🏡 Our Families, Our Houses, Our Street: building Cultural Capital in early years

This week at Fun Box Day Nursery, we returned to one of our favourite themes — All About Me — exploring Our Families, Our Houses and Our Street.

Through these experiences, children learn more than facts about the world — they begin to understand where they belong within it. Discovering who they are, where they live, and who they share their home with helps them build the roots of Cultural Capital and a growing awareness of People and Communities within

Understanding the World.

🌱 What We Mean by Cultural Capital

At Fun Box, we often talk about helping children build their Cultural Capital. In simple terms, this means giving every child the knowledge, experiences and confidence they need to understand and take part in the world around them. Each child already brings their own experiences from home — the songs you sing together, family routines, visits to the park, or favourite stories. In nursery, we build on these by introducing new ideas and experiences — exploring different jobs, traditions, foods and communities. Step by step, these moments help children grow in curiosity, confidence and understanding of their place in the wider world. 🌍✨

Exploring Families and Homes

With Lauren’s guidance, the children gathered around a large sheet of paper, where a long street stretched through the middle and house shapes waited to be filled. Inside each home, they drew their family members — capturing their own version of the people and places that make them feel safe and loved.

As they lay on their tummies to draw, lifting their heads and shoulders, they strengthened both core muscles and fine motor control. Sharing their drawings with one another helped them see how every family looks a little different — and how that uniqueness gives each child a special place to belong. 💛

People, Professions and Personal Stories

Alisha extended the theme using small world people and family photographs, encouraging children to describe their loved ones and what makes them unique. Through these thoughtful conversations, they built language skills, confidence and a sense of connection — recognising that every family, no matter its shape or size, has its own story and rhythm.

Rooms, Objects and Memory Games

In another activity, Lena invited the children to explore the rooms of a house, matching household objects to where they might belong. This simple, playful task supported early maths, sorting and categorising skills, while helping children relate their everyday experiences to the wider world around them.

A lively round of Kim’s Game followed, where the children worked together to spot which object had disappeared. Along the way, they strengthened memory, attention and teamwork, discovering how shared play builds both learning and belonging.

Numbers on Our Street

Outside, the learning continued with a chalk-drawn row of houses, each with its own number and parking space. The children enjoyed hopping along the number line, matching numerals and finding the right “driveway” for each house — a joyful way to connect maths, movement, and community. Every hop, giggle and discovery added to their sense of being part of something bigger.

Little Explorers and Autumn Treasures

Our youngest children had their own sensory adventures, exploring the textures and colours of autumn — leaves, cones and other natural treasures. Using their senses, they made gentle connections with the changing world around them, feeling their place within nature’s rhythm. 🍁

These All About Me experiences reminded us that every child’s journey begins with belonging — to a family, a home, a community. Through curiosity, creativity and play, our children are learning to see themselves as part of a bigger story — one filled with care, discovery and joy. ❤️