Activities & Play
We offer lots of activities to ensure we meet the desirable learning targets defined by the School Curriculum and Assessment Authority:
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Personal, social and emotional development
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Communication, language and literacy
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Problem solving, reasoning and numeracy
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Knowledge and understanding the world
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Physical development
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Creative development
The children are given a wide choice of activities using our extensive range of equipment.
Inside Play
The hall is where most of the morning activities take place.
We have a lovely large room which is set daily with a variety of toys, crafts and equipment, including Lego, construction bricks, a dolls house, garage, farm and zoo. We also have a role play area which is regularly changed to reflect the children’s current interests.
Activities on our arts & crafts table include painting, clay, play dough, sand play, water play and cooking.
There is a book corner where the children can enjoy looking at books on their own or listening to stories read by an adult. This is also a space where children can come and sit quietly if they need to take some time out from the rest of the activities.
We also play music and musical instruments, and have a range of educational games such as numbers, threading and counting buttons, puzzles, lotto, etc.
Outside Play
We aim to go outside most days, either to the play area and garden at front of the preschool or to the playing field at the rear.
We have plenty of outdoor toys: water play, sand pit, stepping stones, chalk boards, percussion instruments, bats, balls, hoops, bean bags, skipping ropes, basketball hoops and ride-on toys.
We have a wonderful garden area where the children can help plant bulbs, fruit and vegetables, and assist with other outside projects caring for the garden.
Our Day
The children spend time engaged with different activities, both indoors and outdoors.
During the morning we open the snack bar for the children. We provide a drink of water and they choose from a selection of fruit, vegetables, breadsticks and rice cakes. Depending on the child’s age and confidence we try to promote independence and self-achievement by encouraging them to pour their own drinks and collect their snacks.
The children spend a lot of time in free play but there are also times in the morning when we gather together for group activities.
We encourage the children to take part in all activities but some may need a little reassurance; it does not usually take long before they want to join in. All children are encouraged to tidy away the toys.
We create a ‘Learning Journey Book’ with your child and this is available to view upon request. The children are encouraged to bring in photos/mementos from trips they have been on with their family.
We learn about a different topic every week alongside all the regular daily activities.
