we can see some of you at our holiday classes in the future.
🐻Below illustrates some of the reasons why we work so hard on building our gross and fine motor skills, preparing for school life! Preschool age is such a crucial phase as they are developing both physically and mentally, making sense of the world around them and we strive at Teddy-cation to put the joy into learning and give both you and your child key skills to aid their development.
We are so looking forward to being back, thank you for your patience and we hope to see you really soon ❤️🐻Look at the differences between a typical younger child’s hand (left) and a typical older child’s hand (right). I have parents asking regularly why their preschool aged child isn’t able to write yet. This is why! Their hands (and brains) are still developing and are not fully formed. So what should they be doing to support this? PLAY!! Playdough, colouring, cutting, gluing, playing outside, digging in dirt, sensory play, dress up play, science experiments, beading, puzzles, throwing balls, etc. All of these things help their hands develop. When they are physically ready to write, they will! No need to rush them, they will show you when they are ready!
This is useful advise in light of the fact it will be compulsory from Friday 👍🏻I am sharing the following tips to help people breathe easier when wearing a mask. Many have reported, in groups I participate in, that it makes their symptoms worse or they have new ones. It doesn’t have to be that way.
Medical professionals usually get training on this, though recently I have heard from them as well. This post is not intended as a place to debate the efficacy of masks, the validity of protocols to wear them or to shame or judge people people for their views.
I am a Breath Behavior Analyst. My specialty is the psychophysiology of breathing. That means how our breathing habits affect the body’s chemistry and nervous system regulation. This includes hormones and thermoregulation issues.
Since all the Covid Protocols came into effect I see so many people who are experiencing an increase of or new symptoms while wearing a mask. The majority of this is from habits we use to breathe while wearing a mask that work against us. Most of this is unconscious breathing behavior, but the good news is you can reverse it quite quickly.
I refuse to profit off of world pandemic. So I’m offering these tips and free help to anyone who needs more support after trying this for a few days. There is no catch, except maybe finally catching your breath.
1. Only wear a mask if you cannot social distance according to Covid-19 protocols. I do not advocate for or against mask-wearing as a precaution (there are enough people doing that) but I do advocate staying healthy with good breath hygiene while wearing one.
2. Nasal breathe only.
NEVER mouth breathe in a mask. Your nose thermoregulates and moistens the air to keep the lungs working properly and nasal hairs and mucus are the first line of defence for your immune system.
Mouth breathing drys the airway, restricts alveolar intake, and gives you zero protection from any particles you inhale. This triggers the sympathetic nervous system and a whole host of physical responses best known as the flight or fight response.
You can breathe through your nose even when doing heavy lifting or other activities that get your heart pumping. You can breathe even if your nose is stuffy. In fact it will help your nose to clear the mucus and reduce inflammation in the sinuses too!!
This may take time to get used to. Try wearing a mask for just a few minutes at a time at home to practice if nasal breathing is not your norm. Also practice wearing it during light activities to simulate what you do when you are in public wearing it.
3. Breathe lightlybut not shallow in the mask. Taking bigger breaths blows off too much CO2 which reduces oxygen perfusion as a result of trapping O2 in the blood ; hence all the symptoms.
** Cloth and non-surgical masks do not restrict O2. Your breath habits in a mask do. **
Side notes: light nasal breathing also gets rid of the foggy glasses because the airflow is down and out the sides of the mask instead of creating back flow.
4. Change it often. A wet mask reduces effectiveness, creates more heat and resistance to airflow thus increasing perceived difficulty breathing.
I truly hope this helps. We all have enough going on in our changing bodies. Here’s to thriving, not just surviving.
(The picture is me, LV Kusch, in the airport last week on an emergency family visit. I know the mask isn’t on properly. Watch this video about how to wear a mask.
www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/video/covid-19-wear-non-medical-mask-face-covering-proper…
If you are going to wear one it’s important to secure it properly. I was rushed at security, dropped my mask after being asked to remove it twice and had to shove a new one on while getting out of the way of people who were impatient. I took this picture because I felt flustered and decided to use it to help others. I am leaving it up because no one gets it right all the time. 💛
Thanks for your attention and for reading the article. I hope the tips help you and the people you love.)
Great way to recycle old pens, remember not to mix colours in the container otherwise you get a brown colour!
www.facebook.com/118807798323655/posts/1331307700406986/?d=nRECYCLE OLD MARKERS INTO WATERCOLOR PAINT 🎨
www.hellowonderful.co/post/recycle-markers-into-watercolor-paint/
How great is this to look at how beans germinate 👍🏻Grow Beans in a Bag 🌿 Fun idea!
www.communityplaythings.com/resources/slide-shows/Bean-Sprouts
www.facebook.com/217360938437731/posts/1572258746281270/?d=nMAKE YOUR OWN PAINT BRUSHES
Love this!
Isn’t this amazing, we study germination and the life cycle of a plant and this is a great way to show the beauty of nature 🌱
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This looks great fun 🐻
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When this happens, it’s usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people or changed who can see it, or it’s been deleted.
