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Why the curiosity approach supports our nature based play learning?

Why the curiosity approach supports our nature based play learning?

There are many different methods that are adopted by childcare nurseries and pre-schools over many years of learning. Here at Kids Play Childcare we embrace nature-based play in everything we do and we’ve now extended this further by adopting the Curiosity Approach.

The Curiosity Approach is one of the most modern Early Years Learning approaches and was developed by co-founders Lyndsey Hellyn & Stephanie Bennet.  Collectively, the duo total over 50 years Early Years teaching and leadership in education and learning.

The curiosity method stimulates children to ponder, think and investigate more by giving them authentic resources to play with.  We had already started to bring ‘real life’ into our Nurseries with real fruit, vegetables and everyday authentic objectives have replaced plastic toys.

With so many similarities, you can see why we’ve embraced the Curiosity Approach, building on our nature-based play ethos.

How the approach works

The philosophy is centred around a child’s natural desire to explore and build upon their curiosity.

Providing children with natural authentic resources at the child’s eye level, encourages children to use their five senses much more and engage in the world around them.  They discover how different materials feel to touch, how they sound and explore the varying ways they can interact with them.

To avoid any negative emotions that can be caused by bright colours for young children including tiredness, stress, anger and upset. The Curiosity Approach environments have very neutral colours, which was a feature already adopted across all Kids Play Childcare Nurseries and Pre-Schools.

Creating the correct environments

Stimulating environments are required for the Curiosity Approach.

Here at Kids Play Childcare, we embrace nature-based play, which helps to create exciting environments for the children both outdoors and indoors.

Outside, we encourage children to love the great outdoors and become curious about the different seasons of the year.  We encourage them to understanding appropriate risks, through climbing trees or building dens.    Building on a child’s natural interest has huge benefits as they develop an understanding of our natural world.

Whilst many may believe it is easier to implement the Curiosity Approach outdoors, you can also implement a very engaging environment indoors too.

Plastic toys are limiting as they tend to feel the same, have similar smells, and are usually made up of extravagant vibrant colours.  Moving to natural resources including pinecones, leaves and real foods, encourages fine motor skills and a developed understanding of our world; all part of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).

 

Why play is so important for Early Years

Early Years education is more than just preparation for mainstream school. In a society where formal learning plays a huge role in childhood education, it is important that we put the emphasis back on ‘play’ and this is exactly what the Curiosity Approach does.

By having the right philosophy in place and the correct environments, children are exposed to unique learning opportunities and can expand their creativity and imagination through play, instead of being tunnel-visioned through electronic devices.

Here at Kids Play, we are proud to see children willingly tap into their curiosity through the rich learning environments that we install throughout our settings.

 

Working in tandem our ethos of nature-based play and the curiosity approach provide children with fantastic learning opportunities. Hopefully, this article has given some insight into why the Curiosity Approach supports our nature-based play learning and as to why we champion these philosophies here at Kids Play.

Find out more about the benefits of nature-based play by clicking the article below.

https://www.kidsplaychildcare.co.uk/nurseries/2021/04/06/benefits-nature-based-play/

 

 

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Get in touch with Kids Play Childcare

Registered Office:
Kids Play Ltd.
1A Roebuck Way, Knowlhill, Milton Keynes MK5 8HL.
Enquiries: 0207 622 0484
Email: csa@familyfirstnurseries.com

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The Curiosity Approach

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