Extra Curricular Activities
At Little Apples, our woodland sessions are offered to all children over two years old. The children are given regular opportunities to achieve and develop confidence and self-esteem through hands-on learning experiences in a woodland or natural environment. Our sessions take place in our local park, so the adventure starts as soon as we leave the nursery!
Our woodland sessions is a specialised learning approach that sits within and complements the wider context of outdoor and woodland education. Woodland sessions are child-centred with a high adult to child ratio. Observation, rather than direction, is key, and children learn to care for the natural environment through their activities.
Through the free flowing, child led sessions, opportunities are presented to take supported risks appropriate to their surrounding environment and to themselves. They are given time and space to understand boundaries, what is safe and unsafe and to challenge themselves and each other.
Below are some of the skills children will develop and learn during woodland sessions:
- Self confidence
- Emotional resilience
- Team building
- Communication skills
- Independence
- Decision making
- Social intelligence
- Realistic attitude to risk.
Staff will transport our equipment to the site, and provide tools for the session, however the children will lead the play and create their own activities with support of the staff.
Activities can include;
- Den building
- Bug hunting
- Swing design and play
- Tree climbing
- Camp fire
- Cooking
- Whittling
We can’t wait for your child to join us and the explore the fun, interactive and imaginative woodland sessionsl!
At Little Apples children are encouraged to naturally use their individual skills to blend and apply a range of understanding to each activity they engage with. This could be using scientific observation, artistic expression, mathematical spacial awareness and physical fine motor skills. We aim to provide endless possibilities through the way we deliver the Early Years Education.
The transitions our children make at Little Apples are smooth and positive and we believe it’s due to the environment we provide for the children to thrive in. Our success rates of children’s transitions into school has been fantastic, with children being able to write their names, numbers and have built a range of skills to empower them when starting school!
On top of the daily activities, we offer extracurricular activities which all children will access at their time at Little Apples. These are:
We are also members of schemes in the UK which we are very proud of
Surfers Against Sewage – We have a dedicated member of our team who ensures we are a recycling friendly nursery. The children are taught about recycling and how it benefits the world we live in and is incorporated into the activities in the nursery, with a special area created in our garden!
RHS – We have joined the Royal Horticultural Society Gardening Scheme and we have already achieved our Level 1 award! Through this gardening scheme, children will adopt skills for life, some of the activities include; growing vegetables, herbs and flowers.
Read With Me - To take part, all you need to do is read a story with your little one and upload a picture to blossoms, of the book you read and let us know who read it and if it was enjoyed or not.
At each level a small prize will be sent home for the efforts that haven been put in to reading at home with your child/children. The entries on blossoms will be reviewed every 6 weeks to keep track of your progress. There is no time limit on this campaign therefore you can work through it as slowly or as quickly as you like. We know a lot of families probably read books regularly at home so we are hoping that lots of you will join our campaign.
Book Beginner - 5 books
Bookworm - 25 books
Book Lover - 50 books
Wordsworth - 75 books
Storyteller - 100 books