Building friendships and life skills through Discovery House Day activities

On Thursday, children at DUCKS participated in Discovery House Day, engaging in activities that encouraged teamwork, play, and creative expression.

In Puffin and Lapwing classrooms, children from Reception to Year 2 practiced taking turns, sharing, and coping with both winning and losing through a variety of board games. These sessions nurtured essential life skills such as communication, teamwork, patience, and resilience.

As the day unfolded, children moved through the Early Years Playground to Forest School, where the freedom of the outdoors encouraged mixed-age collaboration, problem-solving, and empathy—particularly among older children towards their younger peers.

Each House spent time in the Creative Cave, where children explored a mixture of materials including drawing, watercolour, collage, and oil pastels. Instead of producing one final group piece, the session focused on experimentation and collaboration. Large sheets of paper were rolled out on the floor, providing ample space for children to share ideas and work together.

In Jungle Quest, children tested their physical abilities by jumping, swinging, climbing, and collecting rugby tags placed at various heights on the Adventure Playground. Later, the Houses designed and traversed their own obstacle course on the Lower Court, using crates, A-frames, mats, tyres, and PE platforms to create a challenging course.

While academic learning is essential, days like these remind us of the importance of play, social connection, and emotional growth in a child’s education. Discovery House Day gave children the chance to build lasting friendships, develop resilience, and create memorable experiences that will stay with them throughout their education.