Early years settings require approaches that can engage children across a wide age range while remaining flexible, sustainable and easy to embed into daily practice.

Supporting imaginative play, attention, participation and school readiness skills can be particularly challenging when working with mixed-age groups and evolving cohorts.

At Marcham Pre-School, practitioners support children aged from 2 to nearly 5 years, which requires an approach that can be adapted to suit all ages, abilities and group sizes.

That’s where Little Magic Train became part of their practice.

 

Little Magic Train was first introduced into the setting in 2012 and has remained a consistent part of their practice for over a decade.

Over time, practitioners developed confidence in delivering the sessions and adapted them to suit the needs of different cohorts. The adventures became a familiar and much-loved part of the setting, with children developing favourite themes and destinations.

The impact extended beyond the pre-school itself.

  • Sessions were extended into Reception, with shared PE sessions including children up to age 7
  • The approach was successfully delivered across a wide range of group sizes, from 12 children to over 50
  • The programme became embedded as both a planned activity and a flexible part of the daily routine

This demonstrates long-term sustainability, adaptability and whole-setting impact.

 

Each session follows a structured and engaging format that supports attention, listening and imaginative participation.

At Marcham Pre-School their sessions begin with a listening game, encouraging children to focus and respond. The storytelling journey then unfolds through movement, music and imagination, with children travelling together and responding to cues.

Practitioners extend the experience through descriptive language and questioning:

👉 “What can you see over there? Who might live in that house?”

Children are encouraged to listen to rhythm, respond through movement and contribute their own ideas, helping shape the direction of the story.

The flexibility of the sessions allows practitioners to stop, repeat, and adapt activities, ensuring all children can engage at their own pace.

 

Practitioners consistently observed high levels of engagement, enjoyment and participation across all age groups.

Children quickly became familiar with the structure of the sessions, supporting confidence, anticipation and sustained involvement.

The sessions supported:

  • Strong engagement in storytelling and movement
  • Increased participation in group activities
  • Development of listening and attention skills
  • Growing confidence in imaginative play and communication

Children showed enthusiasm for the sessions, and the practitioner shared that “I just have to blow his whistle and everyone knows that Simon is ready and waiting to take us on another adventure – all aboard!”

 

Example of Practice in Action

At the end of each session, children were encouraged to reflect on their favourite part of the journey and take turns acting out sections of the story.

This supported recall, confidence and communication, while reinforcing the shared learning experience.

The sessions were also used to support school readiness skills, including routines such as getting changed and developing independence.

The approach also proved highly adaptable across a range of contexts. During the Covid-19 lockdown, sessions were successfully delivered via Zoom, ensuring continuity of engagement for children. Little Magic Train was also used as part of an Ofsted inspection, contributing to an Outstanding outcome.

This approach enables practitioners to

  • Embed a consistent and engaging approach over time
  • Adapt sessions to suit different ages, needs and group sizes
  • Support imaginative play, communication and attention
  • Encourage participation across the whole setting
  • Integrate learning into both structured and flexible parts of the day

This makes it both effective and sustainable within a pre-school setting.

 

Whole-Setting Impact

  • Long-term sustained use (since 2012)
  • Successful delivery across ages 2–7
  • Scalable across small and large groups (12–50+ children)
  • High levels of engagement and enjoyment
  • Strong staff involvement supporting inclusive practice
  • Flexible use as both planned sessions and responsive activities
  • Supports school readiness and independence

At Marcham Pre-School, this meant creating a consistent, joyful and adaptable approach to learning that has supported children’s engagement, imagination and participation for over a decade.

Practitioner reflection “We have been using Little Magic Train for many years and both the children and adults love it. It’s one of the best resources we’ve ever invested in – engaging, adaptable and something the children are always excited to be part of.”

 

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.
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