Our little Jolly lending library’s shelves are full of new books ready to be snuggled up with and shared together at home… happy reading

If the decking, grassed area, mud kitchen, soft stuff side or building site don’t capture our children’s imaginations and inspire their play then maybe a visit to our Movement Den will be just the ticket?!

In this bright, vibrant space they can challenge their bodies to explore and move in different ways. They can balance on beams, they can step across a stepping stone bridge exploring textures as they travel, they can bounce on a trampoline, they can crawl through a tunnel, they can roll a die and recreate the movement pictured, they can explore sensory balls and toys, they can use the mats to roll from side to side and stretch and scrunch up into a ball, or perhaps strike a yoga pose or three?!

They can create structures with the HUGE magnetic panels by stretching and reaching and sharing and focusing and then they can move their bodies accordingly when busy role-playing with their creations afterwards; from rocking on a boat, chugging on a tractor to crawling through a secret tunnel…

As they explore with their bodies’ movement capabilities they will strengthen their core whilst developing their control and coordination and they can look up from the floor and observe their stretching and movements as they practise, repeat and refine them in the mirrors above.

Our Movement Den is a bright space to get little bodies moving at their own desired pace; as self-selected challenges are set and our children listen to their brains and respond to what they are being driven to do over and over and over again… they truly have the freedom to express themselves!

Stretches and balances galore naturally leads to a wonderful strengthening of the core…

At Jollies we like to move it, move it and really develop those pathways in our children’s brains… Movement play is most definitely the way and it’s even better in our Jolly Movement Den!!

Once you pass through ‘Music Alley’ you enter our garden side and sooo many other exciting possibilities!!

Will our children choose to climb the decking via the climbing wall, or step up to the top instead before sliding down the whizzy ramp?! Or will they stop and ponder life laid upon a cushion looking up at the tree above filled with hot air balloons and have time to dream…. Or will they share a story with their besties in the shade?

Maybe they’ll run around the grass, or bounce on an inflatable horse, or build with the giant construction set? Or will the sandpit capture their imagination as they scoop and pour? Perhaps they’ll take time to observe the courgettes and tomatoes that are growing and give them a quick water to care for them and keep them growing well?

Maybe they’ll move diggers and dumpers up and down the decking at the other end of the garden, or will they mix up the perfect pie in our mud kitchen (not forgetting to add the correct concoction of herbs of course!!) before feasting under the canopy with their friends… Or will they explore weight with our buckets and giant wooden scales, or maybe run back to the grass for a kick about and score a goal or two?! The possibilities are endless as our children explore our Jolly Garden…….

It’s ‘Friendship Day’ today apparently…. To be honest EVERY day is friendship day here at Jollies!!!!

Just three friends having the best time roleplaying hairdressers together…. Perfect!!!

Yay to friendship we say here at Jollies!!!!

Will they create a magnificent build in our Construction Cabin; maybe one that sprawls out under the canopy? Will they sit on the throne, or rock away on the chair, as they share stories and sing songs, or will they just sit and have a good old natter together? Maybe they’ll make marks on the chalkboard, or draw on the whiteboard, or paint on the Perspex one?! Or will they snuggle with a Jolly grownup and get lost in a story in our Book Nook? Might they roleplay shops or cafes in our kiosk? Or will they put their physical skills to the test as they climb and whizz down slides, crawl through tunnels or balance across beams? Will they splash in our water trays? Maybe they’ll get a beat going as they play instruments and music panels in our Music Alley?! Who knows?!?! We just know they’ll LOVE LIFE outside in our ‘soft stuff’ half of our outdoor area as they explore, create, problem solve, share, imagine and enjoy themselves with their friends…

Thank you all for coming and giving up your precious time tonight to celebrate your little ones’ learning journeys with Team Jollies…. We love working in close partnership with you all, so evenings like these mean a lot to the team as we love caring for your little ones and celebrating all their achievements and milestones….

We’re not sure who has had the most fun on our ‘Football Party Day’ today…. our children or Team Jollies?!?!

It is safe to say we have lots of supportive, excited footie fans in the building…. COME ON ENGLAND!!!!! xxx

Our scissor skills (fine motor) development is pretty impressive too!!!!!

COME ON ENGLAND!!!!

On Wednesday Natalie and Imogen’s children were roleplaying shops together walking around the room with their toy trolley talking about what they were buying and then adding lots of things into their trolley… It was super full!!!!

So to extend their learning and inspire their roleplay further they decided to go on a little adventure together to Lidl…

They walked all the way to Lidl holding hands and listening carefully to the grown ups learning about how to keep themselves safe when walking; not walking near the road, staying away from the kerb, and looking left and right before crossing!!!

They walked through the train station as this was a safe and exciting way to get across the busy main road and the added bonus was that they saw three trains, and a really LONG fast train, almost as soon as they got near the station!

After much excitement they continued their walk talking about everything they could see around them within the environment; including different types of transport, shops, houses and all the numbers they could see too.. there were LOTS!!

When they got to Lidl they got a big trolley and found the shopping list they had written before setting off and they were ready to shop!

They went around every aisle looking for what they needed and then ticking the items off once they had located them and added them to their trolley.

They were also browsing everything too! (…..because you just can’t go to Lidl without having a nosey around the middle aisles!!)

They all had a turn at putting their shopping onto the conveyor belt ready to pay before helping to pack and then paying the lovely lady too.

Just before heading back to nursery they needed a quick snack pitstop, so they found some shade and had a bit of a rest finished off with a newly purchased ice lolly and a big cup of water. They then walked back to nursery still listening really well and once again enjoyed having a chat about everything they could see along the way!!!!

It was such a lovely morning learning about soooo many different things together which had derived from their initial interests and their original play and Natalie and Imogen can’t wait to see how their future shopping roleplaying will be further enhanced and enriched…. We don’t think it will make a LIDL difference…. we think it will make a LOT!!! xxxx

How do you keep cool in the baby room on a hot, hot day?!

You rescue flamingoes, unicorns and ducks from ice of course!!!