At Radcliffe Road Day Nursery, creating environments that children can thrive in is of the utmost importance to us. Our amazing staff team are at the heart of the nursery, but having the right environment, filled with thoughtfully selected resources and equipment allows them to provide the best childcare possible. It is our priority that our environments feel like a second home to the children – welcoming, cosy, warm, and somewhere they can be comfortable.
Indoor Environments
As we are so oriented to every child being encouraged to be the individual they are, it’s no surprise that we have a huge range and diversity of resources and equipment in our rooms – so that every child can enjoy pursuing their interests at nursery, whatever they may be. Many children are highly creative and artistic, so we have many options of craft materials. Some of our children are bold adventurers, so we have lots of equipment that lets them play and develop imaginatively and physically. We have quiet children in our care who love to read, have story time or play in their own world, so we have lots of books, cosy den areas and equipment such as play kitchens and construction blocks.
Every child is different – and every child evolves and changes in themselves – so we facilitate them playing and developing as diversely as they want to. Our rooms are set up to support both group and solo activities.
A special feature of Radcliffe Road’s Nursery in Nottingham indoor environments is the sensory room in the Pre-School at the top of the building. It has a range of sensory resources for children to explore including light, shadow and texture. This offers opportunities for small group work to support children’s communication and social skills, along with developing ‘finding out’ and exploring – mixing colours, and understanding and making shadows.
Outdoor Environments
We have a brilliant outdoor environment. It is extremely safe for the children to be in, and also very private, which creates a wonderful atmosphere of play, fun and joy as the children can truly let loose and be free, as well as engaging in more structured outdoor activities and games. We have lots of space for free play and for resources to be brought out and enjoyed. We also have lots of features in the garden – a sandpit, a Mud Kitchen, ride-ons, a Sensory Garden, a Growing Patch, dens and cosy areas, and a huge climbing frame, which tends to be the hub of lots of fun.
The climbing frame has a rope swing, a den, and a platform from which the children can see the whole of the playground and beyond. We love seeing not only the children’s physical skills develop thanks to this structure, but also their confidence, their imaginations, their social skills and their sense of connection to the wider community.