In Britannica Early Years, play is a fundamental aspect of our daily structure. Play is often regarded as a simple pastime for young children, yet it is a vital component of their development. The impact of play during early childhood is significant, as it lays the foundation for many skills that children will carry throughout their lives. Play stimulates children's brains and enhances their cognitive abilities, encouraging problem-solving, critical thinking, and creativity. Through imaginative scenarios, children explore concepts such as cause and effect, spatial awareness, and mathematical reasoning
This week in Reception, the children immersed themselves in their phonics programme, starting with the sound’s /s/ and /a/. They had great fun discovering various words that begin with these sounds, alongside practicing their letter formation. Through play, they enjoyed painting the letters and writing them in sand, which promoted fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination while allowing them to bring their learning outdoors. They also read “The Bear Hug” by Nicholas Oldland, which introduced them to trees and forests. To their surprise, they learned that paper is made from trees, presenting an excellent opportunity to explore the importance of preserving them.
In Nursery, the children have been captivated by the story “Little Cloud.” They wondered at the different shapes and sizes that clouds can take and spent time observing the sky, noticing how clouds move to create fascinating forms. Inspired by their observations, many children remarked that the clouds resembled sheep and sharks!
Meanwhile, Pre-Nursery has been busy exploring the book “Brown Bear, Brown Bear.” The children enjoyed naming the animals and colours they saw, making animal sounds to enhance their engagement. They sorted pompoms by colour and created their own artwork inspired by Kandinsky’s “Circles in a Circle,” using the vibrant colours they discovered in the story.
At Britannica we believe play not only enriches learning but also nurtures a love of discovery and exploration among our children.
