As we approach the final few weeks of the term, we’ve been making the most of every moment—and this week, we were especially excited to open our final small world and role play areas before the summer holidays begin. The children couldn’t wait to dive in and explore!


Our new small world setup is a beautiful beach scene, where children have been immersing themselves in imaginative seaside play. From building sandcastles to spotting sea creatures, the children are discovering what happens at the seaside and what they might see during a coastal visit. Through this open-ended play, they’ve been developing their storytelling skills, using new vocabulary, and deepening their understanding of the world around them. It's been a wonderful way to bring summer into the classroom while encouraging rich language development and creative thinking.


Next door in our role play area, the children have been serving up delicious pretend treats in our very own ice cream shop! This playful space has provided brilliant opportunities for turn-taking, simple counting, money play, and meaningful conversations. Role play like this helps children build confidence in communication, practise social interactions, and apply their mathematical thinking in real-life contexts—all while having a scoop of fun!


In our adult-led activities, the children have been creating their own beach-themed souvenirs to take home. We started by discussing what a souvenir is and why people like to collect them from holidays. 
For their souvenirs, the children threaded colourful pasta to make their own bracelets. This activity supported fine motor development and hand-eye coordination while giving them the chance to express their creativity.


We also explored fine motor skills through a focused painting activity using cotton bud sticks. The children worked with care and concentration as they painted within the lines, demonstrating excellent control and perseverance. It was lovely to see them so engaged and proud of their efforts!


Taking our learning outside, the children enjoyed time on the adventure playground where they could stretch their bodies and practise gross motor skills. Climbing, balancing, and negotiating space helped to strengthen coordination, build resilience, and develop confidence in physical movement.


In our continuous provision, children continued their exploration of the world around them. They built famous landmarks with construction materials, matched colours through themed activities, and played a seaside version of “I can see…” which encouraged observation and descriptive language. Each area provided meaningful opportunities for learning through play, allowing children to follow their interests while extending their thinking.