Education and Early Years Learners Host A Christmas ‘Stay and Play’ Event
In the last month, our Level 1 Education and Early Years learners hosted two ‘Stay and Play’ sessions for families in the local community to join a fun-filled drop-in session led by our learners.
The first ‘Stay and Play’ event offered learners an opportunity to put their planning and facilitation skills into action while providing a welcoming space for children aged 0-5 and their parents or carers. Under the guidance of their tutors, learners carefully planned, resourced, and delivered a variety of age-appropriate activities to engage the children and create a fun, supportive environment.
Eight learners facilitated the event on the day, while their peers played a vital role in planning, setting up, and tidying the room. The excitement was evident as they welcomed 10 families to the session. Our learners took the lead in registering families upon arrival, completing risk assessments for activities, and ensuring everything ran smoothly throughout the event.
Despite some initial nerves, they embraced their roles with professionalism, engaging warmly with both the children and their parents. It was particularly rewarding to see the learners’ confidence grow as they interacted with families and managed the session with maturity.
Building on the success of the first session, our learners hosted their annual Christmas-themed ‘Stay and Play’ event. Once again, our Level 1 Education and Early Years learners took ownership of the session from start to finish, demonstrating their growing confidence and leadership skills. Their responsibilities included advertising the event, sourcing materials, and planning festive activities tailored for young children.
The session was a joyful celebration of the season, welcoming children as young as 14 weeks old. Festive crafts, including Christmas card-making, were a highlight of the day, as was the opportunity for children to play with ‘snow,’ - a sensory experience that sparked curiosity and excitement.
To top it all off, a very special visitor, Santa Clause, made an appearance, delighting the children and gifting each one a book to take home.
It was wonderful to see a different group of learners step into leadership roles for this session. Their confidence and enthusiasm were evident as they engaged with the children and formed positive connections with parents and carers.
Events like these not only benefit the families in our community but also provide invaluable hands-on experience for our learners as they develop skills essential for their future careers.
We look forward to hosting more sessions and continuing to strengthen the bond between our learners and the local community.
