Foundation Stage 1 – Observant Oryx (3-4 years)

Important goal of the FS1 programme is to help children acquire social skills and to give them the tools they need before school entry.

About

The FS1 Programme at Early Explorers

Our bespoke learning approach is integrated with the early years foundation stage framework 2021.

The characteristics of effective teaching and learning is in line with our own nursery philosophy of learning through play.

playing and exploring – children investigate and experience things, and ‘have a go’
active learning – children concentrate and keep on trying if they encounter difficulties, and enjoy achievements
creating and thinking critically – children have and develop their own ideas, make links between ideas, and develop strategies for doing things

Our enabling environments both indoors and outdoors allow children to actively play and think critically developing the skills they need to become independent thinkers, problem solvers and strong communicators.

All of our focused activities are based on one or more of the 7 areas of learning and development.

Communication skills
Physical development
Personal/social/emotional development
Understanding of the world
Mathematics concepts
Language development
Expressive Arts and Design

And of course our signature programs which integrates the curiosity approach and elements of forest schools.

For any queries and more information on the enrolment process, please feel free to contact our admissions team at enrich@early-explorers.com, call +971 4 409 6881 or Whatsapp +971 55 241 0724

The FS1 Programme at Early Explorers

At our nursery, the FS1 programme adopts a bespoke learning approach that integrates different philosophies and aligns with the Early Year’s Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework 2021. Our philosophy revolves around learning through play, and we promote effective teaching and learning by focusing on the following characteristics:

Playing and exploring – children investigate and experience things and are encouraged to take risks.
Active learning – children concentrate and persist when faced with challenges and enjoy their accomplishments.
Creating and thinking critically – children develop their own ideas, make connections between concepts, and create strategies for solving problems.

Our enabling environments, both indoors and outdoors, encourage children to play actively and think critically, fostering the skills they need to become independent thinkers, problem solvers, and strong communicators. We offer both independent learning and teacher-led small group activities that encourage investigation, exploration, and discovery.

Our learning approaches adapt to each child’s uniqueness, with projects generated from their interests and incorporating elements of imagination. We also integrate skills into real-life scenarios to make learning more relevant and engaging.

Our curriculum supports playing and exploring, active learning, and creating and thinking critically. We believe in child-initiated learning, which enables children to take ownership of their learning. We also encourage children to question and challenge, which builds confidence and improves their learning. Engaging children at an early age with scientific, technological, engineering, and mathematical inquiry sparks their curiosity and potential for creativity. For this reason, all our focused activities are based on one or more of the 7 areas of learning and development:

Communication skills – we allow plenty of time for children to have conversations together.
Personal/social/emotional development – we ensure strong, warm, and supportive relationships with staff.
Physical development – we provide materials and equipment that support physical development.
Literacy – we provide enticing areas for sharing books alongside a wide range of stimulating equipment to encourage mark making.
Mathematics – we develop a strong grounding in numbers by providing a variety of opportunities to build and understand.
Understanding the world – we guide children to understand the world around them by building important knowledge.
Expressive Arts and Design –
- Our children are given opportunities to explore colors, textures, and designs, and engage in singing songs, dancing, and making music.
- Expressive Arts and Design Curriculum help children represent and understand their own feelings and ideas while being imaginative, thereby enhancing their holistic well-being.
- We provide our children with a wide range of open-ended resources to develop their imagination and encourage flexible thinking.
- Our dedicated educators motivate children to take pride in their ideas and creations so that they want to share and explain their thinking.
- We explicitly model creative thinking and behavior through our Expressive Arts and Design Curriculum, along with our signature programs that integrate the curiosity approach.

Individualized care

Our preschool program includes:

Independent, teacher-directed, and small-group activities that encourage investigation, exploration, and discovery
Learning approaches that adapt to each child and incorporate their strengths and interests
Curriculum that supports creative expression, literacy, music, and more
Confidence-building opportunities to solve problems and make decisions
STEM learning that encourages future-forward skills
Safety, security, and cleanliness practices that meet or exceed all state, local, and national guidelines

Preschool program

Preschool is a big year. We’ve designed our program to give you complete confidence in every aspect of your child’s experience; from health and safety; to ready-for-school curriculum; to the full support of experienced teachers. Just as important, our program is based on what research says best prepares children for kindergarten…and all the big steps ahead.

Safety, security, and cleanliness practices that meet or exceed all state, local, and national guidelines

Signature practices

Our World at Early Explorers curriculum includes preschool Signature Practices that offer hands-on approaches to encourage the skills your child will need in kindergarten and beyond:

Everyday Mathematics®: Integrating numbers into real-life routines
Cooking with Recipes: Creating in the kitchen to learn about counting, measuring, and fractions
Daily Pre-Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking: Stories and literature to promote the understanding of the relationship between speech and print
Writing Center: Access to a wide variety of writing tools, paper, and other materials to inspire an interest in writing, creating books, and more
Science Laboratory: Hands-on opportunities to collect, examine, explore, and experiment with natural materials
STEM Activities: Building and problem solving using science, technology, engineering, and math
Woodworking: Real tools and materials to tinker, construct, and explore weight, balance, strength, and texture

Signature Practice

At our nursery, we believe in offering a curriculum that not only prepares children for nursery but also equips them with the skills they will need in the future. Our curriculum includes Signature Practices that encourage hands-on learning and exploration.

Splish and Splash

One of our Signature Practices is “Splish and Splash”. As water play brings out curiosity and joy in children, we have designed a programme that transforms imagination into new dimensions of water play. Our custom-designed water table and channel system offer adventure, visual excitement, and imaginative fun, engaging all five senses in different ways.

Through our Splish and Splash programme, children learn about the properties of water by splashing, pouring, and scooping. Our themed showers and sprinklers, alongside the interactive water channel, add to a wet and wonderful experience! This programme not only teaches children about the importance of water but also enhances their creativity and imagination.

At our nursery, our aim is to provide children with unique experiences that promote their learning and development. Our Splish and Splash programme is just one of the many ways we strive to give our children the best possible start in life. The programme engages five senses in different ways:

Auditory

Sense of Sound can be engaged using:

Various Types of Water Splashing and music

Tactile

Sense of Touch can be engaged using:

Variety in Textures of Water (aerated, solid stream, broken streams)
Variety in Textures of Materials and resources used

Proprioceptive

Sense of Movement in muscles and joints can be engaged using:

Buttons, Wheels, Other Moving Parts
Various Water Pressures
Visual

Sense of Sight can be engaged using:

Water or Feature Movement
Feature and Surfacing Colour

Vestibular

Sense of Balance can be engaged using:

Choreographed water motion

Makerspace

At Early Explorers Nursery, our children are encouraged to be thinkers, inventors, and designers using real tools and materials in our Makerspace. This space allows them to tinker, construct, explore, and create all kinds of inventions.

Develop Children’s Motor Skills

As children engage in constructing their creative projects, they utilize all parts of their body. They walk, sit, stretch, grab, cut, glue, draw, paint, write and manipulate all the Maker Space tools, engaging in diverse activities that develop and refine their fine motor and gross motor skills while navigating space and resources.

At our nursery, we are committed to creating a supportive and nurturing environment that recognizes the unique strengths, interests and challenges of each child. Our dedicated team encourages children to explore, create, and grow at their own pace. By providing a strong foundation for learning, we help children develop the skills and confidence they need to succeed both in and out of the classroom.