This group offers a calm and enjoyable opportunity for families to make friends, sing songs and rhymes and go for walks and picnics together. And for those who wish to send their child to our Kindergarten, the Toddler Group provides a gentle, introductory experience, which facilitates their transition into Kindergarten. Although this group is mainly for children from 1-3 years of age, we are quite flexible and both younger and older siblings are welcome too.
Most of the year the sessions take place outside at Edmondsham Forest School. We meet at 10.00 am and walk across a field to our Forest School base, where the children have a chance to explore the woodland, splash in puddles, squelch in mud, play in the wood chips, make leaf or bark rubbings etc. Sometimes we pack up a picnic and set off for an “Adventure in the Woods” and when we arrive at our chosen spot, sit down together for our Ring-Time songs and rhymes, mostly related to nature and the changing seasons, before enjoying our snack of vegetable sticks, houmous, cream cheese, oat cakes and herbal tea.
We end the session with a short active song time our finally our goodbye songs before trekking back across the field and home.
Please make sure that you and your children are suitably dressed. Long trousers, long sleeved tops and sturdy shoes are a necessity for protection from brambles, nettles, ticks etc. It can be very cold and muddy at times, so warm clothes, waterproofs and welly boots are a good idea unless the weather is unusually clear and sunny, when you may need a sun hat and sun cream. Three wheeler buggies and back pack carriers may be useful too.
On very wet, windy days we either use “The Bothy”, our cosy woodland shelter, or the village hall, where we usually begin by baking bread. Whilst the bread is baking, the children play until the lovely smell of the freshly baked bread indicates that it is time for the ‘Tidy Away Song’. This encourages both parents/carers and children to clear the toys away ready for ‘Ring-Time’. This is followed by hand washing and snack. Once we are gathered at the table a candle is lit and we are ready to share the bread and a variety of wholesome finger foods. The session ends at 12.00 after a short music and movement session and then our ‘Goodbye Songs’.
The Elves & Fairies Woodland Nursery offers a peaceful, beautiful environment for the Toddler Group, but while a member of staff leads the sessions, parent/carers remain responsible for their own children at all times. We also expect them to help their children follow the safety rules of the Forest School.
The first session at Toddler Group is free and then is payable in advance for the rest of the half term, at £5 per session for the first child and £2.50 per session for any siblings from 1 year of age.
For more information, please contact Kirsteen Freer
on 01725 517807.