Nursery World - In the shade (1)

Glade Infants School, Bognor Regis The nursery children at Glade Infants School benefit from their willow dome all year round. In summer, the grassy floor of the dome is the perfect place for children to sit with nursery teacher Lesley Boxall.

The nursery children at Glade Infants School benefit from their willow dome all year round. In summer, the grassy floor of the dome is the perfect place for children to sit with nursery teacher Lesley Boxall.

'We carry out a range of focused activities in small groups,' she says. 'We count the leaves and talk about the different sizes, which helps the children develop their mathematical skills.' The children make studies of minibeasts on the willow canopy, and the dome is the focus of music sessions where the children play instruments and sing.

The dome is used throughout the winter as well. A wooden palette on the floor of the dome allows the children to sit down even if the grass if slightly damp. The children also make seed cakes for the birds and hang these from the willow structure.

Register now to continue reading

Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:

What's included