Enquire Now

A Typical Day

A Typical Day

Below are examples of activities children typically engage in during the day. However, activities may be adapted to accommodate individual children’s needs, weather conditions, seasonal themes, or other relevant factors. While we strive to create a homely and nurturing environment, we also aim to provide a well-rounded balance of indoor and outdoor activities to support children’s development and enjoyment.

Our operational hours are Monday to Friday, and we offer the following session options:

  • Full Day: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
  • Half Day (Morning): 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM
  • Half Day (Afternoon): 1:00 PM – 6:00 PM

We prioritise flexibility and adaptability to ensure the best possible care and experience for all children in our setting.

Invitations To Play

Invitations to play are intentional setups designed to spark curiosity, creativity, and independent exploration in children. These setups are often carefully curated to be open-ended, allowing children to explore and learn in a way that is meaningful to them, rather than being directed by an adult. Here are the key features and principles of invitations to play according to the Curiosity Approach:

Aesthetic Presentation

Invitations are thoughtfully and beautifully arranged to attract children's attention, often using natural or tactile materials.

Provocations for Inquiry

Unlike structured activities, invitations to play are designed to provoke thought and exploration without rigid outcomes or expectations.

Child-Led Exploration

Children are encouraged to engage with the materials in their own way, fostering independence, critical thinking, and creativity.

Reggio and Montessori Inspirations

These setups often draw on elements from Reggio Emilia and Montessori approaches, focusing on the child’s interests and the use of natural, sustainable, or repurposed materials.

Open-Ended Resources

The materials provided are versatile, allowing children to use them in a variety of ways. For example, instead of a pre-made toy, items like wooden blocks, loose parts, or natural materials such as shells or pebbles might be used.

Alignment with the Environment

The Curiosity Approach emphasizes creating spaces that are calming and inspired by home-like or natural aesthetics, avoiding overstimulation and plastic-heavy environments.

The Gingerbread Man

Homemade gingerbread playdough, combined with various loose parts and sensory elements, provides a rich, engaging experience for children. This type of play promotes communication, language development, critical thinking, and fine motor skills. By incorporating elements such as loose parts (e.g., buttons, beads, sticks), children can explore sensory textures, enhance creativity, and develop problem-solving abilities through hands-on play.

For more detailed insights on the benefits of sensory play and its impact on child development, you can refer to resources such as Early Childhood Development journals or educational websites like Scholastic.

Winter Sensory Play

Winter sensory play using fake snow, lollypop snowflakes, and picture cards is a great way to promote language and communication skills. Activities like these engage children in exploring textures, building vocabulary, and practicing social interactions. Using sensory play can help enhance expressive language, narrative skills, and understanding of concepts like seasons and textures.

Winter Sensory Play 2

Winter sensory play exploring shape and material can involve activities that engage children’s senses while introducing them to winter-themed textures, patterns, and forms.

Messy Halloween play

Messy Halloween play with pumpkins and bath foam is a fantastic sensory activity that combines creativity, fun, and exploration.

How It Benefits Children:

  • Sensory Stimulation: The contrast between the smooth pumpkins and the soft, frothy foam engages the senses.
  • Fine Motor Skills: Using tools to scoop foam and explore pumpkin interiors promotes hand-eye coordination and dexterity.
  • Creative Play: Children can imagine and create spooky or silly pumpkin characters using foam and decorations.

Exploring Autumn

Exploring autumnal colours, objects, and textures is an excellent way to engage children in sensory play and promote their natural curiosity.

 Learning Outcomes:

  • Sensory Development: Engaging multiple senses (touch, sight, smell) enhances sensory processing.
  • Curiosity and Inquiry: Promotes observation and questioning about nature and seasonal changes.
  • Fine Motor Skills: Picking up and sorting small objects develops precision and coordination.

Other Activities

We offer a variety of activities and play areas designed to provide children with diverse experiences. Below are some examples of the areas and activities the children will engage in on a daily basis

Crafting Area: Nurturing Creativity Through Art and Expression

The crafting area is a dedicated space where children can explore their artistic side through a variety of hands-on activities, including drawing, painting, and creating unique crafts. This inviting and organized environment inspires creativity while promoting the development of fine motor skills and self-expression.

Play Area: Encouraging Active Learning and Exploration

The play area is a thoughtfully designed space equipped with a variety of educational wooden toys and opportunities for physical activity, fostering both cognitive development and gross motor skills.

Features of the Play Area:

  • Educational Wooden Toys: A selection of high-quality, eco-friendly toys such as building blocks, puzzles, sorting shapes, and bead mazes, designed to enhance problem-solving, creativity, and fine motor skills.
  • Climbing Opportunities: Safe, child-friendly climbing structures like ramps, steps, and small climbing frames encourage physical coordination, strength, and confidence.
  • Open Play Space: A spacious area for free play and imaginative activities, allowing children to engage in collaborative play and develop social skills.

Learning Benefits:

  • Cognitive Growth: Wooden toys stimulate imagination and teach foundational concepts like numbers, letters, and spatial awareness.
  • Physical Development: Climbing and movement activities enhance balance, strength, and motor coordination.
  • Social Interaction: Opportunities for group play promote teamwork, communication, and emotional development.

Quiet Area: A Space for Relaxation and Reading

The quiet area provides a calm, cozy environment where children can unwind, engage in reflective activities, and foster a love for reading.

Features of the Quiet Area:

  • Comfortable Seating: Cushioned seats, bean bags, and soft rugs create a relaxing atmosphere.
  • Books and Resources: A selection of age-appropriate books, including storybooks, picture books, and educational materials, is readily available to spark curiosity and imagination.
  • Relaxing Decor: Soft lighting, neutral tones, and gentle textures contribute to a serene ambiance that encourages calmness.

Learning Benefits:

  • Cognitive Development: Reading helps children improve vocabulary, comprehension, and critical thinking skills.
  • Emotional Regulation: The quiet space allows children to relax, manage emotions, and practice mindfulness.
  • Love for Literature: Exposure to books promotes a lifelong interest in learning and storytelling.

Usage Guidelines:

  • Children can choose to use the quiet area during independent playtime or structured reading sessions.
  • Supervision ensures the area remains a peaceful zone, fostering respect for others’ need for calm.

This space is designed to balance active learning with moments of tranquillity, supporting children’s overall well-being.

Dress-Up Area: A Space for Role Play and Creative Expression

The dress-up area is designed to encourage children to explore their imagination, build social skills, and express themselves through role-play activities.

Features of the Dress-Up Area:

  • Costume Variety: A wide selection of costumes representing different professions, characters, cultures, and themes, allowing for diverse and inclusive play.
  • Props and Accessories: Items such as hats, bags, scarves, and toy tools enhance realism and creativity during role play.
  • Mirrors: Full-length mirrors enable children to observe themselves and further immerse in their chosen roles.

Learning Benefits:

  • Social Development: Role play fosters collaboration, communication, and empathy as children interact and share ideas.
  • Language Skills: Engaging in pretend scenarios helps expand vocabulary and improve conversational skills.
  • Problem-Solving: Pretend play challenges children to think critically and create solutions within their imaginative worlds.
  • Confidence Building: Expressing themselves in different roles supports self-esteem and individuality.

Usage Guidelines:

  • The area is available during free play or themed sessions, with supervision to encourage positive interactions and creativity.
  • Costumes and props are cleaned regularly to maintain hygiene and safety.

This vibrant space nurtures a child’s sense of wonder and provides endless opportunities for exploration and self-expression.

Home corner: A space to support a child’s social and emotional development

The home corner is a valuable area that supports both individual and cooperative play, helping to nurture children’s social and emotional development. It provides a space where children can engage in imaginative play, role-playing, and cooperative activities that mimic real-life scenarios, which are essential for developing interpersonal skills, empathy, and emotional understanding.

Key Benefits of the Home Corner:

  • Social Interaction: Encourages teamwork and collaboration as children engage in cooperative play, fostering friendships and communication skills.
  • Emotional Development: Provides opportunities for children to express emotions, understand perspectives, and develop emotional intelligence through role play.
  • Imaginative Play: Supports creativity and problem-solving as children navigate and create narratives within the space.
  • Independence and Confidence: Enables children to take on different roles, promoting independence and boosting self-esteem.

Guidance for the Home Corner:

  • Ensure a variety of props (e.g., kitchen items, household items, costumes) that reflect diversity and inclusivity.
  • Regularly update and clean items to maintain safety and hygiene standards.

For more detailed information on the benefits of home corners in early childhood education, check out resources such as Early Childhood Education Journals or websites like Teach Early Years.

Seasonal themed activities: Winter

  1. Snow Dough or Ice Play:
    • Provide homemade snow dough or crushed ice. Children can explore its cold, crumbly texture and mold it into various shapes using cookie cutters.
    • Add glitter or small snowflake decorations for a wintery feel.
  2. Frozen Shape Exploration:
    • Freeze water in molds of different shapes (e.g., stars, snowflakes, circles) and allow children to handle and observe how ice changes as it melts.
    • Incorporate safe objects like leaves or pinecones inside the ice for added discovery.
  3. Textured Sensory Trays:
    • Create trays with a mix of materials like faux snow, cotton balls, pine needles, and smooth stones.
    • Encourage children to sort or create patterns based on texture or shape.
  4. Winter Art with Shapes:
    • Use foam shapes (e.g., triangles for trees, circles for snowballs) dipped in paint to create snowy scenes on paper.
  5. Exploring Natural Winter Materials:
    • Incorporate materials like branches, bark, or dried berries for children to explore and build their understanding of natural shapes and materials in winter.
  6. Soft vs. Hard Contrast Play:
    • Set up an area with soft materials (e.g., fleece, wool) and hard, icy elements (e.g., frozen gel packs or smooth cold stones). Let children compare and discuss the differences.

These activities not only encourage sensory exploration but also promote cognitive skills like pattern recognition, fine motor development, and problem-solving through play.

Seasonal themed activities: Summer

  1. Sensory Gardens – Creating sensory gardens where children can explore plants, textures, and natural elements to learn about nature and improve sensory awareness.
  2. Cooking Summer-Themed Recipes – Cooking activities such as making healthy fruit salads, smoothies, or frozen yogurt help teach children about nutrition, teamwork, and math through measuring and portioning.
  3. Outdoor Science Experiments – Exploring the natural world with activities like sun prints, leaf rubbing, or creating simple water cycles can enhance scientific understanding and observation skills.
  4. Themed Story and Craft Sessions – Reading books about summer adventures or holidays, followed by related crafts like making paper plate suns, beach scenes, or seascape art.
  5. Physical Activities with an Educational Twist – Incorporating games like water play with learning outcomes such as counting, sorting, or matching games, which improve cognitive skills alongside physical activity.
  6. Outdoor Math and Literacy Games – Creating obstacle courses or scavenger hunts that require children to solve puzzles, read signs, or count objects to strengthen numeracy and literacy skills.

These activities not only provide fun and engaging experiences but also help develop key educational skills aligned with early learning goals

©2024. Wynyard Tiny Tots. All Rights Reserved.