Understanding the World is a vital area of early learning that helps children make sense of their surroundings, their community, and the wider world. It encourages curiosity, critical thinking, exploration, and a lifelong love of discovery. In our nursery, we create an environment where children are inspired to observe, investigate, and ask questions. We support them in developing an appreciation for nature, respect for diversity, and an understanding of how things work. This foundation helps prepare children for future learning in science, geography, history, and technology, while also nurturing their sense of belonging and their awareness of their place in the world.
Our environment is intentionally designed to promote exploration. Children have daily opportunities to engage with natural materials, interact with technology, explore the outdoors, and participate in real-life experiences that help them construct their understanding of the world. We offer resources that encourage open-ended investigation—magnets, torches, magnifying glasses, life cycles, maps, globes, plants, water trays, construction materials, and more.
Both indoor and outdoor spaces are filled with opportunities to wonder:
What happens when I pour water down a tube?
How do plants grow?
Why does this magnet stick to metal?
What creatures live under this log?
By supporting children’s natural curiosity, we help them develop important skills such as predicting, observing, comparing, and making connections.
Children’s early experiences with the natural world lay the foundation for scientific thinking. At our nursery, we provide rich opportunities for children to explore nature through hands-on experiences. Whether they are growing plants, caring for small animals, digging in the garden, or observing seasonal changes, children are supported in developing an appreciation for the environment and the life within it.
We encourage children to:
Plant seeds and watch them grow, learning about life cycles and what plants need to survive.
Explore natural materials such as leaves, stones, shells, water, sand, and soil.
Investigate weather changes and talk about how the environment feels each day.
Look for insects and small creatures, learning to handle them with gentleness and respect.
Our practitioners help children learn vocabulary related to nature and scientific processes, fostering early scientific understanding in a calm, nurturing way. Children are encouraged to ask questions, make predictions, and share observations.
Understanding the World also includes supporting children to develop an awareness of their own community as well as the wider world. We believe that children should grow up recognising diversity, celebrating differences, and appreciating the variety of beliefs, traditions, and cultures around them.
We achieve this through:
Sharing books that represent different families, cultures, and lifestyles.
Celebrating festivals and special days from a range of traditions.
Inviting families to share customs, languages, or cultural experiences from home.
Using photos, artefacts, and resources that reflect diversity in positive, meaningful ways.
Children also learn about their own personal history and experiences. They may share family photos, talk about celebrations, or explore how they have grown and changed over time. These conversations help children develop a strong sense of identity and belonging.
Our approach is inclusive and respectful. We ensure that every child feels represented and valued, and we support them in developing empathy and respect for others.
In early childhood, a full understanding of history is still developing, but young children naturally begin to notice changes over time. We nurture this awareness through meaningful, everyday discussions about “before”, “now”, and “later”.
Children may explore:
How they looked as babies compared to now.
How buildings, transport, or technology have changed over time.
The differences between old and new objects.
Seasonal changes that show how the environment shifts throughout the year.
We incorporate stories, photographs, and real objects from the past so children can compare, ask questions, and build their awareness of historical change. Practitioners encourage language such as “yesterday”, “today”, “long ago”, and “the future”, helping children to place events in simple timelines.
In the EYFS, technology is about much more than screens or devices. It is about understanding how tools and objects work and how they can be used to achieve a purpose. While we do use simple digital tools in the setting, we focus primarily on hands-on exploration of real equipment.
Children may explore:
Cameras, torches, remote-controlled toys, or sound devices.
Buttons, switches, levers, and mechanical toys.
Digital tablets used for simple educational activities.
Construction materials that encourage children to build, join, and problem-solve.
Our practitioners support children in understanding the function of everyday tools—scissors, kitchen utensils, gardening equipment, or simple machines—always with safety and guidance. By experimenting freely, children gain confidence in using tools and technologies in practical, purposeful ways.
Understanding the World is rooted in curiosity. We encourage children to explore cause and effect, make predictions, test ideas, and draw simple conclusions. This builds the foundation for scientific thinking and logical reasoning.
Examples include:
Experimenting with water flow, floating and sinking, or mixing substances.
Observing shadows, reflections, light, or colours.
Investigating magnets, pulleys, ramps, and motion.
Exploring changes in materials when heated, cooled, or combined.
Practitioners ask open-ended questions such as:
“What do you think will happen next?”
“How could we make it move faster?”
“Why do you think that happened?”
These questions encourage children to think deeply, express ideas, and learn through trial and error.
We help children develop awareness of their immediate community by engaging them with local people, places, and services. Children may meet visitors such as paramedics, firefighters, librarians, or local artists, helping them learn about different roles within the community.
We also take children on local walks to explore parks, shops, post boxes, and nature trails. These experiences help children see how the world around them works and support them in feeling connected and confident in their local environment.
Every child engages with the world differently, and we ensure that our approach to Understanding the World is inclusive of all needs and abilities. Some children benefit from additional sensory experiences, more structured guidance, or visual supports. Our practitioners observe closely to identify individual interests and plan experiences that extend each child’s curiosity and confidence.
We also adapt resources and activities when needed to ensure all children can take part fully, safely, and enjoyably.
Families play a central role in helping children understand the world. We work closely with parents to share experiences, photos, and milestones from home. We encourage families to talk about travel, traditions, interests, and everyday routines that help children build a broader understanding of life beyond nursery.
We share updates, observations, and suggestions for activities that can be continued at home, such as nature walks, cooking, or exploring objects in the garden.
Understanding the World helps children learn how things work, explore nature, appreciate diversity, and develop a sense of belonging. At our nursery, we nurture children’s natural curiosity through hands-on exploration, rich conversation, and meaningful experiences. Whether they are planting seeds, observing insects, celebrating cultural festivals, investigating technology, or exploring the local community, children develop a deeper awareness of their environment and their place within it.
This foundation encourages confidence, respect, problem-solving, and a lifelong love of discovery.