Our first fire of the new term. Sitting around the fire gives our children a rich, sensory learning experience. We’ve been learning about how to stay safe around the fire. To support this, we have been playing lots of ring games to develop social skills, listening skills and a sense of community. Sitting around a fire also introduces concepts of safety and responsibility as children learn to respect boundaries and follow instructions in a natural, outdoor setting. The children did really well following the rules, they loved listening to the popcorn popping in the pan and learning our ‘popcorn’ poem. They loved eating it too! #eyfs #childledplay #earlyyearsoutdoors #keepingitreal #earlylearning #barnetearlyyearsalliance #eyfsoutdoors #outdoorplay #outdoorlearning #forestschoolideas #themagicofchildhood #eytagteam #maintainednurseryschools #forestschool #forestschoolactivities #earlyyearsoutdoors #hyggeintheearlyyears #childrenswellbeing #childrensmentalhealth

Owl babies by Martin Waddell is one of our core books. It has inspired some wonderful mark making and play dough creations. #eyfs #nursery #education #earlyyears #earlyyearsideas #keepingitreal #earlylearning #playbasedlearning #learningthroughplay #storytelling #eyfsinspiration #continuousprovision #literacy #barnetearlyyearsalliance #allaboutearlyyears #eyfsclassroom #eytagteam #playdoughideas #malleableplay

Books! We have moved our books away from the main carpet space, where they used to be strewn across the floor and trodden on. We have created cosy book areas, with everything low and at child level. We have included cosy seating and story tables with props for children to retell the stories they have heard. We have thought about the books we put out, displaying our core books alongside other seasonal books and books that link with our key concept planning. There are soft toys and puppets for storytelling. There are more than one copy of a book so children can look at the same book alongside their friends. We have also given each child a book bag to take home with a visual of our core songs. Once a week, children choose a book to take home from nursery to share with their family with a focus on the importance of taking care of books. It has been so lovely to see children excited to change their book each week and enjoying the new cosy reading areas. #eyfs #nursery #education #earlyyears #earlyyearsideas #keepingitreal #earlylearning #playbasedlearning #learningthroughplay #storytelling #eyfsinspiration #continuousprovision #literacy #barnetearlyyearsalliance #allaboutearlyyears #eyfsclassroom #eytagteam

Some outdoor mark making and a rescued snail! #eyfs #nursery #earlyyears #barnetearlyyearsalliance #eytagteam @eytagteam #finemotorskills #finemotor #handeyecoordination #maintainednurseryschools #finemotorideas #preschoolideas #earlyyearsideas #physicaldevelopment #boyswriting #earlywriting #markmaking #markmakingideas #outdoorplay #earlyyearsoutdoors #learningthroughplay #whatelsecanipaint #childledplay #sensoryplayideas #sensoryplay #messyplay #messyplayideas

After what has felt like a long, wet week of constant rain and changing wet clothes, it was so lovely to have the sun shining today. I caught a glimpse of these two out of the window and they made me smile. I popped out and was told there was a spider hanging down and it was stuck. This is why we do what we do. Just in this moment there are two children developing a firm friendship, sharing their experiences. They are interacting, connecting, sharing awe, wonder and joy. They have problem solved and used their physical skills to find and climb ladders. They’ve taken a risk. They’re expressing themselves with their choice to wear the ‘crazy glasses’. They are noticing and talking about the natural world. Their levels of involvement and well being are high. Our staff work so hard to provide a loving, creative learning environment that enable these moments to happen every day and I am so proud to work with such an incredible team and such wonderful children. Hampden Way - A place of possibilities! #eyfs #education #earlyyears #earlyyearsideas #barnetearlyyearsalliance #keepingitreal #community #maintainednurseryschools #eytagteam #nurserycommunity #freeplay #learningthroughplay #psed

Sweeping, cleaning and window washing. Did you know an 85-year ongoing study undertaken by Harvard Research found a strong connection between doing chores and later professional success and happiness. The findings showed that shared responsibilities help children develop greater self-worth, confidence, work ethic, and empathy for others. #eyfs #nursery #earlyyearsoutdoors #keepingitreal #earlylearning #barnetearlyyearsalliance #outdoorplay #earlyyearsoutdoors #eytagteam #maintainednurseryschools #eyfsoutdoors #childrenscentre #waterplay #eyfsoutdoors #earlyyearsoutdoors #themagicofchildhood #theirplaytheirway #childledlearning #eytagteam #waterplayideas #outdoorwaterplay #sensoryplay

A bed. A road for the cars. A show. We love to watch their stories unfold. When we stumble upon scenes like this, we are always in awe of the cooperation, complexity and attention to detail. It is simply wonderful! #eyfs #nursery #education #earlyyears #earlyyearsideas #keepingitreal #earlylearning #playbasedlearning #learning #play #barnetearlyyearsalliance #eytagteam #learningenvironment #childhood #pretendplay #themagicofchildhood #imaginativeplay #looseparts #loosepartsplay #childledplay #blockplay blockplayideas #storytelling #communityplaythings

Awe and wonder in the everyday - from finding a cobweb to watching a skip delivery #eyfs #nursery #earlyyearsoutdoors #keepingitreal #earlylearning #barnetearlyyearsalliance #outdoorplay #earlyyearsoutdoors #maintainednurseryschools #eyfsoutdoors #eyfsoutdoors #earlyyearsoutdoors #themagicofchildhood #understandingtheworld

In the garden we’ve been practising whittling and developing our tool skills by making magic wands. There was a lot of deep focus, concentration , determination and perseverance observed as children created their own wands. Sharing ideas and sparking imagination and ideas of how their wands could be used afterwards. Once they had finished whittling , some wands were wrapped and tied with wool and ribbons. Displaying some fabulous knots . Some were coloured using pens. Some children came back to do more whittling , having thoroughly enjoyed just the process of sitting with friends and connecting with them and also with the natural resources they were working with. #eyfs #nursery #earlyyearsoutdoors #keepingitreal #earlylearning #barnetearlyyearsalliance #outdoorplay #earlyyearsoutdoors #maintainednurseryschools #eyfsoutdoors #forestschoolideas #physicaldevelopment #eyfswoodwork #forestschool #finemotor #whittling #urbanforestschool

We’ve been using pumpkins to develop fine and gross motor skills and master the use of different tools at nursery this week . We’ve painted pumpkins, hammered pumpkins , chopped pumpkins, filled them and used scissors to cut spaghetti hair. We’ve worked in teams to carry and transport them to the top of the hill and roll them down the hill. So many possibilities and so much fun has been had. Thank you for all the pumpkin donations . #eyfs #nursery #keepingitreal #earlylearning #barnetearlyyearsalliance #earlyyearsoutdoors #maintainednurseryschools #eyfsphysicaldevlopment

Home made pumpkin soup around the fire. Delicious! Happy half term everyone ☺️ #eyfs #childledplay #earlyyearsoutdoors #keepingitreal #earlylearning #barnetearlyyearsalliance #eyfsoutdoors #outdoorplay #outdoorlearning #forestschoolideas #themagicofchildhood #eytagteam #maintainednurseryschools #forestschool #forestschoolactivities #earlyyearsoutdoors #hyggeintheearlyyears #healthyeating

Our two year olds have been enjoying lots of sensory exploration. They have been learning to take turns, hearing lots of new language,developing their fine motor skills and having lots of fun. #eyfs #nursery #earlyyearsoutdoors #keepingitreal #earlylearning #barnetearlyyearsalliance #outdoorplay #earlyyearsoutdoors #eytagteam #maintainednurseryschools #eyfsoutdoors #childrenscentre #waterplay #eyfsoutdoors #earlyyearsoutdoors #themagicofchildhood #theirplaytheirway #childledlearning #eytagteam