The Inspire Philosophy: Barefoot
The Inspire Philosophy: Barefoot
Two of our bodies' most sensitive areas, full of nerves and receptors, are our hands and our feet! Little hands are always experiencing new things, but what about their feet?
Children’s brains learn through experiences. The input from what they touch, taste, smell, feel, and hear is what creates new neural pathways in their brains. Each time they experience these sensations again, those neural pathways become stronger, allowing for quicker and more efficient processing. That’s why we always say that practice makes perfect!
How does it feel to dip our feet in ice-cold water? Or feel the slipperiness of paint between our toes? How about the tickle of grass as we run through it? These experiences are rich in sensory input, helping children develop proprioception (body awareness) and vestibular function (balance and coordination).
The Benefits of Going Barefoot in Early Childhood
The more time spent barefoot, the more opportunities children have to develop a range of essential skills:
Improved Balance and Coordination: When children are barefoot, they engage the small muscles in their feet and ankles, which are crucial for balance and stability.
Strengthened Foot Muscles: Shoes can restrict natural movement, while going barefoot allows for the full range of motion, strengthening the arches and promoting healthy foot development.
Enhanced Sensory Perception: Walking barefoot provides vital sensory feedback, improving spatial awareness and helping children better understand their environment.
Better Posture and Alignment: Natural foot movement supports the body’s alignment, reducing the risk of flat feet and other postural issues.
Grounding and Emotional Regulation: The practice of ‘earthing’ or ‘grounding’ connecting with the natural elements through bare feet, has been shown to have calming effects, reducing stress and improving mood.
Links to Educational Pedagogies
The importance of being barefoot aligns with several early childhood pedagogies:
Montessori Philosophy emphasizes sensory-rich environments where children learn through direct experience. Going barefoot encourages children to engage with their surroundings more fully, refining their sensory processing skills.
Reggio Emilia Approach values experiential learning, where children are given the freedom to explore their world in a natural and unstructured way. Being barefoot allows for a deeper connection to their learning environments.
Waldorf Education promotes a holistic approach to child development, where movement and sensory experiences are essential for cognitive and emotional growth. Barefoot exploration aligns perfectly with Waldorf’s emphasis on nature and physical play.
Forest Schools encourage outdoor learning, where children are often barefoot to better experience and connect with their environment. This enhances their resilience, independence, and physical development.
The Legacy of Barefoot Play at Kid’s Island Nursery
As an eco-nursery in Dubai, established in Jumeirah for the last 30 years, we are honored to welcome the next generation of students into the Kid’s Island Nursery family. As a leading Nursery in Dubai and Preschool in Dubai, we understand the importance of sensory-rich experiences in early childhood education. It is rewarding to hear parents say, “I remember what it felt like when I experienced this at the nursery for the first time.”
Cherishing childhood memories and creating new ones is essential for fostering a lifelong love for learning and exploration. So, the next time you visit the park, play in the garden, or engage in messy play, why not do it barefoot? Let’s embrace the magic of natural learning, one barefoot step at a time!
The Inspire Philosophy: Transformations
The Inspire Philosophy: Transformations
In the nursery, we introduce, encourage and foster the idea of appreciating nature in all its forms. From the smallest of ants crawling across the grass, to the towering trees and birds in the sky. Children are naturally curious beings and learning about the world around us can be incredibly fascinating for them.
A butterfly was found in the garden of one of our families and it was brought in to be observed as a learning opportunity. In the morning, it was still wrapped up in it’s cocoon, waiting inside patiently to emerge. Throughout the day, the children continued to check in on it and suddenly it started to wiggle and shake.
All of a sudden, the cocoon opened up and there, the butterfly emerged! Seeing such a beautiful and intricate process occur before their very eyes can help children to understand the more complex aspects of nature. It can help to teach them patience, observation skills and the life cycles of the natural world.
Take the time to look around you, investigate your gardens and surroundings and open your eyes to the wonders around you! #theinspirephilosophy
As an eco nursery in Dubai who has been established in Jumeirah for the last 30 years, we are honored to welcome the next generation of students into the Kid’s Island Nursery in Jumeirah family and it is rewarding to hear parents say “I remember what it felt like when I experienced this at the nursery for the first time”. It is important to cherish your warm childhood memories and even more important to create new ones with your child.
The Inspire Philosophy: Get Up, Stand Up!
The Inspire Philosophy: Get Up, Stand Up!
It’s time that we change up the narrative of focus and concentration being tied to sitting in a chair at a table.
Children, especially in early years, shouldn’t have to be restricted when they are learning, especially when doing art work.
When we take away the chair, we open up the possibility for true exploration of an activity. You may not even realize it until the chairs are gone, as only then will you be able to see the full range of motion that children are capable of while maintaining their focus.
When seated, we can only go as far as our arms can reach. Our space is limited to the confines of our bodies. But when we remove the chair from the equation, we can stand, sit, squat, lie down…the options are open to go as far and wide as we wish to.
The benefits that come from allowing children to experiment and be free with their positioning are astronomical. Not only can children move with more freedom, but drawing on your hands and knees required core strength! It builds upon their growing muscles and encourages strength and balance. All things that growing children need to reach their full potential in their future learning adventures.
Let’s remove the barrier together. Give children the space, freedom and opportunity to learn on their feet instead of sitting in a chair. #theinspirephilosophy
As an eco nursery in Dubai who has been established in Jumeirah for the last 30 years, we are honored to welcome the next generation of students into the Kid’s Island Nursery in Jumeirah family and it is rewarding to hear parents say “I remember what it felt like when I experienced this at the nursery for the first time”. It is important to cherish your warm childhood memories and even more important to create new ones with your child.
Inspire Philosophy: The Forgotten Sense - Sound
Inspire Philosophy: The Forgotten Sense - Sound
When we think of sensory play, what do our minds jump to? Play dough, water play, tuft trays with sand, slime or Moon-sand. We might even imagine beautiful smells of cinnamon and clove from an autumn fairy soup or the familiar smell of the earthy soil in the Mud Kitchen.
But there is one sense that always seems to fly under the radar that is just as important as touch, smell or taste. Sound!
Sound can relax us and bring us to far away places in our mind, inspire the pace of our play or the energy of a room.
Children are incredibly sensitive and receptive to sound and the use of sound in play can be beneficial to give children a life long appreciation and understanding of sound and by extension, music.
Making instruments out of recyclables and materials like beans and rice can be an engaging process activity that leaves children with a wonderful noise maker at the end of it. You can make music from anything though, just pick up two sticks and bang them together and hey, there you have two drumsticks!
However, we should never underestimate the power of silence either. Sound and silence work together beautifully. Children love to dance, sing and move to music but silence can give children the opportunity that they need in the day to relax, decompress and recharge.
It’s all about balance, variety and most importantly, fun!
#theinspirephilosophy
As an eco nursery in Dubai who has been established in Jumeirah for the last 30 years, we are honored to welcome the next generation of students into the Kid’s Island Nursery in Jumeirah family and it is rewarding to hear parents say “I remember what it felt like when I experienced this at the nursery for the first time”. It is important to cherish your warm childhood memories and even more important to create new ones with your child.
The Inspire Philosophy: Storytelling
The Inspire Philosophy: Storytelling
Stories is an integral part of every child’s life; whether it’s before bed when they’re snuggled up under the covers or beside their peers during circle time at nursery; stories enrich children’s lives in many ways.
Stories help to ignite children’s imaginations and let their minds run free. Some feature talking animals, magic and fantasy galore, or on the other hand, we can sometimes learn more about our earth and our bodies. Some stories are good for bed time, some help us to move our bodies and show us how and other just make us laugh!
They also teach children important life lessons in digestible, simplified ways that speak to them.
For example, in the story pictures above, The Very Busy Spider doesn’t have time to play, eat or swim with the other animals. While this is perplexing to the other animals, all they have to do is take interest in what the spider is doing. At the end of her story, the owl acknowledges her beautiful web once she has finished as it sparkles in the moon light. It teaches children about farm animals, the activities they love to do and more, but most importantly, it highlights that sometimes it’s okay to do your own thing and be busy!
The concept of being an individual and following your own interests is a concept that children might struggle to grasp, but within the story, it is easy to understand. “The spider didn’t answer. She was very busy spinning her web.”
You may read the same story a thousand times and bore of the same words, characters and pictures; but children are learning the ways of the world and everything in it through the words and pictures in your hand. #theinspirephilosophy
As an eco nursery in Dubai who has been established in Jumeirah for the last 30 years, we are honored to welcome the next generation of students into the Kid’s Island Nursery in Jumeirah family and it is rewarding to hear parents say “I remember what it felt like when I experienced this at the nursery for the first time”. It is important to cherish your warm childhood memories and even more important to create new ones with your child.
The Inspire Philosophy: Breathing New Life
The Inspire Philosophy: Breathing New Life
The last two years has seen plenty outdoor renovations around the nursery. And as summer approached, it was time to turn our attention indoors.
What started as a small project in one room, inspired us enough to think bigger and so a huge renovation project to all our Home Bases, Gym Room & Play Room was put into motion. Before we knew it, the whole nursery was in for a lick of paint, beautiful murals on the walls and inspirational décor added to enhance our mindful and eco-conscious environment.
To make the vision come to life, walls where knocked down, furniture was repurposed, lots-and-lots of decluttering took place and, in the end, it all contributed to a more open, free-flow environment for everyone to find joy in.
Change and innovation is a sign of growth and is a necessary part of life! For us, it’s also invigorating and inspiring, as the end result is always worth the time and effort!
The nursery is still the same amazing place you know and yet, with the changes we made, it has become that little touch warmer and more inviting! #theinspirephilosophy
As an eco nursery in Dubai who has been established in Jumeirah for the last 30 years, we are honored to welcome the next generation of students into the Kid’s Island Nursery in Jumeirah family and it is rewarding to hear parents say “I remember what it felt like when I experienced this at the nursery for the first time”. It is important to cherish your warm childhood memories and even more important to create new ones with your child.
The Inspire Philosophy: Our Process Art
The Inspire Philosophy: Our Process Art
Have you seen any stacked cardboard boxes or hanging mobiles around the nursery covered in, what appears to be, very abstract art?
Our focus when doing artistic and creative activities with the children is never what the finished outcome is. While there is always an inspiration and meaning to creative activities, there’s usually very few instructions and order to the art that our children in the nursery produce. The important part of the creative process is just that; the process, not the product!
What was meant to be a spiders web or a herd of animals in the jungle probably looks a little more…unique. But that’s okay! What matters is that the children learned something from the action of doing.
It’s okay that the penguins beak is where it's feet are, and that instead of black and white, it's pink and green! Praise the creative freedom and remember that the learning comes from the process. #theinpsirephilosophy
As an eco nursery in Dubai who has been established in Jumeirah for the last 30 years, we are honored to welcome the next generation of students into the Kid’s Island Nursery in Jumeirah family and it is rewarding to hear parents say “I remember what it felt like when I experienced this at the nursery for the first time”. It is important to cherish your warm childhood memories and even more important to create new ones with your child.
The Inspire Philosophy: Mud Matters
The Mud Kitchen at the back of the nursery is a very special place to everyone within the nursery, adults and children alike.
It's an area that represents play to its maximum potential; exploration of textures, team working, communication and imagination through the creation of projects big and small.
It also gives children the chance to immerse themselves in nature and gather an understanding and respect for plants and other living things.
As adults, it is important that we model the behaviour and kind of play that is expected of children in an area like a Mud Kitchen, so that they can reach the full potential of their play.
Which means that it is our job to get dirt under our nails, make some mud pies and show the children how getting messy can be fun! #theinspirephilosophy
As an eco nursery in Dubai who has been established in Jumeirah for the last 30 years, we are honored to welcome the next generation of students into the Kid’s Island Nursery in Jumeirah family and it is rewarding to hear parents say “I remember what it felt like when I experienced this at the nursery for the first time”. It is important to cherish your warm childhood memories and even more important to create new ones with your child.
The Inspire Philosophy: Make Your Own... Let’s make Moonsand!
Let’s make Moonsand! Not only is Moonsand incredibly easy to make, it provides amazing sensory play for children as it is soft, squishy and can be packed down hard to make different shapes and forms.
Here is the recipe we used while making it with the children!
• 5 Cups of Flour
• 1 Cup of Oil (Baby or Vegetable Oil)
• A few drops of vanilla essence or essential oil for smell.
Now let's get mixing!
As an eco nursery in Dubai who has been established in Jumeirah for the last 30 years, we are honored to welcome the next generation of students into the Kid’s Island Nursery in Jumeirah family and it is rewarding to hear parents say “I remember what it felt like when I experienced this at the nursery for the first time”. It is important to cherish your warm childhood memories and even more important to create new ones with your child.
The Inspire Philosophy: Loose Parts 🍃
Play doesn't always need a fixed outcome.
So often now, toys are made with an intended start, middle and end, and once that end has come, there's little incentive to revisit it.
But what if the word 'toy' was redefined? For children, toys can be just about anything. From napkin rings to dried lemons, a tray of nuts and bolts, woodblocks, and unique rocks. Anything and everything is new and interesting in the eyes of a child!
Endless collections of man-made or natural materials can be put together and made into play staples. As long as they are inviting and engaging, children will gravitate towards them naturally,
It's essential for adults to play a role in loose part play, especially at the beginning when it is introduced. Help guide the children by modeling how you would play with the objects, self-talk and teach them how to look after them and tidy them up. Despite it being open-ended play, there still needs to be structure and direction to a certain degree.
Children will always find a way to play, invent and imagine with whatever is presented to them and it's almost a guarantee that they will play for longer when there is no limit put on their play. #theinspirephilosophy
As an eco nursery in Dubai who has been established in Jumeirah for the last 30 years, we are honored to welcome the next generation of students into the Kid’s Island Nursery in Jumeirah family and it is rewarding to hear parents say “I remember what it felt like when I experienced this at the nursery for the first time”. It is important to cherish your warm childhood memories and even more important to create new ones with your child.
The Inspire Philosophy: Plants in Play 🌿
Whether you have walked around our nursery on your tour or you see it everyday during drop off and pick up, one thing will be very evident: We love plants!
Plants are not only an essential part of our eco-system and it is important that we educate children on how to care for them and understand them.
They provide the perfect opportunity to learn about growth, self-care, insects, the world, what is in it and how it works!
It creates a sense of wonder in children and encourages them to look around the world around them for magic in nature.
The way the bees cover themselves in pollen and bounce from plant to plant, how birds pick up fallen twigs to make their nests, why trees grow tall towards the sun.
So get out there, explore and discover! #theinspirephilosophy
As an eco nursery in Dubai who has been established in Jumeirah for the last 30 years, we are honored to welcome the next generation of students into the Kid’s Island Nursery in Jumeirah family and it is rewarding to hear parents say “I remember what it felt like when I experienced this at the nursery for the first time”. It is important to cherish your warm childhood memories and even more important to create new ones with your child.
The Inspire Philosophy: Settling Smoothly ✨
The settling period is an exciting, nerve-wrecking and emotional time, not only for the little ones embarking on a new learning adventure or the ones who are returning for another year of fun; it’s also a change for their families too.
The adjustment is massive, as children have to learn to be independent and establish a new layer of safety and security out of their home and without their parents there to fall back on. And, that’s where we come in.
Every person involved in the child’s day is there to make an impact that lasts and with time, patience and compassion, we are able to make that incredible bond grow strong and unbreakable.
It is also a time where communication is absolutely key. Between the teacher and the parents, between parents and their children, between staff members, between the nursery and the families themselves. In order for a machine to work well, all parts have to be well oiled and ready to go in order to play their part properly and the same rule applies for the first few weeks of nursery.
So, start the day with warm smiles, loving arms and positivity that is endless. And never forget, we are always a team! #theinspirephilosophy
As an eco nursery in Dubai who has been established in Jumeirah for the last 30 years, we are honored to welcome the next generation of students into the Kid’s Island Nursery in Jumeirah family and it is rewarding to hear parents say “I remember what it felt like when I experienced this at the nursery for the first time”. It is important to cherish your warm childhood memories and even more important to create new ones with your child.
The Inspire Philosophy: Pikler Triangles: Building Confidence ⛰️
You will see these wonderful wooden frames frequently on our page, but it's high time we take the time to explain what incredible learning tools the Pikler Triangles are.
The Pikler Triangle fosters ideals of building confidence, strength, and belief in children without crossing their boundaries and respecting the ones they set for themselves.
The Pikler Triangle was brought about by the Hungarian pediatrician, Dr. Emmi Pikler, over 100 years ago. They are used by young children from 6 months to 4-5 years old but can even be used straight from birth if you do it right!
The concept surrounding the triangles is that children will only attempt to do what they are physically capable of. So, in theory, you won't see a four-month-old scaling the frame and hopping over the peak!
The frame can be used to hang mobiles and other objects from the rungs for the youngest of infants to look at in wonder. When children begin to crawl and walk, those rungs will help pull them up to their feet.
From there, children will start to experiment with going up one rung and down again, until they get higher and higher as their confidence grows. And someday? They can pretend to climb the Himalayas and scale to the peak, only to hop over and descend on the other side triumphantly. #theinspirephilosophy
As an eco nursery in Dubai who has been established in Jumeirah for the last 30 years, we are honored to welcome the next generation of students into the Kid’s Island Nursery in Jumeirah family and it is rewarding to hear parents say “I remember what it felt like when I experienced this at the nursery for the first time”. It is important to cherish your warm childhood memories and even more important to create new ones with your child.
The Inspire Philosophy: Luminosity 💡
The warmth of sunlight makes us happy. Not too hot – as we can experience in the summers of Dubai – but a kiss of sunlight on your face can be one of the best feelings in the world.
The harshness of electric light can sometimes be necessary but it is our belief that kind of lighting should play a minimal role in a nursery setting.
When children are in a classroom environment, how do we want them to feel? Safe, secure and at ease. This is why we try to use as much natural lighting as possible, to help those feelings establish themselves as quickly as possible. Plenty of windows, salt lamps and fairy lights and you have yourself a cozy, comfy space to explore.
Something you may have noticed about snack time in the nursery is that the lights are always low and the fairy lights and salt lamps are on. When we eat, our bodies are nourished and comforted; which in itself, requires calm. Almost always, it’s like a switch flips within the children that tells them that they can stop, rest and recharge.
And after a busy morning at nursery, that’s definitely what they need! #theinspirephilosophy
As an eco nursery in Dubai who has been established in Jumeirah for the last 30 years, we are honored to welcome the next generation of students into the Kid’s Island Nursery in Jumeirah family and it is rewarding to hear parents say “I remember what it felt like when I experienced this at the nursery for the first time”. It is important to cherish your warm childhood memories and even more important to create new ones with your child.
4 minute play dough recipe
If your having trouble finding activities during the summer in Dubai and it is simply too hot to play outside play dough is the perfect thing. Play dough is a fun creative activity for children and a great way to train little muscles in their hands to develop dexterity, build strength and refine fine motor skills! Encouraging your child to use both hands to roll, shape and even pound play dough can improve their bilateral hand coordination!
Play dough can be a great outlet for emotional stress and a wild imagination so simply refrain from distracting them and just let them play freely.
Not many nurseries are willing to share their secrete recipes but we simply couldn't keep this one to ourselves. We at Kids Island and Cocoon Nursery believe in "sharing is caring!" so here is our recipe for play dough we actually use.
Ingredients:
2 cups of plain flour (all purpose)
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
1/2 cup of salt
2 tablespoons of cream of tartar (powder) or replace with 6 tablespoons of lemon juice. Note: If you use lemon juice you will require less water.
1.5 cups of boiling water (Should be poured away from the children, on an adult counter top)
Food colouring or natural pigments such as turmeric, cinnamon… (optional)
Food essences strawberry, mint… (optional)
Recipe method:
Mix the flour, salt and cream of tartar in a large mixing bowl
Add food colouring/food essences (lemon juice if not using cream of tartar) and oil to the hot water, then add into the dry ingredients
Stir continuously until it becomes a sticky, combined dough
Allow it to cool down, then take it out of the bowl and knead it vigorously for a couple of minutes until all of the stickiness has gone. This is the most important part of the process, so keep at it until it’s the perfect consistency!
If it remains a little sticky then add a touch more flour until just right
Storage & Use:
Store in an airtight container at room temperature. Will last for months ☺. If it gets a bit dry just add a few drops of water and knead through until it’s a nice consistence again. To make it interesting and interactive, gather bits and bobs from around the house or garden, such as stones, sticks, leaves, bits of wool, acorns… and let your children explore!
Recipe created by The Imagination Tree
Creating a kindness and sharing framework
Within every day life, families have routines and expectations in place to ensure that each day progresses without any hitches. When adding children to the mix, all bets are off and the day may not progress as smoothly as planned. Young children are very focused on their own needs and may struggle with set boundaries, especially when it comes to kindness and sharing. For toddlers everything within their reach belongs to them and the idea of having to share can result in cataclysmic meltdowns. So how can you guide your little one on their kindness and sharing learning journey?
Kid’s Island Nursery, kindergarten in Dubai, believes that modelling the desired behavior is the best place to start. Teachers speak to the children in a respectful manner while using magic words such as “Please” and “Thank you!” They consistently remind and encourage the children to do the same, ensuring that a healthy expectation is set within the class. Laying down boundaries helps children to understand their environment and is vital when setting expectations for kindness.
As children develop, they become more aware of their surroundings and emotions as they interact with others. With this awakening comes a whole new world of emotions: happiness, joy and gratitude. Kid’s Island Nursery in Jumeirah, Dubai provides children with opportunities to practice their kindness skills. The children’s expectations are set before they begin playing. They are gently guided and shown that sharing, gentle hands and kind words will be the expected norm.
The expectations within the Nursery are also applicable within the home. Modelling empathy and kindness at home is one of the easiest ways to reinforce the kindness lesson and ensure consistency.
As a parent participation project, Kid’s Island Nursery recently launched a Kindness Challenge. Children and parents were challenged to complete acts of kindness to reinforce the message being delivered at Nursery. Parents were encouraged to discuss and explain why they were showing gratitude. The purpose behind the challenge was to help parents create a kindness and sharing platform, from which the children could learn from and refer to in the future.
Kindness ideas suggested to parents:
Count how many times a day you can use the magic words Please and Thank you.
Watch the sunrise or sunset together. Just sit together and enjoy the moment.
Visit the Fire station with a thank you card for all the brave firefighters.
Leave a flower on someone’s doorstep.
Draw a picture on a postcard and send it to a family member in another country.
Make a thank you card and give it to the person who made you feel special.
Paint kindness rocks and place them in a friends flowerpots or garden.
Cut out hearts and give them to the nurses next time you go to the doctor office.
Draw a happy message with chalk on the sidewalk.
Compliment five people and enjoy their smiles.
Embrace your family with a group hug.
Draw a big heart on the beach and leave it for beach goers to enjoy on their walk.
Hold the door for someone and wish them a nice day as they enter.
Learn to say “thank you” in a new language.
Make someone happy!
Kid’s Island Nursery, believes it is the primary job of parents, caregivers and educators, to nurture and guide children to be naturally kind so it eventually becomes a lifelong habit. Once the framework has been created, the roots of kindness and gratitude will be planted and give children a solid foundation to grow from in the future.
Creating Memories at Kid’s Island
Kid’s Island Nursery in Dubai invests time in providing food exploration and kitchen creativity opportunities for the children. Purpose built Creative and Sensory Studios are filled with items that children may not normally have access to, to entice them to explore.
Under the guidance of their teachers, they are encouraged to cut, pour, sift, taste and laugh as they immerse themselves in the moment. Sensory words like melt, sprinkle, sift, fold, scrape, roll and blend are used by teachers to describe the sensory play. Children are encouraged to describe what they see, feel, hear, taste, and smell.
Apart from exploring new tastes, these sessions also allow children to create new positive food experiences similar to those they may have already experienced at home, like when families bake together.
Think back… Do you remember the time as a child when you were baking the tastiest chocolate cake with your grandmother or your mum? Do you remember the melted chocolate cake smell when you walked in the kitchen?
Close your eyes and you are there, in the kitchen. Grandma is seated at the table and mum is standing next to you, holding the dish while you stir in the sugar, the eggs then add the melted chocolate. The flour is sprinkled on the swirling mass of chocolaty goodness. Then the miracle of watching this chocolate cake baking in the oven, rising, cracking, steaming begins to unfold in front of you until it eventually cools down and you can have a piece.
Keep your eyes closed… can you see yourself cleaning the dish, scraping the leftover chocolate on the side of the dish and accidentally, on purpose, covering your fingers with cake mix, so you can enjoy licking it off later. You will never know the true value of a moment until it becomes a memory.
These are priceless sensory filled memories which is why taking time to create childhood memories, which shapes our lives and make us who we are, will stay etched in our minds for all time. As a nursery in Dubai who has been established in Jumeirah for the last 30 years, we are honored to welcome the next generation of students into the Kid’s Island Nursery family and it is rewarding to hear parents say “I remember what it felt like when I experienced this at the nursery for the first time”. It is important to cherish your warm childhood memories and even more important to create new ones with your child.
Give the gift of time this festive season
It’s the most wonderful time of the year or so the songs on the radio keep telling us. But for parents around the world, the festive season can be the most stressful time of the year.
Thoughts of shopping, cooking and entertaining can often times overshadow the beauty of the festive season.
Agathe Jameson, Principal at Kid’s Island Nursery in Dubai, comments, “One way to bond with your children during this festive season is to practice being mindful. You can be mindful with your children by staying present and fully engaged in the activities that you do together. Carve out quality chunks of time and give your full attention to the task at hand. Your time is more precious than any gift you can give this festive season”
At a recent parent presentation morning at Kid’s Island Nursery in Dubai, parents were given five ways to practice mindfulness as a family this holiday season:
Get Messy in the Kitchen Together the best memories are the unexpected ones. Pick an easy and quick recipe that the children can help with. Let them help mix and stir ingredients. It may be messy but it’s worth it to see how proud they are of their decorated Christmas cookies.
Go Outside what better time than the present to go out and enjoy Dubai’s winter weather. Leave the cell phones and tablets inside and spend some time collecting leaves, throwing a Frisbee on the beach or going for a bicycle ride next to the canal.
Be Playful being a parent doesn’t mean you can’t be silly or have fun with your children. Let loose and just be in the moment, you’ll be surprised how much fun you will actually have. Dance to a silly song or see who can sing Jingle Bells the loudest.
Movie Night make a big bowl of popcorn and settle next to your little one to enjoy their favourite Christmas movie. It’s a time to cuddle, focus your attention together, and share the experience of seeing and hearing the same thing, just like story time.
Make Festive Decorations take some time this holiday season to make some adorable homemade ornaments with your children. Your children will love seeing their baubles hanging on the tree, and you will treasure these keepsakes for years to come. Embrace the imperfectly perfect tree and enjoy making memories.
“It’s what we played, and who we played with, that often leaves a mark on our memories long after childhood passes. Given the positive effects it has on our well-being and happiness levels, family play should be the most important ‘homework’ of all.”
Kid’s Island Nursery in Dubai, believes bonding time is important for healthy brain development in children. It is through parent-and-child-bonding-time that children at a very early age, learn how to engage and interact with the world around them. For parents, the pressures of hectic schedules and technology have changed the meaning of bonding time for many families. Throw in the countdown to the holidays and a perfect storm of distractions can occur. So this festive season, take a moment, slow down and be present!
Inspire your Child to Eat the Rainbow
At Kid’s Island Nursery, we understand that healthy eating is easier to say than it is to put into action within the home. Time constraints can in many cases steer families away from healthy eating options. The Nursery regularly provide parent presentations regarding this topic to help provide parents with a framework to introduce healthier eating options.
Lyndsay Bettles, a cook, food stylist, writer and creator of the I eat my peas website, says “Feeding a young family can be an extremely stressful time. It is easy to get caught up emotionally when feeding our family.” Eating should represent a social time for children and adults. Eating in a relaxed and positive environment allows a child’s healthy relationship with food to flourish. An enjoyment of food and company creates a special bonding time and helps children to learn about healthy eating. It is important to remember that adults are the most important influence on a child‘s eating behaviour.
At a recent Inspire your Toddler to Eat the Rainbow presentation at Kid’s Island Nursery, it was suggested by Lyndsay that parents should focus on making mealtimes “SIMPLE, FRESH & COLOURFUL!”
Simple: Cook simple family meals and enjoy the process of preparing it.
Fresh: Remove processed foods and encourage children to learn about real food and how it is grown.
Colourful: Eat the rainbow! Feed your child nutrients and vitamins. Stock the fridge and cupboards with a variety of fruits and vegetables, which will expose your child to those foods and help shape their understanding of good food forever.
Lyndsay’s viewpoint on healthy eating is mirrored within Kid’s Island Nursery. Snack time is an important part of the Nursery’s daily routine and is organized so that it’s a social occasion in which children and staff participate together. Children are encouraged to develop independence through making choices and feeding themselves. Suitable containers are provided to parents so a variety of food can be packed for a healthy and colourful snack box.
Lunchboxes need not be dull and boring and once you get into a colourful mindset you may even get a bit creative. Lyndsay suggests different shaped rolls or cut sandwiches with a cookies cutter into fun shapes. It makes snack time in the nursery a lot of fun. A child’s favorite pasta or some mini pizzas will also encourage a little one to eat independently. Start with carbohydrates as the backbone and continue with protein and fruit & veg to provide additional nutrients and minerals. Rather than looking at the specific foods you pack in the lunchbox try to concentrate on giving at least 2 handfuls of fruit & veg and capture at least 2-3 colours daily.
Encourage children to help choose their own healthy snacks. Empower them to be involved in cooking and the preparing of food. Be adventurous and never stop exposing children to new foods in fun ways. Keep them interested by not venturing too far our of their comfort. Most important, MAKE IT FUN! Children love to feel in control so let them explore and experiment with food in their own way.
The Learning Garden Award
This year Kid’s Island Nursery received the Learning Garden Awardpresented from the BeUnique Foundation,in recognition of our unique nature-inspired curriculum. Our Nursery community has grown immensely over the last three decades. During this time, we have firmly established our reputation as a trailblazer amongst early years providers in Dubai by continuously enriching the British Curriculum with innovative ideas aimed at meeting our community’s diverse and changing needs.
Our vision is to reinforce that learning can occur anywhere and should not be strictly confined to the classroom. We have created learning experiences which span across the curriculum and which flow between the indoors to the outdoors. We build on children’s innate curiosity and enthusiasm by providing a variety of inspiring settings. We have developed rich and varied opportunities to make learning concepts less abstract and more relevant by placing them in a more realistic, nature-led context. Children are exposed to limitless resources within the Nursery setting. The nature enhanced environment creates a platform for the children to discover and collaborate while they develop a life-long love of nature and the outdoors.
Vibrant, lush nature-based outdoor areas at Kid’s Island Nursery spur non-sedentary learning through active movement and provide for different learning styles. Childrens’ minds are free to explore and develop a sense of wonder. Imagine listening to a story while birds are chirping and shadows from garden trees play against the walls. Imagine sorting sticks and leaves to construct nests and create fascinating structures. Imagine the excitement of watching sand and water travel through colourful pipes, creating mud pie recipes while becoming a Nature Detective. When children are engaged, relaxed and happy they are more open to learning new concepts. Early mathematical concepts, literacy and language development are introduced within outdoor activities involving a garden trail, a fully equipped mud kitchen, exciting multi-sensory stations and a sorting/counting woodland terrace. The curriculum at Kid’s Island Nursery continues to embrace the traditional values of communication, working together, manners, respect, honesty and empathy, while instilling an appreciation for nature.
Building an appreciation and understanding of the world around us is as essential as traditional learning. Our aim at the Nursery is to plant seeds of curiosity within the children, while creating an awareness of nature. We believe that our children should be taught to be environmentally responsible as one day, they will be the eco-warriors of our future.
For more information about Kid’s Island Nursery please visit our website www.kidsislandnursery.com or complete a simple enquiry form on our contact us page www.kidsislandnursery.com/contact-us/
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