Fun Learning and Springtime Magic at our Stapleford Nursery

Welcome back to the Jelly Beans Day Nursery blog! It has been an incredibly busy and exciting month for our little explorers. At our Stapleford nursery, we believe that children learn best when they are getting stuck in, getting their hands messy, and following their natural curiosity.

This month, our activities have focused heavily on sensory play and the wonders of Spring. Sensory play is a staple of our curriculum because it builds nerve connections in the brain’s pathways, supports language development, and fine-tunes motor skills.

Here is a look at what we’ve been up to:

Out and About: Transport Tuff Tray

Our “Out and About” theme took over the Tuff Tray this week!

From zooming cars through “grass” to navigating buses around obstacles, the children loved exploring different modes of transport.

The Educational Benefit: Beyond just being fun, this activity helps children understand the world around them. Using small-world figures encourages imaginative play and develops “spatial awareness”; the ability to understand where objects are in relation to themselves.

Natural Egg Decoration Station

In preparation for Easter, we set up a beautiful decoration station using natural materials. Instead of just using plastic, we focused on textures like wood, hay, and dried petals.

The Educational Benefit: This is a fantastic exercise in sensory exploration. By touching different organic textures, children develop their descriptive vocabulary (words like rough, smooth, crunchy, or soft). It also fosters an early appreciation for nature and the environment.

Chickens and Eggs: Counting Activity

Maths is much more exciting when there are fluffy chickens involved! Our educators set up a counting station where the children matched numbered eggs to the corresponding number of chicks.

The Educational Benefit: This activity focuses on 1-to-1 correspondence. The ability to match an object to a number. It’s a foundational math skill that helps children understand that “three” isn’t just a word, but a specific quantity of items.

Hot Cross Bun & Easter Play Dough: An Invitation to Play

One of the highlights of the week was our “Invitation to Play” featuring scented play dough.

We created dough that smelled like cinnamon and mixed spice to mimic Hot Cross Buns, complete with rollers and cutters.

The Educational Benefit: Play dough is the ultimate tool for fine motor development.

Squeezing, poking, and rolling the dough strengthens the tiny muscles in the hands and fingers, which are essential for when the children eventually start learning to write at our Stapleford nursery. The added scent also provides a “multi-sensory” experience, which helps with memory retention and engagement.

We are so proud of how the children have engaged with these activities. Watching them discover new textures and master new skills is what makes life at Jelly Beans so special.

If you are looking for a nurturing environment where your child can learn through play, come and visit us! We are proud to be a leading Stapleford nursery dedicated to giving every child the best start in life.