New Nature Kindergarten opens 1st March 2018

Parent + Tots Group

Bradford Children's Centre Cuts are in your hands

Hello to all you people with your littlies!

Bradford council are proposing to cut our Bradford Children's Centres services across the district. These proposals will affect our young children and the thousands of families that use them. We believe our young children are very important to the start of a new generation and we must help protect these services. Cuts need to be made but if you read the proposals they are very unequal and there needs to be changes in the proposals.
If you don't live in a "disadvantaged area" then does this mean you don't have mental health issues or are in need of support? My worry is more children and families are going to slip through the net, if these proposals are not equal across the district.

Please try come to one of the consultations and have you say, it matters x

http://www.bradford.gov.uk/bmdc/Consultations/consultation_on_proposed_changes_to_childrens_centres
 

You can now book on to all our workshops easily

We have linked our facebook events and website shop to the event brite link. Here you can book on all our workshops hassle free and safely.

New family woodland play sessions in 2014

New creative workshops for adults for 2014

We have gift vouchers available for Christmas gifts. Choose a workshop you think a friend may like. See our new creative workshops for 2014!

Willow Lantern Making for Baildoners

Sponge Tree are working in partnership with Baildon Town Council  on Sat 16th Nov. Come to our FREE Willow Lanten making workshop 2pm - 4pm. This workshop is designed for adult and child participation. Children must be over 6 years old to take part with their guardian. You must also be available to present your Willow lantern at The Baildon Christmas Light Switch on from 5:15pm on Fri 22nd Nov. Please contact us for a booking form spongetree@live.com

Up and coming events flyer

We are providing lots of things in our community for young and old, before Christmas. Please contact us if you would like to book on to any of the workshops spongetree@live.com

Early Years Sensory Arts + Crafts Training for practitioners.

In partnership with Hirst Wood Nursery School and Children's Centre Sponge Tree have developed  seasonal ideas training for Early years practitioners. These sessions enable practitioners to experiment and explore seasonal nature inspired art + craft activities. Inspiration from these sessions are to encourage practitioners to develop more creative ideas to provide in their children's early years setting.

These sessions are designed for child care practitioners who care for children under the ages of 5 years. 

The next session will be Tues 19th November 6:00pm - 8:00pm. Please book your places through HWNS+CC  office@hirstwoodnscc.co.uk 

Sensory Arts - thats how we roll!

Why stimulate the senses?

Sensory Stimulation Theory        

Traditional sensory stimulation theory has as its basic premise that effective learning occurs when the senses are stimulated (Laird, 1985). 

Laird quotes research that found that the vast majority of knowledge held by adults (75%) is learned through seeing. 

Hearing is the next most effective (about 13%) and the other senses - touch, smell and taste account for 12% of what we know. 

By stimulating the senses, especially the visual sense, learning can be enhanced. 

However, this theory says that if multi-senses are stimulated, greater learning takes place. 

Stimulation through the senses is achieved through a greater variety of colours, volume levels, strong statements, facts presented visually, use of a variety of techniques and media.

Laird, D. 1985 Approaches to training and development Addison-Wesley, Reading, Mass.

Oct Half Term Saplings outdoor nature play group

This October half term we will be running our Outdoor Nature Playgroup on Wednesday 30th October 10:30am - 11:30am. Why don't you come along for some Halloween focused outdoor fun. Older siblings are also welcome!

Sponge Tree Saplings outdoor nature play group

We haven't posted on our blog for quite a while. We have been very bust setting up new early years sessions (Saplings) and adult training sessions (Branching Out).
Our outdoor nature play group has been a great success so far and we have regular children and carers attending. We provide activities every Friday during term time at Northcliffe Park/Woods Shipley from 10:30am to 11:30am.
Our site has a blue string boundary, so we can all be contained and play in a concentrated area together.

Our activities include water play, mud play, painting, drawing, land art, playing with natural materials, collecting natural materials, construction, weaving, den building, singing and story time.
The sessions are very much child led and we would like to give children freedom to express and explore. 

Please feel free to join us, our site is situated near the old play park, at the top of the hill, near the football pitch.