Busy Days at Acorns Nursery

Every day in Nursery is a busy day, and we all know how hard it is sometimes to keep your little one awake during the car journey home – we’ve all been reduced to singing nursery rhymes on repeat at the top of our voices in traffic just to keep their eyes open !  But what does your child do all day that’s so exhausting ?

At Acorns the day begins at 7.30am with our early morning arrivals, after a relaxing breakfast of cereal, croissants or fruit bread the activities start with Free Flow, where indoors meets outdoors and everything is child led, exciting and new.  From spaghetti play and Gloop, marble painting and cooking, there are plenty of different activities in our play rooms each day to challenge and interest everyone.  Then it’s straight outdoors for sand and water fun, parachute games, obstacle courses and balancing – and that’s just before lunch !

Lunch is the main meal of the day where the children enjoy healthy, nutritious dishes with their friends and Keycarers which have been freshly prepared by our Nursery Cook using fruit and vegetables grown in our nursery gardens.    Some of our children enjoy a little nap after lunch whilst others prefer to take part in quiet activities with their friends such as story time, singing circle and puzzles.

By 2pm everyone is wide awake and looking forward to the more structured activities that their Keycarers have planned in line with the Early Years and Foundation Phase guidelines.  Our babies enjoy sensory development and music time whilst the Toddlers can’t wait to use up their energy on our indoor climbing frame and ball pool!   The inquisitive 2-3 year olds love to play in the construction area and create masterpieces in our messy room !

The pre-schoolers enjoy teaching sessions with our Early Years Teachers, a chance for them to learn pencil skills, numbers and all about the world around them.   In our designated Forest School areas they learn to make wood cookies, build bug mansions and have fun with mud play, and especially look forward to their weekly visit from Attribute Sports where they have great fun learning ball skills, balancing and co-ordination games.

All that fun makes rumbly tummys and soon it’s time for tea !   Tastebuds are tingling again as everyone sits down for a high tea followed by fruit or one of Cookie’s delicious puddings for dessert.

All too soon it’s home time and we wave goodbye to our friends for another day.   We’ve had a day full of exploration, imagination and adventures – that car seat suddenly looks so cosy and just perfect for a little snooze on the journey home !!

Published in NCT Small Talk magazine, Summer 2015