junior infant school tour ideas

School Tours Ireland

Just 4 Fun are the most fun and exciting multi-activity School Tours  in Ireland.

Find A Tour Venue Near You  

We provide an all in one School Tour to Primary school children. Our school tours are unique in that we provide   multi-activity, fun/energetic activities, team building activites, while also supporting a fantastic charity. The tour day is challenging, energetic, and fun for your pupils. 

We cater to children from Junior infants to sixth class. Our School Tours provide 5 hours of energetic fun activities throughout the tour day. 

The charity element is where we donate money from each child’s fee (school that attends) to the Children’s Health Foundation Crumlin. #kidshelpingkids. This means that while having fun at a Just 4 Fun School Tour, your students are also helping sick children at CHI Crumlin. To date, over €55,000 has been raised for sick children.

School Tours Near Your Selected Location:

Carlow school tour, kerry school tour, limerick school tour, connacht school tour, cork school tour.

Sign up to be the first to receive new tour/camp information, news and offers.

Your e-mail address is only used to send you our newsletter and information about the activities of Just 4 Fun Kids Summer Camps | School Tours. You can always use the unsubscribe link included in the newsletter.

Email Address*

Preference School Tours & Summer Camps Summer Camps Only School Tours Only

We will be unable to answer the contact number during business hours but please leave a message or send an email and we will reply as soon as possible..

Primary School Tours

• Educational /
• Primary School Tours /

The Farmyard  is an ideal venue for school tours to enjoy a memorable, stress free day trip. The School tour programme can be tailored to your particular needs and suits all age groups from the senior classes to the infants!

We provide a completely safe environment, facilitated by experienced staff where children and teachers can thoroughly enjoy themselves.

We also have lunch facilities and a farm shop for those school tour souvenirs.

The Farmyard also offers tours which align the times of the junior & senior classes which can be discussed.

It has partnered up with other service providers for schools that want to extend their day trip – such providers include Micheal Cusacks Centre, Dysert Castle, The National Parks and Wildlife Centres in Gort, Dromore and Corofin & Clare Leisure World. Contact Darragh on 087 7413618 for more information.

Choose from 2 options for junior and senior tours.

Juniors and Senior Infants €14.50 pp, 3 hour program.

This tour can include:

• Animal Grooming and Feeding ,
• Butter Churning,
• Milking a cow,
• Sow a Seedling

1st  class to  6th  class. €17 pp 4 hour program.

• Mini Farmyard Competitions
• Obstacle Course (5th and  6th  Class)

Enquire about our Primary School Tours now!

The farmyard on facebook, the farmyard on twitter, the farmyard on instagram, contact details.

Address Dabrien, Corofin, County Clare, Ireland Phone | 087 – 7413618 Email | [email protected]

Email List Signup

• Book Tickets
• Competitions

• Why advertise with us?
• Plans and Pricing
• Place an Advert
• All Counties
• All Activities

School Tours

Teachers are you looking for that ideal and fun School tour for your class or group. Check out our vast range of great fun and Educational School Tours venues for Pre,Primary and Post primary schools all around Ireland.

Siamsa Tíre, The National Folk Theatre of Ireland

Town Park, Kerry

Siamsa Tíre, The National Folk Theatre of Ireland, is one of Ireland’s busiest and most vibrant theatres and arts centres. 

Toots Malahide Road Train

Malahide, Dublin

Toot's Malahide Road Train: Enjoyable Sightseeing Experience in Malahide

Casino Model Railway Museum

Malahide Road, Dublin, K36 TW67

Ireland’s only model railway is a labour of love. Step back in time and explore one of the world’s most unique model railway collections. 

Howth Cliff Cruises

West Pier, Howth, Dublin

Experience the breathtaking beauty of Howth Cliff Cruise, an unforgettable boat trip along the stunning cliffs of Howth. 

Waterford Greenway Cycle Tours and Bike Hire

1 Davitts Quay, The Causeway, Waterford, X35 Y822

Discover the Waterford Greenway on a bike! Enjoy Ireland’s scenic countryside from Waterford to Kilmacthomas, Dungarvan, and back

Splash Valley Aqua Park at Hidden Valley

Wicklow, A67 CX62

Welcome to Splash Valley Aqua Park, the ultimate destination for water enthusiasts seeking a thrilling and unforgettable water adventure. 

Croughtabeg, Kilkenny, R95 HK22

Are you ready for an exhilarating outdoor adventure that combines the thrill of combat with the safety and cleanliness you’ve been searching for? Look no further! 

Beyond The trees Avondale

Avondale, Wicklow, A67 P303

Discover Ireland's exciting world class visitor destination, Beyond the trees Avondale in Rathdrum, Co. Wicklow. 

Alpaca Lodge

Ballymurragh, Wells, Wexford, Y25 R9K6

Embark on an Unforgettable Alpaca Adventure at Alpaca Lodge!

• << First
• < Previous
• Last >>
• Birthday Party Ideas
• Play Centres
• Multi Activity
• Trampolines
• Summer Camps
• Family Breaks
• Arts and Crafts
• Animal Farms and Aquariums
• Outdoor Adventure
• Museums, Castles and Parks

Older Kids!

• Team Building
• Water Sports
• Stag and Hen
• Go-Karts and Quads

fun things to do in

• Testimonials

© 2024 Fun.ie

School Tours all around Ireland

Stonehall Wildlife Park

Stonehall Wildlife Park Limerick – Come along to see their domestic and exotic animals, put on your bunny ears and absorb the experience they have to offer!

Discover why 10 million people left Ireland and explore the impact they had on the world at EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum.

School Tour Venues

Information on School Tours and venues around Ireland

Book Your School Bus

School bus hire & mini bus hire for your school tours

International Rugby Experience

Welcome to a fully-immersive, hands on, multi-sensory experience designed to engage and inspire.

Jeanie Johnston

Get an insight into life on board a Famine ship and hear the stories of the people who made the arduous voyage

EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum

Dublin’s new 21st Century Visitor Experience

Castlecomer Discovery Park

Activities in the Educational and Recreational programme for primary and secondary school students.

Reptile Village Conservation Zoo

Providing an entertaining hands on view of various reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates

Offers an environment that is fun, unique, and educational and where students will have the ability to interact with the wildlife

Viking Splash Tours

Viking Splash School Tours has teamed up with the Aviva Stadium to offer a combined school tour ticket

Leahy's Open Farm

Leahy’s Open Farm have been providing School Tour trips around their farm for the past 20 years. Their farm is educational, adventurous and seriously good fun for school groups.

School Tours at Dingle Oceanworld Aquarium

Experience, Explore, Discover & Learn

School Tours In Delphi Resort

When you take the classroom outdoors you bring learning to life.

School Tours At Lullymore Discovery Park

A unique mix of heritage, nature and indoor/ outdoor play with education and fun

Dave's Jungle At Your School

An unique and most memorable day at your own school!!

GoQuest Indoor Challenge Zone

An ideal entertainment activity for all school groups over the age of 12

The Toy Soldier Factory

The Toy Soldier Factory offers school tours that combine fun and education with a difference

Astropark School Tour

A fantastic day out for Schools and classes of all ages. 2 Dublin Locations – Northside (Coolock), Southside (Tallaght).

SKYPARK in Carlingford

Combine SKYPARK with another exciting outdoor adventure activity at Carlingford Adventure Centre to make a full day outing.

Airtastic Kildare

Adventure awaits you at Airtastic Kildare! All your favourite activities, and some new ones too, under one roof to bring you and your family a whole lot of fun.

Just 4 Fun School Tours Nationwide

Just 4 Fun are not your normal activity School Tour, they are all about fun and enjoyment.

Funtasia Theme Park

The wide range of activities are challenging, socially stimulating and full of excitement for children of all ages.

• Family Fun Event Calendar

Find an event near you

Find an Activity in Ireland

JavaScript is required to use this dropdown.

Search by Date

Please note that past events will not be shown.

• 20/05/2024 Dublin – Family Events at EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum ... MORE
• 21/05/2024 Dublin – Family Events at EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum ... MORE
• 22/05/2024 Dublin – Family Events at EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum ... MORE
• 23/05/2024 Dublin – Family Events at EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum ... MORE
• 24/05/2024 Dublin – Family Events at EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum ... MORE
• 25/05/2024 Dublin – Family Events at EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum ... MORE
• 26/05/2024 Dublin – Family Events at EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum ... MORE
• 27/05/2024 Dublin – Family Events at EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum ... MORE

Ads By Google

Funtasia Bettystown

Funtasia Bettystown is one of Ireland’s premier indoor family entertainment centres in Meath

Stonehall Wildlife Park is a must for all students to enjoy a great day out with their class mates

There is a wide range of learning facilities at Dublinia for primary and secondary schools, overseas language schools and families

FAMILY FUN NEWSLETTER

Sign up for our newsleter today and get all the latest news on events and special offers.

FAMILY FUN IN IRELAND

• Select a County

QUICK LINKS

• Festivals Around Ireland
• Fun Kids Camps
• Party Venues
• Child Friendly Hotels

WEATHER AND POLLEN

Find & Follow Us On Social Media!

The first days of Infants

Posted by Lorraine in Classroom Ideas

You are getting prepared for your new infant class in September. You have your displays done, your resources ready and even your outfit planned. But what do you actually do when the children come in? What should you do to help settle them? To help them have a good impression of the school? Here are a few ideas to help you plan your first day!

Below is a rough plan for the first day of school. For many schools, infants will only attend school for a shorter day for the first week or so hence why my suggestions are only for a half-day. Some teachers will be familiar with the children coming in (from pre-school visits, induction days, having older siblings in the school etc) or some may be starting from never having met any of the children before. Regardless of how familiar/unfamiliar you are with the children coming into your class, I hope you find the suggestions useful!

I always have name stickers ready for the children as they arrive at school. I stick them on their jumper/t-shirt where they can be clearly seen. This is not only helpful for me, but for other members of staff and older children in the school too. The children will naturally feel more relaxed if the adults know who they are, or appear to anyway. I also wear a sticker myself, with my name on it. The parents may not know my name (if we haven’t met) or they may have forgotten it (the induction day was a very long time ago!). It is also a nice ice breaker for introducing yourself to the children.

There isn’t much formality to the first few days of school so I try to make the classroom one big invitation to play by having toys out on the tables, Lego on the carpet area etc. The children are more likely to be drawn to the toys and the other children and you will have less of a struggle separating them from their parents.

Hopefully, all the children will have arrived and it is time to, politely, ask the parents to leave. If you have a parent who seems reluctant to leave it can be helpful to talk to their child, with them in earshot, about them leaving such as ‘I bet you can’t wait to see all the exciting things we have planned and you can tell mummy all about it when she picks you up’ or ‘Let’s give mammy a big hug and tell her we will see her really soon’. It is very common to have children who are upset on the first few mornings. The key, while it might seem like the hardest and cruellest thing to do, is to get the parent out of your class. Be sure to give both the parent and the child plenty of positive encouragement – ‘Jonny will be ly happy but if he’s not we will call you, ‘Mammy will be back after our playtime and you can tell her about all your new friends’ etc. From plenty of experience, the longer mum or dad stays in your room, the more hysterical the child (and possibly the parent) will get. I found this poem a few years ago and have loved it ever since. I give it to parents every year and it can also be a nice way to gently get them to leave – pop the poem in an envelope and simply say ‘here is something nice to read in the car’.

As soon as mum or dad is gone, distraction is the key. Distract them by introducing them to another child, showing them something in the classroom or inviting them to play with a toy. They will stop crying and be perfectly fine.

Once all the parents have left I will usually get the children to come to the carpet area and I will chat to them about myself. I will have a bag of items from home to show them and to help them get to know me and become comfortable in my care. The items in your bag are totally up to you – it depends on how much personal information you want to give your class. I usually have my ‘favourite teddy bear’ (who will become our class bear as he will love being in school with us so much!), a picture of my dogs – they always love this, pictures of my children and my house. You could put in something of your favourite colour, a picture from your holiday, your favourite book (you could use this as your first story session), a picture of your favourite hobby, your favourite tv programme or movie, a medal you have won etc. I’ve always found this session helps the children relax into school as they begin to feel familiar in their surroundings.

While I have the children on the carpet area I will talk to them about the classroom and where various things are that may be of interest to them -the toilets, where their coats are kept, the bags, toys, library, roleplay area etc. You may or may not want to discuss some basic class rules at this stage too, or you may choose to leave that until a later time. I find that it’s always helpful to cover them as early as possible so everyone starts on the same page and expectations and boundaries are clear.

Rules don’t have to be negative and scary and I always refer to them as classroom promises rather than rules! It is recommended that it’s best to come up with your rules/promises in conjunction with the class. They will have a better understanding of them as they can be discussed and reasoned in partnership with the children. For infants especially, you will need to do a certain amount of scaffolding when forming the promises. I generally lead my class to, generally, the following promises:

We will be kind to our friends

We will keep our hands to ourselves

We will sit nicely

We raise our hands to speak

We listen carefully when someone is speaking

If you like our class promises, you can download them from our online store .

This may be the time where you might like to discuss or practice some classroom routines such as lining up, coming to the carpet, pushing our chair in etc. I like to practice lining up at this point as I will bring the children on a walking tour of the school. We will visit each of the other classes and see some key areas such as the playground, where we line up with the bell rings etc. This tour will usually take us up to our break time. While the children are eating their snacks the children from the senior end (5th/6th class) will come in and I will pair the infants up with an older student. Their buddy will look after them in the playground for the first week or so and can be useful for other things such as school assemblies, church services, sports day etc.

 After their first play in the playground, I generally let the play continue in the classroom. I will use this time to move around the classroom and speak to the children. I will get them to introduce themselves in the small groups which they naturally create. This can be a good time to collect some information, some basic oral language assessment etc and it may be handy to have something to record some notes on with you. I will take a picture of each child as I move around too. The main purpose of this is for each child’s assessment file, but I will also use the pictures for an ‘Our First Day At School’ display which I will make after the children go home and have ready for when they come to school tomorrow.

As we will be going home soon, it is important to get the children to tidy up their toys. This can simply be putting the toys into the boxes on the tables, but it is important to set the expectation that this is the job of the children each day, and not yours. Once we have tidied up I will generally get the children to come to the carpet, encouraging them to remember the routine from earlier in the morning and I will read them a story. I like to read some sort of a ‘starting school’ theme book such as ‘Cliffords First Day At School’ and I will get the children to tell me something positive about their first day at school. You may like to record these and you could print them as statements under the display I mentioned earlier. I think it’s important to ensure that they leave with something positive fresh in their minds as they are going out to their parents who will, no doubt, be eager to hear all about the day’s adventures.

I am always very careful when dismissing the children. It is very important to ensure that each child goes with the right adult. Take your time to get to know the parent’s faces. It will take a while to match each adult with the right child, but this is very important. Be sure to start this practise from day one! I never let a child leave the classroom/the home line until they are called by me (when I see their adult).

So you have survived the first day – congratulations! Now what?

It’s over to you! You will repeat today and will gradually aim to put more structure on your days as each day goes by. You will quickly get to know your class, and all the little personalities in it and will get a feel for how best to steer them into the routines that you want for your classroom. Enjoy them and have fun!

Get the discussion going. Leave a comment!

Pin It on Pinterest

Ireland's No. 1 FREE magazines for parents & teachers of primary school children

• Competitions
• E-zine Sign Up
• Advertise With Us

Dublin School Tours

NEW School Tour package at Tayto Park  2017 is shaping up to be a very exciting year at Tayto Park. You can expect a SPLASH of fun on their brand NEW Viking Voyage at the park and be prepared to be swooped into the fascinating World of Raptors. Home to Europe’s largest wooden roller-coaster complete with an inversion, there are plenty of things to do and see. Other new attractions include the ‘Air Race’ ride, the ‘Rotator’ high speed spinning ride, road train, steam train track ride and the only 5D cinema in Ireland! They also have over 80 different species of animals to see including their mischievous meerkats, otters and Amur tigers. 

A visit to Tayto Park is like no other school trip in Ireland. With over 100 attractions, including exotic wildlife, play areas, thrilling experiences, great food and tour of The Tayto Factory. 

NEW School Tour Package: €14.00 per pupil including a full day admission to Tayto Park, a guided tour of the zoo area, unlimited access to activities in the Adventure Zone and activity worksheets for after your visit.  **T’s&C’s apply

 Tayto Park, Kilbrew, Ashbourne, Co. Meath. For more information contact 01-8351999 or email [email protected]  www.TaytoPark.ie 

AquaZone at The National Aquatic Centre AquaZone at The National Aquatic Centre, Dublin, is one of the biggest, most exciting and popular attractions for families, groups and school tours in Ireland. Since 2004 the centre has seen almost 9 million people pass through its doors. In 2016 over 1 million people enjoyed hours of fun in Europe’s largest indoor water park. The National Aquatic Centre is Ireland’s fourth-most popular visitor attraction.

The Leisure Pool, AquaZone, offers extreme thrills, raging water adventures and loads of fun. On this School Tour try the famous Surf Rider Surf Machine. Other Rides include: Master Blaster (water roller coaster), Wave Pool, Lazy River, Bubble Pool, Pirates Ship (for the little ones), Dark Hole Flume (water slide) and the Green Giant Flume. It’s the best and most exciting Leisure Pool in Ireland.

AquaZone is an ideal destination for a school trip, offering special group rates, a food option (saves stopping on the way home!), a pre-reserved bookings system, huge bus parking facilities, full accessibility facilities, Rumbles Restaurant and a picnic area. Also, as part of the entrance fee, children can swim in Ireland’s National Swimming Pool, an Olympic Swimming area featuring the 50-metre International Competition Pool, Ireland’s biggest.

Go and meet the famous mascot, Finnie the Frog, and have a great day out! Phone 01 6464300, email [email protected] or visit www.nac.ieand www.aquazone.ie.

The NSC Experience: Spend a Day in the Life of an Elite Athlete The National Sports Campus is the home of Irish Sport and this unique school tour provides all pupils with a chance to live a day in the life of a top class elite sports star! Last year’s inaugural NSC Experience completely SOLD OUT so extra slots have been added for 2017.

The day includes the following: 

· An educational tour of the National Sports Campus including the new Sport Ireland National Indoor Arena· Participation in four exciting sports such as Athletics, Gymnastics, Trampolining & the Multi Skill Challenge!· A visit to the Aquazone Water Park

This a full day tour and really is action packed, combining a great sporting experience with cultural and educational learning.

For more information contact: [email protected]  Tel: 01 6464 330 or see  www.nationalsportscampus.ie

Jump Zone  Looking for your next school tour venue????? Jump Zone is Ireland’s First and Europe’s Largest Indoor Trampoline Park. Located in both Sandyford and Santry, this Irish owned Jump Zone has fast become one of the country’s most popular sports and entertainment attractions having catered for more than 700,000 visitors to date! Led by a team of top trampolining athletes, Jump Zone specialises in school tours for kids 5+ years of age looking for a fun and new way of keeping active. Groups can enjoy individual open jumping on the 10,000sq.ft. main trampoline court, and practicing new skills in the foam pit. Fight to the end in their newly fitted Battle Beam in Sandyford, Slam Dunk on their Basketball lanes or high energy trampoline Dodgeball games. The courts are carefully designed to create a healthy and enjoyable experience for all jumpers.

 When you book, party hosts will be allocated who will run mini Dodgeball competitions, interactive games, foam pit access and provide refreshments. On arrival, the dedicated staff will lead the group down to the induction area where a safety video is shown and the rules are given. Large groups are then divided into smaller groups and led out to the courts where the fun really begins!

 Extreme fun is so important but so is the safety of the guests. At Jump Zone, they do all they can to ensure that your group will have maximum fun with maximum safety! With court supervisors on the courts at all times and heavy duty spring loaded frames covered by 2+ inch thick safety pads, Jump Zone combines fun and safety in all areas to create a fun experience like no other. Groups of up to 200 can be accommodated at one time. For more information see www.jumpzone.ie or phone Sandyford 01 2939356/Santry 01 8623366

 Skill Zone New Multi -Sport Entertainment Facility ‘Skill Zone’ Opens In Dublin

Skill Zone is Dublin’s first and only multi-sport indoor attraction offering a safe, competitive and activity-based one stop shop for school groups and birthday parties. Skill Zone will test the skill, accuracy, power and agility of groups and individuals pitting them not only against their friends and party guests but against the best in the country in an all-time top 10 leader board. The circuit is aimed for participants aged 10 years and older. Covering a vast 16,000 sq./ft. themed facility, 20 custom-built cages house 10 different sports challenges incorporating; Baseball, Basketball, A six metre climbing wall, GAA, Golf, Hang Tough, Rugby, Shooting, Soccer and Tennis. Each challenge varies and users will have up to 12 attempts to score a maximum of 100 points. Prove you are the best at your sport and battle it out for the ultimate title of Skill Zone Champion.  This state of the art facility is set to revolutionise activity based parties and events.

 Full details can be found at www.skillzone.ie or call 01 4378844

Astropark  School Tours are a fantastic action packed day out for schools and classes of all ages.   With a combination of unique fun experiences, the kids will have an absolute ball – bouncing, rolling, laughing, shooting and tumbling.  With flexible supervised packages, your school can spend the full day on site, or combine with other Dublin tour venues. 

The innovative activities include some or all of: Bouncy Inflatable Dodgeball, a Giant Obstacle Course, Nerf Wars (NEW), Target Zone, Bubble Football, Space Hopper Fun Races, Kick Speed Radar, Goggle Football, Combat archery (NEW).  You can see videos and photos of all these amazing innovative activities on www.astroparkkids.ie/school-tours/

Your tour activities will vary depending on the age of the kids and the duration of school tour that you wish to do.  Minimum numbers of 24 apply for school tours but there are options for smaller groups.

Kids typically bring a packed lunch, but hot food options are also available, ordered in advance (sausage or nuggets with chips & cordial drink).

All activities are also suitable for teenagers and even fun adults, so no excuse for teachers not to join in!  For an awesome school trip for kids of all ages, contact Astropark today.  

Astropark have two convenient Dublin Locations – Northside (Coolock-Santry) phone 018060088,   Southside (Tallaght) phone 014599822.  Both are just minutes from the M50 so are easily accessible.

See also www.astropark.ie Email: [email protected]

Leisureplex There are times when the value of having fun for its own sake cannot be underestimated. Sometimes a complete unwind from school work can be exactly what the doctor ordered to strengthen the bonds between pupils and teachers, forge new relationships and allow teachers and students alike to let their hair down.

Look no further than the Leisureplex venues to tick the fun boxes. With Soft Play with ball pools and tunnels for the younger school goers in their Zoo Playland to bowling, and Quasar ‘great fun with a laser gun’ for older groups (Charlestown has all of the facilities except for Quasar), it’s the perfect way to let off steam at the end of a school year. 

With centres in Stillorgan, Tallaght, Coolock, Charlestown, and Blanchardstown, they provide an action filled adventure for all ages.

For more information and booking contact www.leisureplex.ie

Surfdock and Wakedock Together Surfdock and Wakedock offer a unique range of watersports that are fun and exciting for students to learn, all in the safe surroundings of the Grand Canal Dock in Dublin 4. Their location is easily accessible by public transport, only 5 minutes walk from the DART and 10 minutes walk from the LUAS.

They offer all year round tuition in wakeboarding, kayaking, sailing, windsurfing and stand up paddleboarding for students from 8 years onwards. Whether it is for a once-off outing or a series of lessons, they are happy to tailor the sessions to your school’s requirements. Their half day programme runs for 3 hours from start to finish and can be arranged for any time during the day to suit your schedule or you can book a full day outing with them for 5 hours of fun and action on the water. South Dock Road, Grand Canal Dockyard, Ringsend, Dublin 4. 01-6683945

Email: [email protected]  www.surfdock.ie Tel: 01 6683945

Fingal Sailing School & Malahide Castle A first class school tour package for primary schools is on offer at Fingal Sailing School & Malahide Castle. The package incorporates the fun and adventure of being on the water at Fingal Sailing School for a full taste of sailing, windsurfing & kayaking with qualified instructors. This is combined with the natural beauty & history of Malahide Castle, where a guided tour of the beautiful castle and gardens awaits you. Tailor-made packages are offered to each school catering for your specific student requirements and maximising the time you have available. To book all this for a very competitive price of only €18.50 per person phone 01 8451979 or email [email protected].  

HISTORY Dublinia Education at Dublinia, one of Ireland’s top school attractions, involves the learning, research and sharing of information on Dublin City’s Viking, Medieval, and Archaeological history.

There are a wide range of learning facilities at Dublinia for all primary and secondary schools. The authentically costumed guided tours are age and ability specific to ensure classes get an individually tailored educational experience based on teachers’ learning goals whilst also paying particular attention to areas relevant to the curriculum.

With many resources for teachers including Learning Packs, students can learn in a multisensory and unique way.  This encourages all students to engage with the exhibitions in Dublinia and also gain both analytical and social skills.

We also have an exciting online learning programme for primary schools. Dublin’s Viking and Medieval history is brought to life in schools and classrooms through online learning on an audio-visual interactive website.  It includes animated videos, an interactive animated map of Dublin and multiple choice quizzes.  This ground-breaking learning experience is an invaluable resource for the teaching of history in Ireland.  This online learning platform will be accessible from Dublinia’s website.

For more see www.dublinia.ie or call 01 6794611

Russborough House Russborough House & Parklands is a stunning Palladian Mansion.  The house was designed by the German Architect Richard Cassels and built in 1741.  It has the longest façade of any house in Ireland stretching over 700 feet across the Wicklow landscape.  2017 will see the 18th century walled garden opening for pre-booked groups.  Walled gardens played a major part in the running of large period houses by supplying vegetables, fruit and flowers for ‘the Big House’, staff and some neighbours in the locality. 

For Primary school tours there will be a tree trail taking in approximately 8 -10 trees on the Demesne.

One of the oldest trees is called a Wellingtonia (Giant Sequoia) planted in 1861 by the then Prince of Wales

And Earl of Dublin.  At that time Joseph Leeson 4th Earl of Milltown (1799 – 1866) lived in Russborough. 

He was the Grandson of the 3rd Earl and he inherited the peerage at the age of 8 years of age.

The tree trail will form part of a school tour for Primary children ages 5 to 8 years.  It will also take inThe Fairy trail, Playground & Maze.   For older children aged 9 to 12 years a guided tour of the house will be offered together with the Maze and Playground.   

Russborough ‘Where History & Culture live on’   Come visit us!

www.russborough.ie email [email protected] tell: 045 865239

St. Patrick’s Cathedral Take advantage of our FREE Schools Programme and bring your class to visit Ireland’s largest Cathedral and one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Ireland. Saint Patrick’s Cathedral has been at the heart of Dublin and Ireland’s history and culture for 800 years. Book your visit to explore our story, which can also be seen as a microcosm of the story of Ireland itself. It is a superb example of medieval gothic architecture that has withstood wars, revolutions and reformations. Whether your interest lies in religion, history, art, architecture or music you will find something to interest you in the Cathedral.

What can my group do during a visit?

• Free Self-guided tour: the group leader brings the group around the building

• Free Guided tour: the Cathedral’s dedicated Education department staff will bring your group on a tour of the building

• Free Workshop: After their tour, your group can take part in an interactive activity based around the life and history of the Cathedral.

Pre-booking is essential for Free school visits to the Cathedral, so contact the education department today to arrange your visit:

Andrew: [email protected] Ciara: [email protected] Phone: 01 453 9472 www.stpatrickscathedral.ie

Glasnevin Cemetery Glasnevin Cemetery Museum offers exciting and engaging education programmes and activities for primary students, closely linked to the school curriculum. Students and teachers can make use of interactive exhibits and work packs which are sent out prior to your visit. The museum and its educational activities explore the diversity of Irish life since 1800 through the stories of the famous (and not so famous) people who are buried there. 

Their programmes for primary schools at Glasnevin in 2017 include:

• Curriculum-based history tours of Glasnevin Cemetery for second class upwards.

• SESE Geography tours of Glasnevin Cemetery.

• Speechmaking workshop based on Patrick Pearse’s 1915 funeral oration for Jeremiah O’Donovan Rossa. 

• 1916 Rising tour and exhibition (until June 2017).

• World War One tour and artefact handling session        

All school groups booking with Glasnevin Cemetery Museum are sent educational work packs for use in the classroom before or after a visit, and students obtain access to their unique records. Contact them to tailor a tour to fit your needs. 

www.glasnevinmuseum.ie Email: [email protected] Tel:  (0)1 882 6550

Tara’s Palace and Wicklow Gaol  have joined up for a fun filled school tour that lets children explore the magical Museum of Childhood as well as experiencing prison life in the eighteenth century. 

Tara’s 22 room Palace has been meticulously constructed by some of Ireland’s finest craftsmen and has been designed and built to one-twelfth scale, encapsulating the grandeur and elegance of three of Ireland’s 18th Century Mansions; Castletown House, Leinster House and Carton House. Paintings by leading Irish Artists, including Tom Ryan R.H.A. and miniature furnishing masterpieces by Fed Early, Paul Geoghegan, Michael Walton, John Hodgson and others adorn the State Rooms and private apartments. The Museum also contains hundreds of fascinating exhibits, including the amazing 17th century house in a bottle, the smallest doll in the world, and a 300 year old doll’s house. There is a Museum Quiz, which is popular with all visitors and an interactive room for younger visitors. Tara’s Palace runs school tours and children’s birthday parties throughout the year.

The story of Wicklow’s Historic Gaol is interwoven with the history of Wicklow and Ireland itself and is an excellent educational and atmospheric school tour offering a glimpse into Ireland’s past. Children can visit the original gaol dungeon which re-opened in recent years for the first time in over 100 years to experience first-hand the sights and sounds of the harsh life of prisoners in the dungeon. Through an interactive tour led by experienced actor guides, you can hear the story of its prisoners including the participants in the Irish Rebellion of 1798 and those awaiting transportation to a new life in Australia. You can learn more about The Great Famine of the 1840s and The Independence Era (1916 -23) and aspects of daily life including work & chores, medicine, children, and health and hygiene as well as meeting characters like Mary Morris the Matron. 

For more information contact www.childhoodmuseum.org  Tel: 01 2748090 

Email: [email protected]

For Wicklow Gaol contact: www.wicklowshistoricgaol.com Tel: (0)404 61599 Email:[email protected]

Waterford Treasures – Epic Tour Of The Viking Triangle The award-winning all-weather guided tour of the oldest part of Ireland’s oldest city, the ‘Epic Tour of the Viking Triangle’ is an interactive fun guided tour of the Viking Triangle, taking in six national monuments within one hour. The larger-than-life guide speeds you through the streets and through 1,100 years of Waterford’s history from the Vikings to the Victorians. 

Discover Reginald’s Tower, Greyfriars Medieval Franciscan Friary, Choristers’ Hall, the Mayor’s Wine Vault, Bishop’s Palace, and (if a church service is not in progress) Christ Church Cathedral is also included. It’s a fun, engaging tour with many props to engage and entertain children, and numerous photo opportunities along the way.

***For 2017, Waterford Treasures has added to the Epic Tour - at no additional cost - so there’s more added value for your students, the addition of a visit to the new exhibition:- ‘Mayors through the Ages, Eight Centuries of Civic Government in Ireland’ which is located at City Hall, built in 1783.***

Booking enquiries 0761 10 2501 or email: [email protected] www.waterfordtreasures.com  FB: WaterfordTreasures Twitter@WFORD_Treasure

Irish National Stud             Get back to nature with their brand new Interactive School Tour for 2-4 hours of pure freedom.  

With two fab gardens to explore at leisure including the new bug hotel (The Buglington), monastic cells, caves, and stepping stones within the century-old Japanese Gardens, the kids will also be treated to a 90-min walk/talk session with their newly appointed educator, Marie-Lou Donnelly.

Guiding them through a meet and greet walkabout, kids will learn how the mares (mums) are cared for, how the foals are born and what happens to them next.  They’ll meet retired racehorses and discover how famous they were, where they travelled and who named and trained them. 

Back in the classroom an interactive 30-minute session will allow a sensory experience with horse equipment, feed, and other accessories available for kids to touch and try on.  A quiz with spot prizes will round off the session and activity sheets will be available on departure.

Then lunch can be taken in the classroom or in the fantastic playground nearby with café in the Pavilion.

A final stroll around St Fiachra’s Garden and lake will take in their resident bugs, fairies, swans and ducks – all outdoor fun which should energise (and hopefully tire out!) the whole class.

Prices from €7 per child

EARLY BIRD BOOKINGS (before the 31st March) receive FREE tea and scones in the Playground Pavilion for all teachers and helpers.

BOOK NOW  Email: [email protected]  or call reservations on:  045-521617

Sea Life The National SEA LIFE Centre, located on Bray Seafront, is the perfect school tour venue, whatever the weather. SEA LIFE is swimming with over 1,000 amazing animals, 100 fascinating species, and is home to Ireland’s largest collection of sharks. 

This year SEA LIFE are introducing a new feature called STINGRAY ADVENTURE where you will be introduced to one of the most engaging animals of the marine world: the Stingray.  Discover the answer to the following questions: Who are their ancestors?  Where do they live? And…are they dangerous?

Whether you choose the Standard tour, or upgrade to the Premium package (subject to availability), SEA LIFE provides an educational visit quite different from any other: It is interactive, informative and most of all, FUN! 

School Bookings: 01 2866939 www..visitsealife.com/bray

Kippure Estate Kippure Estate Education & Adventure Centre is full of fun and adventure. Children are encouraged to step out of their comfort zones but in a safe environment. They have a High & Low Ropes course, a fixed Orienteering course, and a whole selection of Teambuilding Tasks and activities designed to make everyone laugh and have fun together. There are nature trails which are just perfect for playing and learning all about plants and animals, mini-beasts and larger creatures, perfect for their Forest School Easter Camp. Their Discover Primary Science and Maths days are great for Pirate and Celtic Warrior Training where they learn about climbing, treasure hunting, medicinal plants in case of wounds, and edible plants in case of being marooned. Learn the craft of living in the wild with their Bushcraft Challenge, perfect for all ages. Located in north Co. Wicklow, only 30 minutes from the M50.

www.adventurewicklow.com  tell: 01 4582889 email: [email protected]

Lullymore Heritage & Discovery Park  has been a favourite destination for many schools for over 20 years and with new developments, 2017 is set to be a great year to visit. The Park has upgraded many of its exhibitions, added a new section to the outdoor play area and is offering more education than ever with the Peatlands Exhibition and extended Biodiversity Boardwalk which helped Lullymore win the Environmental Tourism Innovation accolade at the 2017 Irish Tourism Industry Awards.

Educational, Fun & Hassle Free – Children explore on the highly educational guided tours through the Park’s woodland/peatland trails, gardens and numerous historic exhibitions, all brought to life with replica figures, holograms and touch screen multi-media.  Many aspects of the educational tour are closely linked to the SESE curriculum and experienced guides will create or adapt tours to suit all age groups.  There’s also a pet farm containing Fallabella horses, alpacas, donkeys, rabbits, goats, sheep and Bali ducks, and even pot-bellied pigs!

To burn off lots of energy, there’s the ‘funky forest’ indoor play centre with giant slide and ball pools, air hockey, fuzz ball, cable run and pirate ship. There’s also an 18 hole mini golf course, newly upgraded large outdoor play areas, green area for football etc. and train trip. The park is located in the Midlands - only 30 miles west of Dublin / easily accessible from most regions and is a ‘one-stop-shop’ for all your school tour needs!

Average visit 3-4 hours with hot food option or packed lunches can be eaten in Café. Free tea/coffee and freshly baked scone for all teachers. Price €12 per child (10% discount on visits before 12th May). Please book early as June dates can book out. Phone Ray on 045 – 870238 or e-mail [email protected] for information and bookings www.lullymoreheritagepark.com

ZIPIT  is a high wire forest adventure park with a difference … a place where children can climb high into the treetops, swing into cargo nets and whizz down ziplines, secured in their safety harnesses.  It’s a place where children can let their imagination run wild and where adults can embrace their inner child.  Be Robin Hood, Peter Pan, Tarzan or whichever super hero you want to be (personally, I’m Indiana Jones, but that’s our little secret).

Tibradden Wood, Co Dublin offers 4 or more hours of adventure for school tour trips.  It’s a great opportunity for children to enjoy an exhilarating and challenging outdoor activity in a natural setting, building confidence, teamwork and self-esteem.  Cost is €15 per child and supervising teachers go free. For 3rd class upwards, there are three circuits for different heights, ages and abilities.   For the all important sixth class tour, there is the additional blue circuit for age 12+ which is 10-15 metres above the ground with a 150 metre zipline. Children are fitted with a harness by a trained Instructor and given a safety briefing before moving on up in the trees at their own pace.   Zipit operates to the highest EU safety standards. Instructors hold the European Ropes Course Association qualification and are first aid trained.  Other Zipit locations are in Lough Key Forest Park, Co. Roscommon and Farran Wood, Co. Cork.   

Web:  www.zipit.ie   Facebook/zipitfa or Twitter @zipitfa or contact 051 858008 for further details.  So, put down those smartphones, get active, get outdoors and  get to Zipit Forest Adventures!

FUN AND LEARNING Imaginosity Imaginosity is the perfect place for a school visit this school tour season.  Each of the 18 interactive exhibits within the museum have been designed to complement the curriculum bringing it to life in a fun, engaging, interactive, learning environment.  An accredited Discover Centre, all programming at Imaginosity reinforces their commitment to education and learning.  Educational workshops are on offer as part of School Tours year round (excluding May & June) and include: Bubble-Osity, Fairy Tale Math Quest, Blast Off Science, Treasure Chest of Irish Tales, Growing & Thriving Interactive Story-time.

Visiting Times: Tuesday – Friday 9.30-11.30am, 11.30am-1.30pm (afternoon visits are also available 1.30pm-3.30pm or 3.30pm-5.30pm).  To book your visit please call 01-2176130 or www.imaginosity.ie for further information.

The Chocolate Warehouse School Tour The Chocolate Warehouse is celebrating 16 years of chocolate workshops and school tours. The two hour tour tells the story of chocolate from the Aztecs to the present day. A 20-minute film shows the journey of the cocoa beans to the factory and the process the beans go through to produce chocolate. Enjoy the demonstration of how chocolates and Easter eggs are made. Then the ‘fun part’, where visitors get to decorate and package chocolates to take home. At the end of every workshop they have a short quiz and every visitor receives The Chocolate Warehouse Certificate. Ideal for school tours, group bookings, summer projects, birthday parties, and age-appropriate educational workshops. Prices are €12.50 per visitor (teachers free), with group rates for schools. Max of 70 visitors. Pre-booking essential.  The Chocolate Warehouse is just off exit 10 on the M50 on the Greenhills Road, Walkinstown, Dublin 12. Phone 01 450 0080, email [email protected] or see www.chocolatewarehouse.ie .   

Butlers Chocolate Experience A visit to the Butlers Chocolate Experience promises a magical, action-packed tour for students of all ages. Filled with treats and eye-opening views of the inner workings of a bustling chocolate factory, it’s an interactive, entertaining and educational school tour with a difference, covering the subject areas of history, business, food science and art in a relaxed, engaging manner.

Accompanied by the Butlers tour guide the students will;

• Watch the Chocolate Movie, learning about the fascinating origin and history of chocolate.

• Complete activity sheets as they explore the interactive Museum.

• Enjoy the aroma from the Chocolate Gallery as they witness the production of Butlers chocolate.

• Visit the Experience Room to watch an up-close chocolate demonstration and test their decorating skills by painting their own chocolate figure to bring home as a souvenir of a unique experience.

 The Butlers Chocolate Experience is located within Clonshaugh Business Park, close to the M50/M1 and Port Tunnel (with plenty of complimentary parking) and is also close to an array of neighbouring attractions such as; Malahide Castle, Glasnevin Cemetery and the National Botanic Gardens. Guided tours run three times daily and can accommodate student groups of up to 80 participants.

Visit www.butlerschocolates.com/chocolateexperience for more information.

Quote ‘Primary Times’ when booking to receive a chocolaty teachers treat!

PURE FUN Fort Lucan Fort Lucan is a fully supervised outdoor adventure playground for children aged 2-12 years.  For School Tours 2017 ONLY... Each child who visits Fort Lucan will receive a Golden Ticket for a FREE return visit!! (Ts &Cs apply). 

New for 2017, is their 15m high Helter Skelter!! Kids create their own adventures as they discover huge towers, 40 foot slides, sky-high walkways, zip lines, a maze, army-style assault course, ground level trampolines & go-kart tracks. Not forgetting the Crazy Golf and the 3 famous WATERSLIDES! 

A great day out for all the family during the Easter Holidays - Bring a picnic or eat at the Fort Lucan cafe, selling hot food, sandwiches, tea, coffee etc.,  or treat yourself at the ice cream and sweet shop. Child Price €10.50 Teachers go Free. For full details and pricing visit www.fortlucan.com or call 01 6280166

Go Kids Go!  offer great value school deals with activities for all age groups. Facilities include three levels of interactive play equipment, including slides, ball pools, rope climbs, hopscotch, an indoor football/ basketball pitch, ball cannon arena with targets and foam balls, disco room, and full cafe facility. The tour is 2.5 hours long, including 90 minutes of play in the interactive adventure play frame, 30 minutes in the activity room with a leader on organised activity, and 30 minutes to eat lunch. Options available are 2.5 hour tours including play and activity €8.50 or a 2.5 hour tour including play, activity and food for €12.50. Located only 5 minutes from the M50 at exit 6 in Blanchardstown. 

Book early to avoid disappointment by phoning 01 640 5500. www.gokidsgo.ie

Primary Times Ireland

Terms & Conditions Copyright © 2016 Schools Publishing Ltd.

Parenting & Education in Ireland

Parenting & education, site quick links, school tours in dublin, roll-over blue text area below images for more information, school tours by province.

Junior Infant Teaching, Sorted.

Are you teaching junior or senior infants looking for ideas for aistear need lesson plans and resources for your little ones.

Dance your heart out on International Dance Day! 💃 Share a video of your moves or your favorite dance style. Let's move to the rhythm! bit.ly/3Tu3T24 ... See More See Less

• Comments: 0

Comment on Facebook

Stay safe and healthy on World Day for Safety and Health at Work! 👷‍♂️ Share tips on staying safe. Let's look out for each other! bit.ly/3TwWdwh ... See More See Less

Celebrate King's Day with the Netherlands! 🇳🇱 Learn about Dutch traditions and share your own. Let's enjoy the orange spirit! bit.ly/3v45FxA ... See More See Less

Think, create, innovate on World Intellectual Property Day! 💡 Discuss the importance of protecting creative works. Share your own creation! bit.ly/43iIAUI ... See More See Less

Waddle into World Penguin Day! 🐧 Learn cool penguin facts and share what you love about these charming creatures. Let's protect their habitats! bit.ly/3TtYmbV ... See More See Less

Get inspired on International Sculpture Day! 🗿 Share a sculpture you love or create your own mini sculpture. Let's appreciate 3D art! bit.ly/3TtvAYR ... See More See Less

Rebecca: The Irish Teacher

Former expat, who returned to ireland with a passion for quality, purposeful lessons, moving to junior infants.

First timer in Junior Infants

After years of contemplating, I finally moved to teach Junior Infants this year. The majority of my teaching experience lies in 2nd-4th Class, so moving to Junior Infants this year was a great shock to the system.

It was challenging and fast-paced, but I loved every minute of it. In this post, I’ll go through some things that helped me to adjust to the change and how I continued to upskill throughout the year.

Proving that as teachers, we never stop learning.

Moving to Junior Infants has forced me to upskill my practice and also my teaching strategies. To adapt them to meet the needs of our youngest learners. Following Infant specific Instagram accounts has been a huge help to me. As well as adopting the mantra of “slow down to catch up”.

I looked at this transition to Junior Infants as a time for me to slow down and learn with the children as we go, what works for them and what doesn’t.

Instagram accounts that have helped me hugely: Playful Classroom , Infant Education, All things Primary  & Clara Fiorentini,   Read Write Jen & Aistear in Action

These accounts provide simple, yet effective strategies and tips for the teaching of infants. The strategies and tips that they share are researched based and realistic to implement in the classroom. Quality over quantity every day of the week.

Preparing for Junior Infants

Last Summer, my aim was to upskill through courses targeted specifically to Junior Infants. I engaged in these online courses and while I found the sheer volume of information overwhelming, I felt more prepared for teaching Junior Infants in September and had an idea of what to expect.

Teaching and Learning in the Early Childhood Setting.  I learned SO much from this course in terms of:

• Playful learning
• Early Literacy
• Early Maths
• Organising the Infant Classroom
• Pre-Handwriting
• & much, much more.

I was tempted to do this course again this year it was that good! Highly recommend to anyone teaching in Junior Infants.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Clara Maria Fiorentini (@claramariafiorentini)

2. Practical Irish for Primary School Teachers- Junior and Senior Infants 2022  If like me, you are unsure how best to teach Irish to Infants or are just looking for some fresh ideas, this course with GaelChultur was fantastic. It is filled with simplistic, practical ideas and gave me an insight of how Irish would look in the Infant classroom in September. Included in this course is:

Throughout the year, I attended Phonics webinars to ensure that I was teaching Phonics correctly in the classroom. As this was my first year ever teaching Phonics, it was an area I wanted to focus on and “do right”. Dee from Playful Classroom hosted a series of Phonics webinars throughout the year, which were very informative.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Dee (@playful_classroom)

Jennifer O’ Sullivan also hosted some webinars on the Science of Reading, which were also great.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jen O’Sullivan (@readwritejen)

Keep an eye out for them during the year if you’d like some pointers on how to best approach Phonics with Junior Infants. There are also fantastic Phonics instruction videos on the Literacy Channel too if interested:

Do you have to do all of these courses and webinars? Absolutely not, but I found them incredibly helpful as a first timer in Junior Infants.

Collaboration is Key

If you’re fortunate enough to work in a year group with more than one Junior Infant class, you’re blessed. While I came into Junior Infants armed with summer course information and previous teaching experiences, I found the advice from my partner teacher to be invaluable.

We planned together, shared resources, spoke about classroom layout, how best to use the learning support/resource in our classes etc. If you’re teaching with someone that’s been in Junior Infants before, use them. Ask them questions, notice what they’re doing and see if it can be adapted to work in yours.

Yes you’ll have loads of your own ideas that will work great, but having the opportunity to collaborate with another Junior Infant teacher can really be so helpful in what can be a flurry of a year, changing year groups.

Transitions with Junior Infants

Junior Infants need  frequent movement. As do children of all ages, but in particular, our youngest learners. This was a huge learning curve for me this year and I built frequent movement into our day to keep the children engaged, interested and happy.

I did this through our transitions from lesson to lesson. Below I created a post in how I use Music to involve movement into our day, while covering Music at the same time. We used (and LOVED) the Dabbledoo Music program. It full of simple songs, with a visual of the beats being counted out, which was a nice calming transition for children.

There was also an element of classroom community too, as children were all coming together as a class to sing/dance to songs we had learned as a class. A nice, calming transition incorporating movement was a winner.

This can be done using simple call and response songs too.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by dabbledoomusic (@dabbledoomusic)

See more on this here.

September with Junior Infants

A whirlwind and an experience that is both a privilege and time of sheer exhaustion all rolled into one, with a rainbow bow on top.

A type of exhaustion I didn’t know existed either, but we got there.

September with Junior Infants was something I had heard about, “planned for”, but didn’t expect. The best advice I was given was:

• To slow everything RIGHT down.
• Give lots of time for child-led play.
• Ditch the play rota (this was the best thing I did).
• Teach routines. Re-teach them & re-teach them.
• Watch them play and identify their interests.
• Read lots of stories.

For more on the first few days of Junior Infants, check out this post:  http://www.infanteducation.ie/infanted-blog/first-days-of-school .

Teaching in Junior Infants this year has been my favourite teaching year so far. It was also the most challenging by a long shot, but I have learned so much myself and cannot wait to do it all again in September.

After a well deserved Summer break for all, of course!

Have a lovely Summer!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

School Tours

Fun, Food & Adventure at The Planet Cork

We have some amazing school tour options available this year,  With a fun varied informative, interesting active educational school tour taking in some of Corks best activities for children, as well as trip to the Planet entertainment centre Cork. See below for more details on the two different packages available.

School Tour

At The Planet Cork

Lifetime Lab, Cork City Gaol & The Planet

• Arts Education
• Planning & Assessment
• Classroom Management
• Job Applications & Interviews
• Newly Qualified Teachers
• Student Teachers
• Literacy Resources
• Numeracy Resources
• Gaeilge Resources
• Arts Education Resources
• S.P.H.E. Resources
• S.E.S.E. Resources
• P.E. Resources
• Planning & Assessment Resources
• Classroom Management Resources
• Job Applications & Interview Resources
• N.Q.T. Resources
• Student Teacher Resources
• SEN Resources
• Tips & Tricks Resources
• FAQ’s
• Members Area

Transition Activities

It is difficult for children to move from one subject to another without a mini break in between. I have been trying a few different transition activities over the last few months and here are some of my favourites.

This is an all time favourite with my class that my TP student used. This focusses on spellings. The children all stand up and I give them a spelling – each child says one letter of the word and at the end of the word the next child says ‘Buzz’, the next says ‘Off’ and the next child sits down. I love this game because it isn’t always the best speller that wins – there is an element of luck too.

If a child gets a letter wrong they are out. The word or previous letters can’t be repeated so the children have to listen really carefully.

Example: Word; Octopus

O – C – T – O – P – U – S – Buzz – Off (Next child is out)

Tables Games

I’ve played this in lots of different ways.

• Everyone stands up – if they get their table right they sit down. (Good way to revise quickly)
• Everyone stands up, two children are called and a question is given, first to answer stays standing and the other child sits down. (Tables champion)
• Tables boards – I love these from ABC School Supplies, available here .

View this post on Instagram We had such fun today practising our tables. This was an extra challenge as we revised multiplying by 10. #abcschoolsupplies #tablesboards #irishprimaryteacher A post shared by Irishprimaryteacher (@irishprimaryteacher) on Oct 4, 2017 at 1:19pm PDT

An all time favourite in my room! Different letters are displayed and the children try to make as many words they can in the time allocated.

View this post on Instagram Boggle was a MASSIVE hit today! The children loved it and were trying to get as many words as they could and tried to find the longest word too! #irishprimaryteacher #literacy #boggle #iteachtoo A post shared by Irishprimaryteacher (@irishprimaryteacher) on Sep 5, 2017 at 8:56am PDT

This countdown game is brilliant to get children to use different operations in maths. They are given a target number and a list of other numbers that they can use to reach the target. (You can access the game here )

We also use ‘Whats the question’ which is quite similar. Target numbers are displayed and the children have to use as many operations as they can to write a sum to reach the target number.

View this post on Instagram Easy interactive maths display for 5th based on order of operations! I put up some flash cards with various numbers and the children wrote a sum using at least 2/3 operations to get to the answer! #maths #display #problemsolving #whatsthequestion A post shared by Irishprimaryteacher (@irishprimaryteacher) on Apr 19, 2018 at 9:32am PDT

An all time favourite for many classes. I find they can be a bit hit/miss with senior classes though.

Here are two of our favourites;

Water Cycle

Describe the nouns

This is a game that a friend shared with me the other day. Basically, the children all get a piece of paper and write down the name of a person (must be someone that most people in the class would know – could be a classmate/singer/sportsperson etc.) place (must be a county/country/landmark), thing (must be something you can touch/pick up) and an animal.

Each slip of paper is collected and put in a box. The children are then put into teams. Each team selects one player to be the describer and they have 40 seconds to describe each noun on the list (their teammates try to guess the answers). If they get all the answers then the team earns a point (I use class dojo) and if they don’t get everything then it moves onto the next team. This is a great game for oral language!

Math Vocabulary

This is a game that a colleague shared recently. The children use the maths vocabulary found at the back of their maths books (We use Planet Maths and there is a full list). They give one of their team members a word and then they describe/define that word. Great way to get children practising using maths vocabulary and checks understanding too!

Share This Story, Choose Your Platform!

Related posts.

Guest Blogpost – Voice care for Teachers (Rachel Kidd)

My plan for the first day (September 2020)

Returning to school post Covid

Fordingbridge Infant and Junior Schools Federation

Believe, Strive, Achieve.

Contact Details

• Get Directions
• Fordingbridge Infant School
• Key Information
• Pupil Voice

We want to give our children opportunities to share their views and make decisions about their school. We also want them to have roles and responsibilities within the school where they learn to support and help each other.

School Council

Our School Council aim to make the school, their community and the world a better place! Each class democratically votes for their two School Council representatives, who then have the role for a term. The team meets frequently to discuss projects and ideas; sometimes these are projects that impact just on our school, but can also be projects for our local community or the wider world. All pupils are involved though questionnaires, class discussion and reporting in assemblies. We want the children at Fordingbridge Infant School to know that they can make a difference!

Lunch Helpers

These children support in the lunch hall. They help the younger children to choose their dinners and find their seats. They support by pouring cups of water for the tables and directing children to the right places when it is time to tidy up. Our lunchtime helpers encourage positive conversation and help create a happy environment where the children eat and interact.  

Play Buddies

These children help to support and make playtimes safe and happy. They help the other children with games, organising equipment and being on hand for anyone who needs a friend to play with.

We use cookies to track usage and improve the website.

Click here for more information .