Curiosity Approach Network Croydon Borough

24/10/2025

Some lovely feedback from Sophie Morris at Little Explorers Pre-school who joined the Schemas Discovery Session on Tuesday.

Thank you Sophie😊

24/10/2025

Hello everyone 👋

Hope you are having a good day on this windy but bright autumnal day.🍂💨🍃

If you are looking for a simple but engaging activity for the children at your setting why not download "Leaf Cutting" from the CRIB app where you can find all things to do with The Curiosity Approach.

To install the app and download Leaf Cutting, tap on this link👇
https://curiosityapproach.lpages.co/app-installs/?utm_campaign=signature&utm_source=WiseStamp&utm_medium=email

To access via the web browser, click on this link👇
https://the-curiosity-approach.passion.io/

It would be great to see images of your children engaging in leaf cutting if you are happy to share in the comments below.

🍂🍃🌿🍁🍂🍃🌿🍁🍂🍃🌿🍁🍂🍃🌿🍁

23/10/2025

Thank you to everyone who joined the Schemas Discovery Session yesterday evening. It was great to see so many of you there from across Denbighshire and also for your feedback.

Beach House Day Nursery
Little Lambs Day Nursery
Little Lambs Emmanuel
Little Explorers Pre-school
Cylch Meithrin Ysgol Dewi Sant
Cylch Meithrin Llanelwy - St Asaph
Cylch Meithrin Bro Dyfrdwy
Lucy Owens Childminding
Little Acorns
Lala’s House
Borthyn Bunnies
Summerhouse Out of School and Holiday Club
Daisy Chains Prestatyn


and all those who are part of Teuluoedd yn Gyntaf & Dechrau'n Deg / Families First & Flying Start or who are Family Link Workers in the Denbighshire area.

I also wish to pass on my thanks to Tasha Edwards from Education and Childcare Services, Denbighshire County Council for inviting me to hold this additional Discovery Session.

Hope to see you at another session in the near future.
Tracy

15/10/2025

Thank you to everyone who joined me yesterday evening at the Process over Product Discovery Session.

I do hope that you found the session insightful.

My next session is all about 💡Light and Shadow Play🔦 and takes place this coming Tuesday 21st October at 6pm.

Tickets 🎫are £10 per person and can be booked via the link below:
https://www.thecuriosityapproach.com/eventlist/croydon-borough-online-light-and-shadow-21-10-25

I hope you can join me
Tracy

14/10/2025

Isn't this an amazing structure for children to climb and explore which was challenging and enabled them to assess risk.

To think that this was from the 1900s is astonishing. I seriously doubt anything like this would be around for children today.

Fascinating!

"The towering steel structure looms over the children, who climb fearlessly without safety rails, soft ground, or supervision.

These 'jungle gyms,' introduced in the late 19th century, were seen as tools of moral and physical development, places where children learned resilience, strength, and courage through play.

In an age before liability concerns and safety regulations, such playgrounds reflected the industrial era’s confidence in progress and physical endurance. The structures themselves were often repurposed materials from factories or schools, and the playground was viewed as an outdoor classroom where children could learn discipline through risk.

Play was considered a public good, part of a movement that believed urban children needed space to build both muscle and character.

These early playgrounds laid the foundation for modern recreational design, emphasizing freedom, creativity, and movement."

(Shared via historyfeels)

13/10/2025

We have to begin shifting both our lens and our practice...

Little ones are undeniably adorable, and it is natural to be drawn to what feels sweet and heartwarming about early childhood. But when we understand the depth of what is happening in those rapidly developing brains, we begin to see that this time is far more profound than crafts, themes, or classroom decor.

We understand the quest for “cute.” We want our environments to be engaging and child-friendly, and we want families to see tokens of their child’s experiences. But before we rush to fill our spaces or plan another themed craft, it is worth pausing to look deeper...

What if we focused less on how things look and more on how children learn?

What if we shifted from feeling like we must “teach” and perform to seeing ourselves as facilitators for some of the most capable scientists at work? The world is brand new to young children. Every day is a study in cause and effect, texture and transformation, sound and sensation. They need time, space, and meaningful materials to explore and discover. They need opportunities to move, touch, repeat, and wonder. When we step back from “cute,” we make room for curiosity, and that is where real learning begins.

The environment matters too. Children do not need walls filled with bright colors, decals, and displays. Their developing brains are sensitive to overstimulation, and busy spaces can make it hard to focus. Calming the environment, softening the lighting, and simplifying the palette invites regulation, concentration, and deeper engagement.

Crafts can be appealing because it provides something concrete, "cute," and recognizable, but in reality, they're adult-directed and outcome-based. Process experiences, on the other hand, are driven by curiosity. They value discovery over perfection and thinking over product.

Instead of asking, “What can we make today?” ask, “What can children explore today?”

And we can still document and display beautifully—just differently. Rather than rows of matching crafts or handprint turkeys, we can showcase photographs, children’s words, sketches, and in-progress work that capture thinking and growth. This kind of documentation gives families a glimpse into the brain-building that happens through play and gives our field the respect it deserves.

When we lead with curiosity, everything changes. The pace slows, the learning deepens, and we begin to see the extraordinary work unfolding in ordinary moments.

The goal is not to make learning look cute, but to make it authentic and meaningful.

13/10/2025

Good morning 🌄
There are still a limited amount of places available for tomorrow evening's Process over Product Discovery Session.
Tickets 🎟️ are £10 per person and can be booked via the link below 👇
thecuriosityapproach.com/eventlist/online-croydon-pop-14-10-2025

08/10/2025

📢Exciting news...

A brand new Discovery Session is on its way this December, which I am really looking forward to delivering.

Details are coming very soon!

Let me know in the comments, what you think this will be about.

08/10/2025

Imagination is the foundation for problem-solving, resilience, innovation, and creativity. When children pretend, wonder, and dream, they’re not “wasting time.” They’re practicing the very skills that will carry them into their future.

Every time we protect, nurture, and encourage a child’s imagination, we are giving them the tools to see possibility where others see limitation, and to create something new from what already exists.

✨ How do you help keep imagination alive for the children in your life? 🌈✨

✨ If you would like to read more about encouraging imaginative play check out our blog article here: https://neuro.now/lived_experience/fairy-tales-child-inner-world/