Babies and Toddlers
Babies and Toddlers is situated in the smaller building with a self contained astro-turfed garden.
We spend lots of time in the garden, we ensure that there is plenty of shade when the sun is shining, there are push chairs with dolls, trucks and cars, animals, a mark making area, a little house to play in and a mud kitchen. There are also potatoes, strawberries and flowers growing for the children to water and watch grow.
In the Babies and Toddlers room we have designated areas for the younger children with lots of age related learning toys and equipment, we also have tuft trays set up daily with different themes for sensory related activities. A weekly theme creates many new adventures and experiences for our younger children.
Each child has a key worker who will be responsible for documenting their learning. We use Famly for our observations and we keep parents/carers up to date using both Famly and verbal handovers.
The staff in the Babies and Toddlers room build up a strong bond with all the children and ensure that they are always on hand to meet the emotional needs of your child.
Although Babies and Toddlers is self contained and away from the preschool room, there will be times that we may integrate the children of both age groups especially in Thorney's Cosy Courtyard which is located between our two buildings and is an all weather area with a track for bikes, a water exploration area, a wooden tepee for children to explore the delights of reading in, and lots more. This is beneficial for the younger children to see the more structured preschool setting and to mix with their peers.
Snacks and a home cooked meal are provided on site and staff will be on hand to help your child feed themselves etc.
Below is an example of a typical day in the Babies and Toddlers room
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Preschool
Preschool is our larger building for those 2 years 6 months to 4 year olds.
We have a large room, with a separate snack room and another room which we use as a quiet room mainly for more concentrated activities with children who excel on a more calm and tranquil area to learn.
The main room is changed around throughout the term, depending on the topic or interests of the children. This provides better learning opportunities for the children and provides more of a in depth learning environment. In Spring for example we have the hatching of ducklings or chickens and we dedicate the area around this.
As well as following the Early Years Foundation Stage for their learning, we also help the children to learn skills that they will need for going to school, such as dressing themselves, helping to clear up after snack, teaching them to cut their dinners, use cutlery and enjoy the meal time experience, this often encourages children to try new foods that their peers are eating.
Our staff ensure that they also tend to the emotional, social and physical well being of our children and liaise closely with families via the Famly app or in person at drop off or collection.
The outside area at the nursery offers a variety of spaces that help children develop their knowledge, skills, and understanding of the outdoors. The main preschool garden is divided into three separate areas.
The first area is an all-weather space with wooden play equipment that promotes physical development. Children use this area to work together to create obstacle courses, solve problems, and develop coordination and confidence.
The second area encourages creativity and imaginative play through large construction resources, loose parts, and a mud kitchen. This space supports teamwork, decision-making, and imaginative thinking. It also includes a quiet area where children can sit and look at books, practise mark making, and talk with peers and adults on the tree bench and coming very soon the opportunity for den building.
The third area, Busy Bugs Gardening Area, provides opportunities for children to learn about the natural environment, bugs and insects, food life cycles, and sustainability.
Below is an example of a typical day in the Preschool room.
