What we offer
We plan Pre-School activities around the individual child’s interests and needs. We try, wherever possible, to link the story session, creative activity, circle time and songs together to draw in these interests. Children are encouraged to bring in from home things which are of interest or special to them and we have a box to keep these items safe. During circle time the children can take part in ‘show and tell’ with the items from home if they wish.
Cooking
We cook once a week with the children and these days are rotated so that all children have the opportunity to participate. Dates for the cooking are produced in the newsletter and each child is requested to bring in a named container on that day to take their cooking home.
Walks
We regularly (subject to weather and parental support) take the children for a walk in the village. These walks can have themes (such as number walks where the children spot and photo numbers they see or visits to a dairy farm in the village). We also visit the park across from the village hall. Children need to bring in suitable outdoor clothing for these walks (e.g. sun hat, rain coat, wellies). The dates for the walks are printed in the newsletter and the sheet for parents to sign up to help on these walks is by the daily signing in register.
Friday Forest
Our hugely popular weekly Forest Fridays take us all round Tytherington Village. We enjoy pond-dipping, bug hunting, cooking marshmallows, Gruffalo hunting and climbing trees. We allow the children to explore the natural surrounding and extend their learning experience in all weathers.
Paint
This is available at most sessions and the children are encouraged to mix their own paints. Children may paint freely and may do as many paintings as they wish. We regularly introduce painting techniques such as a variety of printing, bubble painting, painting with marbles.
Craft
This is available at all sessions. The children select their own materials to create their own picture.
Mark making
A variety of pens, pencils, crayons and chalks are provided each session both in a specific area and incorporated into other play, for example the home corner or outside play.
Music
This takes the form of singing, dancing or music & movement sometime during each session, but we vary the songs, use of instruments and recorded music to bring the children a greater awareness of the enjoyment of sound and music.
Home corner
This takes the form of an area with a kitchen and other props, but from time to time we add to it to also make a shop, café, animal hospital, post office, optician or something else which has been prompted by the children. Dressing up clothes are available for the children to act out imaginary situations. We also have a selection of small scale toys which the children use imaginatively e.g. farm and animals, cars and garage, planes and airport, dinosaurs.
Sand and water
Sand, water or gravel is available at every session. They are presented in different ways with different tools to allow the children to explore the material’s different properties.
Physical play
We have a wide range of equipment, including a climbing frame and safety mats, to allow the children to enjoy and participate in jumping, climbing, riding, balancing, throwing and catching. By using the equipment and other physical activities which help the children to gain control over their bodies, they improve their physical co-ordination. We have the use of the Village Hall’s garden area. At Tytherington Pre-School we encourage the children to use the outside space in all weathers and for some of the session the door is open for the children to choose themselves as to whether they play indoors or outside.
Dough and clay
We use play dough, salt dough, clay, craft clay, stretch dough and corn flour .
Books
We have a wide selection of books at Pre-School. In addition, Pre-School belongs to the local library and we supplement our range with library books such as non-fiction picture books which children love to look at. Children can be read to individually throughout the session at their request, but we join together as a group at story-time to share a book, or talk about something which interests an individual child or something which is happening around us.
Technology and Programmable Toys
The Pre-School has a lap-top computer for the children to use. We also have remote controlled vehicles, Bee-Bots and walkie-talkies all for the children’s use.
Other activities
We have a wide range of table-top toys: jigsaws, threading beads, construction toys and games which are made available at each session.