01/09/2026
🐢 “Louise… he’s upside down!” 🐢
Sometimes the simplest little things become the starting point for a whole world of learning… 💚
One of our little ones has become completely smitten with a small wooden tortoise we picked up from the charity shop. She carries him everywhere, so when we went to Rhyme Time at the library and spotted Albert Upside Down, borrowing it was an absolute must! 📚🐢
We read the story together and then, inspired by Albert, created a habitat for our very own tortoise, filling our tray with characters and props from the story. 🌿 🐢
And then came the best part… I stepped back and let the children take the play wherever their imaginations wanted to go.
One little one loved exploring and comparing all the different textures and treasures in the tray.
Another was busy putting the tortoise in and out of his cave… again and again! 🪨
Another decided that Albert was hungry and carefully began feeding him the flowers. 🌸
And then, from across the room…
“Louise… he’s upside down!” 😂🐢
Of course he was!
What I love about following children's interests is that learning doesn't always need to be planned weeks in advance. Sometimes it starts with a little wooden tortoise from a charity shop, a gorgeous story from the library, about helping our friends and a whole lot of curiosity. ❤️
From storytelling and language, to sensory exploration, imaginative play, problem solving, positional language and developing those wonderful little social interactions… the learning was everywhere.
And most importantly, it was their play, their ideas and their Albert. 🐢💚
