10/09/2026
🌿 A little look at what’s growing in Gumnuts yard… 🌿
Our outdoor environment is constantly evolving, and at Gumnuts we see the backyard as so much more than a place to “burn off energy”. It is a space for movement, imagination, connection, problem-solving, communication and wellbeing.
🏃♀️Outdoor play gives children opportunities to run, climb, balance, carry, dig, crawl, stretch and challenge their bodies in ways that simply aren't possible in the same way indoors. Physical activity supports developing strength, coordination, spatial awareness and confidence — while also giving children the freedom to move their bodies and regulate through active play... and of course it's perfect for "THE GRASS IS LAVA!" 🔥
🧚♀️ What started as a little imaginative play space continues to grow alongside the children's ideas. The Fairy Garden invites children into a world of storytelling, small-world play and imagination. Fairies, homes, gardens, creatures and stories appear, disappear and change as the children take ownership of the environment. The children respect the space and know it's only for the fairies. Little human feet in their village may take their magic away!
🥰 Our Yarning Circle provides a dedicated place to come together, slow down and connect.
We use it for conversations, storytelling, group discussions, sharing ideas, reflecting on experiences, listening to one another and sometimes simply sitting together.
It gives children a physical sense of belonging within the environment — a place where every voice can be heard and where we can practise the important skills of listening, waiting, communicating and respecting others.
🌈 We've also added a new calming space outdoors, featuring our alphabet flooring.
This space provides another option for children who need a quieter moment, a change of pace or somewhere to reconnect with themselves before returning to play.
And yes… we're currently missing a few letters! 😂
The letters that spell SPRING have temporarily migrated back into our playroom because they're part of our indoor Spring display. 🌸
It's a lovely reminder that our environments don't exist separately. The children's learning moves between indoors and outdoors, and our resources move with it.
At Gumnuts, we intentionally create environments that encourage children to move, imagine, connect, communicate, regulate and belong. 🌿💚
