Learning through play is the main focus of the early years foundation stage. It is imperative that we make learning fun!

Tray play provides a focused area of play with the contents ‘somewhat contained’. Setting out inviting activities with cognitive and physical challenges has a significant benefit to early childhood development. Undoubtedly, tray play gives children the opportunity to explore and discover independently, it fosters their creativity and imagination. Here are some of the tuff tray play provocations we have had set up in ladybirds and Dragonflies. The children have been out on autumn walks to collect autumnal objects to be used in the play set ups. The ladybird children have shown great interest in dinosaurs, so staff have ensured to set up fun dinosaur trays to follow their interests. The Dragonfly children are learning about harvest, we will extend their learning using the harvest tuff tray, discussing what happens to the food harvested by the farmers.