Our Enrichment Programme

Exploring the community

At First Steps, we believe in learning beyond the classroom. We regularly take the children out into the local community, enjoying walks along the river, visiting the high street, and exploring the local market. These experiences help children develop a sense of connection with the world around them.

We also invite local heroes such as the fire service, paramedics, and dentists to visit the nursery. These special visits help children learn about the important roles people play in our community – and they love meeting them in person!

"The best classroom and the richest cupboard is roofed only by the sky."

— Margaret McMillan

Spreading Kindness in Our Community...

Our children love getting out into the community and visiting the local high street. They love to visit the market to pick delicious fresh fruit for their afternoon snack, but they also love to spread a little joy along the way!

Armed with big smiles and beautiful handmade paper flowers, the children surprise shoppers and stallholders with colourful gifts as a random act of kindness. It is always heart-warming to see how such simple gestures brighten people's days.

We're so proud of our little ones for showing such kindness and thoughtfulness—proof that even the smallest hands can make a big difference!

First Steps Lending Library

Just outside the nursery, you’ll find our special Lending Library. A little shed filled with books for children to borrow and take home. We encourage families to enjoy story time together, helping to develop a love of reading and supporting early language, communication, and literacy skills in line with the EYFS framework.

The lower half of the shed is stocked with essential items for anyone who may need a little extra support. There’s no need to ask simply take what you need, when you need it. It is our way of supporting our families and the community.

Our Outdoor Area
The Garden

At First Steps, we’re incredibly lucky to have such a spacious and well-equipped garden where children can play, explore, and learn in the fresh air every day. Our outdoor area is an extension of our classrooms – full of opportunities for imagination, movement, and discovery.

Children can race around on bikes, challenge themselves on our obstacle courses, or get creative with water play and mark making. We have an open-ended shelter that transforms into anything from a flower shop to a hospital – wherever their imaginations take them! There’s also a dedicated baby area, offering a safe and stimulating space for our youngest children to enjoy the outdoors.

We also love to get our hands dirty! The children work alongside our nursery chef to grow their own organic vegetables, as well as fruits, herbs, and flowers – learning about where food comes from, healthy eating, and how to care for the natural world. Our garden truly is a space where curiosity blossoms and confidence grows.

Why We Love Our Mud Kitchen! 🌿

Yes, it’s muddy. Yes, it’s messy. And YES — it’s amazing for your child’s development!

Our mud kitchen isn’t just outdoor play — it’s a place where your little one can explore, create, and learn in the most natural way.

Here’s why it matters:

Boosts creativity – From mud pies to pretend potions, imagination runs wild.
Builds fine motor skills – All that scooping, pouring & mixing prepares little hands for writing and self-care.
Encourages language & teamwork – Children learn to share, chat, and role-play together.
Supports emotional well-being – Being in nature has a calming effect and helps children feel grounded.
Connects them to the outdoors – They learn to love and care for the world around them.

When you see muddy hands and happy faces — know that a whole lot of learning is happening too.

Extra Curricular Activities

Rhythm Time and Yoga provide valuable opportunities for children to develop essential skills through music, movement, and mindfulness. These carefully structured sessions support physical coordination, early communication, emotional regulation, and concentration. By engaging in these enriching activities, children build confidence, body awareness, and a strong foundation for lifelong learning and well-being.

Yoga

Yoga offers children the chance to explore movement, mindfulness, and relaxation. Led by our experienced instructor Lisa, these sessions support:

Physical Development: Yoga enhances coordination, balance, strength and flexibility, helping children gain control over their bodies.
Personal, Social & Emotional Development: Children learn to manage emotions, develop self-awareness, and build confidence through calming breathing exercises and group poses.
Communication & Language: Lisa introduces new vocabulary in a fun and accessible way, encouraging children to follow instructions and express how they feel during and after the session.

Rhythm Time

Our Rhythm Time sessions with Melissa are a joyful exploration of sound, music, and movement. These sessions support:

Communication & Language: Through songs and rhymes, children develop listening skills, rhythm, and early phonological awareness – all essential for future reading and writing.
Expressive Arts & Design: Rhythm Time encourages creativity and self-expression, helping children explore sound and movement in new ways.
Physical Development: Clapping, tapping, and dancing support fine and gross motor skills while building a strong sense of rhythm and body awareness.

Sylvan Lore Forest School

On Fridays we become little explorers right here in our very own outdoor area! Whether they’re building dens, hunting for mini beasts, splashing in puddles, or making mud pies, our Forest School sessions turn the outdoors into a magical learning space—full of wonder, discovery, and lots of laughter.

We love using our outdoor area because it gives children the freedom to explore nature safely, build confidence, and follow their curiosity—all while supporting the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) in a natural, hands-on way:

🌿 Communication & Language – through storytelling, sharing ideas, and chatting about all the amazing things they find.

🌿 Physical Development – climbing, digging, balancing, and running all help to build strong, healthy bodies.

🌿 Personal, Social & Emotional Development – children learn to work together, manage risks, solve problems, and feel proud of their achievements.

🌿 Literacy & Math's – we count leaves, spot shapes, draw in mud, and discover the joy of learning through play.

🌿 Understanding the World – nature is the best teacher! Children learn about seasons, weather, plants, insects, and how to care for living things.

🌿 Expressive Arts & Design – from making leaf crowns to stick sculptures, the outdoors is a perfect place to get creative.

Our nursery Guinea Pigs

Peanut

Clover

Pippi

Nala

We are so excited to introduce the fluffiest members of our nursery family – Pippi, Nala, Peanut and Clover, our adorable guinea pigs! These gentle little animals have quickly become a much-loved part of daily life here at the nursery, bringing joy, curiosity and plenty of cuddles.

At our nursery, we believe in nurturing not just early learning but also compassion, empathy, and responsibility. Having guinea pigs in our setting gives the children a wonderful opportunity to learn how to care for living things in a safe, hands-on way.

From helping to gently feed them their favourite vegetables to making sure they have fresh water and clean bedding, the children are learning all about the needs of animals and how to treat them with kindness and respect. They also enjoy brushing the guinea pigs, watching them explore their play space, and even learning to understand their different sounds and behaviours.

Looking after Pippi, Nala, Peanut and Clover helps children develop important life skills such as patience, gentleness, and teamwork. It also sparks conversations about nature, biology and the wider world around them – all in a way that’s fun, meaningful, and age-appropriate.

We love seeing how confident and caring the children are becoming through their interactions with our furry friends. Whether it's quietly sitting and observing or taking part in feeding time, every moment with our guinea pigs is an opportunity for growth and learning.

Pippi, Nala, Peanut and Clover have brought something very special to our nursery !

First Steps Day Care