Great Wood Farm Early Years Centre

🪵💚 Wednesdays Environment Spotlight 💚🪵

🚲 The Garage 🚲

The garage is one of the newer additions to our Kindergarten garden but it’s already proving to be very popular!

Located at the back of the garden where the mud kitchen used to be, this dedicated space provides a home for all of our bikes, scooters and helmets, helping to keep everything organised and easily accessible for the children.

But it’s much more than just a storage area! The garage also features a pretend petrol pump and a vehicle washing station, creating lots of opportunities for imaginative role play alongside physical development. We have loved seeing the children filling up their vehicles, cleaning them and setting off on all sorts of adventures.

The space also offers plenty of opportunities for mathematical learning through counting, sorting, problem-solving and exploring numbers in meaningful, real-life contexts.

As part of developing this area, Kate also invested in a range of new bikes, scooters and helmets. This was an area of our provision that was ready for some new resources, as many of the previous items had been well-loved and had gradually become worn over the years.

We think this is a fabulous addition to the garden and can’t wait to see how the children continue to use and develop their play in this exciting new space. 💚✨

🏅Sports Day 2026 🏅

Last Tuesday (9th June) we held our annual Sports Day here at Great Wood Farm, and what a fantastic morning it was!

It was so lovely to see everyone across the nursery from each room enjoy the fun.

A huge well done to all of the children (and staff!) who took part in the races, you were all superstars! 🌟

🦔 Hedgehogs at Forest School 🦔

A few weeks ago, during a forest school session, some of the children enjoyed learning all about hedgehogs. Together, they explored facts about these fascinating creatures, including where they live and how they help our natural environment.

Inspired by their learning, the children then used clay and natural materials to create their own hedgehogs. They carefully shaped the clay and added details to bring their creations to life, showing great creativity and concentration.

It was a wonderful activity that combined learning about wildlife with hands-on creativity, all whilst enjoying time outdoors in nature. 🌿✨

🐑✂️ Shearing Time at Great Wood Farm✂️🦙

Last Friday was an exciting day on the farm as both the sheep and alpacas had their annual haircut!

Usually these two events don’t happen on the same day and often take place outside of nursery hours, so we were delighted that some of our children were lucky enough to watch the shearing in action.
As always, Farmer Brian’s grandchildren couldn’t resist getting involved and lending a helping hand after school, and of course, they loved every minute of it! 💚

The learning didn’t stop there. The children also had the opportunity to explore the alpaca wool, and our Kindergarten Badgers used it to create beautiful artwork, both individually and as a group. They even dyed some of the wool to add a wonderful pop of colour to their masterpieces. 🎨🦙

It’s always so special to be able to share real-life farm experiences like these with the children and watch their curiosity, creativity and learning flourish.

🐑✂️ Shearing Time at Great Wood Farm ✂️🦙 Last Friday was an exciting day on the farm as both the sheep and alpacas had their annual haircut! Usually these two events don’t happen on the same day and often take place outside of nursery hours, so we were delighted that some of our children were lucky enough to watch the shearing in action. As always, Farmer Brian’s grandchildren couldn’t resist getting involved and lending a helping hand after school, and of course, they loved every minute of it! 💚 The learning didn’t stop there. The children also had the opportunity to explore the alpaca wool, and our Kindergarten Badgers used it to create beautiful artwork, both individually and as a group. They even dyed some of the wool to add a wonderful pop of colour to their masterpieces. 🎨🦙 It’s always so special to be able to share real-life farm experiences like these with the children and watch their curiosity, creativity and learning flourish. #FarmLife #ShearingDay #LearningThroughPlay #GreatWoodFarm #earlyyears

🔢 Number Day Fun in Babies 🔢

Recently, as part of World Numeracy Day fun, our babies enjoyed exploring a water tray filled with bubbly water, numbers and balls. 🫧

The children had lots of fun splashing, scooping and investigating the different resources as they floated amongst the bubbles.

Activities like this provide wonderful opportunities for early mathematical learning, sensory exploration and discovery, all whilst having lots of fun. ✨💙

🦖🦕 Dinosaur Day 🦕🦖

Today is Dinosaur Day, and it’s no secret that so many children love dinosaurs! Because of this, dinosaurs are often incorporated into learning and play across all ages at Great Wood Farm. 💚

Here are just a few examples of dinosaur-themed learning environments that have recently featured in some of our rooms and outdoor areas.
While they are lots of fun, they also provide endless opportunities for learning and development.

Children can explore mathematical concepts through counting, sorting and comparing dinosaurs, while also developing language skills by learning dinosaur names and describing their different features. These environments encourage discussions about how dinosaurs might have lived, what they ate and when they roamed the Earth, helping to develop understanding of the world around us.

The small world setups often include a variety of textures, providing rich sensory experiences, while carefully chosen books help to support literacy and extend children’s interests even further.

Most importantly, dinosaur play inspires imagination, curiosity, creativity and plenty of fun! 🦕✨

📚 National Share a Story Month 📚

Did you know that May was National Share a Story Month?

Sharing stories is something we love to do every day at Great Wood Farm. 💚

Whether it’s snuggled up in a cosy book corner, gathered together in the woods during a forest school session, or enjoying a story in a more unusual place, books and stories can be found everywhere across our nursery, both indoors and out.

Here are just a few examples of children from across the setting enjoying books together. Stories help to spark imagination, build language, inspire curiosity and create special moments of connection.

After all, every day is a good day to share a story. 📖✨

🎉 Congratulations Charlie & Judi 🎉

We are incredibly proud to share that two of our wonderful team members, Charlie and Judi, have recently achieved their Level 3 qualification as an Early Years Educator, and not only that, they both achieved a distinction! 🌟

Their hard work, dedication and passion for supporting children’s learning and development truly shines through every day, and this fantastic achievement is so well deserved.

A huge congratulations to you both from all of us at Great Wood Farm. We are very proud and hope you are too! 💚