Unless the weather is very extreme or dangerous, we run all of our sessions outside. We believe in the power of nature and fresh air for children, and they love it too!
We’ve run our pre-school like this for a number of years now (in fact, our pre-school has been running for more than 35 years!). And still we find new things that just make sense from an efficiency and practicality point of view.
So what makes sense for our pre-school?
1. Splashsuits and wellies
As we spend so much time outside, splashsuits and wellies are an absolute must. We can provide these and we have all thicknesses in all sizes and styles.
The thinner ones are perfect for splashing and getting muddy when it’s a bit warmer outside. We still have a surprising amount of rain in the summer. Then we have thicker waterproof ones for colder, wetter days.
We know which outfits suit which children according to their size, comfort preferences and how likely they are to get wet (usually quite likely).
2. Pegs and hooks
These large pegs and hooks work great for hanging wet splashsuits, clothes and towels! The quicker we can get them dry, the quicker they can be used again. The pegs are also brilliant for hanging paintings on our line.
3. Shelters
Shelters are perfect for us when it’s drizzling outside as the children can still play but in a more covered environment.
We have a brand new shelter that goes over the mud kitchen (stops all that freshly baked food from going soggy!) that also works well to keep the sun off them in summer.
It even has curtains that can be taken on and off as needed. These help to enclose the space, but its rails are also perfect for drying towels when it’s sunny.
We have two solid, covered structures, a gazebo and a tarp held in place with poles and pegs.
4. Storage
We were so excited by our new storage spaces!
First, we built some new shelves. They meant we could have a first air kit, tissues, suncream, hand gel and wipes to hand. It also makes a good place for the purple ladies to keep moisturiser too!
We added some additional storage for hats, scarves and gloves too. While the children usually bring their own, we like to have a supply of spares, just in case. It reduces the risk that a child will be left cold and wet if they’ve forgotten their own.
The Pre-School has plenty of towels, too, which the children can access to remove paint, mud, sand and water without having to go inside to wash.
It isn’t always the big things that help, but the smallest. And a great team of ladies who are constantly thinking and actioning change too. They are the most vital element.
