At Monkey Puzzle Woodford, we believe preschool should be more than just a stepping stone to school, it should be a place where children grow in confidence, curiosity, and capability. In a recent video, Taylor, our Preschool Room Leader, shared how we nurture children’s development and independence through playful learning and thoughtful routines. Here’s how we support your child on their early learning journey.

Laying the Groundwork for Reading and Writing

Language and literacy development is a big focus in our preschool room. Through daily story times and circle time discussions, children are exposed to rich vocabulary and repetition. Taylor shares that many of the children begin to recall and repeat familiar stories, a great sign of early reading confidence.

For writing, we focus on fine motor development through mark making and guided activities like copying lines and patterns. We also have a dedicated “finger gym” with threading, peg boards, and other hands-on exercises that build the strength and coordination needed for writing.

Making Maths Meaningful Through Everyday Play

At Monkey Puzzle Woodford, we believe that maths is everywhere. From counting placemats at mealtimes to using traffic light systems and lining up to go outside, we turn daily routines into opportunities to learn.

We also explore concepts like big and small, tall and short, and use tools like sand, water, puzzles, and shapes to encourage mathematical thinking. Taylor explains that we regularly ask the children to solve mini problems, such as “I have this many, how many more do I need?”, helping build early numeracy and logical reasoning.

Developing Social Skills Through Dialogue and Democracy

One of the standout features of our preschool is the Preschool Parliament, a unique approach that encourages children to have a voice. Through group voting sessions, the children learn to express their opinions, make collective decisions, and even take part in light-hearted debates.

This also ties beautifully into our social development goals, as children learn to share, take turns, and listen to others, all while building a sense of community and collaboration.

Encouraging Responsibility and Choice

Independence is a key part of getting ready for school. At Monkey Puzzle Woodford, children are taught to care for their belongings using labelled baskets with picture guides to help with tidying up. They’re also encouraged to put away toys they’ve finished with, which fosters self-management skills.

Children are given choices throughout the day, from selecting which activities to engage in to sharing ideas for future planning. By involving them in decision-making, we help them feel empowered and respected.

School Readiness: Routines, Relationships and Real-World Prep

We work closely with local schools to make sure our children are well prepared for the transition. Teachers often visit the nursery to meet the children in a familiar environment, and we create custom “schoolbooks” to help children understand their new settings and what to expect.

Our daily structure mirrors the school routine, and children can follow the day’s plan using a visual timetable displayed in the room, helping them feel secure and ready for what’s next.

Tracking Progress and Partnering with Parents

We use a thoughtful approach called the Three I’s, Interest, Impact, and Implementation, to plan targeted activities that support each child’s unique developmental journey. If a child is struggling with something like writing, we tailor engaging activities specifically to help them grow.

We conduct monthly observations to monitor progress and provide home learning resources to keep the momentum going. All of this is shared with families through our Famly app, where parents can view updates, observations, and photos. We also chat regularly at drop-off and pick-up, so communication stays open and ongoing.

At Monkey Puzzle Woodford, preschool is a place where children are encouraged to explore, express, and evolve, at their own pace, with guidance and support every step of the way. With a strong foundation in learning, independence, and confidence, your child will be more than ready to take that exciting next step into school.

Interested in visiting our preschool or learning more? We’d love to welcome you and show you what makes Monkey Puzzle Woodford such a special place to learn and grow. Book a tour here.

Watch Taylor’s full video here.