Our favourite Sensory products

Shop our brand new range of SEN products, with so many different products you could create the perfect sensory room for your nursery or school.

Christmas Craft Ideas for Kids

We have listed a few ideas for you to get creative with the kids this Christmas. It is always a great idea to get the kids involved with arts and crafts and what a great place to start. Remember you can also reuse materials you have around the house or even pick-up greenery on nature walks for your decorations.

Exercise is such an important part of everyday life, it keeps us healthy and prolongs our lives, most importantly it is great for our mental health. As adults, most of us try to keep fit and healthy but sometimes other things take over, like work and stress.

At a time when budgets are tight schools are challenged with finding the most pragmatic solutions to furnishing their learning environments. Primary schools require learning environments that reflect today’s modern and progressive teaching strategies. This means creating flexible spaces that can be used for multiple purposes by various age groups, using versatile furnishings, products and resources.

 Physical development is one of the key areas of the EYFS and is incredibly important. It is used to develop movement, fine motor skills, handling objects and understanding their own bodies and health. Children can do this in a range of ways including but not limited to special awareness when moving, co-ordination with both small and large movements, how to effectively use tools and equipment, saying when they do or don't need help, how show their feelings, learn that some behaviour is unacceptable and its consequences, how to play co-operatively and form positive relationships with adults and children.*

*earlyyearseducator.co.uk

Every young person should have the opportunity to live a healthy and an active life. With the rising rate of obesity in the UK it is incredibly important that a positive experience of sport and physical activity is introduced into a child’s life to create a lifetime habit of participation.

Physical activity has so many benefits for children’s physical health and mental wellbeing. Physical activity is proven to increase self-esteem, emotional wellbeing and lowers anxiety and depression.  Studies also show that children who partake in physical activity regularly are happier, more resilient and more trusting of their peers. If rolled out correctly in schools, physical activity can improve student behaviour and improve academic achievement.

The government has rolled out a School Sport and Activity Action Plan which will ensure all young people have access to at least 60 minutes of sport and physical activity each day.

Spalding C of E Day School were preparing for the brighter weather that was to come after the Easter Holidays by coming to us with an enquiry for outdoor gym equipment.

Woodstock School has student ages 5-11 so we matched them to a range of suitable Key Stage 1 & 2 equipment from our large range.

At School Furniture Direct we love outdoor play equipment and really focus on how it can impact on children’s health, development and imaginative play. We believe Trim Trails are a great way to promote inclusive play and also meet Ofsted’s new inspection framework which gives greater recognition to schools who have worked to improve and support the personal development of students.

Trim trails are a total playground classic in both educational and community based settings. They are great value for money; promote physical activity and developing motor skills just to name a few reasons!

Still have some Sports Premium Funding and unsure what to do with it? Trim trails are just another great option which adds a different twist on physical activity.

Cut down your waste this Christmas by making your own Christmas decorations, fun and easy to do and you also save your pennies...

Creating an Outdoor Gym Exercise Space

As an adult we greatly undervalue and under estimate the importance of roleplay in our children’s lives. Roleplay is an essential skill which helps children discover the world, expend their creativity skills and communication skills.

When looking to Early Years there are some fundamental development stages where roleplay really comes into its own in helping children develop and grow and helps us recommend what products we feel suit each step of the imaginative play curriculum.

Top 5 EYFS Nursery Must Haves for the Mathematics and Construction Curriculum

Maths is one of the four specific areas within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). Each specific area is divided into Early Learning Goals, for maths these are:

• Numbers - children learn to count and the value of numbers, higher and lower. These skills support them to solve problems, use money and calculate more or less.
• Shape, Space and Measure - these skills support children to understand size, weight, capacity, position, distance, time and money and compare quantities, objects and solve problems.

We use maths all the time – every single day. It is so important that we encourage and help children to have a broad understanding of the curriculum goals to help them progress and develop.

Children learn about maths through play and their daily experiences. And the more meaningful to them and hands on it is, the better.

Make sure your setting's environment (both indoors and out) is full of mathematical opportunities and has exciting things for children to explore, sort, compare, count, calculate and describe. Support them to be creative, critical thinkers, problem solvers and to have a go.*

Whitegate Primary School came to us with a vision of future fitness for their school. We worked together with the school to make their vision a reality.

Whitegate Primary School caters for student ages 5-11 so we matched them to a range of suitable Key Stage 1 & 2 equipment from our vast range.

Woodstock School came to us early in the year to discuss outdoor gym equipment to expand their students options during PE lessons and during playtime.

Woodstock School has student ages 5-11 so we matched them to a range of suitable Key Stage 1 & 2 equipment from our large range.

We supplied and installed 4 pieces of equipment which included single and joint use pieces. In total the equipment installed could be used by up to 6 students at a time which would make a great addition for any Physical Education lesson or good fun during break times.