A typical day in preschool - Wise Owls Childcare

A typical day in our preschool

Our preschool provides an enriching, dynamic environment where children take important steps toward independence and school readiness. Each day blends play-based learning, structured activities, and exploration to nurture confidence, essential skills, and a love of discovery.

From the moment they arrive, children are immersed in an atmosphere that celebrates their curiosity, fosters their potential, and instills respect for the world around them. A typical preschool day is thoughtfully crafted to support holistic development, combining group discussions that spark meaningful conversations with hands-on activities that enhance fine motor skills, creativity, and environmental awareness.

Our skilled preschool team seamlessly integrates learning objectives into play, understanding that children thrive best when they are happy and engaged. Every moment is designed to inspire joy, curiosity, and a lifelong passion for learning.

Welcome and Breakfast

Upon arrival at nursery, preschoolers self-serve their breakfast up until approximately 8:15am, offering a variety of different cereals.

Morning exploration

After breakfast children have the opportunity to freely explore a range of learning resources thoughtfully planned by our preschool team.

The essence of our preschool programme lies in the carefully planned, yet flexible, activities on offer — ranging from sensory and messy play to exploring the wonders of our outdoor environment, each moment providing an exciting opportunity for learning and growth across all seven areas of the EYFS.

Group time

At 9am, preschool children sit down for group time where they are encouraged to sing songs, read stories and share stories with each other. This aids school readiness as it encourages listening and speaking skills, and develops important social skills, like the art of conversation. Children will have the opportunity to play outside in the morning, whether it be exploring the local farm at Farm View, playing in the forest school at Foxley or delighting in the wonders of nature at the Braywick Nature Reserve at Maidenhead, they will have the opportunity to balance on play equipment or logs, role play in our outdoor kitchen and much more.

Before lunch all children will be asked to tidy up the activities that were set out for the morning, they then sit down for a story or song while they wait patiently for lunch.

Lunch time

After washing their hands children are encouraged to self serve their lunch and pour their drinks under close supervision. This allows them to make their own choices and promotes independence.

Afternoon exploration

As the day unfolds, children are encouraged to explore, question, and collaborate, fostering an environment where every voice is heard and valued. In the afternoon, children have free reading time where they can explore different stories with their friends, providing the opportunity to discuss what is happening in their stories.

In the afternoon, children will often go outdoors to explore different physical activities, such as the stepping stones, obstacle courses, tic-tac-toe, digging in the mud, bird watching, spotting wildlife and collecting natural resources for their creative activities. There is sand and water play available. Practitioners will frequently interact with the children to enhance their learning by supporting and extending their understanding and knowledge with questions that further their critical thinking.

Tea Time

Tea is served at 3:30pm following the same routine as lunch.

There are toilets provided in for all preschool children.