Arrival & Settling In
Children begin their day by coming into the classroom independently, hanging up their bags, putting away their snacks and water bottles, and greeting our friendly class fish!
As part of our Zones of Regulation, children then find their photo and place it on the zone that matches how they are feeling. This gentle check-in supports emotional awareness and helps us understand how each child is starting their day.
Explorers’ Time: Child-Initiated Play and Discovery
During the morning we have Explorers’ Time, when our classroom buzzes with curiosity and excitement. Children choose from a range of playful, hands-on activities - building in the block area, investigating colour and light, solving puzzles or getting creative with mark-making tools. They follow their own interests and discover new ideas in a joyful, child-led environment.
Specialist Sessions & School Adventures
Throughout the week, children enjoy visits from our specialist teachers or explore different areas of the school. These exciting experiences include:
- Games in the Sports Hall
- Music with Miss Blows
- Spanish with Miss Maria
- Ballet, practising basic positions and movements
- Library visits to enjoy stories and choose books
These sessions enrich the children’s learning and make each morning feel varied and engaging.
Snack Time
Children sit together to enjoy a healthy snack while chatting with friends and teachers. This is a calm, sociable time that helps children develop independence, turn-taking and communication.
Outdoor Play & Garden Exploration
After snack, we head into the garden for active outdoor fun. Children run, climb the pirate ship, dig, build with our large construction equipment or explore natural materials. This daily outdoor time supports physical development and imaginative play.
Teacher-Led Carpet Sessions
After our time in the garden, we gather for a daily teacher-led carpet session. These short, interactive moments include phonics, maths, stories and songs.
We also talk about how we are feeling and revisit our Zones of Regulation, helping children recognise emotions, build self-awareness and learn simple strategies to feel calm and ready to learn.
Lunchtime & Rest
Children enjoy a hot lunch together, practising independence and developing social skills as they share a meal. Afterwards, some children head home while others stay for a restful nap or enjoy more outdoor play in the garden or on the trim trail.
Afternoon Activities
Our afternoons are filled with playful, hands-on experiences that build creativity, independence and social skills. Activities may include:
- Funky Fingers activities using playdough, tweezers and threading
- Construction time with blocks and loose parts
- Rhyme time & storytelling with songs and interactive tales
- Craft sessions exploring paint, collage and sensory materials
- Puzzles and games that encourage teamwork and problem-solving
- Outdoor exploring, digging, building and enjoying nature
These afternoons are calm, engaging and full of opportunities for children to practise new skills while having fun with their friends.
A Perfect End to the Day
We finish with a snack from home and a calming story or song. Children are then collected, or they can continue the fun in our warm and familiar Extended Day care in Kindergarten.