Activities

A day in the life of a Pre-school child

8.00am		Welcome The children are welcomed into the nursery by the staff and have access to resources of their choice. Staff greet parents and chat with the children about their expectations for the day ahead.
9.00am		The day’s activities begin The children gather together to self register and to discuss the day ahead. Topic related activities are set out along with topic related role play.  Resources include the home corner, computer, mark making area, workshop area, construction, water and sand play, painting, light box, and the book corner which give children a choice of activities to keep them stimulated throughout the day. They will also be encouraged to participate in adult led activities Outdoor play will be included in the morning’s activities. The play area is developed in such a way that the child has the same opportunity to explore during their time out of doors. Bikes, cars, role play area, chalk board, construction, music wall, sand, and ever changing topic related stimulus provide occasion for the child to learn and develop. In the event of bad weather, Acorns Nursery has the added bonus of being able to use the Oakhill Academy Sports Hall for physical activities. A healthy snack is provided during the morning session.
11.30am		Lunch Lunch is prepared in the central kitchen of Oakhill College by our fully qualified chef who is dedicated to educating children in the importance of a balanced and healthy diet. The staff join the children for lunch to create a pleasant social occasion.
1.00pm		Focused activities The children gather together to continue with the mornings activities which also enables the children who attend for an afternoon session to have the opportunity to enjoy and participate in the fun. An outdoor session is included in the afternoon.
3.00pm		Circle time The children and staff join together for stories, songs and to discuss and  reflect the day’s activities.
3.30pm		Play and Tea Time Children who are staying for the later session will be provided with a tea and have access to plenty of games and activities to keep them amused until they are collected by their parents.
6.00pm		End of The Day  The nursery closes and is cleaned and prepared for the next day when we will provide another full day of activities and fun.

Additional Activities

Stream Walk

Once a week the Pre-school children, dressed in appropriate clothing, spend half a day at the stream situated within the beautiful grounds of Acorns Nursery and Oakhill College. This activity promotes a wealth of learning through hands on experience.

Music

The children receive lessons from an Early Years Specialist music teacher at no extra cost to the parent.

Ballet

Every child gets the opportunity to join in a dance class once a week with a fully qualified dance teacher.

Trips and outings

With the permission of parents and under strict supervision after a full risk assessment the children have the opportunity to leave the nursery on a variety of trips and outings. At least one topic related outing occurs every half term together with a Christmas trip to the pantomime and a summer parent/child outing to an attraction such as Blackpool Zoo, Chipping Wild Boar Park or Farmer Parr’s at Fleetwood.

Visitors into nursery

Visitors come into nursery on a regular basis to share their expertise with the children and to widen their education and knowledge of the world around them. Members of the Oral Health Education Team come and talk to the children about the importance of healthy eating which corresponds with ‘Smile for Life’ week within the nursery. Members of different religions and cultures share their experiences and lifestyles broadening the children’s multicultural understanding. The police and fire brigade talk to the children about their role within the community and help the children to understand what to do if they should get lost or are approached by someone they do not know. This is just a sample of the many visitors that come to the nursery to extend the children’s education.