Fun, safety and growth

When the children returned to school on Tuesday this week, after the October Half Term break, they were beyond excited to find some new items in school for them; both the EYFS outdoor area, and the main school field, have had a large piece of play equipment added to enhance the children's fun. Each unit incorporates a bridge, a slide and various climbing opportunities. The current School Council, as well as last year's team, have repeatedly requested a slide and, as if by magic, they have appeared!

Play equipment like this is way more than fun for the children, it is also a tool to promote vital physical development, especially for our EYFS children; for example, hanging on monkey bars promotes development of the arm and shoulder muscles to support the development of writing! Everytime the children use the equipment they are learing in more ways than can be imagined and helping boost their fine and gross motor control.

The equipment has also helped the teachers to add to the children's learning around personal risk-assessing and safety management. Built into the BNIS curriculum is drip-fed teaching around keeping safe - the appearance of these fabulous play-things, helped provide an invaluable opportunity for children set their own rules. By starting the week with this discussion, children have prevented harm entirely independently - adults have not had to step in once and nor sick up any ugly signs full of "do's and don'ts". It is essential that children learn how to take risks and assess their own limits, setting their own rules helps them understand why laws exist and why everyone should follow them.