Children in our Early Years are encouraged to be curious about the world around them, ask questions to find out why things happen, use their senses and look closely, test their ideas and notice similarities and differences. The children are given opportunities to make simple representations of people and objects they have observed. Provision is enhanced and opportunities are provided to ensure children develop their own ideas and talk about things they find in nature such as plants, animals and other natural objects. Adults share the correct age appropriate scientific vocabulary and encourage children to use these words when exploring the world around them. 

The children explore the outdoors and enjoy the opportunities nature brings. 

"The leaves are lots of different colours, look at my big orange leaf". Lottie

The children notice similarities and differences between objects.

"I've got lots of leaves, they're yellow and orange, I found a bigger leaf this time." Joseph

The children are naturally curious and question what they observe, books are used as a stimulus to raise more questions and as a way of finding out more information. The children confidently use books to find out why things happen and answer their own questions. Children represent people and objects through various forms of mark making.

Adults are enthusiastic about the learning opportunities nature provides which excites and enthuses the children. Our natural environment is used to observe changes in seasons and habitats. The children discuss these changes and question why the changes have happened. 

Our learning often takes us on interesting journeys as we question why things happen and have our own ideas. The children are given opportunities to test their ideas such as finding out if flowers grow once they have been cut. 

"I think the flower needs to be in the soil, I'll plant it in the soil, can you help me? It will need water too, lots of water." - Cora

"I will put the soil in the pot for you." - Zimmal

The children are encouraged to work together and test out their ideas. 

Children have the opportunity to explore nature in all weathers, the children are encouraged to question and observe what they see, feel, smell, taste and hear. When obvious changes happen outside the children naturally want to explore. 

"look it's all frozen solid, the ground is slippy." Rosie

"My hands are too cold... (adult: I wonder if there is a way of making your hands warm again?) I can rub them together, look, they're getting warm now." - Hallie

Every half term the children cook or bake and this is a fantastic opportunity to see how things change when we mix, disolve and melt ingredients. The children love to help with the process and enjoy trying new foods too.

Provision is enhanced to foster natural interests and curiosity, real food is used in the home area to encourage children to have their own ideas and test their ideas. The children were sure that the eggs would have chickens inside them, they carefully peeled the shell off the eggs and were amazed when they found the white shiny inside of the egg. They were then encouraged to find out more. 

"They'll be a yellow bit inside that you know, watch I'll break it up. See there the yellow bit, I like that bit! - Libby

"Get the little chick, push it inside the egg, there it is a chicken egg. Baby chickens come out of eggs." - Poppy