Toddler Unit - Buttercups

Between the ages of 2 years and 3 years, children will be in our Buttercups Area. This consists of two rooms, Buttercups 1 and Buttercups 2. The age range is flexible to meet the needs of the children and the nursery.

All Buttercups children have the opportunity to experience play in a way that they feel most comfortable.  Staff will provide opportunities for free, structured, gross and fine motor play.

Buttercups has a mixture of different areas. These areas are the creative area, construction, role-play, let’s explore, and the book corner area. All children will have the opportunity to experience all of these areas as well the outdoor play area. They also have a sensory area, which contains natural materials.

Key Person

Every child will have their own Key Person who will work closely with each child, building relationships with them and their parents. This person will build on each child’s development, get to know their interests and will be available to discuss the child with the parents at open evenings.

Planning

Each area in Buttercups has a continuous provision sheet for that particular area. The staff undertake planning every two weeks which is based around the children’s individual interests and next steps. We carry out Characteristics of Learning observations and Learning Journeys on every child and spontaneous observations are done regular. This is in line with the EYFS Framework

2 Year Progress Check

The Early Years Foundation Stage states that once children are two, parents and carers should be given a short written summary of their child’s development.

Your child’s key person will complete the progress check which looks at their everyday skills, knowledge, understanding and behaviour. It will allow parents / carers and those working with your child to get a clear picture of their development, looking at areas that they are doing well in, in addition to spotting any areas your child might need more support.

Please speak to a member of staff for more information.

Parents/Carers Observation

We very much appreciate home observations from parents and carers. The home observations are useful for staff to get an insight into what your child enjoys at home and are used in our planning and as a part of involving parents/carers.

Development Mile Stones

In Buttercups, the children start to become more confident and start to develop meaningful relationships with other peers.  They also start toilet training and become more independent.  We always encourage independence, which includes hand washing or self-feeding as well as toileting.  Social activities such as group time, singing, story and music and movement are encouraged daily to help develop their social skills.  The children in Buttercups are encouraged to start and make more decisions for themselves, such as whether they would like to play outside or do a craft activity, although all children are encouraged to participate we respect their individual needs and wishes.