Childcare
Toddler Room
(Also known as Discoverers)
Typically Age 2-3 years
A little bit about us
The Discoverer’s room is divided into two main areas, indoor and outdoor. This has free flow access into each other to provide plenty of room for your child to explore and mix together learning through play; however we will sometimes close the connecting doors to allow for group times.
The room is divided into different areas, for example space for messy activities: arts and crafts, play dough , role-play, mark making, construction and small world. There are also areas like water play, music and movement as well as a dedicated ‘Sun Room’ for reading, singing and focus activities. We are in the process of transforming one of our adjoining rooms into ‘The Snug’. The purpose of ‘The Snug’ is to create an space for children to self-regulate, rest, and to immerse themselves in sensory experiences. This also doubles up as a sleep area for those children who need a rest. By setting the rooms up in this way, we aim for the children’s development to take place without too many overly formal activities.
Our priority is to provide a calm, caring and nurturing environment for your child, where they can develop positive attachments and form their first relationships with peers and adults.
At this age, children will also be experiencing the change from nappies to potties and toilets. Whatever the challenge, you can be assured that our staff are well trained, motivated and committed and work alongside parents/carers during this transition.
Reviewing your child’s development
Individual Skills Based Curriculum, Planning and Assessment
We believe that a partnership between the parents and carers and the nursery is crucial in understanding what your child’s needs are so we can plan the best possible care for them. We therefore offer many opportunities for formal and informal meetings to discuss your child’s development. Practitioners will ensure that Parents/Carers feel comfortable about approaching them for advice, information, and support regarding their child’s care at all times and we will use various ways of ensuring that Parents/Carers are fully informed about their child’s day. We now allow parents/carers to enter the room to drop off and collect their child.
Other than this daily interaction, the nursery has several methods for sharing formal information with parents. We will ensure that a formal meeting will be set up around the time is two and a half years old, around the time we prepare your child’s ‘Two Year Progress Check’ report, a short report that summarises your child’s development in the 3 prime areas namely Personal, Social and Emotional development, Communication and Physical Development. The purpose of this report is to establish what support a child needs to enhance their development. For more information please visit the following guide on https://www.foundationyears.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/A-Know-How-Guide.pdf
We will also be communicating through ‘Tapestry Journal’, where you will receive a weekly ‘snapshot’ of what your child has been up to here in Discoverers.
Tapestry observations
Intent (What your child was doing , Implementation ( what we do and teach) and Implement (Reviewing – What did they learn, what next?)
We continue plan responsively. Each time we interact with the child we are observing assessing planning for and responding to that individual child, the recording of this is therefore done retrospectively (after the event) as we reflect on the learning and development which has taken place. We used tapestry to record some of our ‘day to day’, responsive planning, observations and formative assessment.
Learning Stories
Learning stories are an easy to use and snapshot of each individual child’s learning and development. They demonstrate their progress following their key persons skills based curricular planning across the seven areas of learning and development that must shape educational programmes in early years settings, as part of the EYFS.
Learning stories written in Childcare (Babies and Discoverers) focus on the prime areas of learning and development. These are personal, social and emotional, physical development and communication and language.
In a ‘nutshell’
Each child is unique, their individual Learning story should be as unique as them.
All key children are constantly learning and developing so their learning stories are dynamic and responsive and written by their reflective key persons.
The learning story does not begin until we know our key children well, this is why the initial baseline assessment isn’t complete until six weeks/ half a term after they start.
Until we know the key children, we couldn’t plan for them or assess them effectively. The key person helps to keep child feel confident that they are ‘held in mind’.
Our Flexible Daily routine
8:00- 8:30 breakfast time
8:30-11:20 Free flow play
(10:00 nappy changing checks/change and snack time)
11:20 tidy up time
11:25 – 11:30 Group time in ‘The Sun Room’
11:30 lunch
12:15-2:00 rest/sleep time/focus activities
(1:45 nappy changing checks/change and snack time)
2:00-2:40 free flow play
(2:30 tidy up time outside
2:45 tidy up time).
2:55-3:05 Group time in ‘The Sun Room’
3.05-4:00 Adult planned activities
4:00- 4:30 tea time
4:30-5:30 planned activities/ Free flow
Nappy changing changes and checks (and toileting) are carried out at the following times (and sooner if required) : 10.00 a.m , 1:45pm, 5pm.
Drinking Water is provided throughout the day and as required.
In the Discoverer’s room, children have a slightly more structured routine to their day whilst learning through a wide range of fun activities and experiences planned for their continued learning and development by their key person and the staff within the room who will get to know them really well.
The role of your child’s Key Person
When your child starts in the Discoverer’s room:, they will be allocated a key person.
Where possible key persons will be carefully selected based on information you gave us about your child so that they have the best chance to make a secure bond. Not only will the key person observe your child, they will help them settle into their new room and routines, and offer one to one experiences based on your child’s specific ages and stages of development e.g. ensuring activities are available tailored to meet your child’s age/needs. This will be carried out by all the staff within the room too.
Learning and Development
We have carefully tailored our day around our children's interests and development needs; not forgetting those spontaneous moments.
Whether we are outside creating a princess garden or a den with loose parts for our super heroes, we foster and endeavour to enhance every child's interest!
Active learning and the desire to be involved in new experiences is what we foster and encourage amongst our ‘Little Discoverer’s’.
We motivate them to try new things and to enjoy different experiences which help and support them to feel a sense of achievement as well as the skill to keep on trying!
Our children are proud of their achievements and we represent these using lots of positive language and facial expressions. Praise and recognition are just two of the ways we build up self-esteem amongst our children - this is very important to us.
Creative play has an on-going place within ‘Discoverer’s’. We encourage and provide daily opportunities for them to have fun expressing themselves; developing their fine motor skills along the way. Our children have access to a variety of mark making and messy play materials; crayons, painting easels, play dough, clay, sand, mud and water - lots of mess and great fun!
Developing self-help skills such as being toilet trained, finding their own coat or shoes, is one of the ways of ensuring we prepare them for the next stage in their life. Our children have their own peg for personal belongings to provide a sense of belonging and encourage them to become more independent.
Positive interactions and communication
In ‘Discoverers’, we ensure our children's vocabulary, speech and listening skills are enhanced and encouraged. Language is a primary EYFS area, and developing rapidly at this stage as children are beginning to put sentences together. Our staff, take part in conversations that are led by the child but enhanced by the practitioner. We have found that this is a great way for children to learn new things and to begin to think about the past, present and future. In ‘Discoverers, we love looking at books, listening to stories and singing songs – especially in our ‘Sun Room’.
Throughout our room, children can role play, listen to stories and sing. We encourage our children to experiment and express their feelings and ideas using a range of materials.
We enjoy time together, relaxing on cosy cushions and in the garden. In appropriate weather, you will find us having our evening meal in the garden. We foster a love for books, trips to our local library are just another way we encourage children to love and enjoy reading.
Educational Visits / Outdoors
The children in this room are able to explore and learn throughout their day without too much pressure and at their own pace. They will be given free access into their garden, which will provide them with an outdoor extension to their indoor activities; children will also engage with the local community via educational visits.
Food and snacks
All of our meals are freshly prepared in our kitchen by our Nursery Chef, Bev and ‘Dolce’ at the neighbouring Primary School. The meals are rotated each term to ensure the children are introduced to a variety of foods that are balanced. Our menu’s are available to view on ‘Tapestry’. Healthy snacks are prepared by the staff team with the assistance from the ‘Little Discoverers’s themselves. We provide a selection of fruits, vegetables and carbohydrates such as crackers and breadsticks. The children are involved in the process and are given a choice in what they would like to eat. This supports the children in communication skills and learning more about the world around them.
Milk and Water
Children will be provided with fresh water throughout the day, and more frequently during warmer periods. Children are encouraged to drink milk (or an alternative) as part of a cereal breakfast or as a milk drink.
Dummies and other comforters
We recognise that dummies may be a source of comfort for your child, and may be an important part of their routine. However, prolonged use can restrict their ability to make the necessary mouth movements such as babbling and can cause delays in speech.
Sleeping / Rest
When children start with us, we will ask for information from the parents/carers regarding sleep routines-this may be updated throughout the year. This will reflect the growing child’s changing needs. We recognise that young children need to rest and sleep throughout the day, and we will try to accommodate each child’s individual needs. We also recognise the parents need for rest and sleep, and we will always work with parents to accommodate needs.
Our ‘Little Discoverers’s’ will be able to sleep and rest during the day in ‘The Snug’ and ‘The Sun Room’.
We will collect Information on children’s daily routines at handover’s and review them regularly.
All staff will be responsive to individuals needs, and how these needs change.
It is important that each child is comfortable to ensure a restful sleep. Our practitioners will ensure each child:
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Has a clean face and hands for sleeping
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Has a clean nappy, and loose clothing including hair accessories have been removed
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Shoes have been removed
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Has their comforter if used
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Has been offered a drink of water
If children do not want to sleep, they are encouraged to rest quietly or play. The nursery cannot force children to sleep or to not to sleep, we will be guided by a child’s state of wellbeing.
