Outdoor play and learning... naturally

Private woodland, large garden, extensive play area...

Spending time in nature and the outdoors is central to our ethos of learning through play. Our outdoor environment enhances children's sense of wellbeing and provides many different opportunities for learning through the variety of activities that can take place in the fresh air. More than that, nature and the outdoors is one of the most inclusive of environments, having proven benefits to all; especially those with SEND and additional needs who can access what it has to offer at their own level, and to meet their own individual needs. We are very lucky at COG to have so many different outdoor environments with plenty of space.

Our beautiful private woodland

Blessed with our own fully enclosed woodland, we have created a beautiful semi-wild learning environment for our children and families to enjoy. The woodland area is used as a Forest school for pre-school children, with it's own covered outdoor classroom, base camp and lots of winding pathways through the trees to explore. There are hidey holes in willow dens, fairy doors to count and use in imaginative play; so many different opportunities for learning and understanding the world around us. Our woodland even has its own composting toilet!

"The expanse of outdoor provision to explore and have many adventures in (especially the Deep Dark Woods!)... the importance of outdoor play is valued and outdoor provision and space is outstanding."

COG Pre-School Parent Review

Children enjoy the changing seasons in our woodland. We aim to spend time in the outdoors everyday and try to visit the woods all year round.

Watching new leaves and buds grow in the Spring, smelling the flowers and listening to bird song in the Summer, exploring the changing colours and textures of leaves in the Autumn and the frosty ground and hibernating animals in the Winter, sometimes with hot chocolate to warm us up, as a treat in Base Camp!

We try to have at least one parent/carer 'Stay and Play' session each year held in 'Forest School', so that the children have the opportunity to share their surroundings and activities with their parents/carers, who also experience some time in this lovely environment.

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Our Natural Playground

We are so fortunate here at COG to have a large play area which is accessed easily from the playroom. Suitable for all-weather use and with large, natural wooden structures and a HUGE, covered sandpit with water-wall, there are so many chances for open-ended play. This area can truly inspire children's imaginations, with its opportunities for a wide variety of play activities. Toys, bikes and equipment are added to the fixed structures to bring the area alive for children, and provide different activities each day; as well as favourites which they can bring out again and again to hone their skills and progress in their learning. This area supports all aspects of learning and development, including communication and language, physical development, confidence, teamwork...the list goes on! All out in the fresh air, surrounded by nature.

The fixed wooden structures include our wonderful sandpit, which includes a water wall so that the children can wet the sand to build sandcastles, beginning to understand the effects of water on materials and building. They can dig, fill buckets and role play in here - there are so many fun-filled games to play. The bridge helps our smallest children to walk over sloping surfaces, building core strength and balance. It can be covered in fabric to create dens, and becomes the central point of role playing stories such as the Three Billy Goats Gruff, as children stomp across the bridge and run away from the Troll!

Outdoor spaces at COG are adaptable, inclusive and multi-use:

• Pre-school sessions
• Toddler groups
• Children and family events

They are also available to hire - please see the 'Hire our Facilities' page. Currently we share our grounds with other professionals who bring children and families together, sharing our ethos and mission, for example:

• Community events
• After School clubs

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Please contact us if you think hiring our grounds might suit your requirements.

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