At Preschool, we have been enjoying the autumn garden, with its misty mornings, sunny nooks and muddy puddles. Unstructured play (and helping with work) outdoors fosters an appreciation for the wonderful world of nature, developing in the children a real sense of belonging to, and caring for, their environment.
Physical, constructional, social and ‘pretend’ play also supports children in their skills of intellectual and emotional self-regulation: skills that have been shown to be crucial in early learning and development.
You can teach a child of 3 or 4 reading and writing, but at what cost to the development of other foundational skills. Discovering the beauty and wonder of an autumn garden with a friend provides opportunities for learning that is broad, dynamic and inter-connected. In the world of our under-sevens, play and learning are one.
Physical, constructional, social and ‘pretend’ play also supports children in their skills of intellectual and emotional self-regulation: skills that have been shown to be crucial in early learning and development.
You can teach a child of 3 or 4 reading and writing, but at what cost to the development of other foundational skills. Discovering the beauty and wonder of an autumn garden with a friend provides opportunities for learning that is broad, dynamic and inter-connected. In the world of our under-sevens, play and learning are one.