3 February 2012

Lessons learnt from a week in a reception class

(For those not in the know, reception children are four years old, in their first year of school.)


  • Getting changed is a major operation. Getting undressed takes at least ten minutes and don’t even talk about the socks!

  • Small children are incredibly tactile. They are what we may call “Leg strokers.” I have had innumerable hugs, kisses and squeezes.

  • A reception class in February is dominated by red cheeks and snotty noses.

  • Small children cannot sit/stand/walk sensibly. Everything is done with a bounce and a leap.

  • Lunch time is an occasion in itself. I never realised that a child could contemplate a plate of rice and curry and choose to eat it with his fingers.

  • Laces should not be issued under any circumstances to a boy who is four years old.

  • Reception teachers must have backs of steel because the amount of leaning over is incredible.

  • However many times you repeat a letter, there will always be one who does not get it.

  • Play-dough is an amazing tool for making words.

  • If in doubt, sing.

  • A child may come to school with a hat glove and scarf but will leave with two hats, one glove stuffed up a sleeve and no scarf to be seen.

  • Never except a hug from a child with a cold and runny nose unless you want the evidence of said cold to be on your jumper.

  • One look can quell a child of four. Power!

  • “Mrs Beeeaccch” According to reception I am married…news to me.

The biggest lesson I have learnt though is that however bad the day can seem, twenty or so bright, shining and happy faces really do make it all worth it.

Thanks for stopping by x

2 comments:

JO SOWERBY said...

Very much like creche at church,
Jo xxxx

Lizzie said...

Ahhhh.. how I miss my little reception group... I did enjoy when I helped at school and the "babies" were just the best. I love their energy, enthusiasm, excitability, bounce, sense of fun, intelligence, lack of inhibition... They invented the most amazing playground games and just brought the most enthusiasm to everything. Most of them believed they could do anything - because they'd never been told they couldn't - so they would try (and often surprise the adults with their achievements). They were the sweetest little people and I really loved working with them all (even the naughty ones!).

Enjoy your time in Reception, "Mrs Beeeeach"!