Tag Archive for: activities

Let's Get to Know Wild Mammals! An Educational Nature Activity for Kids — with Free Poster

Let's Get to Know Wild Mammals! An Educational Nature Activity for Kids — with Free Poster

World Wildlife Day (3 March)Children and childcare staff at Little Acorns Nursery love nature. So, with World Wildlife Day coming earlier this month and Spring now upon us, it’s the perfect opportunity to release our free Wild Mammals poster. Shown in full colour and printable in high resolution at A3 or A4, it features 20 British¹ wild land mammals that young children can learn to identify and look out for. Some can be seen when on walks, on holiday, or even perhaps at the local park, while others are rather more elusive — but that just makes it more exciting for children when they finally spot them! The poster is perfect for displaying on the wall at home — and is a fun way to both intrigue and educate children, including under-fives. With that in mind, why not download your free land mammals poster today, print it out, and get your little ones closer to nature?

“Nature is a tool to get children to experience not just the wider world. But themselves.” (Stephen Moss)

Nature is So Good for Children!

As we’ve reported before, nature is really good for children! Its many benefits include improved attention, reduced stress, better academic performance, improved self-confidence, higher levels of empathy, enhanced fitness, motor skills and coordination, boosted imaginations and a whole raft of other important benefits. Learn more about the importance of nature to children here.

“Children are born with a sense of wonder and an affinity for nature. Properly cultivated, these values can mature into ecological literacy, and eventually into sustainable patterns of living.” (Zenobia Barlow)

Importantly too, nature-based activities like spotting mammals, birds, butterflies, minibeasts, and wildflowers will also encourage children to get actively interested in conservation issues as they grow older. By appreciating nature and flora and fauna from a young age, they are more likely to want to help protect the natural world in the future, including into adulthood. Such a path can lead to healthier lifestyles, greener choices, and a better world for everyone to live in. And that’s all part of what World Wildlife Day was all about back on the 3rd of March this year.

Download Your Free Wild Mammals Poster

With all that in mind, take a look at the preview of today’s free British Wild Mammals poster below. Click it to view or download the high-resolution PDF version, which will give you the best print-out quality. Whether you right- or left-click to download the poster file will depend on your own particular device’s set-up, so perhaps try both and you’ll soon see which type of click will enable you to save the PDF poster to your device’s drive. Then view it in Acrobat (available free here) and print it out from there.

Preview of the free Wild Mammals poster (click to view or download in Acrobat PDF format).

“We don’t inherit the Earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children.” (Unknown)

So, try to ensure children under your care get ample access to nature and the natural environment — it’s so good for them. The free wildlife posters and charts available on this website should help to encourage that, whilst intriguing and educating children too.

Looking for an Outstanding Nursery in Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley?

Little Acorns Nursery is an outstanding, award-winning childcare provider

An outstanding childcare provider

Little Acorns Nursery, Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley

Little Acorns is an outstanding and award-winning childcare nursery in Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley. Ofsted rates us an ‘Outstanding Provider’ and our National Nursery award speaks volumes about the quality of our childcare service. So, if you want the very best start for your baby, toddler or preschooler and live in Central Lancashire, Little Acorns Nursery offers an outstanding choice. We give children a complete early years education and bring out the very best in them so they can reach their full potential. We also support Government-funded childcare schemes for eligible families.

Get in touch to register your child for a nursery place, or come for a visit to see how well they’ll fit in. We’re here to answer any questions too.

Little Acorns is a nursery and preschool in Clayton-le-Woods, near Chorley, offering the highest-quality childcare and early years education to under-fives. That includes those from nearby towns and villages including Clayton Brook, Clayton Green, Thorpe Green, Pippin Street, Buckshaw Village, Whittle-le-Woods, Farington, Bamber Bridge, Lostock Hall, Euxton, Leyland and Penwortham.

1. By ‘British’ we mean wild mammals that can be found in Britain. We appreciate, however, that some animals shown on the poster are not indigenous to the UK and originated in other countries. Examples include the Muntjac Deer, which came over from China, and some red squirrels that were imported from abroad to bolster our own dwindling populations.

Autumn Nature Hunt — a Fun Activity for Children (with Free Reference Sheet)

The autumn season brings with it a treasure trove of fascinating natural things for children to discover.By mid-November, autumn is in full swing and leaves are turning a myriad of different colours. Scenes of green, yellow, red and golden trees can be breathtakingly beautiful and the air is often crystal clear at this time of year — that’s great for photos! The autumn season also brings with it a treasure trove of fascinating natural things that children can discover if they take the time to look. Indeed, an autumn nature hunt is the perfect excuse for little ones to spend some time outdoors, where they will also benefit from outdoor play and everything that nature has to offer children. Whether finding gorgeous sweet chestnuts, cute acorns, dangly catkins, fascinating fir cones or highly coloured leaves, children will love an autumn treasure hunt and are sure to be enthralled by what they find. It’s a magical time of year! With all that in mind, we have prepared a free activity sheet that children and families can download, print out, and take with them as a visual reference when they next venture outdoors. We suggest children make a start soon, while all the natural wonders are abundant. Download your free Autumn Nature Hunt Reference Sheet (preview below) and get started today!

Free autumn nature hunt reference sheet (preview - click to download in Acrobat PDF format).

Checklist

  • Children must be supervised and educated about potential dangers and hazards.Ensure children, particularly the very young, receive appropriate adult supervision at all times. Although fascinating and fun, the outdoors holds many hazards for the unwary. Therefore, children will need to be closely monitored by a responsible adult in order to safeguard their well-being.
  • Children should also be educated about all outdoor health and safety matters. For example, they’ll need to know they mustn’t stray far, speak with strangers, or go too close to hazards like fires, ponds, lakes, steep slopes or trip hazards. They will also need to learn not to touch berries, fungi and other potentially poisonous or dangerous flora and fauna. They must be careful not to hurt themselves on the sharp points of things like chestnut cases and even things like acorns are potential choking hazards (so keep away from mouths). And so on (the above are just a few examples).
  • Supervising adults will need to do their own risk assessments, as well as helping children learn to do so.
  • Last but not least, ensure your child takes the Autumn Nature Hunt reference sheet with them, along with something safe and suitable to put their nature treasures in (for example, a jute bag or backpack).

Nature & Forest School at Little Acorns Nursery

Forest School sessions in and around Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley, in Central Lancashire

An outstanding childcare provider

Little Acorns Nursery, Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley

At Little Acorns Nursery in Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley, we understand the importance of nature in children’s early years. That’s why we post nature-based activity ideas like this one today. It’s also why we are a Forest School setting. Through Forest School sessions children, including our under fives, get to enjoy, experience, and learn from everything that nature has to offer — and that’s a lot! Follow the bold links for more information or learn more about Forest School and what it’s about here.

If you would like your baby, toddler or preschooler to attend a truly outstanding nursery or preschool in Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley, then look no further than Little Acorns Nursery. We’re rated as outstanding by Ofsted, won an incredibly prestigious National Nursery Award and, as we mentioned before, also run Forest School sessions for our children.

Get in touch using an option below and we’ll be delighted to welcome you and your little one, answer any questions, and take the first steps in regard to your childcare application:

Little Acorns Nursery & Preschool is located in Clayton-le-Woods, so may also suit families living or working nearby in Chorley, Clayton Brook, Clayton Green, Thorpe Green, Pippin Street, Buckshaw Village, Whittle-le-Woods, Farington, Bamber Bridge, Lostock Hall, Euxton, Leyland and Penwortham.

The Rewards of Learning a Musical Instrument in Early Childhood

Children who learn to play a musical instrument discover a whole world of opportunities and advantages, many of which can last a lifetime.While listening to music has a unique way of resonating with the human spirit, actually creating it on a musical instrument elevates that connection to entirely new levels. What’s more, learning to play an instrument leads to a whole host of multifaceted benefits. Whether tinkling piano keys, strumming guitar strings, or playing a wind instrument, children who learn to play a musical instrument will soon discover a whole world of opportunities and advantages that extend far beyond the realm of melody and harmony. With that in mind, today’s article explores the myriad of sometimes surprising benefits that learning to play music will bring to children, even at a very young age. Take a look below and discover how musicianship could benefit your child, extend their skills and potentially enrich their life profoundly.

Emotional and Psychological Benefits

At an emotional and psychological level, music is a universal language — and it speaks to the heart. It’s no surprise, therefore, that learning an instrument can foster emotional intelligence, facilitate self-expression, and aid stress reduction in children. It provides a perfect safe space from which they can explore and express their feelings. From the soothing melodies that can calm their nerves to the triumphant crescendos that may boost mood and confidence, music has a truly profound impact on their emotional well-being.

Studies have shown that when a child learns to play an instrument, their brain undergoes changes in areas related to memory, problem-solving, and emotional processing.

Cognitive Benefits

Children who take up musical instruments often excel in memory, problem-solving, and mathematical skills.The influence of music on brain development is nothing short of remarkable. Learning to play an instrument engages various parts of the brain simultaneously and is like a 360-degree workout for the mind! As such, its cognitive benefits are profound. Children who take up musical instruments therefore tend to excel in memory, problem-solving, and mathematical skills. Indeed, studies have shown that musical training can lead to improved academic performance, enhancing children’s abilities, particularly in subjects like mathematics and science. So, when your child learns to play a violin, piano, guitar or even a simple recorder, they’re not just making music; they’re also fine-tuning their cognitive abilities.

Improved Reading Skills

With this workout for the brain comes a deep focus on reading the musical notation and every little detail within it. Such focus will help children to read the written word too. Indeed, by comparison to printed music, text in fiction and non-fiction books may soon seem simple. Better literacy skills will naturally follow.

Enhanced Language & Communication Development

Have you ever noticed how children love to sing along with their favourite songs? Music and language are closely intertwined and the good news is that learning an instrument enhances language acquisition and communication skills in infants and toddlers. Lyrics, rhythmic patterns and melodies help them grasp the nuances of language more effectively, with enhanced listening, hearing and verbal skills coming naturally as a result. As such, an involvement with music sets a strong foundation for communication in children.

Enhanced Creativity & Imagination

Making music is a powerful tool for unlocking children's artistic potential.Learning an instrument represents a real journey of creativity and imagination. Children explore melodies, experiment with harmonies, and may often progress to compose their own tunes. This creative process nurtures their imagination and encourages them to think in new and alternative ways. Making music really is a powerful tool for unlocking children’s artistic potential.

Improved Coordination & Motor Skills

Whether it’s plucking strings, pressing keys, or striking drums, playing an instrument requires precise coordination and fine motor skills. Practising music while learning to control their instrument will thereby help children develop dexterity and hand-eye coordination. These are important skills that extend to and benefit many other areas of their lives.

Building Confidence & Self-Esteem

Every time a child learns a new piece or performs in front of an audience it will, in turn, naturally boost their self-esteem. Musical achievements are, after all, rather like a series of stepping stones that, once successfully navigated, lead to greater confidence. Through learning to play music, children will learn that with dedication and practice, they can conquer challenges and achieve goals.

Social & Teamwork Skills

As well as simply being enjoyable, group music lessons and ensemble playing will teach children valuable social and teamwork skills.Music is often a collaborative endeavour and that, in itself, will bring additional benefits to children. As well as simply being enjoyable, group music lessons and ensemble playing will teach children valuable social and teamwork skills. Through music-making, they will learn to listen, cooperate, and communicate effectively with others at appropriate times — and even to make more friends. Such skills go well beyond the world of music and are fundamental in importance and positive impact.

Improved Self-Discipline

Children who learn to play a musical instrument will establish regular practice routines and tend to commit to a consistent, sustained effort. Such habits will instil good self-discipline and time management skills in the children and these will serve them well in various other aspects of their lives.

Lifelong Passion & Career Opportunities

Perhaps most importantly, learning an instrument can ignite a lifelong passion for music. As the famous musician Sting once said, music is its own reward. It is a gift that keeps on giving, offering joy and fulfilment that can often last throughout children’s lives. And, for those who truly embrace it, music can even open doors to exciting career opportunities in the field.

Age-Appropriate Music Activities

When selecting a musical instrument for a child, several factors should be taken into account. Consider their age, physical size, and dexterity. For example, some instruments like recorders and ocarinas may be more suitable for young beginners, due to their size and simplicity. With that said, how can children get started? Let’s take a brief look.

  • When selecting a musical instrument for a child, several factors should be taken into account.For infants and toddlers, musical exploration can start with simple activities like singing lullabies, clapping to a rhythm, or playing with simple musical or percussive toys. These activities introduce them to the world of sound and rhythm in a playful and engaging way.
  • Preschoolers can begin experimenting with basic instruments like xylophones, shakers, and handbells. Interactive games involving singing and movement help develop their sense of rhythm and coordination. Nursery rhymes and simple songs with repetitive melodies are also excellent choices.
  • As children grow, they can explore more complex musical activities. Consider enrolling them in group music classes or introducing them to instruments like the recorder, keyboard, ukulele or, as they grow bigger, larger instruments like guitars, pianos and even cellos. Encourage creativity by allowing them to compose their own songs or experiment with different sounds. Once they become older, they may show interest in specific instruments or genres. Encourage them to join school bands or orchestras, take private lessons, or explore digital music production. The key is to support their evolving interests and skills.

As you can see, the benefits of learning a musical instrument as a child are vast and far-reaching. It’s not just about creating beautiful music; it’s about nurturing so much more than that in children. So, if you’re considering enrolling your child in music lessons, know that you’re not just giving them a skill; you’re giving them a ticket to a world of opportunities and lifelong enjoyment. So, embrace the almost limitless possibilities that music offers, and watch your child flourish in ways you could never have imagined.

Little Acorns: An Outstanding Nursery in Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley

An outstanding childcare provider

Little Acorns Nursery, Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley

If you’re searching for an outstanding nursery in Clayton-le-Woods or near Chorley, then look no further than Little Acorns Nursery. Rated as an ‘Outstanding Provider’ of childcare services by Ofsted and with a unique national nursery award under its belt, the setting offers the very best start for babies, toddlers and preschoolers in Central Lancashire and beyond. We support all Government-funded childcare schemes for eligible families and are also a Forest School setting where your child can benefit from everything that nature has to offer. Why not register your child for a place, request a guided tour with your child, or ask any questions if you have any? We’ll be delighted to help.

Located at Clayton-le-Woods near Chorley, Little Acorns Nursery may also be convenient for those living or working near Clayton Brook, Clayton Green, Thorpe Green, Pippin Street, Buckshaw Village, Whittle-le-Woods, Farington, Bamber Bridge, Lostock Hall, Euxton, Leyland or Penwortham.

Wildlife-Friendly Flower Growing Fun for Under-Fives

This wildflower-growing activity gets children outdoors, closer to nature, as well as doing some good for conservation and wildlife.Today’s flower-growing children’s activity follows on nicely from last month’s butterfly-counting activity. Once again, it focuses on getting children outdoors, closer to nature, and doing some good for conservation and local wildlife — including butterflies. Also, as we know, outdoor play is important and getting closer to nature is hugely beneficial to children.

This time, it’s all about growing wildflowers that help to feed pollinators and encourage them to come to gardens, balconies, patios, plant pots, and window boxes where children live. As well as butterflies, the pollinators include bees, hoverflies, dragonflies, damselflies, and some non-flying insects like beetles. What’s more, you may well find that wildflowers attract birds and sometimes even bats too!

Pollinators are not only beautiful and adorable, but they’re essential for a healthy environment and to pollinate food crops. So, all in all, this is another hugely worthwhile activity for under-fives and older children to get involved in. It’s also great fun and educational. So, without further delay, here is our simple guide explaining how children and families can start growing wildlife-friendly flowers to support and attract these magical little creatures. Enjoy!

When Children Should Sow Wildflower Seeds

Wildflower seeds sown in March and April will generally flower in late spring/early summerIt’s possible to sow wildflower seeds from March right through to mid-October or, at a push, early November so long as snow or frost is not forecast. Those sown closer to March and April will generally flower in late spring/early summer. Those sown very late in the year will flower the following year, from spring onwards. Any sown up to and including the middle period, for example during July, should still flower in the same year — wildflowers usually bloom some 60 to 80 or so days later if they’re timed to grow in the same year as they’re sown.

While pollen from the flowers is the main source of food for pollinators, the actual leaves of some late-growing varieties of wildflower plants are also useful as a food source, for example, for caterpillars. These will appear from around September followed by a second generation that will appear in April/May of the following year.

Given all of the above, the main message about timing is for parents and caregivers to plan ahead and also read seed packets and instructions carefully before sowing. In this way, children will know when to expect to see the plants, flowers, and resulting wildlife. Once the flowers and creatures appear, it’s sure to delight children!

Where to Get Wildflower Seeds

There are several easy ways for children and families to source wildflower seeds.There are several ways for children and families to source wildflower seeds. The most obvious way is to buy them commercially, in seed packets. These are available from any number of different outlets including nurseries, supermarkets, wildlife/nature charities, and countless websites online (here’s a good example).

A potentially cheaper way is to scour the Internet for free wildflower seeds and you may have some luck. Timing is important because some of the free wildflower seed schemes are likely to be early in the year — March/April for example. Some environment-centric organisations and companies may also provide free packets of wildflower seeds if you simply cover the cost of postage.

The best and totally free way to get hold of wildflower seeds, however, is to keep your – and your little one’s – eyes open when you’re outdoors around nature and plants. If you time it right, you’ll spot the seed pods of naturally-occurring wildflowers and, so long as they’re ready to be harvested, you can save the seeds for your child to sow later. Perhaps use small paper envelopes, so you can write the name or description of the wildflower being saved. If children help with harvesting seeds, ensure you adhere to our health and safety guidelines at the end of this article.

What Flowers to Grow

There are several ways to decide which wildflowers to grow.

  • Look out for bee, butterfly, and pollinator-friendly wildflower seed packets if buying commercially.If you buy your child commercially-available wildflower seeds, the information on the packet will often say if the resulting flowers are bee-friendly, butterfly-friendly, good for pollinators, and so on. So, if you’re sourcing seeds that way, much of the decision-making criteria around which actual flowers to grow is made clear and therefore the choice is easy.
  • Additionally, of course, the visual appeal of any flower photographs on the packets will help you with your choice. You may like a mixture of colours, or perhaps you’d rather limit the colour palette to just one or two colours. Cornflowers are blue, for example, while poppies can be red, orange, or yellow, and so on. Choosing by colour also therefore makes selection easier and indeed your child will probably enjoy helping in the decision-making process. Prompting them to choose by colour and pollinator-friendliness will, however, also be educational for them, subtly teaching them the importance of helping wildlife and the environment through the power of their personal choices.
  • On the other hand, if you/your child want complete control over the exact species of wildflower you/they want to see growing, then some homework will be needed unless, of course, you are already knowledgeable. The RSPB’s article on growing wildlife-friendly flowers may be a useful place to start and lists several varieties along with details of their colours.

Where to Sow the Wildflower Seeds

By their very nature, wildflowers are not terribly picky about what type of soil they will grow in.By their very nature, wildflowers are generally not very picky in regard to the type of soil they are happy to grow in. Therefore you/your child will have a greater choice of where to sow the wildflower seeds. A fairly clear sunny area is good, whether that’s garden beds, flower pots, window boxes, grow bags on a balcony, or even the lawn itself if you want a wild ‘meadow’ type lawn. Whatever the choice, it’s best if it’s somewhere that won’t be disturbed by you/the family though, as you wouldn’t want the wildflowers trampled once they do arrive.

How Children Can Grow the Wildflowers

Before sowing the seeds, ensure that the soil is free of weeds. Your child may enjoy helping with the weeding process or, if you are using pots and starting from scratch, you can avoid the weeding stage by using peat-free compost afresh. Either way, the topmost layer of soil will need to be loosened and raked neatly so there is somewhere for the seeds to fall and eventually embed. Again, children may enjoy getting involved in this part. If using pots or containers, ensure water can drain at the bottom, so the earth or compost will not become waterlogged later on.

Children will love it when their seeds have sprouted flowers and pollinators like bees and butterflies come to visit.With regard to sowing the seeds, follow any seed-specific instructions on packets in relation to timing and spacing. If you’re using self-harvested seeds or there are no instructions, simply sprinkle the seeds so they’re spaced, fairly evenly, i.e. not too densely sown. This will avoid the wildflower plants having to compete with one another once they start growing. A tip is to sprinkle from a height as this will naturally scatter them more widely. Once scattered, your child can help* to pat the soil surface down, either by hand or using the back of a tool like a spade or a trowel, so that the seeds are secured in the soil. Children can even ‘walk’ them in if they prefer. Once complete, ensure that you/your child keep the soil damp over the coming weeks. The preparation stage really is as simple as that!

Enjoy the Magic of Nature!

Ensure children know that they have now started a natural chain reaction that will result first in tiny shoots, then plants, then later beautiful flowers along with all the visiting pollinators, insects, birds and maybe more.

Don’t forget; following the flowering stage, the wildflowers are likely to ‘seed’ themselves at the end of their flowering season. That’s unless, of course, you/your child harvest the seeds yourselves, ready to sow at a place of your choosing next time. Some varieties of wildflowers will also naturally regrow next year — those are called perennials. — in contrast to those that only live for one year, which are called annuals. That said, even annual plants may self-seed, so their offspring appear next time, and such is the circle of life.

Nature & Forest School at Little Acorns Nursery, Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley

An outstanding childcare provider

Little Acorns Nursery, Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley

We hope today’s nature-based activity gives children, whether under five or older, an enjoyable time while also learning and helping to nurture the natural world. Nature teaches children a huge amount and that’s one of the many reasons why Little Acorns is a Forest School setting.

Little Acorns Nursery is an outstanding nursery/preschool in Clayton-le-Woods and the winner of an important National Nursery award. These are some of the many reasons why Little Acorns Nursery represents the very best early years childcare and education for babies and children under five in Central Lancashire. We also support Government childcare funding schemes, making it easier to afford for eligible families. To register your child for a nursery/preschool place, ask a question, or arrange a free guided tour of the setting, please select an option below:

For those not actually living in Clayton-le-Woods itself, we may also be a suitable choice if you live or work in nearby towns and villages including Clayton Brook, Clayton Green, Thorpe Green, Pippin Street, Buckshaw Village, Whittle-le-Woods, Farington, Bamber Bridge, Lostock Hall, Euxton, Leyland and Penwortham.

* Health & Safety of Little Ones

Parents/caregivers should supervise and accompany children, especially the very young, at all times to ensure their safety and well-being. For example, special care should be given near hazards including garden ponds, trip hazards and unhygienic areas. Children should be taught good practices around hygiene and self-care including the avoidance of poisonous plants, care around unhygienic soil, non-ingestion of seeds, avoidance of germs and so on. Keeping hands and fingers away from faces during outdoor activities, perhaps even wearing protective gloves when touching natural things like earth and plants, and washing hands with soap and water after outdoor activities, are also good examples to set for children.

 

The Big Butterfly Count: a Nature-Themed Activity for Families

The Big Butterfly Count takes place in July and early August each year, when most butterflies have reached adulthood.Many will have heard of the Big Garden Birdwatch that takes place every year in January. However, fewer are aware of a similar activity called The Big Butterfly Count that takes place in July and early August. As well as being extremely worthwhile, it’s a wonderful activity for both children and adults to get involved in as citizen scientists. The activity helps with butterfly conservation, is educational for those taking part, and encourages families to get outdoors, closer to nature. And, as we know, getting closer to nature is very good for children and people of all ages. Today, we take a look at this wonderful butterfly-spotting activity and explain how children and families can get involved, help these beautiful little pollinators, contribute a little time to the conservation initiative and benefit themselves at the same time.

The Big Butterfly Count

On 'Big Butterfly Count' day, families with smartphones can use the free smartphone app, which is available on both Apple IOS and Android.Organised by the charity Butterfly Conservation, the long-term aim of the Big Butterfly Count is for butterflies and moths to thrive and be enjoyed by everyone. That’s important because populations of butterflies have really suffered in recent decades, with some species of butterfly even becoming extinct in the UK and elsewhere. Changes in their numbers are also very good indicators of wider problems in pollinators of all types, including bees for example.

The key requirement of the Big Butterfly Count is simply for families across the UK to spend just a little time outdoors, during a very specific time of the year, to record how many different species they see during that time. The findings of thousands of families throughout the UK will then help Butterfly Conservation to understand what species are living in the different UK regions. Data submitted will allow a comparison of reported data from year to year, so Butterfly Conservation can see trends in butterfly populations and spot any significant increases, reductions and areas of concern.

“Help take the pulse of nature.”

When is the Big Butterfly Count?

For 2024, the Big Butterfly Count is any daylight time from Friday 12th July to Sunday 4th August. The reason this period is chosen is because that’s when most butterflies have reached adulthood, so people should be able to spot more of them. This ‘peak adult’ period is essentially at the same approximate period every year.

How Can Families Get Involved?

Getting involved in the Big Butterfly Count is easy and takes very little time. All that’s needed is a 15-minute period of time during daylight hours, between 12th July and 4th August. Bright, sunny weather conditions are preferred. Families simply need to find a good spot* outdoors and watch carefully, just for a quarter of an hour, and record which types of butterflies they spot. They can then submit their sightings any time up until 31 August. The count focuses on specific species within each area of the UK. These are mainly butterflies but they also include a few daytime-flying moths that Butterfly Conservation are interested in monitoring.

*Another alternative, by the way, is for children and families to monitor butterflies during a 15-minute walk i.e. you do not necessarily have to stay in one spot.

  • The Big Butterfly Count app shows the results of butterfly counts all over the UK. This image shows the number of counts in Clayton-le-Woods for 2022's count.If you are counting butterflies from  a static spot, count up how many of the same species you see at the same time. For example, if there are three Large Whites visible at the same time, count that as three. If you see only one at a time, but see it on three separate occasions during the 15 minutes, that counts as only one. That’s so that we can be sure it’s not the same one visiting three times!
  • If you’re counting while on a walk, however, simply count the number of each species you see during the entire 15-minute time frame.
  • You may do as many counts as you like; then simply submit the separate records, through the app, for each different location and/or date.
  • As well as having a section for your own submissions, an interactive map can be found on the smartphone app to show you results from other people across the entire UK. Zoom in for more detail. Shown in the image is the butterfly counts for 2022 in Clayton-le-Woods. In the app itself, each is clickable so you can find out which species were spotted and the number of them.

Where is a Good Spot to See Butterflies?

The 'Big Butterfly Count' smartphone app has a useful section to help you identify which butterflies and daytime-flying moths you see.A good spot, by the way, would be either somewhere outdoors with lots of flowers to attract butterflies and other pollinators, or somewhere you’ve left out some very ripe fruit e.g. pieces of ripe orange, apple, nectarine, grapefruit, banana, or strawberry— butterflies love sweet fruit even when it’s a little over-ripe! Whether that’s in your own garden, near potted flowers on a patio, school grounds, in a park, or out in the countryside is entirely up to you and your family. Even if you spot no butterflies during your 15-minute count, you should still submit your results, by the way, as that might indicate a problem with the butterfly population — and potentially other types of wildlife loss — in that area.

“Numbers of butterflies and moths in the UK have decreased significantly since the 1970s. This is a warning that cannot be ignored.”

How Can You Identify the Types of Butterflies?

Help is on hand to help children/families more easily identify which butterfly species they spot on the day — and at any other time. On the day, families with smartphones can use the free Big Butterfly Count phone app, which is available on both Apple IOS and Android. Below are the links to download them, free of charge, and they seem pretty fast to download too.

Download the Big Butterfly Count app for Apple IOS   Download the Big Butterfly Count app for Android.

Detail pages include information like the difference between males and females and their distribution in the UK. Photos show wings both open and closed.For the youngest of children, an adult will need to supervise the use of the app but many older children will no doubt take to the technology like ducks to water. The app includes several sections including an excellent guide to up to about 21 species that the Big Butterfly Count is particularly interested in this year. Shown are details about each type along with photographs for reference and ID purposes. Details of each type of butterfly — or daytime-flying moth — include information like the difference between males and females, their distribution in the UK, and whether their populations have increased or decreased. Photos show each type with wings both open and closed, making identification even easier.

What if you Spot a Butterfly Species You Can’t Identify?

If you happen to spot a butterfly that’s not included in the species of interest shown in the Big Butterfly Count phone app for your area, you can instead submit them using the free iRecord Butterflies app, details of which are available here. That alternative app can be used any time of year and features many more types of butterflies and moths. It still, however, allows you to submit your sightings to help with conservation and monitoring efforts. Indeed, you could argue that it’s a more permanent way of children helping to both monitor and report butterfly sightings as little citizen scientists.

What If You Don’t Have a Smartphone?

If you don't have a smartphone or can't use the app, downloadable charts of the butterflies in your area are available from the Big Butterfly Count website. This is the one for England for the Big Butterfly Count in 2023.You/your child can still get involved in the Big Butterfly Count even if you/they don’t have a smartphone. Instead of using an app, download charts of the butterflies in your area from the Big Butterfly Count website. You’ll need to fill in a very short form to access the chart links, but they are free of charge and obligation. Choose the most appropriate download link for your region and download the chart. You/your child can then view it on screen and zoom in for the best detail, or print it out on paper. Once you’ve ticked off any that you/your child have seen in the 15-minute period, you will need to ask a friend or family member who has the app if you want them to submit your count for you, however. That’s because paper, email and phone submissions cannot be accepted. Spotting butterflies is a wonderful activity for children, though, whether or not their results are submitted.

Safety & Well-Being of Children & Butterflies

Safety is paramount, of course, so young children should be accompanied and supervised by a responsible adult. It’s also important, of course, not to disturb or interfere with the butterflies. They are extremely delicate little creatures and their wings and bodies are too fragile for handling. Please do not try to catch them — you will do more harm than good.

“Butterfly declines are also an early warning for other wildlife losses … if their numbers are falling, then nature is in trouble. That’s why taking part in this massive citizen science enterprise is of great importance.”

A Focus on Nature at our Outstanding Nursery/Preschool in Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley

An outstanding childcare provider

Little Acorns Nursery, Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley

At Little Acorns Nursery, we know how important it is to get children involved with nature, so will always encourage worthwhile, educational activities like this one. As a Forest School setting, we encourage them to appreciate the natural world and all the flora and fauna within it, so this butterfly-spotting activity is a perfect fit. We also encourage children elsewhere and at home to get involved — it’ll do them, their families, butterflies and the natural environment great good.

Ofsted rate Little Acorns Nursery as an outstanding nursery/preschool in Clayton-le-Woods, and we’re also the winner of a National Nursery award. It simply doesn’t get any better than that and you therefore know your baby, toddler or child under five will be in good hands at Little Acorns. All Government childcare funding schemes are also supported for eligible families. To register your child for a place or to enquire about the possibility, please choose an option below:

Although Little Acorns is located in Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley, in Central Lancashire, we will also be a convenient option for those looking for high-quality childcare near Clayton Brook, Clayton Green, Thorpe Green, Pippin Street, Buckshaw Village, Whittle-le-Woods, Farington, Bamber Bridge, Lostock Hall, Euxton, Leyland and Penwortham.

Quotations in this article are from Butterfly Conservation.

News Round-Up for Little Acorns Nursery, Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley

January began the new term with exciting Forest School sessions for our little ones.Having previously published guides and useful information here for parents, we thought it was time for a news round-up to highlight some of the wonderful activities that have been taking place with children at Little Acorns Nursery. Both children and staff have been extremely busy indeed, with exciting new initiatives, outings, special visits and extra-curricular activities. Let’s take a look at some of the most recent.

Forest School Sessions to Start the Year

The pre-school children and ‘Rising 3s’ learnt all about fire safety.January began the new term with exciting Forest School sessions for our little ones. As well as trips to local countryside, woodland and natural open spaces, the pre-school children and ‘Rising 3s’ at Little Acorns learnt all about fire safety and its importance. (Take a look at  the small photographs to see the various activities — click any for a larger view).

The children also enjoyed making some much-needed bird feeders for the local birds, many of whom struggle for food during the winter months. This coincided nicely with the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch, which happens during the last week of January each year. During the annual event, both children and adults are asked to spend one hour outdoors to count up how many birds they see and which species they belong to. The children enjoyed making some pine cone bird feeders for the local birds.This is important for bird conservation, bearing in mind that the UK bird population has fallen by a staggering 38 million birds in only 50 years. Sadly, even some birds that may have been thought of as common are now in trouble — the starling, for example, is now on the RSPB’s ‘Red List’ — their list of birds whose populations have declined to worrying levels. Such birds need all the help they can get from us, so it’s good for children to be aware of the importance of conservation and caring for wild creatures.

“Not all classrooms have four walls.”

With access to the Great Outdoors, children can learn all about nature, the natural environment, and also about themselves.Forest School gives children access to the Great Outdoors so that they can learn all about nature and the natural environment — and also about themselves. As well as being educational and fun, spending time outdoors with nature has many benefits for children and some of these were previously explored here on the blog. Amongst other things, it teaches them new skills and even some they probably didn’t know they had — leadership, teamwork, critical thinking and problem-solving skills, for example. Learn more about Forest School in our comprehensive guide here.

Extra-Curricular Activities & New Skills

Toddler dance lessons are fun but also help to improve coordination, balance and motor skills.Babies and under-five children at Little Acorns Nursery are fortunate to have access to some fun, exciting and educational activities. These are optional but are very popular amongst the little ones. As well as the day-to-day activities and curriculum at the nursery, we also offer:

  • Baby Sensory Sessions, which are a perfect opportunity for babies to have various senses stimulated, potentially resulting in millions of new synapses being formed in their young brains. Sensory stimulation is incredibly important at their young age and we’ll write a separate guide all about it in due course, so watch this space.
  • Toddler Dance Lessons, which are not only immense fun for little ones but also an important activity that helps improve coordination, balance and motor skills.
  • Football sessions allow children to have fun, keep fit, improve motor skills, learn the importance of teamwork and let off steam!Preschool Drama Sessions, where children get to act, role-play and entertain each other in fun and beneficial ways.
  • Football Sessions, which allow children to have fun, keep fit, improve motor skills, learn the importance of teamwork and let off steam!
  • Spanish Lessons, which introduce little ones to a second language, importantly at an early age. They have already mastered English at an incredibly early age, so adding a second language soon afterwards often comes surprisingly naturally to them — and is a great skill to have.

Baby Farm Animals Visit the Children

In January, the children had a surprise visit from 2 beautiful calves, called Louise and Jenny.During January, the children were delighted when they had a surprise meeting with 2 wonderful twelve-week-old baby cows, called Louise and Jenny. Both calves and children were intrigued to meet each other and it was an opportunity that many children may otherwise not have had access to. Special thanks go to one of our lovely parents, who kindly facilitated this magical event with the loan of their beautiful calves.

Weekly Visits to the Library

Our children enjoy weekly visits to the local library. There, they can independently look at their favourite books and discover new ones.One of Little Acorns Nursery’s regular features is our weekly visits to the local library with the children. There, they are able to independently look through their favourite books as well as discovering new ones. Encouraging a love of reading is hugely important as it’ll lead to an understanding of a wider range of topics, it will improve language skills, enhance cognitive development and teach them so much about — well — potentially everything!

The Children Visit a Local Care Home

Children also enjoy monthly visits to the local care home, to meet and interact with the residents there.Children also enjoy their monthly visit to the local care home. It’s a great opportunity to meet and interact with the care home residents, who also really appreciate the youngsters’ company. Children and adults will bond as they talk, sing and even share in craft activities together. It’s a wonderful experience for all parties, teaching children many lessons about life and the importance of community, as well as enhancing communication and social skills. It also really brightens the day for the care home residents.

Gruffalo Crumble in Storytelling Week

As January became early February, toddlers celebrated Storytelling Week in lots of different creative ways.As January became early February, toddlers at Little Acorns Nursery had great fun celebrating Storytelling Week in creative ways. Running between 30th January to 5th February, the event saw children doing things like making their own ‘Gruffalo Crumble’ and ‘Gruffalo Woods’ as well as playing in our ‘Blue River’. The accompanying photo (right) illustrates one of the many creative story-themed activities that the children enjoyed.

Vegetable & Fruit Growing at the Nursery

In February, we bought seeds and strawberry plants for the children, so they can begin the process of growing of their own vegetables and fruit at the nursery.By mid-February, staff and children at the nursery had begun to prepare for another nature-themed activity – the growing of our own vegetables and fruit! So, various seed packets were procured and preparation for sowing the seeds and eventually growing our own produce commenced. The plan is to incorporate this activity into daily nursery life. Children will thereby start to understand the importance of nurturing living plants and the benefits of growing their own food. They’ll learn to be responsible, they’ll learn new things about nature, where food comes from and the importance of tending their own vegetable patch at the nursery. It’s a thoroughly worthwhile and fulfilling activity for them to enjoy too.

We were also delighted when one kind grandmother noticed our Facebook post about this food growing activity and offered us some spare strawberry plants. A huge thanks to her for those and we’re now looking forward to a crop of delicious strawberries too!

An Outstanding Childcare Service & Forest School in Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley

An outstanding childcare providerLittle Acorns Nursery, Clayton-le-Woods, ChorleyIf you have a child under five and are looking for the best childcare in Lancashire, explore the opportunity of sending your baby, toddler or preschooler to our outstanding nursery and pre-school. Please get in touch to register your child for a nursery or pre-school place, request a guided tour of the setting or simply to ask any questions. Our staff are always happy to answer queries and to show families around this wonderful childcare setting. Please choose a button to get started:

Little Acorns Nursery offers award-winning childcare in Central Lancashire. We are a nursery and pre-school located in Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley, also being convenient for families in Clayton Brook, Clayton Green, Thorpe Green, Pippin Street, Buckshaw Village, Whittle-le-Woods, Farington, Bamber Bridge, Lostock Hall, Euxton, Leyland and Penwortham.

Microgreens: A Fun Food Growing Activity for Under-Fives

Microgreens: A Fun Food Growing Activity for Under-Fives

Microgreens can be grown in trays, egg cartons, used yoghurt pots or any shallow pot or dish that has drainage.As promised in our recent Educational Food Growing post for kids, we’ve got another wonderful food-growing activity for children today. Whether you have a toddler, preschooler or older child, they’ll love this activity and it also has a huge range of benefits. It is a fun, educational, easy and inexpensive activity that gives children an enormous feeling of achievement. It also results in the miraculous growth of delicious food that children and the whole household can eat! What’s not to love, therefore, about our growing microgreens activity! Today, we explain just how easy it is.

First: What Are Microgreens?

Children can get really creative with what they sow their microgreen seeds in!Microgreens, also known as micro leaves, are the young shoots of growing plants that are edible. Examples include the seedlings of herbs like basil and coriander, red cabbage micro leaves and the shoots from root vegetables like beetroot. When growing, the seedlings form a thick and rich ‘carpet’ of shoots that, when ready, can be snipped off en masse and used in meals as salads or garnishes. What’s more, they’re delicious, highly nutritious and make meals look amazing. The entire activity can also be accomplished indoors in any home. You do not need to have a garden because a well-lit windowsill or counter top will more than suffice.

Growing Microgreens is a fun, educational, easy and inexpensive activity that gives children an enormous feeling of achievement. It also results in delicious food that children and the whole household can eat!

Additional Benefits of Children Growing Microgreens

Getting children directly involved in growing microgreens can also encourage them to try new foods, enjoy new flavours and to get much needed vitamins and minerals at the critical time when they are developing. Teaching them to grow food will also teach them a huge number of lessons, for example about nature, the circle of life, how to care for another living thing responsibly, where food comes from and even meal preparation, nutrition and balancing diets. Growing microgreens is a doorway to all of this and more, yet is so simple as an activity.

 

There is a huge variety of different microgreens

What You’ll Need to Start Growing Microgreens

You/your child will need a few things to get started in the growing activity:

  • Microgreen seeds in a seed tray being sprayed gently with water.Microgreen seeds. These are available inexpensively online or at places like garden centres and even some supermarkets. You can buy microgreen mixed seeds or choose seeds for rocket, beetroot, spinach, red cabbage, fennel, broccoli, radish or mustard. Each has a distinctive look, when growing, and flavour, when eaten. Read the packets for more detail or just have fun and experiment!
  • One or more shallow seed trays – also available inexpensively from garden centres or online. Alternatively, you can use any shallow tray left over from a ready meal, or use used yoghurt pots, egg cartons, cut down kitchen roll ‘cores’ or similar. Whatever you use will need to have drainage holes underneath, so parents will need to help any piercing, for safety purposes.
  • As the main pots or tray require drainage holes, you will need another tray, cut-down pot or saucer to catch drips underneath. This is known as a drip tray and simply protects your surface from moisture.
  • Lastly, you’ll need some light soil to sow the seeds in. This can be from the garden if you have one and are on a low budget (sieve first), or buy peat-free compost. Multi-purpose compost or a compost specifically for seeds and cuttings will be perfect. If you’re on a really low budget, another alternative is to simply sow microgreens directly onto layers of dampened tissue paper e.g. horizontal sheets torn from a kitchen towel.

That’s all you and your little one need, apart from water, natural light and some care and patience.

What to Do

Once you’ve got the above items together, your child can take the following steps:

Step 1: Fill the seed tray, pots or cartons almost to the top with compost or whatever is being used as ‘soil’ (see the tissue option above if the budget is low).
Step 2: If using soil or compost, this needs to be tamped down gently to flatten and level the surface.
Step 3: The microgreen seeds can now be sprinkled lightly and evenly (best done from a little bit of a height), or manually spaced if your child enjoys that alternative approach. Clumping should be avoided.
Step 4: A light sprinkling of additional compost (or sieved soil) can then go on top to keep seeds in place. It may be best to do this outdoors.
Step 5: An additional layer of kitchen towel or tissue can be placed on top of the seeds, but only until the seeds start to germinate later on.
Step 6: Lightly sprinkle water or spray the seeds gently with a water spray, taking care not to disturb or wash away the seeds.
Step 7: Place the trays or pots, with their drip trays underneath, onto a well-lit windowsill or counter top. A little ventilation will also not be a bad thing for the seeds.
Step 8: Your child will need to check that the seeds/soil/tissue are damp each day and watered lightly to ensure they don’t dry out. Watering can either be done from above (ideally using a mister or water spray so as to not disturb the seeds) or from below by simply pouring water into the drip trays. This will be slowly drawn up into the soil naturally, particularly if it’s not too deep.
Step 9: As soon as shoots begin to appear, your child should remove any covering (from Step 5), taking care not to disturb the seedlings, and continue to water lightly each day as the seedlings grow.

TIP: Don’t forget to get your child to wash their hands after touching soil and seeds etc.

Harvest Time!

For young children in particular, snipping them off is best done by parents, to avoid injury.Different microgreen seeds grow at different rates but usually a dense carpet of growing shoots and tiny leaves will cover the trays or pots within one or two weeks. Generally speaking, when you can see small, immature leaves at the top of shoots about 1 to 1¼ inches tall, they are about ready to be harvested. For young children in particular, snipping them off is best done by parents, to avoid injury. The carpet of microgreens can be snipped off, using scissors, low down near where the shoots begin. It’s best to snip them off rather than to pull them up by the roots because then they have the chance to regrow and give you/your child a second crop later on. The microgreens can then be washed in a fine colander, under a cold tap, to remove any remnants of soil.

And Eat!

Microgreens make wonderful garnishes, are lovely in salads and sandwiches and can also be added to soup, risotto, pasta, baked potatoes and burgers.Your child can then continue the fun by helping with meal preparation (with adult supervision for safety). Microgreens make wonderful garnishes, are lovely in salads and sandwiches and can also be added to things like soup, risotto, pasta, baked potatoes and burgers. They are incredibly attractive to look at, jazzing up any meal and also giving children extra nutrients to consume. They are also a great way to encourage children to try new tastes and food textures.

By growing microgreens themselves, children will have had great fun and will have learned so much along the way. It’s a fabulous and educational activity, any time of year!

A Place for your Child at our Outstanding Nursery & Pre-School in Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley

An outstanding childcare providerLittle Acorns Nursery, Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley

Are you searching for outstanding nurseries or pre-schools in Clayton-le-Woods (PR6), Chorley, or near to Clayton Green and Clayton Brook in Central Lancashire?

Little Acorns is in Clayton-le-Woods and is rated by Ofsted as an outstanding nursery. It is also an award-winning nursery, having won an important National award. Our childcare service is simply unrivalled in the area.  So, if you’d like your child to experience the very best childcare, register for a nursery place at Little Acorns Nursery. You can also request a guided tour or ask any questions using the buttons below. We look forward to hearing from you.