Activities
At Little Red Hen Day Nursery, our day is structured to ensure that the children benefit from well-planned stimulating activities that link into the Early Years Foundation Stage framework that came into effect in September 2008. The principles of the EYFS encourage staff to observe and track each of their key children's progress and development; helping them to plan future activities and experiences tailored to individual children's interests and needs.
We incorporate periods for different types of play, to ensure that the
children have a full and well balanced learning environment that includes construction toys, messy and sensory play, arts and crafts, home corner, dressing-up, music and action songs with instruments, small world, plenty of outdoor play and exploration, storytime (sometimes with the aid of puppets) and freeplay.
When a new child joins us, we try to follow the same routine that they have at home, as far as we can. Sleeps can take place whenever the child requires a rest, but generally, we have a quiet time immediately after lunch for at least an hour when children can settle down to sleep in either a cot or a nest and recharge their batteries ready for the afternoon! We work in close partnership with parents to manage sleeptimes routines.
Our activities are planned, following an observation made on your child. The planning sheet links into the EYFS framework mentioned above, and we highlight the learning and development outcomes against the themes and commitments of the EYFS. We aim to make the learning experiences as much fun as possible so that the children enjoy what they are doing and remain engaged so learn through their play and social interactions.
For Florence Avenue we aim to go on outings at least once a week and have Cheeky Charlies, local parks, Sensory Zone, Magnet Leisure Centre, Ray Mill Island and the Riverside all within a short walk from the nursery. For Grove Park, children have outings to the airfield at White Waltham, the mobile library and various nature walks.