On arrival at pre-school the children are greeted at the door and they put their bags in the treasure box and find their name to self-register themselves. Children are then free to play and explore the environment. The children learn through their play and we put the emphasis on learning through play because if a child is happy, relaxed and having fun then they learn more.
We have different toys and equipment out each day; we rotate what comes out from the store room. We always have small world toys such as cars, houses, farms and Duplo sets. We also have some form of construction each day, either large types of Lego bricks or wooden bricks, large foam bricks and mega blocks and Lego. Dressing up, sand, play doh, painting, books, shop and the home corner are out every session. Although the dressing up clothes are rotated and changed around each term and depending on the theme we are looking at the shop or home corner are changed into cafes, Estate Agents, Beach huts and plant nursery's. We also have a large wooden climbing frame out most days for the children to climb and explore and this is changed for Gym Equipment and bats and balls as an alternative once a week.
We have an adult led activity a couple of times a week relating to our theme for that week or half term. This activity is then out on another day for the children to complete independently. We have an Art table every day that has different activities on but these are usually child initiated activities and a math's corner with lots of math's related equipment, again changed daily.
The children are supported in their free play and encouraged to play with each other, with staff support where needed. After about an hour the children go to the toilet and wash their hands to have snack. The children sit in small groups with their key person and the register is taken and then we have a healthy fruit or vegetable snack and either milk or water to drink.
After snack we usually go outside to play in our garden at the side of the hall. The children are encouraged to remove their shoes and find their own boots and coat to play outside. When we come back in the children continue with child initiated play and those that wish have the opportunity to complete the adult led activity. All children are encouraged to do the adult led activity at least twice a week.
Tidy up time is at 11.45am and the children help the adults to tidy all the toys away and then they sit in a large circle for singing time. This lasts until 12.00pm when the children going home will be asked to collect their water bottle and art work to go home. We also do music and movement, musical islands, parachute games and ring games with the children as an alternative to singing.
The afternoons the sessions are roughly the same but we have lunch at 12.45pm instead of snack. If the weather is good we spend more time outside and will often have snack or lunch in the garden. In the summer months the outside area is accessible all session and the children can choose to play inside or outside. But in the winter we tend to go outside as a group all together.