Piccolos
Our youngest children thrive with nurture, predictability, and interaction.
Our babies are learning to play alongside their friends and to follow two-word instructions, like passing the ‘blue car’. They are learning to talk with two words together, but Makaton signs also help others to understand what they want, which saves frustration!
Our babies like the rhythms of their day to be reassuringly similar so that they can anticipate a familiar routine and can learn the sequence of actions with the daily routine, for example that we wash our hands before eating. Familiarity helps our babies become confident exploring all the fun things that are available for them to play with and to do.
It’s often the simple things that keep our babies busy – like putting objects into a container, and then emptying the objects back out! Even when they are mouthing objects, they are exploring different sizes and shapes. One of our babies favourite things is sensory play – this helps them to tolerate lots of different textures, and they love getting messy immersing their whole body in whatever an adult has set up for them to investigate!
Our babies love listening to stories, exploring board books, action songs and number rhymes. They often become very excited in anticipation of a ‘1, 2, 3 go!’ game. Even as young as they are, our babies are learning the first stages of literacy and numeracy through the things that that play.
Babies need a good sleep in the day – in a cot or baby bed – or maybe in a coracle - with comfortable bedding and a quiet, relaxing room.
Our babies may be little, but their voices are always heard, adults show respect, asking consent before changing a nappy or wiping faces. At mealtimes our babies are supported to serve their food at the table if they can. Babies are taught to wash their own hands, use a spoon independently and to take their finished plates away from the table – these things make our babies feel very big and important! And they help them to become independent.
Our babies love spending time outside and they get lots of fresh air every day. They enjoy trips in the big buggy, and in the garden, crawling, climbing, jumping and running on the grass, exploring resources and activities that are available. Physical play is something important for babies and they love it. As they gain confidence walking, climbing, rolling, or if they are very little just being on their tummies. Babies need enough space to be free to move, roll and stretch, to explore, rest and sleep.
Our babies enjoy a home from home
