Our Children aged two to three years old are welcomed to an environment that offers familiar routines that allow them to revisit and practice activities.
They are presented with new experiences through resources that encourage them to make choices through pretend play, exploration, inquiry and outdoor play. Our Planning, activities and observations are linked to the ‘pre-birth to three: positive outcomes for Scotland’s children and families’ framework and have a focus on relationships, responsive care, rights of the child and respect.
Please follow the link for more information about the pre-birth to three curriculum.
Schemas
This year we have been focusing on schematic play. Schemas are repeated patterns in behaviour that children may display through their play and exploration of the world around them. Schematic play supports children making links from previous learning and how to apply it in other areas as they play, develop and problem solve.
Each child is different, and some may display multiple schemas while others show none at all.
The child may have a strong drive to repeat actions such as:-
transporting things from one place to another
covering things up or hiding them or themselves
filling containers
moving things in circles or rolling them
lining things up
climbing onto things
throwing things around
Connecting things
These actions can be seen throughout their play.
Here are some examples of schematic play we have been exploring in the nursery.
This year we have been focusing on developing our outdoor space and outdoor learning opportunities that support children’s learning. With feedback from our parents, staff and of course the children we started to plan changes to the area. We began by clearing the area and moving resources to create space, with help from the children who swept and collected rubbish. This provided learning in developing co-ordination skills, gross and fine motor development and listening and talking skills.
Once the area was clear the children brought round some planters and staff carried tree stumps for the children to sit on. The children’s current interests have been making music to which we will now create a music wall within this area using recycled materials and create wind chimes. We have used this area already to read stories and sing songs.
We have developed sensory play opportunities outdoors. Sensory play outdoors supports children in play and encourages a range of learning and development such as fine and gross motor skills, encouraged and engaging in language development and social skills, exploring and curiosity, enhanced spiritual, sensory and aesthetic and spacial awareness.
The impact of this improvement of space the children can now feel valued and involved in creating new spaces to learn.
Our next steps are to develop free flow access for the children for all weather play throughout the day.
Useful links:
Our interactive ‘stay and play’ sessions are an excellent opportunity for you and your child to come and spend some time together and play!
Our Stay and Play sessions offer parents and carers a good opportunity to come and see what the children get up to during their busy day at nursery. The children love showing and sharing what they are doing and we find both staff and parents enjoy the time to get to know each other a little better. As mums and dads can’t always come along we are pleased to welcome other family members to join in with all the fun.
March 2020 Stay and Play Fun Week
Parents/Carers/Grandparents were invited to join us at one of our Stay and Play Activity Sessions .Activities on offer were :-Malleable/Dough/Gloop, Exploring outdoors, Art activities, Storytelling and Music and Movement.
The children and parents made playdough together.
‘I joined in an Exploring outdoors session.We explored the garden and I was able to see where my child likes playing.We spent a long time in the mud kitchen making mud tea and mud cakes,it was really fun for us both’
‘I was shown the outdoor play area by my son and his friends’
‘It is really good to see my child sing songs with the teachers,he is really happy and learning lots.We really appreciate it’
‘I had a lovely time painting with the dinosaurs and playing in the sand ‘
Other parent’s comments were:-
‘It was a great and worthwhile experience’
‘Have stay and play sessions more often’
‘It was an amazing experience to see what my child does while playing outdoors.It was lovely to see her bonding with the staff and classmates’
‘Lovely opportunity for my child to show me around the nursery,he was very excited.It was good to come in on a day that my child doesn’t normally attend’
If you cannot make it along to one of our activity sessions, you can join us for a stay and play session at any time.Please speak to a member of staff to arrange a time that is more convenient
Isabel Wilson
Leadership Task – Improve Parent Communication in the 2 - 3 room
After discussion with management it was agreed that as part of my PDR I would look into ways in which to improve communication with parents in the 2-3 room.
I looked at ways in which we currently communicate with parents and ways in which these could be improved.
Current Ways of Communication:-
How to improve:-
E journals
All staff to use ejournals for recording of childrens learning.Staff to be trained in using e journals.
Staff have had training at inservice days to support their use of e journals.Staff have now become more confident in their use of them.Parents have been encouraged to log on and look at their childs learning .As parents become more familiar with the ejournals,they are now commenting and adding some news from home.Staff are able to comment on the news from home,working in partnership and building relationships with them.
Parent Information Boards
The parent information boards were needing to be updated.At the recent inservice day,staff discussed how to improve them.It decided that we should
As a staff team we updated the cloakroom info.
Parent information board – updated with new information regarding toilet training,Triple P Sessions ,healthy snacks and other parental information.
Schemas – as part of another staff members pdr they were to support parents and staff to recognise schemas.The member of staff displayed the information effectively on the wall informing parents of schemas to recognise.
Welcoming Parents
Welcoming Parents when bringing and collecting their child to/from nursery
All staff continue to provide a warm welcome when parents/children arrive at nursery.
Newsletters
Newsletters are sent out on a monthly basis,informing parents of what their child has been doing at nursery and of any events that are planned.It is the seniors responsibility to write the newsletter.However,I have made sure that the information on the 2-3 room is collated and correct for the newsletter.
Daily Information Board
In the foyer there is a parent information whiteboard.As part of my pdr to improve communication with parents,I have ensured that this is updated daily with:-
Snack menu
Lunch details
Sleep times
Childrens learning /activities throughout the day
Any other parent information
I will update before the end of my shift and if I am unable will ask one of the other staff team to do for me.
Floor Book
We have a floor book to record the childrens learning.It is located on the table in the cloakroom.As part of my pdr I have ensured that the floor book is completed by all staff at the end of their time in an area.They will record all learning that has taken place,childrens comments and add photographs.
Parents Night
As a staff member I will attend Parents night as part of my role as an Early Years Worker.I will work in partnership with parents to give an accurate report on their childs learning and progress.I will be welcoming and approachable to support and discuss and concerns they may have.
I have attended Parents Night in February and used the learning journals to report to parents on their childs progress. I was able to show the parents the ejournals and guide them through the 2-3 curriculum.All parents were very interested and said how helpful they found the evening.
Curriculum Nights
These are held yearly to provide parents with information about their childs learning in nursery.They can visit each playroom ,meet staff and participate in activities in they chose to do so.
Stay and Play
A Stay and Play fun week was held in March to encourage parents/carers/grandparents to come and spend time in the playroom learning about what their child gets up to at nursery and to get to know staff better.,encouraging working in partnership with them.
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Date |
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Early February |
Discussion with other members of staff about how the week would be planned.Each staff member would be responsible for an area within the playroom,depending on the area they were in and what they felt most confident in |
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Mid February |
A programme was made up giving times of activities |
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12 February |
Letter handed out to all parents inviting to come along and join in with the stay and play sessions |
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20 February |
Sign up sheets in the foyer before parents night |
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20 February |
Staff reminded parents at parent meetings about stay and play and encouraged to sign up |
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20 February |
Isabel in foyer giving information and discussing stay and play |
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24 February |
Staff plan activities and gather resources |
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2 March |
Activity week |
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2 to 6 March |
Collect parent evaluations |
A fun week was held with a great response from parents.Parent evaluations were given out on the day ,with very positive feedback.
Parental Feedback:-
Tell us about your experience of Stay and Play:-
‘We really enjoyed watching E play and show us which toys she likes to play with.
‘Lovely opportunity for L to show me around the nusrsery,He was very excited’
I joined A on an outdoor Stay and play Session.We expolored the garden and she showed me where she likes playing.We spent along time in the mud kitchen making mud tea and mud cakes- it was really fun for us both’
‘It is really good to see O can sing songs with teachers and he is so happy and learn a lot here.I really appreciate it’
‘I was shown the outdoor play area by Sally,C and two of his friends’
I had a lovely time painting with dinosaurs and playing in the sand with C’
‘I enjoyed getting to join in on activities with G it was nice to watch her interact with her peers’
It was amazing experience to see what my child do while playing outdoors.It was lovely to see her bonding with the staff and classmates’
When asked what worked well about stay and play parents commented how interesting it was to see what their child does at nursery.However key comments were:-
‘Flexibility to come in on a day that L doesn’t normally attend’
I enjoyed the opportunity to see what the children have access to in the outdoor space and to see how much A enjoyed herself at nursery .It was great to hear from Sally the learning potentioal of each of the activities.’
‘The timing of the session was good as it didn’t interfere with lunchtime/snacktime.I was able to see G playing outdoors which is great because I know she loves playing outside’
When asked if they felt welcome in the playroom?
‘Yes staff were lovely and very welcoming as were the children’
‘Extremely,everyone was very welcoming’
‘Yes,I always feel welcome’
‘Yes,I did’
‘Yes,Sally was making sure that we felt comfortable and welcomed.All other staff members were brilliant as well.
When asked if anything could be done better;-
‘Have stay and play sessions more often’
‘It was a great and worthwhile experinece’
I think this is a great initiative and more opportunity to get involved with nursery life would be great.It is tricky a working parent to get involved sometimes’
When asked if they would like to stay and play again;-
‘Yes,sure I’d like to’
‘Yes’
‘Yes,it was fantastic’
‘Yes,definitely’
Staff Evaluation of Stay and Play Week
Staff all felt that the activity week was a success .They all felt a great sense of achievement in their work and that parents had really appreciated the work that they do on a daily basis.They all felt that they had forged good relationships with parents/carers helping them to work in partnership with them.
It was felt that this would be a beneficial activity to have on a termly basis.A few parents that could not make it along have asked to attend at another time more convenient for them.
All staff felt that although the Activity week worked well,we should continue to offer the Stay and Play sessions at a time chosen by the parents also.
Parents that attended also commented that it was helpful to be able to come on a day that their child does not attend nursery as most parents are working when their child is in nursery.
Overall,the stay and play session was a great success and should offered on a regular basis.
Benefits from Improved Communication in 2-3 Room
