This term, Year One have been exploring the exciting theme “Toys Then and Now”, learning how toys have changed over time and what they can tell us about the past. Through discussion, exploration, art, and teamwork, the children have developed their historical thinking skills while having lots of fun along the way.
Building our knowledge
At the start of the topic, the children were introduced to our knowledge organiser, which included key vocabulary such as old, new, past, present, wooden, plastic, and electronic. We revisited these words regularly to help the children use them confidently when talking about toys and comparing different time periods.
Sharing our favourite toys
One of the highlights of the topic was when the children brought in their favourite toy from home. The children enjoyed walking around the classroom to observe each other’s toys, taking time to look closely and talk about what they noticed. This helped them begin to make comparisons and think about similarities and differences between toys.
We then sat together in a circle to share our toys, giving each child the opportunity to talk about why their toy was special and what it was made from (which we have been learning about in science). As a class, we discussed how their toys fitted into our theme, comparing modern toys with toys from the past. The children made thoughtful observations and began to notice patterns, such as modern toys often using batteries, plastic, or screens.
Exploring toys from the past
The children also had the opportunity to explore old toys, including wooden and metal toys, spinning tops, and traditional games. They carefully examined the toys and compared them to modern ones, noticing differences in materials, design, and how they are played with. This hands-on experience helped bring history to life and supported meaningful discussions about how children played in the past.
Bruegel’s painting
To deepen our learning, the children explored Pieter Bruegel’s painting “Children’s Games.” They acted out scenes from the artwork, recreating the traditional games shown in the painting. This helped them understand that children in the past also enjoyed playing, even though their toys and games looked very different from today’s.
Working together and sharing our learning
The children worked in small groups to create mind maps showing what they had learned about toys then and now. This encouraged collaboration, discussion, and listening to each other’s ideas. Each group then presented their mind map to the class, speaking proudly about their learning and using key vocabulary from the topic.
Reflecting on our learning
Finally, some children shared what they had learned through short video reflections, explaining key differences between old and modern toys and what they found most interesting about the topic. These videos showed how confident the children have become in talking about the past and using historical language.
We are so proud of how enthusiastically Year One engaged with this topic. They asked thoughtful questions, worked brilliantly as a team, and developed a fantastic understanding of how toys have changed over time. Well done, Year One!
Thank you for reading and until next time!
🌱Goldsworthy🌱