Play Iceland 2015 ~ A Day in England

Play Iceland 2015

A Day in England

Social media probably has a little different function to everyone who uses it.  It can be a wonderful place to reunite with old friends or distant family.  It's a quick resource for keeping current with news and events.  It is also a phenomenal way to connect with like minded people who share similar passions.  This is the reason Facebook has become so important to me and I have had the good fortune of meeting and friending people all over the world, who care for children and believe play is not just important but crucial for a child's development.  

Because of social media, I met a kindred spirit, named Tom Shea, who runs five nurseries in the UK, and also runs fafunia and The New Factory Where We Build Anything.  Tom is also part of the brilliance behind Play Iceland.  I was very fortunate, several years ago, to join a Facebook group about play-based learning and from there, I met a bunch of amazing people with amazing ideas.   Through meeting these people, I was given the unique and grand opportunity to travel to the UK and Iceland to experience early childhood in those countries.   During my time in England, I was able to visit two of Tom's Child First Nurseries.  I've been familiar with the nurseries for a few years, via Facebook, but it was quite a different experience seeing them in person, rather than through photographs.  If you ever get the opportunity to visit these nurseries, I highly recommend it.

The first nursery we visited was Northampton, situated on three acres, in a historic building that was originally a hunting lodge.   We had a lovely walk around the outdoor space which offers the most amazing organic child directed play.  

Views of the main building.  

One of the forts and hide-away places that the children helped create.

Cob stove for outdoor cooking.  This is now on my to-do list.  

Outdoor art.

This area was decorated for the International Fairy Tea Party

with items that the children clearly created themselves.  It was

all very child like, untouched by adults.

Closer look at the fairy garden.

If you know me well, you know how much I love 

repurposing items.  This was once a fence, around

the nursery property.  When Child First moved in,

they removed the fence.  But why not reuse it?  Who

wouldn't want to climb this massive tree?

Another look at the repurposed fence, around the tree.

Another of the forts that the children helped design and create.

Inside the fort. 

Another fort!!  Every child should get these experiences.

A closer look at the fort.  

Rope tied to a tree for climbing.

Rope tied to trees for balancing.

There is something so obvious but so hidden, in these woods, that you won't believe it. 

I'm not going to give it away by posting a photo.  You will just have to go see it for 

yourself.

I was admiring this wall during our walk so Tom 

stopped and explained its purpose.  I hope I'm not 

the only one who had never heard of a Ha-Ha Wall. 

Outdoor toddler area.  The children are free to come

and go, inside and outside.  Lovely textures and places

to explore.  

 This is a different view of the outdoor toddler area.

Mud kitchen.  

An empty space that will soon not be so empty.  

Anxiously waiting to see the change.

 A closer look at the empty space. 

It is really difficult to understand just how inspiring this

outdoor space is, from a few photographs but I hope you 

enjoyed seeing a little piece of something so wonderful.

A few of the indoor spaces I found interesting.  I wish I 

would have taken more pictures but it wasn't always

easy to get shots without children in them.  This is a 

grocery store.  I really like their signs.

Lovely documentation.

The children can put a photograph of themselves

next to the appropriate amount of food they ate, to

show their family each day.

In the infant room, a table covered with two layers

of cling wrap, then squirted with paint, and covered 

with two more layers of cling wrap. The infants were

using their hands and feet to smoosh the paint.

The children have an art teacher and get to do art in

very small groups, with just a couple of children.

There were some very unique art methods displayed.

After we toured the woodsy spacious Northampton Nursery, we drove to Banbury Nursery, which has a very different setting.  It was inspiring to see what had been done with a smaller, more urban, space.  Just across the street from this nursery, is Banbury Cross, from the nursery rhyme, "Ride a Cock Horse to Banbury Cross."  Such a magical location for a nursery.  There is a newly acquired building that will increase the size of Banbury Nursery and I was fortunate enough to get to tour its pre remodeled state.  I can't wait to see photographs when construction is finished.

Banbury Cross

Old lady upon a white horse.

Child First Banbury

Night Club turned nursery.  Just look at that potential.

They're keeping the booths for lunches and activities

and quiet spaces for one on one teaching.  Isn't that just

fabulous?  They're also keeping the disco ball.  I'm sure

some of you were wondering.  

Those of you who follow along with me regularly, on 

facebook, know I'm kind of obsessed with cooking with

the children and food presentation.  THIS is a child size

kitchen.  At least, it's going to be a child size kitchen. A

real one, where the children can actually make food with

everything at their level.  

Just more photos from different directions.

I mentioned that this nursery had a smaller, more urban

feel than the first nursery I visited but just look at what

they have done with this outside area.  I'm only sharing

photos without children in them so I'm a little limited with 

what I can share.  

Indoors at Banbury Nursery.  I felt like I was at home

when I saw the straw bales.  I had never considered 

bringing our bales inside though.  

Lots of great documentation.

I thought this wire stretched across the room was 

a clever way to display things.

I was thoroughly impressed and inspired by the 

indoor and outdoor environments and the 

relationships I saw with the children and the adults 

 and the warm welcome we received from all of the

 staff was very moving.

The level of respect for children and each

other was uplifting.  I witnessed ample opportunities

for children to make choices, take risks, help each other, and 

be supported by caring and nurturing adults. 

We ended our day with a concert from the imaginative

Elska.  Take a closer look at Elska here.  The concert

was held in this gorgeous church where the character

we'd been listening to for months, on cd, came to life

in front of me.  Seeing Elska live was certainly a highlight

of my trip.  

My day in England.  Thank you for letting me share this piece of my trip with you.  My blogs about Iceland will follow shortly.