One thing we all know about our babies is how
much they love to explore the world around them
and that their needs are quite special. Lilliput
Lane Nursery recognise that they need carefully
considered attention and care and with that
in mind, we have created a range of unique activities
which allow them to experiment and explore through
a variety of play and sensory experiences using
an assortment of exciting materials. Our staff
offer a strong variety of play equipment to
help your baby learn to communicate and they
are trained to respond in the best way possible
to baby's efforts.
Environment
We place great importance on the learning environment.
By using natural materials such as muslin and
silks and mood music such as tapes of tranquillity,
singing voices, lap rhymes and clapping games,
we are able to create a playroom for every aspect
of the changing day, be it stimulating playtime
or calming and relaxing naptime.
Learning
Babies continually learn through their senses,
therefore we use treasure baskets which start
to teach your baby to appreciate texture, shape,
weight, sound and smell. Heuristic play offers
the opportunity for exploration and discovery
of everyday natural objects. The play is undisturbed
so that baby and carer can develop a partnership
of play. Fun time story time encourages listening,
talking and concentration through telling stories
in different ways and singing rhymes.
Toys in the baby unit are constantly changed
throughout the day to keep the children stimulated;
the staff make sure that each day all areas
of development are covered. Staff will offer
different activities as soon as they feel a
change is required.
Throughout the year we will link these activities
with "celebratory days" such as Christmas,
Bonfire Night and Mothering Sunday. We also
celebrate festivals from other countries and
cultures, particularly when children in the
Nursery will be celebrating them at home.
Popular activities include:
• Treasure basket
• Floor mats
• Activity centres and frames
• Shape sorters
• Mobiles
• Push along walkers
• Touchy feely boards
• Singing, puppets
• Wooden building blocks
• Rattles, mirrors and suction toys
• Listening to music tapes
• Stories and flashcards to help develop
language skills
• Outdoor walks – we have our own
buggies and go out on regular walks
• Garden play – we have a large
garden at our nursery
12 months to 24 months
| Back to top
We continue to provide activities
and experiences as in the baby room which we
combine with the additional play for this age
group.
Continuous care
Within this age group, play becomes more identifiable
so the emphasis is on physical activity, so
at Lilliput Lane we plan our specific toddler
activities for 'play with a purpose'. During
this age and stage of development there are
incredible and joyous physical milestones to
look forward to the most amazing probably crawling
to walking. By using toys such as trucks and
trundle toys we can open up our big wide world
for your children to safely explore and increase
their physical awareness
play
Encouragement and praise play a significant
part of the Lilliput Lane approach, as toddlers
become more able to take part, we respond with
focus on self-care activities as part of day
to day play such as dressing up, allowing them
to feed themselves, etc all essential to their
growing skills.
'Messy' play, hide and seek and memory games
in the nursery are introduced to start to develop
exploration of space and new textures, which
managed and supervised promote respect and personal
choice and of course lots and lots of fun.
learning
Learning through doing is our motto here. Hats,
bags and giant boxes are just some of the objects
we use to encourage imagination and creativity
during playtimes with music, picture books and
finger rhymes develop listening skills, rhythm
and sound recognition. The environment ensures
babies & toddlers can have the opportunity
to rest if necessary, sleeping on comfortable
sleep mats or in cots.
2 years to 3 years
3 years (junior pre-school) – to school
age (pre-school) | Back
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From the moment children arrive, there will
be a real choice of activities set out with
materials that vary throughout the year.
All our pre-school rooms offer a wide range
of resources set out in an attractive and varied
way. They will always include:
• Sand and water
• Book corner
• Role Play area
• Writing table
• Maths area
• Outdoor play
• Art and Craft section
• Construction area
• Small World toy
• Science area
• Music
Children will learn through a combination of
planned activities, play and first hand experiences
Lilliput Lane recognises the importance of
providing children with the best standards of
education, which is appropriate to their age.
We also recognise that every child has individual
needs and their own way of learning but in their
own time and pace. That is why we place great
importance on continued staff training and curriculum
reviews; not only to ensure that we follow and
maintain the guidelines set by the local authorities
but also to make sure that we can offer a progressive
range of activities and experiences which guarantee
that we meet the individual needs of each child
in our care.
Curriculum
We are fully committed to working towards the
early learning goals learning outcomes as specified
by the School Curriculum & Assessment Authority.
This means that your child will follow an individual
learning programme, which will include:
• Knowledge & Understanding the World
• Mathematics
• Personal, Social & Emotional Development
• Communication, Language & Literacy
• Physical Development
• Creative Development
Our main focus is learning through creativity
and play, using holistic and natural materials
and activities which promote understanding and
importance of our environment, bringing our
children into regular contact with trees, plants,
animals and other elements of the natural environment
such as sand, soil, rocks and water. We also
put emphasis on teaching care and concern for
others, respect for cultural diversity and for
ourselves.
'Messy' play, hide and seek and memory games
in the nursery are introduced to start to develop
exploration of space and new textures, which
managed and supervised, promote respect and
personal choice and of course lots and lots
of fun.
learning
Our individual programmes include:
• 'French Junior' - introduction to basic
French words and phrases, specially designed
for children.
• ‘Gymtots’ - based on simple
fun games, which aims to develop balance, agility,
co-ordination and communication.
• ‘Rainbow Stories’ - introduction
to reading through discussion of books and characters
reinforcing the taught curriculum.
• ‘Early Maths Circle - introduction
to basic mathematical concepts e.g. numbers,
patterns, shapes etc.
playing
At Lilliput Lane, we know that children need
to be constantly encouraged and stimulated,
so in addition to our select programmes, children
can experiment with gardening, cookery and dancing,
just to name a few. We also help and encourage
potty training.
We also feel that it is important for children
to get out and about and learn through experience
so we often plan organised outings and visits
which link to the specific topics the children
are learning. These visits are organised locally
and include for example, the park, the zoo and
museums.
monitoring and progress
When you join Lilliput Lane, alongside many
other exciting things, your child will be given
their very own observation folder, which will
be used to record their development and progression
in the six areas we have already introduced
above. This folder will also be used by nursery
staff to form the basis of useful meetings with
you about your child's progress and of course
you will be able to come and have a look at
the folder at any time. We will also provide
a personal progress report: 'my development'
twice a year.
Preparing your
child for infant school | Back
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Together, we will work to fully prepare your
child for the challenges of infant school.
We provide a safe, happy, play-based environment
in which your child can learn to socialise and
gain independence outside the family.
Our planning and record keeping refers to the
Foundation Stage curriculum, which dovetails
in to the National Curriculum at Key Stage 1
in Primary School. By close observation and
continual assessment, we can identify any special
problems a child has, so these can be addressed
before they start school.
We prepare children for the routines of a school
day.
We encourage children to become independent,
and to develop their social skills by communicating
and sharing with others.
Our nursery maintains close relationships with
local schools, and can provide information for
parents about schools in your area.
