A day in the life at Raised in Bristol: Part 2
Children can spend a lot of time at nursery, learning through play, enjoying new experiences and making friends. Current research shows that attending nursery can benefit children’s development, especially for those from more disadvantaged backgrounds. In this three-part series, we want to give you an insight into what your child might get up to on a typical day at our Raised in Bristol nurseries. In each part, we’ll give you an insight into each room and age group. In part one, we followed one year old Fin in the baby room, and in part two, we’re meeting Dora in the Toddler room!
A Day in the Life at Raised in Bristol Part 2: Dora’s Toddler Adventures
Say hello to Dora! She just turned two a couple of months ago and has been at Raised in Bristol since she was nine months old. She’s now happily settled in the toddler room. Dora is a big fan of superheroes and loves cooking with her parents. Her parents bring her to nursery by bike and drop her off on their way to work.
A Morning Hello
Dora arrives with her dad Harry at around 8:30 am. Although Dora enjoys nursery, she didn’t sleep that well last night and doesn’t want Harry to leave her and is clinging to his leg, so her key person Emma tactfully extracts her with a warm cuddle. Emma distracts her by asking her ‘shall we find your picture and sign you in?’
Once most of the toddlers have arrived, they gather on the carpet for group time to sing some songs and talk about what day of the week it is and what the weather is like today. The grown-ups tell the children that they are going on a trip to the local park!
Trips out into the community
At Raised in Bristol nurseries we try to take the children out and about into the community as much as possible. One of our core values is that children have a sense of place in the local area. We want children to be aware of the world around them and have a sense of belonging, learning about the local community as well as the wider world.
It’s time to check that the children have all got their suncream on and the adults help put them into their hi-vis jackets ready to leave for the trip.
On the walk to the park the children see the postman and he waves at them, and they are all very excited! Once they(finally) make it to the park at the speed their little legs dictate, they get out of the buggies and have a run around, enjoying taking it on turns on the slide. Dora loves the swings, so Emma pushes her as she shouts ‘higher!’
After they all had a good play, they sit down on a blanket in the shade for snack. They’ve got fresh slices of apple and pear with crackers and houmous accompanied by a cup of milk to cool them down. Delicious and nutritious!
On the way back to nursery, they stop at the local shop to get some ingredients to do a baking activity in the afternoon. The grown-ups talk through what they need to get to make flapjacks ‘oats, apples and honey!’.
Lunch & Rest
When they get back to the nursery, there’s some time to play before lunch. One of the Educators made some playdough that morning, and Dora gets stuck in to crafting it, rolling it out and using some shells to make marks in the dough.
After such a busy morning running around in the park, the toddlers are getting hungry, so it’s time for lunch. Today it’s a favourite with the children: Spaghetti Bolognese with fruit jelly for afters! Food at our nurseries is provided by the local Italian family-run Bianchi’s Group via their early years kitchen, Cucina Bambini. Dora sits among friends at a low table, building social mealtime skills, using cutlery and drinking from a cup with growing confidence.
After lunch, it's naptime in the sleep area, which is curtained off from the rest of the toddler room. Each child has their own sleep mat with a sheet and blanket. Dora falls asleep almost instantly after not sleeping well last night, and the fresh air of this morning’s outing.
Winding Down & Tea
At 4 pm, the children sing the ‘tidy up’ song and the grown-ups help them tidy away the afternoon’s activities. It’s then time for a second carpet time: more songs and a story. Dora sings along to ‘The Goodbye Train’ and mimics the train dance moves, prompted gently by the nursery team. It’s then time to wash hands and sit down for tea. Today they’ve got cheese and cucumber wraps followed by banana. Dora enjoys chatting and giggling to friends while she eats.
When her mum Suzie arrives around 5:30 pm, Dora gives her a big cuddle and shows her the flapjacks to take home. Emma shares details of the day: how Dora enjoyed their trip to the park and got involved with the baking. Also, that she ate well and slept soundly. Dora waves goodbye, collecting her coat and bag herself, and leaves after a great, busy day. She’ll definitely sleep better tonight!
Why Dora’s Day Matters
Child-led learning through play: Dora moves freely between play activities that interest her, whether through baking, imaginative play, or enjoying the swings. The nursery team follow her cues and scaffold when helpful, creating engaging, personalised learning moments—all central to EYFS practice and Raised in Bristol’s curriculum.
Routine with flexibility: A consistent rhythm (snacks, lunch, rest, circle times) rooted in children’s individual needs. This helps build emotional security and independence, especially with the familiar key‑person approach.
Learning opportunities everywhere: Whether indoors or out, Dora is exposed to sensory experiences, physical challenges, imaginative play and language-rich group moments—all supporting toddler development across prime EYFS areas.
We have four nurseries in Bristol with Raised in Bristol at Easton Community Centre and Raised in Bristol at Felix Road Adventure Playground in Easton (BS5). Raised in Bristol at Docklands Community Centre in St Pauls (BS2) and Raised in Bristol at the Greenway Centre in Southmead (BS10). We currently have some nursery places available. To find out more, fill out an enquiry form for your desired location by clicking on your desired setting here. Our Admissions team will then get in touch to invite you in for nursery tour to see what life at Raised in Bristol is like for yourself!
