11/09/2026
🏁 WOW… look what our Reception children have been up to! 🏁
This all started with their own idea. 💡
Inspired by what they already knew about car racing, a group of our Reception pupils decided they wanted to design and build their own ‘bangers’ using our large-scale loose parts — and what a fantastic example of children turning an idea into purposeful play and learning! 🚗💥
Working together, the children decided what they wanted to build, how they could make it work and what they needed to do to bring their ideas to life. They moved and manoeuvred large tyres, crates and other loose parts, communicated their thinking, listened to one another, negotiated, solved problems and adapted their plans as they went.
There was so much learning taking place:
🔨 Physical development – developing strength, coordination and control as they lifted, carried, pushed and positioned large objects.
🧠 Thinking and problem-solving – making decisions, testing ideas, overcoming challenges and adapting their plans.
💬 Communication and language – sharing ideas, listening to others, explaining their thinking and negotiating together.
🤝 Personal, social and emotional development – cooperating, taking turns, resolving differences and working towards a shared goal.
📚 Building on prior knowledge – taking what they already knew about car racing and using it to create, design and play in a new context.
Most importantly, we saw the Characteristics of Effective Teaching and Learning in action. The children were playing and exploring, actively learning, and creating and thinking critically as they developed their own ideas, persevered with challenges and worked collaboratively to bring their vision to life.
✨ Their idea. Their design. Their play. Their learning. ✨
This is purposeful play at its very best! ❤️
