Outside mark making! The children requested somewhere to draw outside and were so excited to help transport the tables to under our pirate ship, giving them the opportunity to be creative in an enclosed outdoor space during our weekly ’Wild Day’. They spent hours drawing and talking about the marks they made. We had everything from trains in Greece, to the beach with magic balloons, rainbows, piggy and a cow and the beautiful sunshine and grass! #hampdenwaynursery #barnetearlyyearsalliance #markmaking #earlyyears #outdoorsearlyyears

We are so lucky to have this beautiful wild flower area at nursery. . Spending time outdoors and in nature is not just fun for children — it’s also necessary. Research shows that children who play outside are happier, better at paying attention and less anxious than children who spend more time indoors. It can have such a positive affect on children’s mental health and well being. . Imagine how it would feel to walk through and hide amongst flowers taller than you - just magical! . #eyfs #childledplay #earlyyearsoutdoors #keepingitreal #earlylearning #barnetearlyyearsalliance #eyfsoutdoors #outdoorplay #outdoorlearning #forestschoolideas #themagicofchildhood #eytagteam #maintainednurseryschools #forestschool #forestschoolactivities #earlyyearsoutdoors #hyggeintheearlyyears #wildflowers #childrenswellbeing #childrensmentalhealth

Water play #eyfs #nursery #earlyyearsoutdoors #keepingitreal #earlylearning #barnetearlyyearsalliance #outdoorplay #earlyyearsoutdoors #eytagteam #maintainednurseryschools #eyfsoutdoors #childrenscentre #waterplay #eyfsoutdoors #earlyyearsoutdoors #themagicofchildhood #theirplaytheirway #childledlearning #eytagteam #waterplayideas #outdoorwaterplay #sensoryplay

Wild days, slow days, the best days. . #eyfs #childledplay #earlyyearsoutdoors #keepingitreal #earlylearning #barnetearlyyearsalliance #eyfsoutdoors #outdoorplay #outdoorlearning #forestschoolideas #themagicofchildhood #eytagteam #maintainednurseryschools #forestschool #forestschoolactivities #earlyyearsoutdoors #hyggeintheearlyyears #wildflowers #childrenswellbeing #childrensmentalhealth #earlyreading #denbuilding #bubbles

Keeping cool Hampden Way style! #eyfs #nursery #education #earlyyears #earlyyearsideas #keepingitreal #earlylearning #playbasedlearning #learning #play #barnetearlyyearsalliance #eytagteam #learningenvironment #childhood #pretendplay #themagicofchildhood #imaginativeplay #looseparts #loosepartsplay #outdoorlooseparts #waterplay #outdoorwaterplay #earlyyearsoutdoors #outdoorplay #eyfsoutdoors #waterplayideas

The pure joy experienced today summed up by the words of a four year old, ‘It’s been a big day!’ Yes, there may be the odd misplaced item of clothing or child now wearing the wrong shorts but the memories made today will last forever. Huge thank you to every member of staff that worked so hard to make today so wonderful. . #eyfs #nursery #education #earlyyears #earlyyearsideas #keepingitreal #earlylearning #playbasedlearning #learning #play #barnetearlyyearsalliance #eytagteam #learningenvironment #childhood #pretendplay #themagicofchildhood #imaginativeplay #looseparts #loosepartsplay #outdoorlooseparts #waterplay #outdoorwaterplay #earlyyearsoutdoors #outdoorplay #eyfsoutdoors #waterplayideas

Wishing the very best to all our children moving onto school and wishing all our families a wonderful summer. We hope you enjoyed the party and the leavers video. We would also like to thank you all for your support, kind words and generous gifts, they are always appreciated. THANK YOU! With love from us all at Hampden Way XXX . #eyfs #nursery #education #earlyyears #barnetearlyyearsalliance #eyfsoutdoors #maintainednurseryschool #eytagteam #nurserycommunity #community #schoolleavers #nurseryleavers

And we are back! It has been so lovely to see our returning children getting stuck into their play and a warm welcome to our new children and families joining us this term. Let the adventures begin! #eyfs #education #earlyyears #earlyyearsideas #barnetearlyyearsalliance #keepingitreal #community #maintainednurseryschools #eytagteam #mothersday #parentpartnership #nurserycommunity #freeplay #learningthroughplay #psed

We’ve been painting, printing and washing tyres in the garden. Why is this important? Large-scale mark making is important in early childhood development as it engages the whole body, helping children develop hand strength, balance, coordination, and core strength. By using large movements to create marks, children activate not only the small muscles in their hands and fingers but also larger muscle groups in the arms, shoulders, and torso. All of this builds the motor skills necessary for later writing. It’s also lots of fun! #eyfs #nursery #earlyyears #barnetearlyyearsalliance #eytagteam @eytagteam #finemotorskills #finemotor #handeyecoordination #maintainednurseryschools #finemotorideas #preschoolideas #earlyyearsideas #physicaldevelopment #boyswriting #earlywriting #markmaking #markmakingideas #outdoorplay #earlyyearsoutdoors #looseparts #learningthroughplay

There have been lots of customers in our woodland cafe - creating, cooking, mixing and serving whilst learning how to share and cooperate with each other. Why is this important? This type of play encourages creativity, sensory exploration, and social development. It allows children to engage in imaginative role-play, drawing on their own experiences while interacting with natural elements like mud, water, and leaves. This hands-on play helps develop fine motor skills, problem-solving abilities, and teamwork as children collaborate, share ideas, and experiment. It also fosters a connection with nature, promoting curiosity and a sense of discovery in the outdoor environment. #eyfs #childledplay #earlyyearsoutdoors #keepingitreal #earlylearning #barnetearlyyearsalliance #eyfsoutdoors #outdoorplay #outdoorlearning #forestschoolideas #themagicofchildhood #eytagteam #maintainednurseryschools #forestschool #forestschoolactivities #earlyyearsoutdoors #hyggeintheearlyyears #diyearlyyears #mudkichen #mudkitchenideas #playingwithmud #woodlandkitchen #texturekitchen #sensoryplay #waterplay

Our home corner is always there for our children - a constant area of our provision, where children can engage in imaginative play, develop social skills, and explore real-life scenarios. It helps build emotional development by encouraging cooperation and empathy. It’s a cosy place to sit and chat, where adults can introduce new vocabulary and ask open-ended questions to stimulate thinking - and it’s always busy!! #eyfs #nursery #earlyyears #roleplayideas #earlylearning #eyfsideas #barnetearlyyearsalliance #roleplay #eytagteam #imaginativeplay#maintainednurseryschool #maintainednurseryschools #communicationandlanguage #homecorner #homecornerideas

Bubbles, bubbles everywhere! So much joy observed - the rain certainly didn’t stop the play today. Why is this important? Playing outdoors with water encourages hands-on exploration of cause and effect. Children see the immediate results of their actions, enhancing problem-solving and critical thinking skills. This type of play also stimulates creativity, motor skills, and sensory awareness. It is also lots of fun, promoting emotional well-being and helps develop social skills through cooperative play. #eyfs #nursery #earlyyearsoutdoors #keepingitreal #earlylearning #barnetearlyyearsalliance #outdoorplay #earlyyearsoutdoors #eytagteam #maintainednurseryschools #eyfsoutdoors #childrenscentre #waterplay #eyfsoutdoors #earlyyearsoutdoors #themagicofchildhood #theirplaytheirway #childledlearning #eytagteam #waterplayideas #outdoorwaterplay #sensoryplay