Indoor & Outdoor Play

A good balance of indoor and outdoor play is very important to us here and we strive to make sure your little ones have a variety of different activities to do that will also support their growth and development. All of that whilst having a fun and memorable experience too! Our setting helps to promote the 7 areas of learning and development by using activities and experiences for the children in our indoor and outdoor environment.

There are 3 prime areas:

• Communication and Language
• Physical
• Personal, Social, and Emotional

And 4 specific areas:

• Literacy
• Maths
• Understanding of the world
• Expressive arts and design

Here at Co-operative Play and Learn we follow the characteristics of effective teaching and learning which comes under three headings:

• Playing and exploring – how the children investigate and exploring things, helping to improve motor skills too
• Active learning – how the children use their concentration, keep on trying and enjoy achievements
• Creating and thinking critically – how the children develop their own idea, make links between ideas and develop strategies for doing things

Our Outdoor Environment

Here at the Co-operative Play and Learn we believe that children should be able to access outdoor play all year round, it’s a vital part of a child’s development, learning and enjoyment. 

Sometimes when it rains or the weather isn’t great, people tend to stay indoors more but not here at Co-operative Learn and Play, we believe that children should be able to access outdoor play all year round! It’s a vital part of a child’s development and learning journey. Being outdoors allows the children to experience and explore their natural environment but within a safe space under the watchful eye of our staff members. We’ve created a partially enclosed outdoor environment which links directly to our indoor playroom, that way the children can still enjoy the outdoors whilst being shielded from the weather. 

Outdoor Activities:

• Yoga
• Role play with other children
• Nature Play – our children get the chance to play with lots of natural tactile things such as leaves, pasta & rice, plants, water, seasonal ingredients such as pumpkins
• Growing/Planting
• Nature
• Sports
• Den making
• Mud kitchen
• Sand area
• Music
• Painting

Our Indoor Environment

Children learn best from their experiences and being able to challenge themselves. Part of our mission here is to encourage children to take the lead in their play and learning. We do this by offering a wide range of activities and resources, from which they can choose according to their interests and needs. Our indoor environment is set out so that the children are able to access the majority of the resources and equipment available independently. As part of our aim to meet the needs of all of our children, we’ve set up a quiet and cosy area for those who want to rest throughout their busy day with us. It’s so important to make sure there is an area where the children can go to feel safe and grounded, as well as a quiet space for anyone feeling overwhelmed. Sometimes when children first arrive, getting used to being with us can be a big adjustment so having this space really can benefit them. 

Indoor Activities:

• Music and Movement – using instruments, dancing and singing (we give the children things like stretch fabrics and feathers to express themselves with during this activity
• Yoga – We think yoga is a great activity for children as it relaxes them at the same time as releasing some of their wiggles. It helps to develop their concentration and listening skills too.
• Cooking
• Early Science
• Fun with Mathematics
• Painting
• Crafts
• Reading
• Home corner/Role play
• Playdough station

Group Sessions

We offer regular group sessions, where the children and adults come together to learn and have fun (these are our adult initiated learning sessions listed in our daily routine). Everyday we cover different areas of learning, we share our experiences, and take turns to talk and listen to each other. We demonstrate active listening when others are talking which teaches the children important social skills for the future. We have 2 ‘Adult Led Learning’ sessions each day. We have a fun time sessions which involves small structured adult led activities to support children’s communication and listening skills. Fun time is interactive and lots of fun, encouraging children to join in. Music and Movement is another popular example. It’s a super engaging and high energy and the children love it! We use different materials to enhance the sensory experience, encouraging the children to join in, move their bodies and express themselves through music and sound. Musical instruments are always a hit, using the claves and other percussion instruments to explore sound, volume, tempo and rhythm.