Explorers & The Nest
The Explorers Room and The Nest are our Baby rooms for our youngest children from two months to approximately two years of age. They are bright, airy spaces with low level areas and equipment for the children to enjoy their learning through play.
We take great care to mirror each child’s care routine from home, so that we can meet their individual needs for naps and feed times, wherever possible. Our sleep room has comfortable cots with fresh bedding and the children are supervised while they sleep. We have implemented a Safer Sleep policy which complies with the requirements in the Early Years Foundation Stage framework. The Explorers and Nest teams log feeds, drinks, meals and sleep times on our EyLog nursery system and parents may have the app on their phones or other devices so that they can check in during the day whenever they wish. Parents are also welcome to phone the nursery for updates during the day.
We understand that children all develop at different times and we do not apply a ‘one-size fits all’ approach to their days in Explorers or the Nest. We work closely with parents right from the start to identify each child’s particular interests or activities they enjoy, so that we plan our adult-led activities that engage them positively and support the areas of their development effectively.
Children have free access to a wide range of activities, offering them learning experiences in all areas of the EYFS. The children can choose what they would like to play with and they may select the toys and equipment themselves. We have a series of themed sensory play trays each month and a wet play area where children can splash water as much as they like!
Above all, we seek to nurture the children’s growing sense of wonder as they begin to explore the world of the nursery around them and beyond, whether in their dedicated space in our nursery garden or being taken out in our buggies for fresh air and a look at our local area.
As they approach their second birthday, we start to plan their transition to the Investigators Room. Transitions take place generally around the child’s second birthday but the time they move up is not necessarily a set one; it is subject to space being available in Investigators and on the child’s stage of readiness which of course may vary from child to child. We discuss and agree the transition with parents before we begin the process of familiarising the children with the next stage of their time with us.