Session Routine

The children enter the hall, take their name off our butterfly and pop it onto their creativity box. They are then encouraged to decide which activity they would like to investigate and the staff observe and station themselves accordingly.  We have a time line for the children so they know visually which part of the day we are currently in.  It helps them understand our routine and starts to give them understanding of time. The manager will take a register of who has arrived and at what time so we know who is in the building, including adults and helpers.

The outside area is always open for those who want to venture out and they have their coats readily available to them. It can be fun in the rain and wind, but some children choose not to venture out too much when the weather is poor! We also have a strict policy on sun care-hats and sun cream (applied by you before they attend) are a must.

At snack time (10.15am and 1.30pm) children are taught to wash their hands and to pick their name from a board. They then help themselves to a snack and a drink (milk or water). We then encourage them to wash and dry up their plate and cup before choosing their next activity. Each child is required to bring a piece of fruit each day, and the fruit is all cut up and shared at snack time.

If the weather has been poor we have physical play inside e.g. parachute, ball games, obstacle course. We like to ensure all the children all have some physical play each day.

Five minutes’ notice is given for tidy up time and we then all tidy up with the children’s help.  Then it is circle time where we first go through the register, maybe in another language or funny voice. Then we talk about the day’s learning, sing some songs and have a story. Sometimes the children act out stories during this time

Then it is home time. You will come into the hall to collect your child.  Each child will have a creativity box with their name on. In the boxes are any paperwork for you as well as anything your child has made that session-paintings, junk models, cakes etc for you to take home. Often the children have something to take home but not always-sometimes they have been so busy playing with friends and socialising they do not make anything, but they are learning the important life skills for when they go to big school. Each activity has been put out for a reason and the staff monitor the children and equipment closely. We have also created mind maps which details the type of knowledge a child will get from each activity – these are in the parent information folder in the hallway.

“It is what the child goes home with in their head rather than in their hands, which is most important”