Cambridge Early Years Digital Teaching Resource 2 - Block 2 Home and buildings - Week 1: Learning to surf

Oct 23, 2026

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Cambridge Early Years Digital Teaching Resource 2 outlines Block 2: Home and buildings, with planned learning for Communication and Language (first language English and ESL), Mathematics, and Let’s Explore. It sets weekly focus activities, including a picture book lesson from Barbados on trying again, with safety guidance and continuous provision ideas. The resource includes working wall prompts and detailed activity steps for reading, key messages, and following instructions, alongside observation and support strategies.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages17

Reading Time43 min

AccessFree to download

Block 2: Home and buildings

Communication and Language (First Language English)

Communication and Language (ESL)

Mathematics

Let’s Explore

Working wall

Week 1: Learning to surf

Safety tip

Continuous provision

Spontaneous teachable moments

Activity 1: Read the story aloud

Listen and observe

Block 2: Home and buildings

Cambridge Early Years Digital Teaching Resource 2 Block 2 Home and buildings In Communication and Language, for First Language English, we will focus on texts about sports and outside activities, and how we learn to achieve new skills by trying, following instructions and listening to advice. Children will see that texts for different purposes look different, and will show enjoyment of texts and good listening, as well as using talk in different ways, such as clarifying, reflecting, sequencing and expressing preferences. Children will respond to questions and begin to show some awareness of experiences over time.They will also explore non-verbal communication and the language of imaginary settings.They may enjoy attempting to write during some of the activities. In Communication and Language ESL, we will focus on texts about buildings and homes – big and small. Children begin by exploring language to construct and answer questions and to express ideas, before using prepositions and experimenting with new words and concepts. In Mathematics, we will focus on counting objects that we can touch and things that we cannot touch, now extending up to 10. Children will learn how to order numerals from 0 to 10 and begin to use the language of‘one more than’,‘one less than’ and‘one fewer than’. Children will also learn the days of the week and they will create a visual timetable to begin to understand what types of events take place at different times of the day. Finally, we will make some simple clocks and practise saying the time using ‘o’clock’. In Let’s Explore, we will focus on homes and buildings, sharing what our homes look like and exploring the insides and outsides of different types of buildings from all over the world. We will visit some buildings to look at what materials were used to build them, and children will create their own craft models of buildings. Working wall: Begin a working wall where children can revisit parts of the text explored and display their work, and practitioners can keep learning statements explicit. 80 FLE Communication and Language Week 1: Learning to surf In Communication and Language this week, we will focus on a fun and engaging picture book from Barbados that provides opportunities to explore what it means to try, try and try again when learning something new. Children will listen and follow instructions to explore balance, and answer questions about the story itself. Safety tip: Ensure that outside or large equipment provided for exploring balance is well maintained and safe for the children to use. Continuous provision • NEW Child-initiated play: As you play alongside children, listen in and encourage children to explain what they are doing and join in the discussion with their own questions. • Writing/mark-making area: When children are engaged in the writing/mark-making area, you could prompt them to scribe and copy captions from books, posters or signs from around the setting to practise their writing skills. • Outside area: While children are playing on large play equipment, you could support and challenge them to follow simple instructions during play. As they do, encourage them to use non-verbal communication, in addition to verbal language, in an appropriate and meaningful way. Spontaneous teachable moments Children respond to the story song and show they are ready to listen.Take the opportunity to discuss how we display ‘good listening’ and ‘enjoyment’, for example, by focusing, not fidgeting, smiling, even laughing! | Activity | Outline of learning content | | --- | --- | | 1 Read the story aloud | Show they are ready to listen, and that they recognise how to enjoy a story. Discuss what they enjoyed about the book, and what made them laugh. | | 2 Key messages | Search the book to explore the key messages. Join in with statements and questions, and create a class poster about surfing. | | 3 Following
instructions | Follow simple instructions

FAQs

What is the weekly focus for Week 1: Learning to surf?

Children explore a picture book from Barbados about learning to surf and build balance through listening, following instructions, and answering story questions.

What safety guidance is included for the balance activities?

Equipment used for exploring balance should be well maintained and safe for children to use.

How do the activities support early communication and listening?

The plan uses story reading, prompts about enjoyment and readiness to listen, discussion of key messages, and opportunities for children to answer questions and join discussions with their own questions.

Oct 23, 2026

Upload by Noah