Honey Bears
This room is located on the second floor of the Nursery premises. Children within this room are approximately aged between 16 months – 2 years.
This room is bright and spacious, with furniture suitable for this age range.
A daily routine is followed in this room, however the staff will continue to respect and follow individual routines with regards to sleeping.
Honey Bears is registered for ten children and we work to a 1:3 adult/child ratio.
Room Layout
Honey Bears is a single open space, which is carpeted throughout apart from an area of linoleum.
The linoleum area is used at meal times as a feeding area, children are seated together to make meal times a social occasion.
A section of the carpeted area is used during sleep/rest times. Children sleep on sleep mats with sheets and covers provided.
Nappy changing facilities, children’s toilets and hand washing facilities are located on this floor, but in a separate area.
Children are taken to use these facilities when appropriate for nappy changing and toilet/potty training. Children are taken to hand wash over the course of the day.
Stimulation
Practitioners create a well balanced curriculum that focuses upon play and structured activities.
Stimulation and one to one interaction plays a big part in the developing toddler. Practitioners provide stimulating, fun activities and experiences that are safe and encourage a toddler’s natural curiosity.
Children in the room are encouraged to come together and participate in an adult led activity for a short period of time appropriate to their age.
These ‘group times’ aim to promote social interactions between the children, their peers and their carers and also promote ‘Areas of Learning’, such as:
- Communication, Language and Literacy - Listening to and repeating sounds and words in stories
- Communication, Language and Literacy –Joining in singing and using actions within rhymes
- Mathematical development – Learning songs with numbers
- Physical development – Music and movement activities
- Expressive Arts and Design – Creating sounds with instruments
Toddler Room Equipment
Furniture and resources used in Honey Bears is appropriate to the toddler age range.
Resources and equipment are used in this area to provide new and exciting opportunities for the children to explore and develop skills. This includes a larger selection of resources that encourage children to use their imagination and build on their own experiences.
A range of different coloured and textured toys, play resources and equipment is provided to promote all areas of learning. These include natural resources such as sand and water as well as resources made from plastic, wood and cloth.
Communication and Early Language Development
Communication is a vital part of any toddler's environment. Practitioners create a language rich environment that encourages all children to develop and enhance their vocabulary whilst also beginning to support them in understanding how to use language within social interaction.
This is encouraged through modelling language used during 1:1 play and in group situations such as story and singing times, role play activities and yoga sessions.
Makaton is also used alongside the spoken word in the routine and play/music and rhyme activities to promote understanding and communication development.
Craft Activities
Craft and tactile activities are enhanced for the toddler age range. Different resources are introduced such as pencils and collage materials. Children are encouraged to develop their independence by self selecting resources available to express themselves creatively.
Potty/Toilet Training
We offer support and encouragement to all parents who wish to potty train their child.
Every child is different, so there is no set time when your child will develop this new skill.
Positive encouragement is required by all involved in the process.
Daily Routine
This routine is used as guidance. Children are never forced to take part in activities which restrict their own interests or routine.
Nappies are checked regularly and changed when needed in addition to the scheduled time slots for nappies to be changed.
8.00 – 9.00 – Good Morning/Breakfast Time in Little Monkeys
8.30 - 9.50 – Free-flow (free play) between Little Monkeys/Landing/Honey Bears
9.50 – 10.00 – Hand-washing/Snack
10.00 – 10.10 - Hello song
10.10 – 10.40 – Free-play with planned adult led activities e.g. craft
10.30 – 11.00- Nappy Changing
10.40 – 10.50 – Group time
10.50 – 11.00 – Tidy Up Time/Getting ready to go outside
11.00 – 11.40 - Outside Play
11.40 – 12.00 – Hand-washing/Preparing for Lunch/Story/Singing whilst lunch cools
12.00 – 12.30 – Lunch Time
12.30 – 1.00 – Free Play/Preparing for children leaving or joining/Nappy Changing
1.00 – P.M session begins/Greet new children
1.00 – 3.00 – Sleep Time/Free-play for non sleepers
2.30/3.00 – 3.15 – Hand washing/Snack available when children have come round from sleeps
3.00 – 3.10 – Group time
3.10 - 3.30 - Free-play with planned adult led activities e.g. craft
3.10 – 3.30 – Nappy changing
3.30 – 3.55 - Outside play time
3.55 – 4.00 - Hand-washing/Preparing for Tea
4.00 – 4.30 – Tea Time
4.30/4.45 – 6.00 – Free-flow (free play) between Little Monkeys/Landing/Honey Bears, or outside play/Nappy Changing/Feeding back to parents/carers