Welcome to POD Preschool, where each day is filled with laughter, learning, and limitless possibilities! We believe every child deserves a nurturing environment that celebrates their individuality, sparks curiosity, and promotes joyful exploration. Here’s a sneak peek into a typical day at POD Preschool – though, trust us, no two days are ever quite the same!
9am: Self-Registration and Morning Greeting
Our mornings begin with a dash of independence as our Preschoolers find and register their names - a fun way to help them recognise letters and learn about self-expression. Each child also shares their feelings, practising empathy as they connect with others.
We then gather for a morning carpet time where the world’s languages come to life! Each week, we greet each other with a new language - "Bonjour," "Hola," "Nǐ hǎo" -introducing them to diverse cultures in a simple yet powerful way. Morning announcements follow, sharing our daily calendar and exciting news.
9:15am: Morning Moves
After carpet time, it’s time to wake up those little muscles with Morning Moves! From Cosmic Kids Yoga to the energetic Sticky Kids and Dough Disco, these exercises are tailored to get kids moving, grooving, and ready for a day of fun. Each movement helps build coordination, focus, and the motor skills needed for lifelong learning.
9:30am: Fearless Phonics/ Magical Maths
Using the ‘Jolly Phonics’ approach with a POD twist, our phonics lessons are lively, interactive, and personalised. With games, songs, and actions, the children eagerly dive into early literacy, mastering new sounds, letters, and words. Whether it’s naming objects or matching sounds, each activity brings excitement to the world of letters.
In Maths, little learners tackle early concepts through interactive games and hands-on exploration. We make numbers fun by incorporating counting songs, puzzles, and playful challenges. Children explore shapes, patterns, and early addition using real-life objects like building blocks or natural materials from our outdoor space. Through activities like counting the steps to the garden or measuring the ingredients in our smoothie-making sessions, maths becomes part of their everyday experiences.
10:15am: Snack Time & Outdoor Exploration
Fresh air, snacks, and friends make for a happy morning! At POD, we grow our own fruits and veggies, which the children help harvest and prepare for healthy smoothies and snacks. From food prep to hygiene practices, they’re building life skills that nurture responsibility and independence.
Outside, our Preschoolers are free to explore our outdoor space. This daily fresh-air time lets them burn off energy and connect with nature, sparking creativity and adventure in every child.
11am: Focused Learning Activities
After outdoor play, it’s time to jump into our focused learning sessions, exploring any of the 7 areas of learning from the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). Guided by the children’s interests, we rotate between areas like Physical Development, Literacy, Communication and Language, Expressive Arts and Design, Personal, Social, and Emotional Development, Understanding the World, and Maths.
In Expressive Arts and Design, children unleash their creativity by experimenting with textures, colours, and forms, crafting everything from paintings to sculptures. In Understanding the World, we explore fascinating topics such as animals, space, and the natural world, making big ideas fun and engaging for curious little minds.
Physical Development activities promote motor skills through obstacle courses, balance games, and fine motor tasks like threading and cutting, ensuring children strengthen their coordination and agility. Whether it's through reading stories in Literacy, practising numbers and shapes in Maths, or building confidence through social interactions in Personal, Social, and Emotional Development, each session nurtures creativity, curiosity, and growth across all areas of learning.
11:45am: Lunch & Lunchtime Chat
Lunchtime is a chance to refuel, relax, and enjoy conversations with friends. We encourage children to swap seats, share stories, and build friendships over a tasty meal. Our team is on hand to make sure everyone eats happily, comfortably, and has the best time possible.
Afternoon Adventures
Our afternoons are packed with enriching activities that fill our children's cultural cups! From high-energy sessions with DiddiDance, where children learn dance moves inspired by cultures around the globe, to swimming lessons at Total Fitness, developing both confidence and physical skills in the water.
Practically Wild brings children closer to nature, encouraging them to learn through the natural world with Forest School inspired activities such as building dens, hunting for bugs or creating habitats. We might explore a touch of French using fun and play to introduce little ones to new words and sounds.
Megaminds is a crowd favourite, allowing children to steer their own learning by choosing any topic under the sun. We’ve learned about everything from tigers and China to Paw Patrol and butterflies to cheese and ‘my mummy’ - each lesson uniquely tailored to their boundless curiosity!
And, of course, we balance it all with plenty of independent exploration, where children take the lead, follow their imaginations, and choose their own adventures within our rich learning environment. We truly cover it all, creating afternoons that are as diverse, exciting, and child-led as they come!
At POD, Every Day Is an Adventure!
Our schedule is flexible enough to adapt to each child’s interests and needs, with structured sessions and free play balanced to encourage all forms of learning. We’re here to make every child feel inspired, supported, and valued as they take on each new day of discovery at POD.
Want to know more about our approach? Click here for a full tour of our curriculum and a peek into what makes POD Preschool so special!
Our mornings begin with a dash of independence as our Preschoolers find and register their names - a fun way to help them recognise letters and learn about self-expression. Each child also shares their feelings, practising empathy as they connect with others.
We then gather for a morning carpet time where the world’s languages come to life! Each week, we greet each other with a new language - "Bonjour," "Hola," "Nǐ hǎo" -introducing them to diverse cultures in a simple yet powerful way. Morning announcements follow, sharing our daily calendar and exciting news.
9:15am: Morning Moves
After carpet time, it’s time to wake up those little muscles with Morning Moves! From Cosmic Kids Yoga to the energetic Sticky Kids and Dough Disco, these exercises are tailored to get kids moving, grooving, and ready for a day of fun. Each movement helps build coordination, focus, and the motor skills needed for lifelong learning.
9:30am: Fearless Phonics/ Magical Maths
Using the ‘Jolly Phonics’ approach with a POD twist, our phonics lessons are lively, interactive, and personalised. With games, songs, and actions, the children eagerly dive into early literacy, mastering new sounds, letters, and words. Whether it’s naming objects or matching sounds, each activity brings excitement to the world of letters.
In Maths, little learners tackle early concepts through interactive games and hands-on exploration. We make numbers fun by incorporating counting songs, puzzles, and playful challenges. Children explore shapes, patterns, and early addition using real-life objects like building blocks or natural materials from our outdoor space. Through activities like counting the steps to the garden or measuring the ingredients in our smoothie-making sessions, maths becomes part of their everyday experiences.
10:15am: Snack Time & Outdoor Exploration
Fresh air, snacks, and friends make for a happy morning! At POD, we grow our own fruits and veggies, which the children help harvest and prepare for healthy smoothies and snacks. From food prep to hygiene practices, they’re building life skills that nurture responsibility and independence.
Outside, our Preschoolers are free to explore our outdoor space. This daily fresh-air time lets them burn off energy and connect with nature, sparking creativity and adventure in every child.
11am: Focused Learning Activities
After outdoor play, it’s time to jump into our focused learning sessions, exploring any of the 7 areas of learning from the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). Guided by the children’s interests, we rotate between areas like Physical Development, Literacy, Communication and Language, Expressive Arts and Design, Personal, Social, and Emotional Development, Understanding the World, and Maths.
In Expressive Arts and Design, children unleash their creativity by experimenting with textures, colours, and forms, crafting everything from paintings to sculptures. In Understanding the World, we explore fascinating topics such as animals, space, and the natural world, making big ideas fun and engaging for curious little minds.
Physical Development activities promote motor skills through obstacle courses, balance games, and fine motor tasks like threading and cutting, ensuring children strengthen their coordination and agility. Whether it's through reading stories in Literacy, practising numbers and shapes in Maths, or building confidence through social interactions in Personal, Social, and Emotional Development, each session nurtures creativity, curiosity, and growth across all areas of learning.
11:45am: Lunch & Lunchtime Chat
Lunchtime is a chance to refuel, relax, and enjoy conversations with friends. We encourage children to swap seats, share stories, and build friendships over a tasty meal. Our team is on hand to make sure everyone eats happily, comfortably, and has the best time possible.
Afternoon Adventures
Our afternoons are packed with enriching activities that fill our children's cultural cups! From high-energy sessions with DiddiDance, where children learn dance moves inspired by cultures around the globe, to swimming lessons at Total Fitness, developing both confidence and physical skills in the water.
Practically Wild brings children closer to nature, encouraging them to learn through the natural world with Forest School inspired activities such as building dens, hunting for bugs or creating habitats. We might explore a touch of French using fun and play to introduce little ones to new words and sounds.
Megaminds is a crowd favourite, allowing children to steer their own learning by choosing any topic under the sun. We’ve learned about everything from tigers and China to Paw Patrol and butterflies to cheese and ‘my mummy’ - each lesson uniquely tailored to their boundless curiosity!
And, of course, we balance it all with plenty of independent exploration, where children take the lead, follow their imaginations, and choose their own adventures within our rich learning environment. We truly cover it all, creating afternoons that are as diverse, exciting, and child-led as they come!
At POD, Every Day Is an Adventure!
Our schedule is flexible enough to adapt to each child’s interests and needs, with structured sessions and free play balanced to encourage all forms of learning. We’re here to make every child feel inspired, supported, and valued as they take on each new day of discovery at POD.
Want to know more about our approach? Click here for a full tour of our curriculum and a peek into what makes POD Preschool so special!
If you’d like to find out more about the practical magic we can bring to your family please get in touch.
Call 07581 156684 or email sophie@practicallyfamily.co.uk
