EXTRA ACTIVITIES
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It is beneficial for children to meet new people in safe and secure surroundings and with this in mind we provide extra activities run by outside staff. For the babies and toddlers this takes the form of music and movement sessions with Jo Jingles. The over twos enjoy Fit and Fun with Debbie who introduces the children to a variety of sports activities and games and Yoganory yoga and story sessions. All extra activities are included in our fees, there are no extra charges.
Fit and Fun
Children over two years of age have been enjoying our “Fit and Fun” sessions with Debbie for several years, and they remain a much-loved part of the weekly routine. These sessions are designed to introduce a wide range of sports and physical activities in a fun, playful, and engaging way, helping children to develop confidence, coordination, and a lifelong love of being active.
Through a variety of carefully planned activities, the children learn how to control a ball using their hands and feet, and explore different ways of using bats, sticks and racquets. This helps to build important motor skills, balance, and hand–eye coordination. Alongside this, they are gently introduced to some of the basic rules and teamwork involved in games such as football and tennis, encouraging cooperation, turn-taking, and good sportsmanship.
Athletics is always a particular favourite, with opportunities for running, jumping and throwing, and the older children especially enjoy the chance to practise and then proudly showcase their skills during our annual Sports Day. These experiences not only support physical development but also help to build confidence, resilience, and a sense of achievement.
Fit and Fun takes place once a week and is held outdoors whenever the weather allows, giving children the added benefit of fresh air and space to move freely. Overall, these sessions play an important role in supporting children’s health and wellbeing, while ensuring they have lots of fun along the way.
Yoga
At Footprints, Yoganory, delivered by Hayley, brings stories to life through movement, imagination, and calm connection. By combining yoga with storytelling and drama, Yoganory empowers children to use their imagination as they breathe life into stories. Through traditional yoga postures, children use their bodies to become the characters, animals, and objects within each story, making learning active, engaging, and joyful.
Yoganory sessions are non-competitive and fully inclusive, ensuring every child feels confident to take part. Children are gently guided on exciting, interactive adventures using stories, songs, and yoga-based games, all while developing body awareness, relaxation, and mindful breathing.
The classes help to strengthen and stretch the body through balances, twists, forward bends, and back arches, supporting both physical development and coordination. At the same time, relaxation and breathing techniques help to calm the mind, improve concentration, and playfully build confidence, often supporting better sleep patterns too. In line with the Footprints ethos of nurturing the whole child, Yoganory also encourages children to respect themselves and others. Positive affirmations and gentle moral themes are woven into the stories, supporting
emotional wellbeing, good behaviour, and social skills. Children learn simple tools they can use in everyday life, helping them to manage emotions and cope more confidently during emotionally or mentally challenging times.
Jo Jingles
Every week, our babies and toddlers enjoy music classes with Jo Jingles. These classes support our belief that music plays a crucial role in supporting the holistic development of our babies and toddlers. Through singing, rhythm, movement, and listening, music helps to nurture early brain development, strengthening language, communication, early literacy and numeracy skills, as well as both fine and gross motor development.
Music also supports children’s emotional well-being, helping them to express feelings, regulate emotions, and feel calm and secure. Shared musical experiences encourage social interaction, turn-taking, and bonding with peers and familiar adults, while providing rich sensory experiences that engage the whole child. In line with our child-centred ethos, music is woven naturally into daily routines and play, building confidence, concentration, and a joyful love of learning from the very earliest years.
