Welcome to our setting

Our light and welcoming playroom changes all the time. I usually set out toys and resources depending on our learning topic for that week, aiming to encourage each child’s interests, knowledge, skills and future learning. The children can also access toys and resources themselves, but I ask them to tidy away what is already out before they get new things out. We are very child led and will encourage children to make their own choices and then show an interest in their play and join in where appropriate. I also encourage free play where the children play independently and don’t have assistance from me unless they ask for it or I can see they need it.

There is a comfy sofa, book area, soft carpet, little kitchen and table always out in the playroom. We change books depending on our curriculum and the children's interest. We also visit the library and take books out for children to take home to share with their families.

The little table and chairs are often used for tea parties, number activities, free writing, baking, playdough, board games and puzzles, light box activities and lots of other things.

Our playroom leads into a quiet room where we have a computer and activity board always available. The computer is password protected so children can only use it with supervision. We use the computer for homework, to look things up, to teach children how to use a mouse, keyboard and computer and to play easy learning games.

We also have a children’s kindle which is set up with learning activities for under 5’s. The children cannot access the internet on this kindle. There are also sensory toys and quiet toys such as stickle bricks and small world dolls available for the children if they want to have some time away from the main playroom.

Off the quiet room we have a small downstairs shower room. This is where the children go to the toilet, use the potty and wash their hands. We have two sizes of toilet seat built into the toilet unit, a fun potty next to it and a step for reaching the tap. I always keep an ear out and help where needed and clean up after each use. The children use the flannels on top of the toilet to dry their hands and put them directly into the washing machine which is located in the kitchen.

On the other side of our playroom, we have the open plan dining room/kitchen. This is where we eat our meals and snacks. There are various sized chairs, highchairs and a bench for different ages of children and we use appropriately sized plates, cups, bottles, spoons, forks and knives depending on each child’s age and ability. We encourage the children to sit whilst eating and to use this time as a good discussion opportunity. One of the children takes on the waiter role at each mealtime and carries the food from the kitchen to serve their friends. We also use the dining room table for activities such as jewellery making, painting, clay creations, Hama beads, Lego and other smaller pieced activities to keep them off the floor and away from the babies.

There are double doors in the dining room which lead straight on to a covered patio. These doors are kept open all year round so that the children can move from inside to outside at their own discretion. During very cold months we may close the doors for some of the day, but they are not locked so the children can use the handle to go outside or ask for our help if needed

The covered patio has a comfy sofa with cushions that the children use for reading, chatting, relaxing, playing doctors or with their dolls etc.

We also often have a tough tray in front of the sofa under the covered area with activities or free play around that week’s topic. The children don’t have to play with this in any particular way, it’s an investigation and learning experience for them. I play alongside them, narrating what I am doing and commenting on what they are doing, answer questions, work out solutions but I also ask them questions and for help and make sure I am sometimes quiet so that I can observe their play and let them chat amongst themselves

At the other end of the patio (but not under cover) there is a small wicker sofa and chair with a low table. The children use this area for whatever they want such as doctors, bakery, dolls area, free mark making etc.

The patio leads to a large lawn area where the children can run free, roll down a small hill, kick footballs or get other toys and resources out. We often have a small climbing frame on the grass.

We sometimes have a small bouncy castle on the lawn, or set up a tent, sometimes an assault course, or have the paddling pool or sprinkler out. This area changes all the time.

Halfway down the path on the left is a large sandpit with chalk board. There are dumper trucks and digging toys here but mainly just fresh sand for the children to use their imaginations in.

There is a curved path which leads to the bottom of the lawn. The children often draw with chalks on this path.

Opposite the sand pit on the other side of the lawn is a fairy garden under a lovely tree. The children use their imaginations here as well as fine motor skills to move the small characters around. They play freely and often call me over to show me something or let me know if something is out of place or needs attention.

Next to the fairy garden is a double bench and small table which we use for quiet time and books. Sometimes the children use this as a dolls house, baby area or doctor’s room.

At the end and to the left of the lawn is a double storey Wendy house. Inside, there is a book box and with seating, dolls buggies, accessories and soft toys. Upstairs is a quiet space with cushions, blankets and soft toys. The walls are decorated with pictures of the children who come to our setting, Hama bead shapes and words and artwork that the children have done.

On the other side of the path from the Wendy house there is a large mud kitchen which has a sink, water supply, table and work space with one tub of sand and one tub of top soil. There are lots of pots and pans, utensils, jugs and natural objects such as sticks, feathers, conkers, leaves etc. The children play freely here and tidy up when they are finished. There is a dustpan and brush for them to use to tidy up with.

At the very bottom of the garden there is an area of astroturf with a climbing frame with swing, trapeze bar and slide. There is also a trampoline, ride on up and down slope and various other ride ons, which we swap around often. There is also a bug house down here where the bottom is screwed down but the top is moveable so the children can add to or take bits away. We also have large pieces of wood for free play building.

There are two sheds on the astroturf. One has garden equipment in which is locked and the other has toys and resources in. We rotate toys and resources depending on the terms curriculum and on the children’s interests and requests.

Finally, as you come in the front door of my house there is a lounge to the right where the babies sleep in a travel cot. There are separate fitted sheets for each child, sleeping bags in different sizes, lots of cozy blankets and other sleep aids such as white noise machines and dummies. There is a camera in this room which is connected to my mobile phone so that I can see the children sleeping. Some children prefer to sleep in the lay flat double buggy or pram which I set up in the hallway or push into the front room. I follow parents/carers guidance on how and where they like their children to sleep

Activities at home