In many early years settings, practitioners are looking for flexible ways to bring children together through play, movement and imagination while supporting communication, confidence and participation.

At Little Peeps, the team wanted resources, training and support to help engage their little ones in the learning process and extend learning across the setting.  That is where Little Magic Train became part of their practice.

 

About Little Peeps Playgroup

  • 67 children on roll, attending across AM and PM sessions
  • Mixed ages, including children with additional learning needs
  • Adventures are delivered approximately three times a week to reach as many children as possible
  • Gold Award for Healthy Eating from Caerphilly Council.

Little Peeps hopped on board at the end of January 2022. The team received live online training on how to use the resources, deliver the adventures and link activities across their setting to deepen and extend children’s learning.

The initial training was followed by extra support sessions, with access to weekly support whenever the team needed assistance or had questions.

 

Their Delivery

Alongside the adventures, Little Peeps set up activities and experiences around their setting to support the theme. This helped the team keep the learning fresh and gave children many ways to explore the adventure.

They wove Little Magic Train into messy play, craft and, at times, healthy snacks too.

 

Impact on Engagement and Learning

Little Peeps used Little Magic Train as a springboard for wider learning, creating themed experiences that helped children revisit ideas in different ways.

  • Children engaged with adventures through movement, story, sensory play and creative activities
  • The team extended learning through the linked provision around the room
  • Children were able to access the same theme in ways that matched their interests, confidence and stage of development
  • The adventures helped inspire the setting’s own creative experiences, including “Pirate Island”.  This inspired us to create our very own “Treasure Hunt” adventure.

 

Children with Additional Learning Needs

Little Peeps has a mixed age range, and some children have additional learning needs. The team shared that some children found the train adventure itself more challenging, but enjoyed the linked activities and sensory play.

Many of their ALN children were pre-verbal and could find it difficult to focus. Little Peeps adapted the sessions to meet children’s needs, recognising that even stopping, watching and being present with the group was meaningful progress.

Practitioner reflection “If ALN children stop stimming and watch the other children, that is a big win.”

 

Whole-Setting Impact

  • Improvements were seen in physical literacy for children aged 2 to 3 and above.
  • Speech and language development was supported, particularly for children aged 2 to 3 and above.
  • Social skills and interaction improved across the 2 to 3 and 3+ age ranges.
  • Emotional skills, well-being and knowledge and understanding of the world were supported.
  • Older children particularly enjoyed the sessions and absorbed a wide range of information.

 

This case study reflects a wider pattern of impact seen across settings that implement Little Magic Train.

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 the Curriculum for Wales priorities around language and interaction, and provides a consistent, evidence-informed approach that can be embedded across the setting.
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