Cooking season has begun in the Oakwood House garden. The toddlers have been busy in our mud kitchen with originality, creativity, and generosity from nature. The children have had a fascinating time with natures abundant "loose parts" comprising of mud, sand, water, parts of plants and cooking utensils.
This type of open ended play gives endless opportunity for creativity, which is only limited by imagination. These child led activities that happen outdoors become calming, satisfying and extremely therapeutic as the child connects to nature with the freedom to let their mind wander wherever it wishes. Open ended play allows a child to develop the independence and confidence to play within their own limits, they naturally risk assess and play in a way they feel comfortable and at ease.
Mud Kitchen play links to all areas of the EYFS and is an extremely holistic place to spend time for both children and adults alike. To make it even more exciting and enchanting the ingredients are constantly changing, like flowers, leaves and conkers and more recently lovely white snow to build with and watch melt!
