Tray Play

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 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...

For so many people Autumn is their favourite time of year. The beautiful colours, natural treasures, the smell of autumn, fallen leaves and autumn crafts. Autumn begins in September and is a season famous for its harvest times, turning leaves, cooling temperatures and darkening nights. Did you know that Chlorophyll is the chemical that makes tree leaves green and as...

Art and Creative Expression helps the development of children’s imagination, creativity and their ability to use and explore different media and materials. Outdoor art activities encourage children to explore with nature. “Art is as natural as sunshine and as vital as nourishment.” MaryAnn Kohl Art includes a wide range of activities. From exploring colours, textures, making music, singing songs, to...

Play in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) can involve mess – whether that’s mud, paint, glue or baking ingredients.  Sometimes, just the term ‘mess’ and conjure up negative images of this type of play, making it seem chaotic and out of control.  However, the truth is that mess can be a sensory, hands on, practical experience.  It holds immense...

Get stuck into experiential play with these sand and water play ideas. Set up a water wall and sand area for children to explore and experiment. Below we share our best sand and water play ideas to inspire you: Water Play Ideas A water wall is perfect for experimenting with the forces and flow of water. Children love playing with...