At Little Squirts we recognise the importance of early attachments and encourage positive relationships through our flexible key worker system.

We provide a nurturing environment which allows for plenty of baby led play, ensuring that activities are rotated to encourage the development of preferences and interests.

Throughout the day our babies enjoy lots of sensory exploration which promotes early brain development as well as being great fun. We enjoy getting messy with water, sand and shaving foam as well as various foods, adapting activities to make sure they are age appropriate.

We also provide Heuristic play sessions throughout the week to help our babies learn about how things work through the exploration of natural objects and their properties.

For our younger babies we have a separate garden area for them to explore in safety, however as they get older we do encourage them to join our older children in the main playground. This encourages learning from peers as well as promoting responsibility in our older children.

 

The Terrapin room routine

  08.15am   Breakfast
  08.30am   Free play
  09.45am   Who is here today? & song time
  10.00am   Snack
  10.15am   Adult led activities
  10.45am   Outdoor play
  11.30am   Free play
  11.35am
   Story time
  11.45am   Lunch
  12.30pm    Nap time or Free play
  02.00pm   Snack
  02.15pm    Free play
  03.00pm   Craft activities
  03.45pm   Song time in the Turtle room
  04.00pm   Tea
  04.30pm   Free play in the Turtle room

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our Turtle room is the main play area for our over 2’s with free flow into the playground.  It is set up to ensure free choice of activities are available all day, encouraging children to explore all areas of their development. The children have access to construction, small world models, sensory, ICT and arts and craft activities as well as a cosy book corner and an exciting interchangeable home corner that is transformed to something new each week. 

The Turtle room staff plan lots of fun and educational activities helping the children to reach the next steps of their development. Each week the children learn about a new topic, a new song and a new letter of the alphabet and incorporate this in the art and craft activities.

Every child in the Turtle room belongs to a coloured team and has a designated Key person who responds to their needs and helps them to settle into the setting. The key person works in a close relationship with the child and their parents and tracks the child's developmental progress using an online system called Tapestry.

Once the children start in the Turtle room they will be expected to wear our lovely preschool uniform.  This is to help the children to develop a sense of belonging and prepare them for the school years where a uniform is also compulsory.

 

The Turtle Room Routine

 

  08.00am   Breakfast, Free play and Arts activities
  09.30am   Children aged 2: Who is here today? Calendar, Story and songs
  09.45am   Children aged 2: Snack, free play
  10.00am   Art, craft and Focus activities
  10.30am   Free play; Free-flow between the Turtle room, the Ocean room and the Garden
  11.00 or 11.15am    Weekly sessions; Music Squirts, Sensory play etc. (in the Ocean room)
  11.30am   Children aged 2: Story and song time
  11.45am
   Lunch time (in the Ocean room)
  12.45pm   Free play; Free-flow between the Turtle room and the Garden, Art and Focus activities
  01.45pm   Who is here today? Topic discussion, Story or Songs (Ocean room)
  02.00pm   Snack & Free play
  02.30pm   Free play
  03.45pm   Story and song (in the Ocean room)
  04.00pm   Tea (in the Ocean room)
  04.30pm   Free play

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our Ocean Room is a large hall and is extremely versatile throughout the day.

In the mornings the Ocean Room is set up as a class room where our over 3's do their morning registration, circle time and preschool lessons. Preschool lessons alternate between maths and literacy weekly. They are tailored to meet children's individual needs, with 3 or more activities for the children to choose from. 

From 10.15am the Ocean and Turtle rooms are free flowing for all the children (over 2) to be able to choose their preferred activities.

The Ocean Room is also used as a dining hall and an area for our parties, annual performances and for our extracurricular sessions which include Music Squirts, Mini Movers and Sensory Play. The Ocean Room is also used an an exercise area on really bad weather days.

 

The Ocean Room Routine

 

  09.15am  

Children aged 3+ : Who is here today? How do you feel today? and Calendar followed by a Preschool lesson or The letter of the week (Wednesdays)

  10.00am   Children aged 3+: Self served snack and free play
  10.30am   Art, Craft and Focus activities, Free play; Free-flow between the Ocean room, the Turtle room and the Garden
  10.50 or 11.00am   Weekly sessions; Music Squirts, Mini Movers, Sensory Play etc.
  10.20am   Children 3+: Topic or value of the month discussion and story time
  11.45am   Lunch time
  12.45pm   Free play; Free-flow between the Turtle room and The Garden, Art and Focus activities
  01.45pm
  Who is here today? Topic discussion, Story or Songs
  02.00pm   Snack and afternoon activities in the Turtle room and the Garden
  02.30pm   Free play (on bad weather days)
  03.45pm   Story and song time
  04.00pm   Tea
  04.30pm   Free Play