Curriculum
At 1st Friends Nursery, we fully embrace the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework, which is designed to help young children achieve their full potential. This government framework ensures children have a secure, safe, and happy childhood, forming the foundation for them to grow and thrive. The EYFS is focused on achieving the 5 key outcomes of: staying safe, being healthy, enjoying and achieving, making a positive contribution.
We’ve tailored our curriculum to encompass all the Early Learning Goals within the EYFS, ensuring each child has an engaging and broad educational journey, influenced by their interests.
Creativity and Art
At 1st Friends Nursery, we encourage children to express themselves through a variety of creative activities. Each day, we balance planned and free-flow activities to inspire imagination and development.
🎨 Messy Play – Water, sand, dough, glue, gloop, clay, putty, glitter, and more!
🐾 Small World – Farm animals, dolls' house, train set, cars & garage, pirate ships.
🖌️ Art – Painting, drawing, threading, sticking, stamping, tracing, and printing.
🎭 Role Play – Cooking, vet, doctor, dentist, shopping, ‘big school,’ fairy tales & history.
👗 Dressing Up – We aim to have the biggest dressing-up chest in the area!
🎶 Music – Piano, violin, guitar, drums, and percussion instruments.
🛠️ Construction – Duplo, Lego, Stickle Bricks, big blocks, wooden blocks, junk modelling.
Through these engaging activities, children develop creativity, confidence, and essential skills—all while having fun!
Personal, social and emotional development
At 1st Friends Nursery, we nurture confidence, independence, and respect through daily routines and social activities. Children learn to:
🤝 Share & Respect – Group, pair, and individual activities teach personal space, turn-taking, and kindness.
🍏 Snack Time Together – Sitting with friends and teachers, taking turns to prepare and serve.
🎩 Good Manners – Encouraged at all times to build strong social skills.
💛 Friendship Friday – A weekly focus on health & wellbeing, including:
🧘 Yoga & meditation
🏃 Exercise & movement
🦷 Oral health & self-care
🥗 Healthy eating lessons
Through these experiences, children develop a strong sense of belonging, emotional well-being, and the confidence to thrive!
Communication and Language
At 1st Friends Nursery, we nurture talking and listening skills through engaging group activities like:
📖 Stories & Circle Time – Encouraging active listening and conversation.
🎶 Songs & Rhymes – Boosting vocabulary and rhythm in speech.
🗣️ Everyday Interactions – Practitioners model language, narrate activities, and support emotional expression.
📚 Book Corner – A cozy space filled with diverse books to spark a love for reading.
🎭 Role-Play Fun – Developing communication and early writing skills through real-world scenarios like shopping lists, birthday cards, and registers.
Through playful learning and meaningful interactions, children build strong language skills and confidence in expressing themselves!
Reading and English
At 1st Friends Nursery, we inspire talking and listening skills through fun, interactive group activities:
📖 Stories & Circle Time – Encouraging active listening, conversation, and social connections.
🎶 Songs & Rhymes – Strengthening vocabulary, rhythm, and speech patterns.
🗣️ Everyday Interactions – Practitioners model language, narrate activities, and support emotional expression.
📚 Book Corner – A cozy space filled with diverse stories to ignite a love for reading.
🎭 Role-Play & Early Writing – Developing communication skills through real-world play—shopping lists, birthday cards, registers, and more!
With engaging conversations, storytelling, and imaginative play, children grow into confident communicators ready for a lifetime of learning!
Mathematics
At 1st Friends Nursery, maths is woven into everyday activities, building confidence with numbers, shapes, and problem-solving in fun, hands-on ways. Children explore maths naturally by:
🔢 Counting and sorting in messy play and treasure hunts.
🍰 Measuring ingredients in baking and cooking.
🧩 Recognising shapes and patterns in art and nature.
🛠️ Building with blocks to understand size and balance.
🎵 Engaging with numbers through songs, rhymes, and games.
From pretend shop role-play to discovering symmetry in nature, we make maths meaningful, playful, and exciting—sparking a lifelong love for learning!
Outside Play
At 1st Friends Nursery, physical activity is a key part of every day—rain or shine!
🌿 Outdoor Adventures – Free-flow access to the garden for running, biking, ball skills, and balance.
🏗️ Creative Play – Den-building, gardening, and outdoor art develop fine motor skills, patience, and teamwork.
🎨 Messy Play Magic – Drawing, painting, and modelling enhance hand-eye coordination and pre-writing skills.
🎶 Music & Movement – Encouraging coordination, posture, and a love of music through dance and action songs.
Through active play indoors and out, children build strength, confidence, and essential motor skills for lifelong learning!