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The Curiosity Approach
24 January 2024
Creativity in the YMCA Nurseries
In various locations across Wiltshire, our eight nurseries stand as vibrant hubs of creativity, providing not just childcare but also invaluable family support. We believe in creating truly magical experiences and memories for the children. Our dedicated staff members have consistently demonstrated excellence in developing and implementing creative and engaging educational tools that enrich the learning experiences of the children under our care. Our daily educational programmes, activities and routines are based on the Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework and each of our nurseries is Ofsted registered.
Creating an Inspiring Environment:
Our childcare settings are meticulously designed to inspire curiosity and imagination. Welcoming spaces, interactive learning zones, and a plethora of age-appropriate materials create an environment that sparks creativity from the moment a child steps through the door. We believe that all children should have opportunities and experiences that will set them up for their educational journey and prepare them for their lives ahead.
Creative Play:
Curiosity is at the heart of our approach to working with children. We create environments that out the children’s curiosity first, giving them the confidence to explore and learn on their own terms. Here are some fabulous examples of activities our staff have organised across Wiltshire:
Green Shoots Nursery, Trowbridge
Parents were invited to do some clay modelling with their children, with some amazing creations including a hot dog and quite a few cats! The best part of this activity (aside from the range of cats) was seeing how excited the children were to have someone from home playing with them at nursery. We recognise the importance of fostering a strong relationship between parents and carers so that together we can help the children learn and grow.
Mansion House Preschool, Corsham
At Mansion House, the children have shown a particular interest in cooking. The staff have happily taken this on board and organised some cooking activities with the children. They have learned how to make soup, how to prepare and cook vegetables, and even how to use a blender!
Humpty Dumpty Nursery, Calne
In Calne, the children and staff raised bantam eggs together. While they were patiently waiting for the eggs to hatch, the children were able to look at the eggs using a torch and see the chick inside, learning about the oxygen sack and veins that help the chick breath, because chicks need oxygen just like us. The children were fascinated by the experience and learned so much. Soon they got to see the cute little chicks after they hatched!
Redland Nursery, Chippenham
At Redland, the staff have set up a wonderful immersive activity for the children to learn about bees. We all love bees, and we want the children to learn about them in a positive way and understand the importance of bees, bugs, and all creatures and their role in our beautiful environment! The children are able to play with fuzzy soft bees, examine different types of bees with a magnifying glass, and solve little puzzles. The station is always a buzz of activity!
Little Ducklings Nursery, Lyneham
A great example of letting a child’s curiosity lead the way is when a rainy day comes to Lyneham – the children sure do love a puddle! The children love to jump in muddy puddles and discuss the funny, squelchy sounds their boots make in the mud. When a friend loses a welly, the others are quick to lend a hand. This activity is always a fantastic way to watch the children communicate, problem solve and work as a team, all while having fun and making a great mess! They even love to help clean-up afterwards, a win-win for all.
Kingfisher Preschool, Westbury
At this lovely little preschool, the staff have made use of the large outdoor space full of fun and creative learning and problem solving. Each activity actively engages the children’s senses, with lots of textures, noises and fun colours to play with! ‘Can you make fruity soup’ encourages the children to put their cooking skills to the test, with crunchy pasta, slices of citrus, soft flower petals, and colourful paint.
King’s Nursery, Malmesbury
At King’s, the children and staff celebrated the coronation of King Charles II by making their own crowns, decorating them how they liked. They made their own flags to match, and enjoyed a lovely picnic lunch all together, chatting away with friends.
Little Shoots Nursery, Trowbridge
The children and staff at Little Shoots cooled off this summer with a beach party, where children could splash about in the paddling pools and work together to build their grand designs in the sand trays. Everyone cooled off with a water fight, bringing out lots of giggles and joy from all!
Memorable Experiences:
At our YMCA nurseries, we strive to create memorable experiences for children in their early years that they will be able to take with them throughout their education. We believe that all children should have opportunities and experiences that will set them up for their educational journey and prepare them for their lives ahead, because everyone deserves a chance to belong, contribute and thrive.