EYFS Adult Input Plan
My Friends and I - Similarities and
Topic Theme: Brenda’s Boring Egg Activity Title:
Differences Circle Time
A small or large group circle time activity
Date: Organisation:
on the carpet.
Learning Intention: Knows some of the things that make them unique, and can talk about some of the similarities and
differences in relation to friends or family. (UtW: P&C 30-50)
Key Questions: Key Vocabulary:
What can you remember from the story ‘Brenda’s Boring Brenda’s Boring Egg, eggs, ducklings, hatch, shell, Mummy
Egg’? Ducks.
Were the eggs different? Same, different, sad, happy, unique.
How were the eggs different? Hair colour, eye colour, boy, girl, curly, straight, skin colour,
Is it good to be different? likes, dislikes.
How are we different?
What is different about these two friends?
Is there anything about the eggs that is the same?
What was the surprise inside the eggs?
Were the ducklings the same or different?
What do these two friends have that is the same?
Resources: My Friends and I - Similarities and Differences Circle Time Resource Pack, Brenda’s Boring Egg Story
PowerPoint.
Adult Role(s):
Prior to the activity, print and laminate the My Friends and I Similarities and Differences cards and print the People Display
Photos. Ensure that the children are familiar with the Twinkl Original story ‘Brenda’s Boring Egg’.
Remind the group of the story. What can they remember about it? You may wish to remind the children of the story by
briefly showing the story PowerPoint.
Ask the children why Brenda is sad about her egg. Encourage the children to discuss the differences between the eggs.
“How are the eggs different?”, “Does it matter that the eggs are different?”
Discuss with the group what happened when the eggs hatched, “Were the ducklings different or were they the same?
Tell the group it shouldn’t have mattered what the eggs looked like. Each egg was special and each egg was loved by
its mummy, even though all of the eggs were different. Explain to the class that being different is a good thing as it
makes us unique and special. We will all have some things that are different to our friends and some things that are the
same.
Introduce the children to the People Display Photos. Select two photos to show the children. Can they find something
that is different about these two people? Allow the children time to share their ideas.
Using the same two photos, can the children find something the same about these two people? These could be related
to many things including age, gender, hair, eyes, skin colour, glasses or dress. Reinforce to the group that having both
differences and similarities is a good thing.
Repeat this with another pair of photographs.
Once the children are familiar with looking for similarities and differences, tell them that we are going to play a game.
Show the group the card that says ‘It’s good to be different’. Read the text to the children and explain how this card is
our ‘differences’ card. Explain the game to the children by saying, “I am going to look around the circle for someone
that has something different to me. This could be their hair or eye colour. It could be that they are wearing something
different to me but it could also be something I can’t see; they might like different things to me.”
Walk across the circle and pass the card to a child. Model a good positive statement such as, “We have different hair.
My hair is curly and long and your hair is short and brown.” Pass the card to your chosen child.
Now ask this child to look for someone in the circle that has something different to themselves. Encourage them to
pass the card whilst saying what is different about them.
Allow a few more children to pass the differences card before introducing the new card.
Show the group the card entitled ‘We have something the same’. Explain to the children that we will pass this card in
the same way as before but this time, we will look for someone that has something the same as ourselves. You may
Page 1 of 2
wish to model this first.
Continue to pass the card until all children have had a turn or for as long as time allows.
End the activity by reminding the children that they are all special and unique. Sometimes, we can be different to
someone else but we can all be friends and we should be proud of the things that make us different.
Differentiation/Opportunities for Challenge:
Some children may not wish to share their thoughts and ideas in front of the group. Ensure that these children are
aware that they can come and tell you later or at a quiet time.
You may wish to share the We Are All Different PowerPoint with the children prior to this activity to stimulate
discussion.
Ideas for Extension into Continuous Provision:
Provide a variety of books and resources that reflect diversity. You may wish to use these Diversity Stick Puppets.
Provide the children with mirrors, paper and colouring pencils (ideally with skin tone pencils). Can the children draw
themselves? Can they compare themselves to their friends and talk about their similarities and differences?
Opportunities for Observation and Assessment:
PS&ED: Making Relationships
(30-50) Demonstrates friendly behaviour, initiating conversations and forming good relationships with peers and familiar
adults.
PS&ED: Self-Confidence and Self-Awareness
(40-60) Can describe self in positive terms and talk about abilities.
PS&ED: Managing Feelings and Behaviour
(30-50) Begins to accept the needs of others and can take turns and share resources, sometimes with support from others.
(30-50) Can usually tolerate delay when needs are not immediately met, and understands wishes may not always be met.
C&L: Listening and Attention
(30-50) Listens to others one to one or in small groups, when conversation interests them.
(30-50) Focusing attention – still listen or do, but can shift own attention.
(40-60) Maintains attention, concentrates and sits quietly during appropriate activity.
C&L: Understanding
(40-60) Listens and responds to ideas expressed by others in conversation or discussion.
C&L: Speaking
(30-50) Uses vocabulary focused on objects and people that are of particular importance to them.
(30-50) Builds up vocabulary that reflects the breadth of their experiences.
(40-60) Links statements and sticks to a main theme or intention.
(40-60) Uses talk to organise, sequence and clarify thinking, ideas, feelings and events.
UtW: People and Communities
(22-36) Learns that they have similarities and differences that connect them to, and distinguish them from, others.
Activity Adaption:
**Insert here how you will differentiate the activity to meet the specific needs of your children.**
Next Steps:
**Insert here details of next steps relevant to specific children.**
Evaluation to Inform Future Planning:
Page 2 of 2
