playing

At Blue Windmill, play is at the heart of everything we do. It’s how children explore the world, develop confidence and make sense of new ideas. Every day is filled with opportunities to create, imagine, build, talk, climb, listen and discover — all through play.

Learning through play

We follow a child-centred approach where learning unfolds naturally through children’s interests. Practitioners observe, join in, and extend play with new ideas or challenges, helping children build skills in their own time and in their own way. Through play, children learn to share, solve problems, and communicate — the essential foundations for later learning and life.

Babies

For our youngest children, play means sensory experiences: exploring textures, sounds and movement in a calm, nurturing space. Practitioners provide treasure baskets, soft play equipment and gentle songs, encouraging curiosity and connection.

Toddlers

Toddlers learn best through active exploration. We create spaces for building, role play, messy play and small-world adventures. Practitioners encourage language, independence and imagination, always following the children’s lead.

Preschoolers

As children grow, their play becomes more purposeful. Our preschool room offers opportunities for early literacy, maths, art and problem-solving — all woven into play. Practitioners plan experiences that link to children’s interests and prepare them for their next steps in learning.

The garden as a classroom

Our outdoor spaces are a natural extension of the nursery. In the garden, children have unlimited opportunities to discover how the world changes with the seasons. The garden invites curiosity and adventure every day.

A curriculum built around children

Our curriculum follows the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) but is shaped by the children themselves. We use play as our starting point — supporting each child’s individual development, interests and next steps. Learning happens everywhere: indoors, outdoors, and in every joyful moment of play.