Transport is among the children’s top interests when they spend time with the continuous provision at our nursery.
In our indoor environment, we have boats in the water tray shelves, train sets, and a variety of cars and lorries, along with ramps and car tracks. Outside we have medium-sized diggers and lorries, which the children enjoy using in their imaginative play and to explore transporting materials around in the mud patch, the sand pit and the bark and stone pit. We also have ride-on toys, including balance and pedal bikes, where children practise their gross motor skills.
MAKING THEIR OWN
Children can often be observed creating their own forms of transport. Whenever there is a large box available, we bring it in for the children to transform into something of their choosing.
They enjoy customising their box vehicle using felt pens, paints or by cutting and sticking. Junk-modelling materials are also used to make boats to test out in the water tray.
Outside, our large-scale construction equipment includes crates, wooden planks, hollow blocks, broomsticks, various sized tyres and steering wheels. The children regularly use these materials to create aeroplanes, boats, cars, buses and trains. This play often involves collaboration and communication with others. They will talk through what they need for their vehicle, or where they are going to go on their journey.
We often add enhancements to develop their imaginative play, such as a tray of unusual keys. A little girl saw the tray one day and stated, ‘We need the magic key to make our cars fly!’ before selecting a very special-looking, large golden key.
THE LOCOMOTION
Last term, the children were showing a particular interest in trains. They would gather chairs from around the room, put them in a line and pretend it was their train. In response to this we added a train station enhancement on our little stage with a ticket kiosk, bench, and magazines and books, including The Train Ride by June Crebbin.
We do not have a set ‘role-play area’, except the home corner, but role-play enhancement hubs regularly pop up. When the children saw the station, they worked as a team to build their usual train out of chairs and used the hollow blocks to build up the train around the chairs. Some children talked about their own experiences of going to the train station and took the lead on what you must do to buy your ticket and wait. The ticket kiosk provided opportunities for mathematical development as well as purposeful mark-making. The children took their imaginative play in new directions and brought the toolbox to the station in case the train broke down, which it did several times!
VISITS AND VISITORS
Experiences that come from carefully thought-out trips and visitors can be very valuable, creating memories that can be drawn upon for development in all the areas of learning, inspiring and motivating the children. Giving these opportunities is especially important for those children that might have fewer experiences outside of the home.
We decided to visit the East Anglian Transport Museum. Each child brought with them a family member, which was a great opportunity to further build upon the positive relationships with our new cohort of families. Through the trip the children began to develop an understanding of changes over time by making comparisons between the old transport in the museum and today’s.
They thoroughly enjoyed the rides on the steam train, trams and trolley buses, making sure to get their tickets stamped by the conductor, just as they had done through their role-play at nursery. They learnt new vocabulary as they explored the museum, and on the coach on the way home could be heard enthusiastically chatting to adults about what they had seen and done.
As well as going out on trips, special experiences can be brought into the setting too. Last term I noticed the children were excited to see the groundskeeper cutting the grass using the tractor. I asked him if he could bring the tractor near the nursery one day and show them how it works.
Along with a small enhancement table with tractor-themed books and toys, we displayed some photos of the children’s experience, which inspired discussions, giving opportunities for communication and language development.
