Over the past few weeks our interest in the Art Studio has been based around creating fairy worlds. A small spark of curiosity born from a story we shared together, has grown into a rich, joyful, and deeply creative inquiry. It began with a book we read; The Tree Keepers, a gentle tale filled with woodland wonder, tiny homes, and creatures who care for the forest. The children were captivated. They leaned in, asked questions, and began forming their own theories about who might live among the trees in our outdoor spaces.

Almost immediately, children began gathering loose parts, building blocks, stones, pinecones, shells, wooden discs and arranging them into tiny homes and miniature landscapes. What started as small clusters of materials soon grew into elaborate fairy villages. Children negotiated where paths should go, which materials were suitable to build a fairy playground, or to build a bed.

Loose parts are powerful tools in early childhood. They invite children to think, plan, collaborate, and revise their ideas. In true Reggio Emilia fashion, the materials became a language, helping children express their thinking without needing a single adult‑designed template.

We watched as children worked side by side, sharing discoveries.

 

“Maybe this is the secret stairs”

”I’m going to make this passage way a bit wider so the fairies can fit through”

”This could be the party room”

”Pretend this is a bridge, this could be a toilet on top”

”A Stage! Pretend these little persons are the audience”

”The sign says please don’t bring your own food”

Clay Fairy Tree Houses: A New Chapter in the Inquiry

More recently, the project has taken a new turn. Inspired by the woodland homes in Behind the Fairy Door, children began creating fairy tree houses out of clay. Clay is a deeply expressive material, it slows children down, encourages problem‑solving, and allows for endless experimentation. We tried 2 different approaches, 1 where the children each had their own piece of clay, then a few weeks later they all worked on the same big lump of clay. Our little artists rolled, pinched, pressed, and sculpted, discovering how clay behaves when building openings, windows and bridges.

This work has been rich with learning:

• Fine motor development through shaping and joining clay
• Engineering thinking as children tested stability and balance
• Storytelling as they imagined who might live in their creations
• Collaboration as they shared tools, ideas, and space
• Connection to nature through materials gathered outdoors

As with all child‑led projects, we will continue to follow the children’s ideas. Some are already asking about fairy maps, fairy gardens, and fairy letters. Others want to build larger structures outdoors. We will listen, observe, and offer materials that help their thinking grow.

Why Imaginative Play Matters So Much

As we’ve watched the children build fairy houses, sculpt clay tree homes, and create whole miniature worlds, one thing has been beautifully clear: imaginative play is one of the richest, most powerful forms of learning in early childhood.

When children step into imaginary worlds, they aren’t “just playing.” They are making sense of the world whilst following their own wonder.

Imaginative play is the kind of learning that stays with children for life. It nurtures confidence, independence, and a deep sense of wonder  qualities we see blossoming every day in this fairy project.

Encouraging Imaginative Play at Home

You don’t need special toys or elaborate setups to support this kind of play. In fact, the simplest materials often spark the richest ideas.

Here are a few gentle ways to encourage imaginative play at home:

• Offer loose parts Items like pebbles, shells, fabric scraps, cardboard tubes, pinecones, or small boxes become endless possibilities.
• Create a “tiny world basket” Fill it with natural materials, small figures, or objects your child can use to build scenes and stories.
• Leave space for open‑ended play A corner of the living room, a patch of garden, or a tray on the table can become a fairy home, a forest, or a tiny village.
• Follow their ideas If your child says, “I think a fairy lives under this tree,” respond with curiosity. “What makes you think that?” “What might the fairy need?”
• Join in, but lightly Children love when adults enter their world, but they also love leading it. Offer a question, a prop, or a gentle wonder, then let them take it from there.
• Celebrate their creations A photo, a small shelf display, or a moment of shared admiration shows children that their ideas matter.

These small acts help children feel seen, valued, and capable — the heart of the Reggio Emilia approach.

A Magical Family Day Out: Dreamery Gardens, York

If your child has been enjoying our fairy world project, you might love taking them to Dreamery Gardens in York where i visited this bank Holiday. It’s a beautiful, imaginative outdoor space designed to spark creativity, storytelling, and nature‑based exploration very much in harmony with the kind of learning happening here at nursery.

Children can wander through whimsical pathways, discover tiny hidden worlds, explore natural sculptures, and follow trails that feel straight out of a storybook. It’s a place where imagination and nature meet, and where children can continue the fairy inquiry in a new environment.

Many families tell us that visits like this deepen their child’s play at home and help them make connections between the stories we explore at nursery and the wider world around them.

https://dreamerygardens.co.uk/