Beyond the Classroom: The Value of Extra-curricular Activities in the Primary School

In Nursery, young children are naturally curious. Thinking routines like See, Think, Wonder help channel this curiosity into early thinking and communication skills. This simple routine encourages children to look closely, ask questions, and share ideas. These are skills that build strong foundations for later learning.

This week in Year 1, we continued our festive learning with a fun (and delicious!) activity - making our very own reindeer cookie pops! The children followed a simple sequence of steps to dip, decorate, and assemble their reindeer, using pretzels for antlers and chocolate buttons for the face.

The festive season is in full swing, and what a joyful week it has been for our Pre-Nursery children! As we approach the end of our first term, the children have been fully immersed in exciting and creative Christmas activities. We have been exploring the special sense of togetherness that Christmas and the New Year bring, sharing fun and festive experiences through our learning.

Our Reception children have been busy little elves transforming our learning spaces, both indoors and outdoors, into a festive winter wonderland...

Friends and families are invited to join us for a fantastic day, allowing everyone to get into the festive spirit at our 'Christmas Cracker' event on Saturday 6th December 2025, 10am to 2pm @ BSB Sanlitun (Primary Campus - 5 Xiliujie, Chaoyang District).

This week in Nursery, we’ve been diving into our winter theme - and having so much fun along the way! To help children explore and understand the ideas of “hot” and “cold,” we set up a variety of sensory experiences...

Cooking in Key Stage 1 is about so much more than making tasty food. It’s about helping children grow in confidence, independence, and responsibility while developing a love for nutritious, seasonal meals.

At BSB Sanlitun, we believe that every child is an artist in their own way. Art is not simply about painting pretty pictures or making crafts - it’s about developing creativity, critical thinking, confidence, and self-expression. This is why we place great importance on teaching Art as an explicit lesson every week, ensuring that children are given the time, space, and guidance to develop artistic skills in a structured and meaningful way.

As parents, we all want our children to thrive - not just academically, but socially, emotionally, and intellectually. At international schools, where students often navigate diverse languages, cultures, and academic expectations, one of the most powerful tools we can give them is metacognition - or the ability to “think about their thinking.”

This week, our EAL students have been actively engaged in a range of exciting topics designed to expand their vocabulary, deepen their understanding of grammar, and strengthen their speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills.