A MARKET stall, construction set and water tray are helping children to have fun and acquire valuable life skills.

Little Ladybirds, the Two Year Old Nursery at Darnhall Primary School have bought a selection of new interactive resources to inspire pupils and capture their imagination.

A £1,000 grant from the Darnhall Trust funded the learning equipment.

The children love experimenting with all the new resources and enjoy making up their own creative and investigative play.

A mini market stall has used as various different shops as pupils pretend to buy and sell items and work together as a team.

Children use plastic ice cream cornets and scoops to have fun in sand and water trays.

A large versatile construction set called Busy Balls gives youngsters the chance to develop their eye to hand co-ordination and spatial awareness.

Children interact, share and take it in turns to play 'cooking' eggs with spherical shapes.

Specialist child scissors enable pupils to learn how to use a one handed tool.

Two Year Old Nursery manger Joan Bailey said: "We purchased resources that we knew would enhance the children's independent learning potential.

Northwich Guardian:

Chloe Hayward, Febe Ruiz and George Doolan with Robin Wood and Val Godfrey from the Darnhall Trust

"All the resources lend themselves to promote playing and exploring, active learning, creative and thinking critically which children need to be able to do to independently become successful and resilient learners.

"Children love the new water tray. They investigate and explore with water in many different ways, adding their own resources."

Youngsters talk to each other as they explore different games and activities.

A sturdy dolls pram gives children the chance to understand the world, people and communities and share on their own experiences.

"We have been seen first-hand the impact the resources have had on the progress the children have made when being able to use the resources," said Mrs Bailey.

"This has been observed especially in communication and language as they share and interact with each other.

"The children have particularly enjoyed the role play. A market stall can be used for different imaginary buildings. It's been an ice cream farm which resulted in a first hand experience visiting the ice cream farm at Tatton."

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The nursery has also introduced 'small world people' that help children identify with their emotions whilst acting out imaginary role play, reflecting on their life experiences.

A 'tuff tray' is also used for role play and encourages pupils to stand at a table rather than sit, using more of their upper body to reach items.

"These new resources will benefit many Darnhall children that join our school community now and in the future," added Mrs Bailey.