Our Curriculum and Learning Objectives
Our nursery curriculum follows the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). Children are given freedom to explore and play and are encouraged to pursue their interests to develop their learning.
Physical Development
Nature-based activities engage children in outdoor play. For example, climbing, balancing, and exploring the natural environment to enhance gross motor skills. We also embark on nature walks and exploration to encourage movement and to offer sensory experiences such as scavenger hunts and discovering natural elements.
Personal, Social, and Emotional Development
Cooperative play and team activities are encouraged through sessions that require teamwork and collaboration. Our natural environment is relaxing and tranquil and is the perfect backdrop for mindfulness practices and an opportunity for fostering self-awareness through reflexion exercises. We value the importance of emotional regulation and showing empathy towards others.
Sharing experiences and giving children the opportunity to have healthy and lively discussions is an important part of our day at Little Crickets. We want children to be engaged and interested, in equal measures, in the world around them and in their peers.
Cognitive Development
Through exploration of plants, wildlife, and natural phenomena, children are encouraged to be curious. We have a 'hands-on' approach to inquiry-based learning and give children opportunities to problem-solve by providing challenges such as building shelters or creating nature-based art, which also stimulates critical thinking.
Mathematics and literacy have a solid place in our curriculum too! Nature-based maths activities, where children utilise natural elements for counting, sorting and pattern recognition, are a prominent part of our children's learning, as are story-telling and creative writing.
Risk Taking, Confidence, and Building Self-Esteem
Children at Little Crickets Forest School are expertly guided to manage risk through carefully planned activities that empower children to assess a situation and manage risks independently in a safe environment.
Mastering new skills is encouraged and children's achievements are celebrated. By fostering a sense of accomplishment through mastering new skills, children benefit from greater confidence and can overcome future challenges quicker. They become more self-assured individuals and feel a true sense of achievement.
Emotional Intelligence
By cultivating a deep bond with the natural world, children develop empathy, respect, and appreciation for the environment and its inhabitants. We provide extensive opportunities for creative expression through nature-based art, storytelling, music, sensory experiences and reflective activities to express emotions.
Connection with Nature and the Natural World
All children at Little Crickets Forest School are educated about ecosystems, sustainability and the interconnectedness of all living things, which instils a great sense of responsibility and care towards the environment. We encourage children to freely explore the natural world, in our extensive grounds, and encourage them to foster a love of nature, curiosity and a sense of wonder about the world we live in.