Loose Parts

Create a natural classroom both inside and out with these ideas for creating a natural classroom - from resources to furniture. From Hessian fabric for display, through to loose parts, natural construction, cosy wicker reading or den pods and furniture - let us inspire you. Cosy and Natural is what we do best Your natural classrooms A wicker Arch...

Autumn is a lovely time to read to children and talk about nature. There is so much to learn about the seasons and the very visible changes that occur all around us. We know that so many of you use books in your setups and we get tagged in so many wonderful ideas that we felt it would be great...

Autumn is a special time of year and with lots to discover, play with and learn about. Seasons, falling leaves, conkers and lots of natural loose part treasures to collect on your autumn walks. Crates make great locations for setting up areas for children to discover. Crates can be packed up and taken outdoors too. We have gathered some of...

We get tagged in so many wonderful tray play activity ideas that we wanted to share with you some of our favourite autumn tray play activity ideas from our cosy club members. From regular tuff trays of varying colours, to mirrored spot trays and mirrored magnetic tray and of course our heuristic wicker tray, there are so many options for...

Crates are very popular at the moment in play and learn set ups. Not only are they great for storage but they can also be used in a variety of ways to inspire learning in your setting. Here we show 12 of the best ways to use wooden crates in play. Mud Kitchens Create your own affordable mud pie kitchen...

We know all too well here at Cosy that many nurseries and schools are opting more and more for natural resources. Wood, wicker, and ‘real’ items are increasingly popular - and for good reason! They look beautiful, follow many theories of effective learning, and make a calm, happy space. They are also, by and large, a more sustainable option as...

At Cosy we love all things sustainability and eco-friendly. In fact it’s one of our core values - and one we know is shared across many settings and practitioners in the EYFS. We love nothing more than focusing on sustainable materials, and we know you do too.  This Earth Day we want to champion using sustainable resources, as we always...

We get tagged in some wonderful ways to play with conkers and so we wanted to share these with you in this blog post. Did you know that Conkers is a traditional children's game in Great Britain and Ireland played using the seeds of horse chestnut trees—the name 'conker' is also applied to the seed and to the tree itself...

Fine motor skills are those small, intricate hand and finger movements.  Children's muscles can take time to evolve as the brain builds important connections.  This is achieved through practice, with some children finding it easier to master the skills than others.  Why are fine motor skills important? Fine motor skills are an important factor in early writing.  Children need strong...

Acorns can be used in play in a variety of ways. They are perfect during the autumn months. Acorns usually drop from their trees late summer, early autumn. Acorns are the fruit of the oak tree. They contain the seeds that can grow new oak trees, and falling to the ground is part of the tree's lifecycle – this is how...