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Are You Due £2,000 in Help for Childcare? Rough Guide to Tax-Free Childcare

Are You Due £2,000 in Help for Childcare? Rough Guide to Tax-Free Childcare

Each year, around 1 million families miss out on thousands of pounds in free childcare funding, despite being eligibleEach year, around 1 million families miss out on thousands of pounds in free childcare funding — despite being eligible through the Government’s Tax-Free Childcare scheme. Are you one of them?

In today’s guide, we take a look at Tax-Free Childcare, which could effectively contribute anywhere from £2,000 to £4,000 per child, per year, towards childcare costs for eligible families. Those are significant sums, which could really help families, especially with the rising cost of living. The funding is there for for the taking if you’re eligible So, don’t miss out!

Let’s take a look.

What is Tax-Free Childcare?

In effect, the Tax-Free Childcare scheme subsidises childcare costs by utilising the tax that eligible families would ordinarily have pre-paid on the taxed income they use to pay for childcare. Specifically, the Government will add an extra £2 for every £8 that eligible families pay into a special account used childcare costs — even more if the child has disabilities. We’ll explain more about the childcare account later, but the good news is that you can get as much as £2,000 per child per annum if you’re eligible, or up to twice that if your child has disabilities. That’s a lot of money!

Who is Eligible for Tax-Free Childcare?

We explain who is eligible for Tax-Free Childcare.Families, including single parent families, are usually eligible for tax-free childcare scheme if they meet the following criteria:

  • The claimants are working (employed or self-employed) in the UK;
  • They each earn under £100,000 per annum;
  • They each earn at least £152 per week, which is £1,976 over the next 3 months (the equivalent of 16 hours per week at the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage at time of writing);
  • They are not in receipt of childcare vouchers (which are closed to new applicants anyway), Universal Credit, Tax Credits or a childcare bursary/grant;
  • Parents/carers/guardians are over 16;
  • Children for whom they are claiming tax-free childcare is/are no older than 11 years of age or, if they have disabilities, no older than 16;
  • They should usually be living with the parent/carer/guardian(s) making the claim.

The above list represents the key rules governing eligibility for most families. However, there are some additional rules around eligibility — and some welcome exceptions to the above. Immigration and citizenship status may affect eligibility, for example, and some who are not working may still be eligible for Tax-Free Childcare under certain circumstances. Learn about eligibility rules for Tax-Free Childcare in more detail here.

Many will also be pleased to learn that families can also claim for the 30 Hours of free childcare scheme for 3 and 4-year-olds if they’re also eligible for that.

Which Providers Can Provide Childcare Under the Scheme?

Childcare providers using the Tax-Free Childcare funding must be registered with the Early Years Register, the Childcare Register or Ofsted.The Tax-Free Childcare contribution from the Government can only be used to pay for childcare provided by approved childcare providers that have signed up to the scheme. Such providers must be registered with either the Early Years Register, the Childcare Register or Ofsted in order to be approved. However, they can be nurseries, childminders, nannies, play schemes or even after school clubs. Little Acorns Nursery is, of course, such an approved childcare provider and would be happy to assist families to make the most of this very useful, free childcare funding opportunity.

How to Apply for Tax-Free Childcare

If you think you are eligible, you can apply for Tax-Free Childcare here. Applications usually take only twenty minutes or so and you will need:

  • Your Government Gateway User ID (or set one up if you don’t yet have one);
  • An email address and mobile phone at the ready;
  • Your own National Insurance number and that of your partner if you have one;
  • Your Unique Taxpayer Reference number (UTR) if self-employed;
  • One or more of the following (for you and your partner, if you have one): UK passport, P60, recent pay slip if you are working, Tax Credits confirmation from HMRC.

The application for Tax-Free Childcare will usually confirm right away whether you are eligible for tax-free childcare. It will also confirm if you’re eligible for 30 hours of free childcare for 3 and 4-year-olds, which is an added bonus.

How is it Paid?

A successful application results in the generation of a Childcare Account, held jointly by you and your partner if you have one. You will then need to credit your account with your own payments for childcare provision and the Government will top this up with their contributions, equivalent to 20% of childcare costs worth up to £2,000 per annum (paid as £500 max. per quarter) or £4,000 (paid as £1,000 max. per quarter) if your child has disabilities. Paying your contributions specifically by Bank Transfer will apparently speed up payment of the Government contributions, by the way.

Once funds are showing as available, your childcare provider can be paid for childcare services direct from your childcare account, as either one-off, or regular payments. It cannot be used to pay for anything else and you’ll be required to confirm that your details are still up-to-date each quarter (a reminder will be sent when this is required).

Good luck and do let us know if you need any help or advice in regard to your application.

Little Acorns Nursery, Clayton-le-Woods, ChorleyLittle Acorns: the Best Nursery & Pre-School in Clayton, Chorley & Central Lancashire

An outstanding childcare providerOur amazing National nursery award and outstanding Ofsted rating prove that we are probably the best nursery and pre-school for babies and under-fives in Clayton-le-Woods, Clayton Green, Clayton Brook, Chorley, Central Lancashire and even beyond. Give your baby, toddler or under-five child the best start in life by choosing the exceptional childcare service from Little Acorns Nursery. For more information or to register for a nursery place, please get in touch. Choose a button below to get started …

Arrange a Nursery VisitSend Us a MessageCall: 01772 696 288
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20 Reasons to Choose Little Acorns Nursery for Your Childcare
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20 Reasons to Choose Little Acorns Nursery for Your Childcare

20 Reasons to Choose Little Acorns Nursery for Your Childcare

Little Acorns offers the best possible childcare service for under-fives and this is independently verified.If you are looking for the very best childcare provision for your child in Central Lancashire, there are a multitude of reasons why you should choose Little Acorns Nursery. Put simply, Little Acorns offers the very best possible childcare service for under-fives — but you don’t need to take our word for it. This is independently verified, as you’ll see below. Take a look at our top 20 reasons to choose Little Acorns Nursery and you’ll soon see why it’s virtually impossible to beat when it comes to outstanding childcare provision.

1. Winner of THE Top National Nursery Award

We’re award-winning — and not just any award. Out of all the nurseries in the UK, Little Acorns won the award for the best Independent Nursery in the National NMT Nursery Awards. That says it all, really, and such a unique award recognises our passion, professionalism and the unparalleled quality of childcare provision.

2. We’re Officially an Outstanding Childcare Provider

An outstanding childcare provider in Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley, Central LancashireWe’re an outstanding nursery. That’s official too. Ofsted, who inspect and grade childcare providers across the UK, rate us as an Outstanding Provider of childcare in every category. There is simply no higher rating.

3. Outstanding Leadership & Management

The effectiveness of our nursery’s leadership and management is also outstanding and, again, Ofsted independently verify this.

4. Outstanding Teaching, Learning & Assessment

The quality of teaching, learning and assessment at Little Acorns Nursery is outstanding according to Ofsted.The quality of teaching, learning and assessment at the nursery was also found to be simply outstanding when Ofsted appraised us. It doesn’t get any better than that.

5. Outstanding Personal Development, Behaviour & Welfare

Ofsted also found the quality of personal development, behaviour and welfare to be outstanding at the nursery, so you know your child is in the best place if they go to Little Acorns Nursery in Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley.

6. Outstanding Outcomes for Our Children

What’s even more important about Little Acorns Nursery is that Ofsted found children’s outcomes to be outstanding if they attend the nursery. An outstanding outcome for your child is simply priceless.

7. Exceptional Feedback from Parents

Parents give us exceptionally good feedback about the nursery/pre-school. Take a look at the lovely comments in the ‘Parent Feedback’ sections near the bottom of the Home page, About Us page and Parent’s Information page on the website. As you’ll see there, parents regularly endorse the nursery/pre-school, commenting on the professionalism, dedication and enthusiasm of staff and their approach to learning and development. They’ll often comment on how well their child has settled in, that their child is flourishing, and how the nursery is like a family that supports their family. The bespoke daily feedback provided to parents, whether via the app, face-to-face or via phone or email, is also extremely highly regarded.

8. Healthy Eating Award

Little Acorns has received a Recipe 4 Health Award in recognition of the healthy food options offered at the settingLittle Acorns Nursery has received a number of awards for it’s healthy eating policy. These include a Recipe 4 Health Award and accreditation via the Smiling For Life Award. Each recognises the healthy meals and snacks that we provide to children under our care.

9. Healthy Food & Drink are Included in Our Pricing

Healthy meals and snacks are prepared in-house and are included in our pricing. We use fresh, high quality ingredients and cater for all dietary requirements, including any allergies.

10. Five Star Food Hygiene Rating

Our nursery has a 5 Star food hygiene ratingIt almost goes without saying that, of course, Little Acorns Nursery has a 5-star food hygiene rating. Once again, that’s the topmost rating. Quality and professionalism are, after all, at the heart of everything we do.

11. We Support Government Schemes for Free Childcare

We support free childcare Government schemes. So, eligible 2-year-olds can receive 15 free hours of childcare each week over the course (usually) of 38 weeks at the nursery, while 3 and 4-year-olds can receive up to 30 hours per week — totally free. Learn more about free childcare hours for 2, 3 and 4-year-olds here.

12. We Accept Childcare Vouchers

We also accept recognised childcare vouchers (subject to eligibility/validity), which are another great way for parents to save on childcare costs.

13. A Purpose Behind Everything We Do at the Nursery

Everything we do at the nursery has a purpose.Everything we do at the nursery has a purpose, whether it’s a customised approach to learning for a specific child, the choice of a particular activity or game for another, the purchase of a piece of new equipment, or the way we keep parents informed about their child’s progress each day — there is a reason for everything we do. Ultimately, our goal is to give every child the very best start in life and to equip them to achieve their personal best in every area. In this way, they are given the tools to achieve the very best outcomes in their lives.

14. A Nurturing Environment Where Children Thrive

As our ethos at the nursery says, “at Little Acorns we provide an environment that offers a calm and nurturing place where children thrive and become Explorers, Discoverers, Learners and Innovators.” In short, by nurturing and inspiring children, we bring out the best in them, ensure they feel happy, safe and valued and help them to absolutely thrive.

15. A Learning & Development Programme Tailored to Every Child

Every child is unique and each will have particular strengths and perhaps some weaker areas of ability. There is therefore no one-size-fits-all approach to learning and development. For this reason, the learning and development programme is specifically tailored for each individual child. In this way, each child can flourish and achieve personal bests in every area.

16. Support Every Day in All 7 Areas of the EYFS

Every day, each child is supported in all 7 areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework. This is the critically-important learning and development framework set out by the UK Government that, when followed, will also help children to thrive, be safe, feel valued and a whole lot more. Learn more about the EYFS here.

17. We Prepare Children for the Transition to School

We prepare every child for their eventual move to school. Preparedness for school is of huge importance if they’re to hit the ground running when they start in Reception year at the age of 5 and progress onwards. Everything we do at our nursery/pre-school allows them to be several steps ahead and absolutely thrive during the transition to school and beyond.

18. Forest School Allows Children to Benefit from Nature

Children enjoying a Forest School session at Little Acorns Nursery, Chorley, Central Lancashire.Our Forest School should be open from Autumn 2022. Children love Forest School and it teaches them so much about nature, the natural world and ultimately about themselves. Learn more about Forest School and it’s benefits here and you will soon see why it’s best to choose a childcare setting that incorporates Forest School into its curriculum and learning/development programme.

19. A Truly Special Team of Early Years Practitioners

Our team is a very, very special one indeed. Each member of the team fully understands the responsibility and importance that they play in the education of children under our care. Setting up optimised foundations for each individual child will help them to be as successful as possible in all their future endeavours. Our efforts in this regard have earned the setting some incredible awards and an unbeatable Ofsted rating as you’ll have seen above. Our passionate team of practitioners and the childcare they provide at Little Acorns Nursery is incredibly effective and is simply unsurpassed in Central Lancashire.

20. An Open Door — for You

Little Acorns Nursery, Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley, Central LancashireIf you’d like to see the nursery for yourself, we’d welcome your visit. We have an ‘open door’ policy, meaning that we welcome you, as a parent or children’s guardian, to come along, whenever you like, to see the nursery in action. There’s nothing quite like seeing a childcare setting working, in the flesh, in order to gauge its quality for yourself. Come and take a look, or book a specific time and date for a tour below.

Little Acorns Nursery, Chorley — The Best Nursery & Pre-School in Central Lancashire

With it’s incredible awards, outstanding Ofsted rating and unrivalled team and methodology, Little Acorns Nursery is arguably unbeatable in the entire Central Lancashire region.   If you’re looking for the best nursery and pre-school for your child in the Clayton-le-Woods, Clayton Green, Clayton Brook, Chorley or Central Lancashire region, please get in touch. Choose a button below to get started …

Arrange a Nursery VisitSend Us a MessageCall: 01772 696 288
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SUPER-CHARGE Your Child’s Education Through Reading

SUPER-CHARGE Your Child's Education Through Reading

In a major study, preschoolers gained a boost of the equivalent of 8 months when they regularly read with a parent or carer.Last year, we wrote a detailed post outlining why every parent should be involved in their child’s education. There’s one particular area, though, that merits its own stand-alone article and that’s reading with your child. Reading with children is incredibly important — and a powerful way to absolutely super-charge their education. Let’s take a look.

Studies show that reading with your under-five can boost their language skills by a staggering 20%.

A 40 year study∞ of pre-school children found enormous positive benefits when children regularly read with a parent or carer. Preschoolers were seen to gain a boost, incredibly, of the equivalent of 8 months. That’s remarkable given that the average age in the study was just 3¼. Particular benefits were clear to see in several areas, including:

  • Understanding (‘receptive language’);
  • Use of vocal grammar and vocabulary (‘expressive language’);
  • In the understanding of word structure and ‘pre-reading’ skills.

Receptive language skills were seen to benefit the most and that’s important — after all, understanding and comprehension of words and meanings are keys to potentially huge growth in many other areas a child’s early years education. Indeed, lacking such abilities has also been shown to really hold children back in terms of later social and educational ability, with poorer outcomes when they’re older.

A Special Boost for Children from Lower Socio-Economic Backgrounds

Instilling a love of reading in children is like educational gold dust.Interestingly, under-five children who came from disadvantaged backgrounds were shown to benefit even more than those who didn’t. For this reason, reading with parents/carers has been proposed as a possible way to close the performance deficit often seen with children from such backgrounds. It may well represent a perfect solution to even up the playing field.

“Receptive language skills – the ability to understand information – are positively affected when pre-school youngsters read with someone who cares for them.”

Read With Children, Not Just To Them

That’s an important factor. Reading to children is all very well and will have benefits, for sure. However, reading with children takes the potential benefits to a whole new level and that’s why it’s the kind of approach we use at Little Acorns Nursery. Parents and carers should also involve their children in the reading. Getting them to interact with what’s being read will also make the reading process fun and interesting for them. For example, explaining what things mean, asking them questions about the story or topic and commenting on their answers. Sometimes get them to repeat words correctly and show them how those words and sounds are made up on the written page. Getting them really involved interactively will make reading both fun and educational. By doing so, you will show them how reading works and you will also be more likely to instil in them a love of reading as they grow older. That is like educational gold dust.

Instilling a love of reading in children is like educational gold dust.

More Benefits of Reading with Children

By getting children to interact with shared reading sessions, they are learning all the time and often in profound ways. That’s true not only in respect of the topics written in the reading material but also in relation to language, grammar, phonics, sentence structure, phrasing, letters, syllables, reading itself and basically the English language as a whole. All these skills are crucial to their current and future success. With good reading and comprehension skills, they’ll learn and excel in all other educational areas and also as individuals going forwards. The importance of all of that cannot be overstated.

Other benefits of regular shared reading sessions with adults include:

  • Children gain a deeper, more profound understanding of a much wider range of topics when they regularly read with a parent.Deeper bonds with parents/carers (after all, this is quality time spent together, one-to-one);
  • Greater imaginations and thereby enhanced creativity skills;
  • Improved social skills due to their improved language skills and knowledge;
  • A better understanding of the world;
  • Improvements to their self-expression skills, including around expression of their emotions;
  • Often even improved empathy skills because they’ll learn, through reading, how to look at things from multiple perspectives, including from those of others;
  • Overall, a deeper, more profound understanding of a much wider range of topics and facts.

Children, particularly in their early years, often take in and comprehend far more than we realise and far more than they can articulate at such a young age. Indeed, millions of new pathways are developed in their young brains with every activity that they undertake. Reading, in particular, teaches children so much, in deep, profound ways. All its benefits can only help children to thrive and optimise their potential to learn, become as well-educated as possible and be successful individuals as they grow older.

Reading is powerful.

Little Acorns Nursery — Outstanding Early Years Education for Under-Fives

An outstanding childcare provider in Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley, Central LancashireAt Little Acorns, we know the value of reading with children under our care and take every opportunity to do so. We make it fun and interactive in the knowledge that it will help give them a huge boost in their early years education. In so doing, they’ll become more school-ready by the time they leave us at the age of 5 and join reception year at school. Little Acorns Nursery, Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley, Central LancashireIt’ll also give them the tools to absolutely thrive and enjoy better outcomes in their school lives and beyond.

Little Acorns is an award-winning childcare provider with an outstanding Ofsted rating. As such, it represents the best nursery and pre-school in Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley and the Central Lancashire area. If you’d like your baby or child to go to the very best childcare setting available, please get in touch:

Arrange a Nursery VisitSend Us a MessageCall: 01772 696 288
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THIS is Why Your Child Should Go to Nursery & Pre-school
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THIS is Why Your Child Should Go to Nursery & Pre-school

THIS is Why Your Child Should Go to Nursery & Pre-school

While some parent/guardians simply have to send their little ones to nursery or pre-school, others may be fortunate enough to have a choice. If you are one of them, you may be wondering whether to send your child to nursery or pre-school anyway — even if you don’t need to go to work from a practical or financial perspective. Typical questions parents may ask themselves include:

  • Would staying at home be better for my child?
  • Or would they be missing out if they don’t attend nursery or pre-school?
  • What are the benefits of going to nursery/pre-school for the child?

Well, this article is here precisely to answer those kinds of questions. The overall consensus from experts, though, is that children will benefit enormously by regularly attending a high quality early years setting. Let’s take a closer look.

The Benefits of Nursery/Pre-school to Under-5s

Studies show that the benefits of nursery and/or pre-school to children are most pronounced when they attend a good early years setting. So the choice of provider is an important one and, indeed, one that makes all the difference to the outcomes for a child.

At Little Acorns Nursery in Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley, under-fives are therefore fortunate in that Ofsted rate us as an outstanding childcare and early years provider – in every category. Indeed, Ofsted confirms that children have “outstanding outcomes” at our childcare setting.

Multiple Studies Show Benefits From as Young as 2 Right Into Adulthood

According to a 2020 study by the Department of Education (DfE):

  • A good early years education benefits children educationally.
  • A good early years education benefits children cognitively.
  • A good early years education benefits children behaviourally.
  • A good early years education benefits children’s social outcomes in both the long and short term.

A 2002 study1 found that the benefits of a good early years education showed benefits as early as the age of two.

Later, in 2011, another study2 showed that children aged 15 were still benefiting if they’d received a good early years education at nursery, pre-school or other early years setting. The benefits were seen to be so significant that, by the time they reached the age of 15, they were the equivalent of a year ahead in terms of performance.

Another study3 came to similar conclusions in 2018, finding that those children who received a good early years education had improved social skills, improved self-confidence and had a better foundation for success not only at school but also right into older years and the workplace.

Findings of a 13 Year Study

A UK study5, which which followed the progress of children from the age of 3 right up to 16, found a whole raft of positive benefits from a good early years education. Indeed, they were so positive and far-reaching that the findings significantly influenced not only the UK Government’s approach to early years education (including the introduction of the free childcare schemes that we know today for eligible children aged 2 to 4) but also the work of global bodies. These include UNICEF and UNESCO. The long-term benefits of a good early years education, highlighted by the study, included:

  • Better grades and number of GCSE levels attained;
  • Improved English, mathematics and academic results;
  • Better behaviour and self-regulation;
  • Improved relationships with peers;
  • A lower likelihood of hyperactivity;
  • A greater likelihood of going on to higher education;
  • Positive benefits right into and during adulthood;
  • Improved earnings potential when they’ve progressed to the workplace.

Levelling the Playing Field for Disadvantaged Children

The later DfE study in 2020 also found that disadvantaged children received particular benefits from a good early years education if they attended regularly and for long enough. Benefits were most pronounced when under-twos attended for at least 10 hours per week and 3 to 4-year-olds attended for at least double that. The cumulative effect was to level up the playing field for them to a significant degree. Benefits included improved verbal abilities and better goal attainment, both skills that stand young children in good stead once they transition to school at the age of five.

Benefits to Families & the Nation

While this article is primarily about the benefits of nursery or pre-school to children, we must also make mention of the benefits to families and society in general. For example:

  • Households/families benefit as it allows adults to return to work and thereby increase household income, the possibility of upward mobility and, of course, more tax for the exchequer;
  • Along with improved education comes lower crime and prison rates, less poverty and reduced reliance on welfare;
  • A Chicago study4 concluded the same, also finding that children who had received a good early years education were less likely to suffer from child abuse, neglect, depression and even substance abuse.

A Good Early Years Education Matters

As we can see, study after study recognises the crucial importance of a good early years education for children. The benefits to them are profound and far-reaching. This is no surprise to us at Little Acorns Nursery in Clayton, of course. However, it’s good to see our own beliefs backed-up by the findings of so many illuminating studies, as well as the DfE itself.

Little Acorns Nursery — Outstanding Early Years Education for Under Fives

Little Acorns Nursery, Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley, Central LancashireEverything we do at Little Acorns is designed to give your baby, toddler or preschooler the very best start in life. Our outstanding, award-winning early years provision ensures that every child learns optimally and develops the skills they need to absolutely thrive. Our approach allows them to achieve personal bests in every area. That’s all just a small part of the exceptional learning and development programme that we offer at our outstanding nursery and pre-school in Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley, in Central Lancashire. If you’d like to explore the possibility of your baby or under-five child attending the nursery and benefiting from the very best childcare available, please get in touch:

Arrange a Nursery VisitSend Us a MessageCall: 01772 696 288

References: 1: Sammons et al. 2002 | 2: The OECD, 2011 | 3: Sim, 2018 | 4: Chicago Longitudinal Study funded by the U.S. National Institute of Health (NIH) | 5: The Effective Pre-School, Primary & Secondary Education (EPPSE) study.

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12 Outdoor Activities for Little Ones

12 Outdoor Activities for Little Ones

Our last post described the huge number of benefits of outdoor play for children in their early years. With that in mind, today’s post highlights twelve excellent outdoor play activities that young children can enjoy. With spring all but upon us at time of writing, children will be able to get outdoors more and more in the coming weeks and months. Our activity suggestions are fun, educational, will teach children new skills and will get them out into the healthy fresh air too. Our ideas below are mostly of the more natural variety too, so need not cost anything. Take a look …

Bird spotting is a wonderful activity for young children and helps introduce them to an appreciation of wild creatures.1. Bird spotting

Teaching children to spot birds will really help them to appreciate wild creatures. They can simply watch for them in the park, on the balcony, in the garden or out in the country. Putting out some bird food and waiting patiently and quietly out of sight will help, of course. If children have made home-made bird feeders — even better! It’s more educational if they can view a UK bird book or app so they can identify the types of birds that they see. Maybe make them a list if they can read, or a pictorial reference sheet that they can tick off. Robins, sparrows, blackbirds, pigeons, doves and various types of tit are common in the UK, but there are many other types too. Here’s a handy list of the 19 most common British birds.

2. BBee and butterfly spotting is a wonderful activity for young children.ee & Butterfly Spotting

Similarly, bee and butterfly spotting is a wonderful activity for young children, although it relies more on there being an abundance of the right kind of flowers and plants growing nearby. Butterflies, bees and gentle hover flies will flock to plants like Buddleia, for example. They all generally like any flowering plants that are rich in nectar, scented and colourful. As we suggested for birds, perhaps parents or carers can print out pictorial reference for the different types that children may discover. Here’s a great reference for the different types of bee found in the UK and here’s a guide for UK butterflies.

Another educational and interesting outdoor activity for little ones is to see if they can find animal tracks.3. Search for Animal Tracks

Continuing with our wildlife activity theme, another educational and interesting activity for little ones is to see if they can find animal tracks. This is best done when there is suitable habitat for paw prints and suchlike, for instance where there is soft earth, mud or sand nearby. It might be a good activity to do whilst out rambling (see #6 below). Perhaps search near a lake or river as many birds and animals will visit the water’s edge — or in snow if it’s winter. (N.B. such activities should be done under adult supervision for safety, of course).

Children love building dens to 'camp' in.4. Make a Den

Once in the outdoors, whether in a garden, courtyard, park or countryside, children love building dens to ‘camp’ in. Building them is all part of the fun and they can be made with long sticks and foliage, a sheet draped over string tied between trees, or simply using a low-cost children’s tent or similar. Once erected, children will love using the den to use as a base, like their own ‘home in the wild’. Their imaginations can run riot and all manner of games, role-play and adventure can ensue.

 

Little ones will love floating little boats on water.5. Float a Boat

Little ones will love floating little boats on water (with supervision of a responsible adult for safety, of course). They’ll enjoy it even more if they have made the little boat or raft themselves. Boats can be made simply from folded paper (as in the photograph) or using little sticks, string and perhaps a little bit of a cloth for a sail. If there’s a stream, then even better — they can race their boats! Even a puddle, pond or paddling pool will do, though.

Rambling is a wonderful chance for adventure, discovery, varied play — and fun!6. Go on a Ramble

A walk to around the local park, beside a local river, woods or countryside is one of life’s great free pleasures. The benefits of being out in nature are significant and numerous for children and adults alike. A ramble with Mum or Dad or another responsible adult will do wonders for a child’s physical and mental wellbeing. It’s also a wonderful chance for adventure, discovery, varied play — and fun!

Children will love seeing the results when they take photos of flowers, insects, landscapes, trees and sunsets.7. Get into Photography

With cameras being a part of mobile phones and tablets these days, photography is easily accessible to little ones. It’s easy too … just preview, check the subject is in view and in focus, and press the button. And, if children get more interested, perhaps they could ask for a camera, whether new, second-hand or passed down when a relative upgrades. Children will love seeing the results when they take photos of flowers, insects, landscapes, trees, sunsets and anything that triggers their imagination in the outdoors. Who knows — it could even lead to a creative career!

Children will love running and climbing around an assault course.8. Obstacle Course

The opportunities for playing are infinite outdoors. Children will love running and climbing around an assault course. This could be formal (like in a playground) or using more rustic obstacles like trees, logs, inclines and suchlike. Obstacles courses outdoors are a great way to challenge children’s imaginations, skills like problem-solving and, of course, fitness, motor skills, balance and coordination. They could even do it in teams. It’s all great fun!

Little ones love picnics!9. Have a Picnic

Little ones love picnics! So, next time the sun is out and you’re taking your child(ren) out to the park, the countryside or even perhaps just to a garden, consider taking a picnic. Children can even be involved in preparing for one and will enjoy the sense of responsibility that goes with gathering everything that’s needed. Then, once outdoors, they’ll enjoy sitting on the picnic mat with the food, drink, fresh air and immersing themselves in the very ‘civilised’ thing that is the picnic!

Planting seedlings, vegetables, plants or herbs in the garden is one of life's simple pleasures for children and adults alike.

10. Plant a Mini Garden

Planting seedlings, vegetables, plants or herbs in the garden is one of life’s simple pleasures for children and adults alike. It’s a relaxing and educational activity for children to enjoy outdoors. While a garden is ideal, containers or pots on a balcony, courtyard, patio or windowsill will suffice as plants need only be small. Supervising adults can help children to care for the plants and, in time, harvest flowers, herbs or vegetables from them. They will learn so many lessons by growing plants and food, including patience and empathy, and will get a great sense of achievement when they see the results. They will also have witnessed the magic of nature.

Children love discovering mini beasts.11. Hunt for Mini Beasts

Children can also search outdoors for mini beasts like woodlice, ants, beetles, ladybirds, centipedes, caterpillars, slow-worms and even earth worms. They need to be respectful of them and be gentle, however. After all, each is a living being with its own needs and feelings. So caring, adult supervision is always best around little creatures, particularly when children first learn about them. They will love getting to discover their tiny neighbours and perhaps even get to rescue any that occasionally get themselves into trouble, for example a bug that’s landed in a puddle or butterfly that’s in danger of getting caught in a web. A sense of empathy will naturally come from such activities.

It's surprising how creative children can be with pebbles and rocks!12. Get Creative with Rocks & Stones

Pebble sculptures are easy!Whether on the beach or in the garden, it’s surprising how creative children can be with stones and rocks! Stones can be painted with lovely patterns or images, perhaps combined with simple words or as part of a ‘stone story’. Bigger rocks can be piled one on top of the other to form sculptures — these look magical. Children will love these and other creative activities that they can take part in outdoors, with simple stones and rocks.

Safety First

Safety is paramount. When playing, particularly outdoors or near hazards, children should always be supervised by a parent or responsible adult.

Outdoor Play at Little Acorns Nursery & Forest School (Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley)

Little Acorns Nursery, Clayton-le-Woods, ChorleyWe have outstanding outdoor play areas at Little Acorns Nursery in Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley, Central Lancashire. We also have a wonderful Forest School for our under-fives. We have an Excellent Ofsted rating and an outstanding National-level nursery award. We’re near Clayton Green and Clayton Brook too, so will be perfect for you if you live or work in any of those areas and need the very best childcare for your child. Arrange a visit with your child or baby, so you can all look around. Alternatively, get in touch to ask any questions or simply apply for a nursery place if you’re ready to. We look forward to meeting you!

Arrange a Nursery VisitSend Us a MessageCall: 01772 696 288
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The Benefits of Outdoor Play in the Early Years
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The Benefits of Outdoor Play in the Early Years

The Benefits of Outdoor Play in the Early Years

Outdoor play is great fun for children but also has a huge number of benefits.In today’s post, we take a look at the importance of outdoor play for children in their early years. Indeed, there are many benefits, as we’ll see …

Outdoor play is great fun for children — of course — and that should not be overlooked as a benefit. After all, any healthy childhood should be about adventurous play and fun just as much as it should be about learning. However, as we all know, playing and learning are very closely interlinked. That is why outstanding childcare settings like Little Acorns Nursery firmly believe in learning through play.

Having fun anywhere, but particularly outdoors in the fresh air, will help children’s wellbeing in terms of mental and spiritual health too. Playing outdoors will lift the spirits and give children a myriad of opportunities for fun, learning, self-improvement and physical wellbeing. Such activity releases the hormone cortisol in the brain and that helps to naturally reduce stress and anxiety.

Children benefit from the simple act of being outdoors.

Playing outside is a healthy release from things like TV, electronic screens and, potentially, from an otherwise more sedentary lifestyle.Playing outside is also a healthy release from things like TV, electronic screens and, potentially, from an otherwise more sedentary lifestyle. Away from the confines of the indoors, outdoor play allows children the freedom to move about more freely. Outside, they’ll learn to navigate spaces, obstacles and play equipment, all the time improving spatial awareness, coordination, balance and gross motor skills. These include running, jumping, climbing and so on. Their fitness levels will naturally improve too, as they build stamina, muscle and strength. This is all incredibly good for them.

Outdoor play is also a feast for the senses. During the early years, sensory experiences are very important, not least for their brain development. Playing outdoors will give them many sensory opportunities, for example in terms of what they hear, see, feel, touch and smell.

Outdoor play teaches children to be creative, inventing adventures and challenges with their friends, all the time stimulating their brains and minds just as much as their bodies. They benefit socially too, of course, growing closer bonds with their peers (and supervising adults), learning social skills like communication, understanding right from wrong, cooperation, and so on.

Outdoor Play at Little Acorns Nursery

Physical activity is vital in children’s all-round development, enabling them to pursue happy, healthy and active livesAt Little Acorns, we understand the importance of outdoor play. Little ones, from the age of two have access to our outdoor gardens and play areas — all under close supervision, of course. We have invested heavily in a whole range of exciting, stimulating and educational outdoor facilities for the children to explore, play with and learn from. As they do, they will not only learn but they’ll also hone fine and gross motor skills, improve coordination and balance, improve physical fitness, enhance social skills and build friendships. They will also soon become better at recognising and balancing risk, they’ll become more independent as they move around freely. They’ll also learn from mistakes. Their self-confidence and self-esteem will also naturally grow. These are all incredibly important skills that will stand them in good stead as they gradually approach the age where they’ll leave us to move on to school.

“Physical activity is vital in children’s all-round development, enabling them to pursue happy, healthy and active lives” (DfE — Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage)

Forest School

Children enjoying a Forest School session at Little Acorns NurseryTaking outdoor experiences for little ones even further, Little Acorns regularly takes children on outings, including to local parks. More importantly, though, it was one of the first nurseries/pre-schools to introduce Forest School to Central Lancashire. This is the ultimate outdoor experience for under-fives and teaches them so much about the natural world — and also about themselves. As well as learning a huge amount about nature, flora, fauna, the seasons and about playing and learning in the Great Outdoors, Forest School helps them learn additional skills like problem-solving, working in teams, leadership, resilience, empathy, caring for the environment, personal responsibility and so much more. Learn more in our Ultimate Guide to Forest School here.

A recent UK study found that just 5 minutes of outdoor exercise per day, in a natural environment, improves the wellbeing, mental health and self-esteem of youngsters.

Outdoor Play Supports the EYFS Curriculum

Outdoor playing and learning covers many areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage ('EYFS') framework, including Physical Development.All these outdoor activities also support the early years curriculum. Outdoor playing and learning covers many of the areas outlined in the Early Years Foundation Stage (‘EYFS’) learning and development framework, which is prescribed for all childcare settings in England. Specifically, outdoor play helps children in at least four of the seven key areas of the EYFS including:

  • helping immensely with ‘Physical Development‘, one of the ‘prime’ areas of focus within the EYFS;
  • helping with ‘Communication & Language Development’, another prime area in the EYFS;
  • supporting ‘Personal, Social and Emotional Development‘ (PSED), the third of the three prime areas of the EYFS;
  • contributing greatly to ‘Understanding the World‘, one of the specific areas within the EYFS framework.
  • Outdoor play can even help children with ‘Mathematics‘ (another specific area of the EYFS) in some situations.
    (Learn more about the Early Years Foundation Stage framework and curriculum here).

Clearly, outdoor play is hugely beneficial to children— in a multitude of ways — so, we encourage parents, carers or guardians to take the benefits of outdoor play into consideration for children under their care.

Safety Considerations

Children’s safety and wellbeing is paramount, of course. Therefore, any outdoor play, particularly when it involves young children, should be undertaken only under the close supervision of a responsible adult. It’s even more crucial when children are playing outdoors, as there are many extra hazards too look out for.

Outdoor Play at our Nursery & Forest School in Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley

Little Acorns Nursery, Clayton-le-Woods, ChorleyOur outstanding Nursery in Clayton-le-Woods is also a Forest School, giving under-five children the very best start in life. Childcare in the Chorley, Central Lancashire region simply doesn’t get any better than at Little Acorns, as recognised independently by an Excellent Ofsted rating and an incredible nursery award. We’re also near Clayton Green and Clayton Brook, so if you are looking for the best nursery and pre-school in any of these areas, please get in touch. We’d love to show you and your child around, so you can see the setting in action for yourselves.

Arrange a Nursery VisitSend Us a MessageCall: 01772 696 288
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Bird Feeder Ideas for Kids
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Bird Feeder Ideas for Kids

Bird Feeder Ideas for Kids

In last month’s article about bird feeding for under-fives, we promised to follow up with a post showing ideas for bird feeders that children can make at home. So, that’s what we’ll look at today.

Making home-made bird feeders is a fun activity for children; it's creative, educational, teaches children new skills and gets children more in tune with nature.Making bird feeders

Making bird feeders is a fun activity for children, it’s creative, educational, teaches children new skills and gets children more in tune with nature. What’s more, making home-made bird feeders is pretty easy. It’s an inexpensive activity. It’s also great for the local birds, who get to eat much-needed extra food and that’s especially important during Winter. That’s a time when most other natural food sources for wild birds are in very short supply and the birds are burning calories just to stay warm. All in all, making home-made bird feeders and feeding birds during the colder months is an excellent activity for young children — and indeed for everyone!

So, take a look at a few easy-to-accomplish home-made bird feeder ideas below. However, young children should be supervised by a responsible adult at all times during both the making and locating of the bird feeders — health and safety comes first! There are also some guidelines included for the safety and wellbeing of the birds.

A simple apple bird feeder - popular among black birds in particular.

Apple Bird Feeder – Simple!

We’ll start with one of the most simple bird feeders: with adult supervision, children can be shown how quick and easy it can be to attract birds to the garden just by threading a nice apple onto a strong twig on a tree or onto the tip of a bamboo stake, or alternatively dangling it from a branch using a loop of string. Perhaps start the apple off by removing some of the skin in one or two sections, so birds can see the ‘flesh’. Before long, species like blackbirds, in particular, are likely to show an interest and be amongst the first to start nibbling them.

Children need to be patient; birds and wild animals instinctively wait a while before trusting new things that have appeared in the garden or anywhere outside. Patience is a great skill for them to develop, though, so this is another great lesson for them.

Important: only put out as much food as is likely to be eaten over just a day or two, otherwise it can go mouldy and that’s terribly dangerous for birds (it can even kill them).

Bread is a popular choice for garden birds, but it's not really that good for them.

Or Use Bread – But With a Warning

Children can alternatively use a chunk of bread (ideally wholemeal, seeded and non-stale) but first read our warning below if going this route:

Warning: although bread is a popular choice for feeding birds, it’s actually not that great for them, particularly if it’s white bread and lacking in any visible seeds. It’s also dangerous for birds if it goes mouldy, which is why we say above that only small amounts that will be eaten within a day should ever be put out for the wild birds. So, in truth, any of the other food types mentioned in this article are far better for birds than bread.Bird eating a seed-covered pine cone.

Although bread is a popular choice for feeding birds, it’s actually not great for them.

Home-made bird feeder made of a pine cone covered in seeds.Seeded pine cone bird feeders

These are fun and simple for children to make. The pine cones can be foraged from local woods and the best ones will be ‘open’ rather than ‘closed’, so that there’s somewhere that bird food can be pressed into. Children can simply spread peanut butter2, suet or lard1 all over the pine cone, pressing it in between the many seed scales that protrude from the open cone. Once covered, the entire thing can be rolled in bird seed and this will stick. The seed-covered pine cone can then be hung outside for the birds using some string, somewhere suitable (we wrote about the best location for bird feeders here).

1. A Word About Lard & Suet

Only use proper beef suet or pure lard that’s hard at room temperature even when it’s quite warm. Proper suet (from cows) is good for them as they need saturated fats and it does lend itself to the making of seed cones, seed balls and even simple seed cakes in plastic flower pots or cleaned yoghurt pots.  However, if you use a type that’s going to melt in the sunshine, then it could actually do terrible harm to birds. So, ensure you are always only using proper beef suet or pure lard that’s hard and does not leave an imprint if squeezed – suet, for example, should be hard and should crumble when handled. Avoid softer fats and so-called suets that may be ‘faked’ through the use of additives to make them appear harder.

This home-made bird feeder features a plastic spoon to dispense the seed and give birds somewhere to land.Water bottle bird feeders.

These are quick and easy to make, great for birds, and also teach children how easy it can be to recycle or repurpose something that would normally be discarded. As you can see from the photographs, empty plastic bottles can be made into excellent bird feeders in a variety of ways. All that’s needed is string at the top to hang them and a suitable hole, which can be cut using scissors or a knife (it’s safest for a responsible adult to do the cutting). This recycled drinks bottle makes an excellent bird feeder (for seed or water).Then, they can be partly filled with bird seed, or perhaps grated Cheddar cheese. Alternatively you can see that some of the designs could be used for drinking water, for example the one shown immediately on the left or at the very top of this article. Another variation even has a plastic spoon pushed into it, forming a convenient perch for the birds to land on and to feed from (see right).

Drinks cartons make wonderful bird feeders that children can decorate.Carton bird feeders

These are similar in approach to bottle feeders, but are made from adapted milk or fruit juice cartons (washed before repurposing, of course). Once again, a responsible adult can help children with the cutting part, for safety. Carton bird feeders can be more creative than water bottle feeders because they’re a little easier to cut and also they can be decorated more easily, for example with paint as shown in our example (right).

Strings of unroasted monkey nuts are popular with larger birds, some tits, and squirrels.Monkey Nut Bird Feeders

These are another very simple type of home-made bird feeder that children can make.  As you can see from the photograph, all that needs to be done is for the monkey nuts to be threaded together to form a ‘string’ that can be hung in a tree or from one bush to another. Larger birds and some tits (plus a few squirrels) will find it easy to bite through the outer husk to get to the peanuts inside. Use unroasted monkey nuts, though, for reasons we’ll explain in the next section.

2. A Word About Peanuts, Monkey Nuts & Peanut Butter

When it comes to any type of peanut-based bird food, you have to be careful and follow a few simple rules.

  • The choice of bird seed can make a huge difference to how popular your feeder is with birds.If using peanut butter in your home-made bird feeders, ensure it is fresh, has no salt or sugar added and is not ‘flavoured’. Smooth or crunchy peanut butter is great for bird-feeders, though, and you can even stick extra bird seed to it once it’s been spread on your feeder e.g. pine cone or apple. There are also some peanut butter brands made specifically for wild birds, by the way.
  • When it comes to peanuts and monkey nuts (peanuts still in their cases), ensure they’re unroasted and break a few open to check they’re fresh and that there is no mould/fungus between outer skin and the actual peanut. Aflatoxin is something that can greatly harm birds and this can be found in any fungus present. Never use them if you find any affected by this fungus; it harms humans too, as it’s a carcinogen.
  • Remember too, to only put out as many peanuts as will be eaten in a day or two maximum, so as to avoid mould build-up, and keep your store of nuts clean, hygienic and dry. Finches, nuthatches, woodpeckers and several varieties of tits will be likely to visit — peanuts are very popular!
  • During breeding season (spring/summer) it’s best not to put out whole nuts for the birds. Parent birds may try to feed them whole to their offspring and chicks are likely to choke on them. So, avoid whole peanuts in warmer months or simply crush them into much smaller pieces to be safe.

Read more about the types of bird food that we’ve found to be really popular with our own local birds here — choosing the right food can make a massive difference to the success of your bird feeders. Read more about the best places to site your home-made bird feeders here. And don’t forget about hygiene, which is important for both humans and the birds.

Nature is one of life's magical pleasures and teaches children so much.Why Nature is So Important for Children

Nature is one of life’s magical pleasures and teaching children to feed birds is a great way to introduce them to the natural world and some of the lovely creatures in it. Nature has so many benefits for children. It teaches them about empathy, about being responsible, demonstrates that it’s important to think about others, and so much more. Learn more about the benefits of nature to children here.

We hope you and your family give some of the ideas on this page a try. Making bird feeders will teach children new skills and introduce them to new facts about the world too. Hopefully, you’ll all soon get to know some of the regular birds that visit your neighbourhood and your child will begin to recognise and name individual species. And, as we said in our last post, teaching children about nature from a young age has been shown to make them more inclined to live greener lifestyles as adults.

Nature at Our Clayton-le-Woods Nursery & Forest School

Little Acorns Nursery, Clayton-le-Woods, ChorleyLittle Acorns is an outstanding Nursery in Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley. As well as being a nursery and pre-school, it’s also a Forest School for under-fives, where children can learn about nature, the natural world, and about themselves. Our Ultimate Guide to Forest School explains more, so take a look if you’d like your child to benefit from everything a Forest School has to offer. Please contact us if you have any questions, if you’d like to visit the setting or if you’d simply like to reserve a place for your child. We’re based in Clayton-le-Woods so are also very near to Clayton Green, Clayton Brook and Chorley in Central Lancashire.

Arrange a Nursery VisitSend Us a MessageCall: 01772 696 288
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Why Nature is So Important to Children

Why nature is so important to children

We explore the immense benefits of nature to childrenToday we’ll look at the immense benefits of nature to children. While the long-term benefits of nature are reasonably well-known, it turns out short-term exposure to the natural environment also has1 clear benefits for people of any age. The benefits are even more beneficial, though, for young people during their early years, at school and in higher education.

The greatest benefits come when children and young adults are able to spend time actually in the outdoors, surrounded by natural things like trees, flowers, grass and wildlife. Even a short break spent in such an environment will help to restore attention, cognitive function and mental resilience — and this is backed up by many studies. Incredibly, some3 have demonstrated that there are cognitive and performance benefits even when there is just a view of the natural environment, for example sight of green grass and trees through an open window in the classroom. That’s remarkable when you think about it.

The Benefits of Nature to Children

A girl takes a closer look at growing leaves.One of the wonderful things about nature is that immersing oneself in it need not cost a penny. With so many proven benefits, it just goes to show that the old adage that ‘the best things in life are free’ really is true when it comes to nature. Exposure to the natural environment and green surroundings has been shown to have clear benefits …

Attention Restoration

Nature is a great healer; time spent in the natural environment helps to counteract the depletion of mental resources, particularly after periods of perhaps intense mental work, for example following a series of lessons or tasks. The fascinating quality of nature is also key to this as it requires a kind of ‘softer’ attention, with the brain working on an almost involuntary basis. This is part of what’s known as Attention Restoration Theory (‘ART’). It is thought to work in such a way as to allow cognitive function to recover more easily while fascinating beautiful, natural things are being observed, without the need for a heavy voluntary effort on the part of the onlooker.

Exposure to the natural world helps children to learn about and appreciate other living things.The benefits of restored attention skills in themselves should not, of course, be overlooked. Interestingly, research6 involving cognitive tests on school children found that children who had undergone the tests after walking in a natural wooded environment were quicker to answer – and significantly more accurate in their answers – than those who had instead practised mindfulness in the classroom or who had spent time in the school playground during the break.

Stress Reduction

Exposure to, or immersion in nature is also proven to reduce stress, which may otherwise manifest itself emotionally as anxiety, anger, sadness and also fatigue as our bodies and minds try to fight whatever is threatening our wellbeing. Research into this has led to Stress Reduction Theory (‘SRT’), which has shown that, indeed, nature helps us to recover from stress, even causing a physical reduction in stress hormones and blood pressure. It also helps the body to ‘refuel’ the energy depleted during the period of stress. Research findings even went on to suggest5 that the psychological wellbeing of students increased when their school grounds were simply made ‘greener’, i.e. more natural.

Both theories prove that even short-term exposure to nature will help restore attention and cognitive function if depleted through prior activities. This has profound implications for possible use in education settings. As such, exposure to nature, even for short periods, is a wonderful and natural way for children to “recharge their batteries”.

Nature has a huge impact on the mental wellbeing of children of all ages.Almost Endless Benefits to Children

As well as improving attention, cognitive function and mental resilience, there are many additional benefits of nature to children:

  • Improved wellbeing through reduced anxiety, psychophysiological stress4 and negative emotions;
  • Improved academic performance, including in core subjects like reading, writing and arithmetic;
  • Better engagement during lessons;
  • Improved fitness through outdoor play and movement;
  • Stimulation of imaginations, leading to increased creativity;
  • Deeper, more profound thinking and analysis;
  • Improved self-confidence,
  • Increased freedom leading to greater independence;
  • Nature can give children a greater understanding of healthier, greener lifestyles and values.Greater empathy e.g. taking more care of other living things, plants, etc.;
  • A greater understanding of risk and risk assessment;
  • Exposure to the huge variety of sensory opportunities the natural world provides;
  • An often greater understanding of living a healthy lifestyle — and even a greener one;
  • Deeper understanding around keeping things in perspective (what’s truly important and what’s not);
  • Better sleep;
  • Better social skills and the building of friendships through shared adventures and discovery;
  • A profound appreciation for the Great Outdoors and everything that it has to offer.

Incredibly, one U.S. study2 even found evidence for improved earnings potential in later life, equating to a lifetime gain of nearly $30,000, when children grow up in areas with greater natural surroundings.

Forest School is So Important

Forest School teaches children so much about the world, and about themselves.Just imagine, then, how much children benefit from nature when attending a Forest School setting such as that available at Little Acorns Nursery, Chorley. At Forest School, little ones will spend significant time in local green and wooded spaces, so these findings show just how important Forest School is for youngsters. Why send your child to an ordinary nursery, then, when you can send them to a nursery with a Forest School!

At Forest School, children are able to explore and discover in local natural spaces including woodland and other natural habitats. Not only do they discover and learn about the world and all the wonderful living things in it, but Forest School also teaches them about themselves. Forest School is about so much more than a way to teach children about plants, trees, insects, animals, the seasons and so on. With the freedom to make choices about outdoor activities in a more natural way, children build on their social skills, learn about teamwork, leadership, critical thinking and risk assessment as well as honing physical abilities like coordination and motor skills. And, as the research shows, it helps children to excel in other, seemingly unrelated, areas. Forest School represents the opportunity for enormous discovery in every sense of the word.

As well as all that, at Forest School, children are having immense fun! They’re playing and learning while developing physically and mentally — all at the same time. And, as the research shows, exposure to nature is incredibly good for them, even helping them to perform better once they return to the indoor environment.

Little Acorns Nursery, Clayton-le-Woods, ChorleyIf you’d like to learn more about Forest School, try our Ultimate Guide to Forest School here. You can also learn more about our own particular Forest School in Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley, here. Our nursery and pre-school is located in Clayton-le-Woods, near Clayton Green, Clayton Brook and Chorley.  If you’re looking for outstanding childcare for your baby or under-five, we look forward to hearing from you …

Arrange a Nursery VisitSend Us a MessageCall: 01772 696 288

Citations — 1: Mason, L., Ronconi, A., Scrimin, S. et al. Short-Term Exposure to Nature and Benefits for Students’ Cognitive Performance: a Review. Educ Psychol Rev (2021). | 2: Browning & Rigolon (2019). | 3: Matsuoka (2010), Benfield et al. (2015), Sajady et al. (2020). | 4: Ulrich et al. (1991). | 5: Kelz et al. (2015). | 6: Cornoldi et al. (1996).

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15-30 Hours of Free Childcare for 2, 3 & 4-Year-Olds (A Rough Guide)
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15-30 Hours of Free Childcare for 2, 3 & 4-Year-Olds

15-30 Hours of Free Childcare for 2, 3 & 4-Year-Olds (A Rough Guide)

Parents are wise to research & choose the best setting for their childChildren living in England are very fortunate to have their early years childcare supported financially by a variety of Government funding schemes. The 3 most important, popular and widely-available schemes are:

  • 15 hours per week of free childcare for eligible 3 & 4-year-olds;
  • 30 hours per week of free childcare for eligible 3 & 4-year-olds;
  • 15 hours per week of free childcare for eligible 2-year-olds.

Little Acorns Nursery School supports all three schemes for families who have been successful with their funding applications.

This free childcare can really help families, especially parents who wish to return to work and those wishing to improve their standard of living. With more people working, it also benefits the economy, of course.

Perhaps most importantly, Government funding of early years childcare greatly helps children. Studies have shown that children who receive a good early years education, for example at nursery or pre-school, really do benefit. That’s in both the short term and the long term. A Department for Education study showed that children attending high quality early years education settings benefit socially, behaviourally, cognitively and, of course, educationally. Indeed it’s abundantly clear that early years education gives children a very healthy head-start so they can really hit the ground running by the time they start school around the age of 5. Many of the benefits of early years education are, as we said before, much longer-lasting, even into adulthood. Perhaps we’ll cover more detail on that in a future post. Either way, though, it’s clear that this financial support from the Government is incredibly important.

A high quality early years education has many short and long-term benefits for childrenLet’s look at each of the schemes …

Please note: in all funding cases discussed here, the Government funding is paid direct to the setting (not the family) and strict rules apply to settings in order to be eligible for the funding. Little Acorns Nursery School qualifies on all counts and welcomes families whose childcare is funded in this way.

Free Childcare for 3 to 4-Year-Olds

15 Funded Hours for Children Aged 3-4

The great news is that all children aged 3 to 4 living in England are eligible to receive a total of 570 free hours of childcare per year. Simple! And there are no tricky hoops to jump through. The 570 hours are usually taken as 15 hours per week spread over 38 weeks, although it’s sometimes possible to spread it out in a different way if the childcare setting agrees. One of the great things about this Government scheme is that it is not means tested. Whether parents are employed, self-employed or unemployed does not matter. Similar schemes are also available in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, by the way.

Children using the scheme can begin at an approved childcare setting in the term that follows their third birthday. Terms usually start in early January, April or September. They can continue benefiting from the free funded hours when they become four years of age. It only ceases once they reach “compulsory school age” and begin full-time education at school in Reception year. Compulsory school age is effectively the first day of the January, April or September term following their 5th birthday (whichever falls soonest after that birthday).

30 Funded Hours for Children Aged 3-4

Eligible children aged 3-4 can benefit from 15 to 30 hours of free childcare funding each weekTaking the above scheme a step further, eligible families are able to top up the standard 15 hours per week with an additional 15 hours of free childcare in specific circumstances. In effect, this can double the child’s free childcare hours from the standard 570 hours to 1140 per annum. These are usually taken as 30 hours per week over 38 weeks although, again, some childcare settings may be able to be flexible and to spread the hours out in a different way.

Eligibility for the extra hours depends on a few factors, although they are not so restrictive that they disallow most families — far from it. The factors include things like whether the child lives with the parent who is claiming (i.e. they must), whether the parent/their partner is working (they should be) and whether they are earning the equivalent of at least 16 hours per week at the National Living (or Minimum) Wage, while at the same time not earning above £100k in the current tax year. These are just a few examples of the eligibility criteria and it’s surprisingly easy, for many, to qualify for the extra funded hours. Check if you’re eligible for 30 hours of free childcare for 3-4-year-olds here.

Free Childcare for 2-Year-Olds

15 Funded Hours for 2-Year-Olds

Eligible children aged 2 can benefit from 15 hours of free childcare funding each weekUnder certain circumstances, children aged just two can have some of their childcare funded by the Government too. However, it’s much more restrictive for this age group. If successful, though, the Government will fund up to 570 hours of childcare for a two-year-old over the course of a year — that’s significant and could really help mothers or stay-at-home fathers get back to work sooner. As with the 3 & 4-year-olds, the 570 hours is usually taken as 15 hours per week over the course of 38 weeks, but some parents may wish to ask their childcare provider if it’s possible to spread it out in a different way.

The funding is available for eligible children to begin their childcare in the term after they reach the age of two. In other words, their birth date governs whether they will start in the January, April or September term.

In order to qualify for the 570 funded childcare hours, the two-year-old must fall into an ‘additional needs’ category, or their parent(s) must be receiving one or more qualifying benefits from the Government. Check your eligibility for free childcare funding for 2-year-olds here.

Apply For Free, Funded Childcare Hours Here

After checking eligibility for any of these childcare funding schemes, you simply need to contact your local authority to apply.

Apply for an Outstanding, Award-Winning Chorley Nursery

An outstanding childcare providerLittle Acorns Nursery, Clayton-le-Woods, ChorleyIf you live or work in the Chorley or Clayton area of Central Lancashire, Little Acorns Nursery School would be a natural first choice for your weekday childcare. Ofsted rate the nursery as outstanding and the setting was the outright winner of a major National nursery award. High quality childcare doesn’t get any better than this, so please do consider us for childcare of if you have a baby and child aged up to five and want to give them the very best start. The nursery and pre-school is in Clayton-le-Woods, close to Clayton Green, Clayton Brook and Chorley. It is also a Forest School setting, so children get to enjoy and learn from everything that nature has to offer. If you are looking for childcare excellence in a warm, inviting and nurturing environment, please get in touch. We look forward to hearing from you …

Arrange a Nursery VisitSend Us a MessageCall: 01772 696 288
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New Pre-School Build Nears Completion
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New Pre-School Build Nears Completion

New Pre-School Build Nears Completion

Our lovely new pre-school build with timber finishThe nursery owners and staff are very excited to show you the new pre-school build, which is making great progress. Take a look at the photographs to see just how good it’s beginning to look, especially now that the high quality timber cladding is almost complete. This is going to be such a lovely new space for the children play and learn in.

A New Home for Our Pre-School & Forest School

The new build is going to be used as our pre-school area and also as our Forest School unit. So, a lovely timber finish is rather apt when you think about it. Our children will also find its attractive design and finish very appealing and much more exciting than a standard, brick-built unit. The building even has its own kitchen area and toilet facilities, so will be very self-contained. However, it has lots of large windows and doors to let the natural light in and will allow easy, free-flowing access for outdoor play when appropriate.

The pre-fabricated, modular building under constructionElevations and CGI view of the new pre-schoolBeing a modular, timber-framed construction means this new pre-school build has been far faster to build than a traditional approach. That, together with the fact that most of it was pre-fabricated in modules off-site, means that there has been minimal disruption, noise or safety concerns during construction. Indeed, we’d like to say a huge ‘thank you’ to the team at Smart Modular who have done such a wonderful job so far. We love it and can’t wait to see how the inside looks when it’s finished.

One of the UK’s Most Outstanding Nurseries & Forest Schools (Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley)

Front view of the new pre-school buildingAt Little Acorns, we cater to children’s abilities. Our high quality staff focus on those rather than what’s expected for their particular age. With a dedicated learning and development plan customised to the abilities and strengths of each individual child, they’re able to become the very best version of themselves during their time with Little Acorns. With the arrival of the new pre-school building, they’ll be even more likely to achieve personal bests in each area. And they’ll be even more ‘school ready’ by the time they complete their time with us, to move It will also be our new Forest School unitsmoothly on to reception year at school.

As the outright winner of a major National nursery award and with a glowing Ofsted report that confirms that our childcare provision is as good as it gets, Little Acorns Nursery is clearly one of the UK’s most outstanding nurseries. The nursery is based in Clayton-le-Woods, near Clayton Green, Clayton Brook and Chorley and the new pre-school building will soon allow room for some additional nursery places for under-fives. Little Acorns Nursery, Clayton-le-Woods, ChorleyThat’s great news for Chorley and Central Lancashire parents who want the very best start for their children and who also like the idea of their child benefiting from a Forest School setting. If our unrivalled quality of childcare sounds appealing, please get in touch as soon as possible to avoid possible disappointment:

Arrange a Nursery VisitSend Us a MessageCall: 01772 696 288

 

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