Being a Baby at Inspirations

At Inspirations we build ourselves upon the forests school ethos, that resilience starts in the baby room. The children will go into the garden in all weathers ensuring the are dressed appropriately, some days it takes us longer to get ready than we are outside. That’s ok these little moments of exposure build up and continue to do so throughout nursery.

This links closely with sensory exploration, as you know no two days are the same when it comes to weather, therefore each day provides a different learning opportunity for the children.

Appropriate Footwear

Why Proper Footwear Matters for Babies and Toddlers

As parents, it’s natural to want to protect your baby’s feet. But did you know that putting shoes on too early or choosing ones that don’t fit properly can do more harm than good.

1. Barefoot is Best Before Walking

Before your baby starts walking, they don’t need shoes. In fact, going barefoot helps their feet develop naturally. It allows babies to: Strengthen the muscles in their feet and legs, improve balance and coordination, explore their environment with better sensory feedback, soft socks or booties are enough to keep their feet warm. It’s best to wait until your child can confidently walk.

2. Ill-Fitting Shoes Can Harm Growing Feet

A baby’s feet are soft and still developing. Shoes that are too tight, too loose, or stiff—can: Restrict natural movement, Affect foot shape and growth, Lead to issues with walking, posture, or balance.

Baby’s feet grow quickly, so frequent checks are important to ensure shoes still fit well.

Sensory Play and why it’s so Important

Babies thrive through exploring sensory play; this can be through any of the 5 senses. Sensory play is more than just fun and exploring different textures, it has significant positive impact in the children’s development.

Sensory experiences help build connections in the brain. These connections support a range of skills including:

-Problem-solving, language development, social interaction and emotional regulation.

-Developing fine and gross motor skills developing – from splashing in paint to jumping in puddles, sensory play strengthens muscles and coordination. These are the foundations for later skills like writing, dressing, and physical activity.

Sensory play can also be calming or energising depending on the activity. It provides children with the opportunity to manage emotions, reduce anxiety, and feel grounded—especially helpful for children with additional needs or sensory processing differences.

Sensory play can incorporate all three areas of Characteristics of Effective Learning.

The NHS and UK early years guidance encourage sensory play as part of a healthy developmental routine. It’s not about expensive toys—simple, safe everyday items are just as effective.

Makaton

Each day at nursery we incorporate Makaton, common phrases and signs we use are:

• More
• Please/ Thank you
• Farm animals
• Eat
• Drink
• Good morning

Each morning as part of our routine we do an interactive singing session using spoons and puppets. We then do some focussed singing with Makaton actins alongside the singing. At nursery we have bene using singing hands-on YouTube to extend our Makaton knowledge. Some of the songs the children enjoy are:

Good morning –https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSBuOCDLIZs&list=RDWSBuOCDLIZs&start_radio=1

Wheels on the bus – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0peZ5AN5vs8&list=RD0peZ5AN5vs8&start_radio=1

-Sophie