In many early years settings, children develop confidence and engagement in group activities at different rates. While some children are naturally confident and enjoy stories and imaginative play, others may be more hesitant, particularly when it comes to joining in with group experiences.
Creating opportunities that support all children, including quieter or less confident learners, to participate fully can be a challenge.
At Wootton and Dry Sandford Pre-School, practitioners were supporting a mixed-age group of 15 children.
Many children already showed strong confidence and a love for storytelling, but ensuring that quieter children were equally engaged and included within group activities remained an important focus.
That’s where Little Magic Train became part of their practice.
From the first sessions, children began to engage in new and more inclusive ways.
While many children were already confident, what stood out most was the change in participation among quieter children a practitioner shared that “some of the quieter children began to get involved.” These children, who might typically observe and stay on the edge of group activities, started actively joining in. Over time, this developed into something more significant.
- Children moved from confident individual participation to shared group engagement across all children
- Quieter children moved from observation to active involvement within the sessions
- The group experience became more inclusive, with increased participation from all children
These changes were supported through a structured multi-sensory approach that allowed every child to participate at their own level.
Little Magic Train provides a consistent and engaging structure that supports children to feel confident within a shared experience.
Through repeated storytelling, movement and rhythm, children are encouraged to join in, respond and participate in ways that feel natural and enjoyable.
Because the structure is familiar, children quickly understand what to expect, which helps reduce hesitation and supports those who may initially feel less confident in group situations.
Impact on Confidence and Participation
Practitioners observed clear changes in children’s willingness to participate. A practitioner shared that “lots of children asked when we were doing it again”, demonstrating both enjoyment and a growing sense of confidence in joining group activities.
During sessions, quieter children became more involved, joining in with the story and movement alongside their peers. A practitioner shared that “we have a few children who do not engage in any activity, but when we do the magic train, they are fully engaged and join in.”
Practitioner reflection, ”Little Magic Train is great for bringing out confidence in shy children.”
Whole-Setting Impact
- Increased participation from quieter children
- Greater confidence in joining group activities
- More inclusive engagement across the whole group
- Strong anticipation and enthusiasm for sessions
- Increased willingness to take part in shared experiences
This approach enables practitioners to
- Support quieter children to build confidence within group activities
- Create inclusive experiences where all children can participate
- Reduce barriers to engagement in shared learning
- Encourage children to move from observation to active involvement
- Build confidence in a way that feels natural and enjoyable
This makes it both effective and sustainable within a pre-school setting.
At Wootton and Dry Sandford Pre-School, this meant quieter children finding their voice, joining in with confidence, and becoming active participants in shared learning experiences.
For settings accessing EYPP funding, this kind of impact is particularly significant.
- Little Magic Train supports measurable progress in communication, engagement and participation.
- It enables inclusive practice, aligns with Ofsted priorities around language and interaction, and provides a consistent, evidence-informed approach that can be embedded across the setting.