The room

When children are ready, at around 24 months, children will move to the Hippo room.  Children will progress through Nursery at their own pace depending upon both age and ability.

 

The child: staff ratio is one member of staff for every 4 children.

 

Hippos have their own fully equipped playroom and dedicated doorway to their own secure garden area.

 

Development

The Hippo room fully implements the EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage) framework. The purpose of this framework is to provide support, information and guidance for all those who care for babies and young children and recognises their individuality, efforts and achievements.

 

The Hippo group is often known as the Walkers, Talkers and Pretenders – At this age children display a greater competence at moving, talking and pretending. They also show increased confidence in themselves and their skills at making relationships.

 

In terms of organisation, the play room caters for all their messy activities: arts and crafts, sand and water play, cornflower, play dough, home corner, book corner, computer area, construction area as well as a comfy carpeted area with sleep mats and blankets and many more.

 

By setting the rooms up in this way we aim for the children’s development to take place without too many overly formal activities. The children will be able to explore and learn throughout their day without too much pressure. They have free access into the garden which provides them with an outdoor extension to their indoor activities.

 

At this age also, children will be experiencing the change from nappies to potties and toilets. Whatever the challenge, you can be assured that our staff are well trained and committed.

 

Our Hippo room can also provide integrated 2 year reviews in conjunction with your health visitor. Many children have their review at around 2.5 years with the local health team. This is a time for you, your child’s health visitor and your child’s key worker discuss your child’s development both at home and nursery.

 

We can also support children aged two years, who receive means tested funding for childcare under the flying start funding scheme offered by the local authority. If you would like any more information please ask.

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Many parents feel that at this age their children are ready to begin toilet training. We are happy to suggest ideas on how to get this started or alternatively work on methods you are using at home.

 

We are very flexible with regards to the nutritional needs of your child. We provide traditional home cooked meals that can be prepared to your own child’s individual needs.

 

We work closely with other local pre-schools / nursery’s in the area and encourage parents to pass our monthly diary which tracks progress and targets to the other settings. This then allows us to all work collaboratively on your child’s development.

 

Some children come to us with an already established sleep routine whilst other children do not. We are very happy to accommodate the wishes of parents based upon the needs of your child. When toddlers need a rest or a nap, sleep mats with a fresh sheet every day are provided.

 

Parent feedback

Daily diaries are completed and sent home at the end of each day. This information for parents includes sleep times, meals and snacks, drinks, nappy changes, potty information and what the children have been doing during the day.

 

Key person

Each child will be allocated their own “Key person”. This person will act as the crucial link between home and nursery and aid the settling in process by building a positive and trusting relationship for child and parents.

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A typical day in Hippos

The key areas worked on are:

• Social skills: encourage children to be caring and welcoming towards each other and begin to share toys and resources.

• Communication and Language: encourage young children to link sounds together to form words and sentences.

• Physical development: encourage children to be more independent and move freely between indoors and outdoors.

• Literacy: encourage and support children’s responses to picture books and stories read to them.

• Number: beginning to say some counting words and recognise some numbers.

• Expressive arts and design: express self through physical action and sound.

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Hippos daily routine 2021

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