Sycamore House Day Nursery in Bishop’s Stortford is a nursery that values its environments as an integral part of what makes our childcare superb. We know that great environments can provide stimulation, inspiration and fascination helping children become fulfilled, happy and thriving.
Our indoor environments are designed and created to give as natural feeling as possible. We are not a nursery with brightly coloured walls and items covering every surface; we have a gentle and soft colour scheme that promotes relaxation and calmness. We allow our resources, equipment and Practitioners to be the stimulators in a balanced and thoughtful way that leaves children satisfied and developing. Our furniture is all made from light wood, exuding quality and nature as well as being Early Years specific and having lots of inherent advantages to our children.
Our equipment and resources are all chosen with care , all selected for their genuine learning or development opportunities.
We have our piano in the Toddler Room and the children play it independently, for experience and exploration rather than to be the next Mozart. Our children are fascinated by the sounds they make when they press the keys down. We also use it for sessions in which our Practitioners play for them and the children sing along and also try to replicate what they’ve heard. They have memorable experiences, have so much fun, and develop in so many ways – attention, memory, replication, recognition, and of course music
Our culturally diverse materials have been collected over the years from staff, families and the local community – they are all authentic and genuine, not toys. We use them for discussion and teachings about the wide world and build a familiarity of all that the world contains and offers in terms of culture.
Our outdoor space is also a key part of nursery life. This garden area is a fabulous outdoor environment, offering lots of opportunities for enrichment and a breadth of experiences. A particular favourite is our extensive Mud Kitchen, where our Practitioners are ever surprised by the creativity and imagination that goes into some of the beverages and dishes that emerge from this area. Mud pies continue to prove timeless.