Block Room

Our block room offers children a space where they can play collaboratively with their peers or independently. We have a selection of small blocks, large hollow blocks, loose parts, small world resources, tyres and fabrics to enhance their creative ideas and play experiences. Block play enhances children’s development by enhancing fine and gross motor skills, hand-eye coordination and spatial reasoning, while encouraging creativity, problem solving, language development, social skills, self esteem, logical thinking, early mathematical thinking (measuring, comparing, counting, balance, symmetry), cause and effect through endless creative possibilities and challenges such as building towers, castles, farms and so on.

Our Approach

Messy Play

Messy play helps children learn by exploring different textures such as sand, water, paint, and dough. It supports their hand strength, coordination, and early language as they describe what they feel and see.

Through messy play, children build confidence, creativity, and problem-solving skills in a fun and relaxed way. It can also be calming and helps children enjoy learning through their senses.

All messy play is safe, supervised, and suitable for your child’s age and stage of development. Children are encouraged to help tidy up afterwards, learning responsibility and independence.

Although it may look messy, it plays an important role in your child’s development

Sand area

Sand play is an important part of learning because it supports children’s physical, social, and cognitive development. Through activities such as scooping, pouring, and building, children strengthen their fine motor skills and develop early mathematical and scientific understanding, including concepts like full and empty or wet and dry. Sand play also encourages creativity, language development, and cooperation as children share resources and talk about what they are making. In addition, it provides a calming sensory experience that helps children regulate their emotions and feel secure while learning through play.

Outdoor area

Our gardens offer challenge, freedom to explore, being creative and opportunities for planting and growing as well as spaces for rest and relaxing. With access to loose parts, equipment to support physical play and areas for shelter our outdoor space supports strong links to the curriculum. Children are supported to manage their own risk; our staff are skilled in supporting children’s learning and understanding the importance of observing and interacting when required.

smilechildcare believe that children should have access to outdoor play learning opportunities daily. We have a large garden which children can access daily where children can choose indoor or outdoor experiences all year round.

smilechildcare believe children are able individuals and we encourage independence, listen to their voice and support their learning through observing interests, interacting in the moment and providing resources and environments to further develop their individuality.