Free-flow play is an important part of the EYFS. Moving between indoor and outdoor play spaces and between structured and unstructured play has a raft of benefits for young children, from developing confidence, independence and curiosity to decision making, relationship building and communication skills. Once children step outside the confines of an indoor space – even in large settings – they get a fresh perspective and can’t help but view the world with different eyes.
At Playforce, we’ve designed our very own award-winning free-flow play resource. Lots of experts like early years’ practitioners, researchers, designers and of course children helped us create it. After lots of plotting, planning and playing, we created Poddely – an open-ended, flexible outdoor learning and play resource. It’s curriculum-linked but designed intentionally to have no specific outcomes or objectives. In short, Poddely can be whatever children want it to be, fuelled by their active imaginations.
But what is it? Poddely is a range of colourful, flexible parts including interlocking tiles and mini tiles, cubes and prisms, chutes and light filters, tarps and pegs, discs and planks, connectors and pots, plus storage pods, bags and cages. The parts can be joined together or used separately and come in different size sets to suit settings of every size, with a range of add-ons to provide even more opportunities. You can see Poddely in action in this fantastic video.
Every early years customer we know uses Poddely in different ways. Here are just some that we’ve seen:
• Seating, staging and outdoor classrooms
• Discovery and science experiments
• Physical activity and assault course
• Den making, imaginative and role play
• Construction and block play
• Mark making, drawing and painting
• Marble runs, channeling and water play
• Maths, shapes and numeracy
• Light and colour play
There are two ways to buy Poddely. You can either build it into your wider consultation-led Design & Build installation or buy standalone sets direct from Playforce Shop. The Large Set is designed for larger settings and Medium Set for smaller settings – both come with lockable, waterproof storage. Our Mini Sets are perfect for small settings, settings with limited outdoor space or as add ons to larger sets. We think you’ll love our Construction, Den Making, Sand & Water and Mark Making sets.
Don’t forget there’s 25% off our whole Poddely range in July 2015 (Please note this offer is no longer available) so you’ll save money whatever you choose.
Happy exploring, little Poddely adventurers!