Cosy Direct Blog

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...

Outdoor play quotes help us to feel inspired to get our children outdoors, in nature. For them to feel empowered and close to nature, they help us to feel deeply about our values and our place in nature. Outdoor play quotes for children, parents and educationalists: 'If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere.' Vincent Van Gogh. 'Mother...

It might be cold, damp and grey but the outdoors in winter can be an inspiring place to play and learn.  Winter offers us new experiences which are in stark contrast to spring, summer and autumn.  The change of season enables us as educators to empower children to be adventurous, explore and discover and ignite their innate drive to be...

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...

Inspire children to get outdoors and let their imaginations fly in a mud kitchen. Cafe's shops, bakeries, Pizza station, Ice Cream Cart. Children develop their gross motor skills through large mixing and stirring movements, mashing with pestle and mortars and in our giant masher and perfect their fine motor skills as they take a pinch of herbs, grass or leaves...

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...