There is something magical about learning outdoors. The freedom to dig, build, balance, create, make a little mess and follow an idea wherever it might lead.
At Ripley Court Nursery, outdoor learning is an important part of every child’s day, so we are delighted to welcome our Nursery children back to a beautiful new playground, thoughtfully planned by our Nursery team and brought to life by Cool Canvas.
Designed with young children at its heart, the new playground is not simply one space, but a collection of carefully considered areas, each offering different opportunities for play, learning and discovery.
Different Spaces, Different Adventures
Across two levels, a variety of surfaces and thoughtfully partitioned areas allow the playground to change and evolve with the children and their learning.
The upper level includes an artificial grass area for balancing, obstacle courses and activities that help develop gross motor skills, strength and coordination. A dedicated rubber crumb area provides a practical space for tuff tray activities and changing resources linked to the Nursery’s weekly themes, while a smooth resin area opens up even more possibilities for mark making, early maths, construction and imaginative play.
And then there is the lower garden – a wonderful space for children to get closer to nature and immerse themselves in creative, exploratory play.
Here, a soft rubber mulch surface surrounds a covered sandpit, dry riverbed and natural log climbing area, encouraging children to climb, balance, investigate and test their growing physical abilities. The mud kitchen invites plenty of mixing, making and wonderfully messy outdoor learning.
Simple signs dotted around the space capture exactly what it is all about: Dig. Mix. Make. and Let’s Explore.
Every element has been carefully considered to give children reasons to spend time outdoors – to move their bodies, use their imaginations, solve problems, collaborate with friends and discover things for themselves. Resources can be introduced, changed and packed away as different interests and weekly themes emerge, allowing the environment itself to become part of the learning.
And, of course, the new playground is only one part of the outdoor experience at Ripley Court.
Set within 19 acres of beautiful Surrey countryside, our Nursery children have the wonderful advantage of being part of the wider school from the very beginning. They enjoy our grounds and facilities and take part in specialist activities including weekly Forest School, swimming, French, dance, music and cooking.
A Magical Beginning
Inside, our light, airy Nursery classroom and breakout spaces provide a warm, home-from-home environment. Step outside and children now have another world waiting for them – one designed especially for exploration, movement, creativity and play.
There is so much discovery in these early years. This is when confidence grows, curiosity takes hold and children begin to discover just how exciting learning can be. Our new Nursery playground has been designed to give those little moments of discovery room to happen naturally.
A dry riverbed might become part of an imaginary world. A collection of logs becomes a physical challenge. Marks on the ground become numbers, pictures or the beginnings of a story. Sand, mud and water invite questions, experiments and conversations.
Because, at three and four years old, some of the most important learning happens when children are simply given the space, encouragement and freedom to explore. And we can think of no better setting in which to begin their Ripley Court journey.