Cosy Direct Blog

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...

The H Crate is so versatile. They are robust, weatherproof and can be left outdoors. Enabling imaginative play, they can be used as large loose parts for stacking and construction, creating vehicles, mud kitchens and obstacle courses. Upcycle those crates, tyres and wooden planks - encourage children to use their imagination to create whatever they want. Here we show a...

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...

If you go down to the woods today, you’re in for a big surprise! This week at Cosy we are thinking all things forest school - and not just about the joy of getting muddy. We think learning is at its best when incorporated into a variety of fun and exciting activities. We’re here today to chat about our favourite...

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...

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...