best nursery Archives | Little Acorns Nursery School

Don’t Miss Out on Free Childcare This September – Apply NOW!

Mark — Sat, 28 Jun 2025 13:44:28 +0000

(Free ‘30 Hours’ Childcare Scheme for Eligible Working Families)

In September this year (2025), free childcare for eligible working families expands to 30 hours per week for children as young as just 9 months. Little Acorns Nursery in Clayton-le-Woods is supporting the funding scheme too. Taken usually over 38 weeks* of the year, it means a generous 1140 hours of funded childcare will be available to eligible children in Central Lancashire over the course of a year. For the first time, the funding will cover eligible babies aged from only 9 months and children up to 2, the scheme having previously rolled out to eligible 3-and-4-year-olds last year. An urgent factor to be aware of, however, is that the funding application deadline is only weeks away for those wanting to start in the September 2025 term. So, whether you're thinking of applying at Little Acorns Nursery or elsewhere, don't delay your application any longer if you want to access the free funding from September. If your child is eligible and you do not apply by the deadline, your child will not be able to access the free funding for the entire September term. Read on to learn more about the new funding for eligible working families, the deadlines for applications, and the rules that apply.

Dyslexia in Children – Frequently Asked Questions

Mark — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 08:00:58 +0000

As a condition that affects children's reading and writing abilities, Dyslexia is something that can significantly hold little ones back. If not diagnosed and addressed in good time, it can have a knock-on effect that adversely affects the education and potentially whole lives of people affected. It's therefore important to learn what to look out for so as to recognise the possible signs of dyslexia in children should they occur. With that in mind, today's article explores the answers to frequently asked questions about dyslexia so as to explain what dyslexia is, how it affects children and adults, what to look out for, and what to do to mitigate its potentially harmful effects.

Let’s Get to Know Butterflies – An Educational Nature Activity for Kids

Mark — Sun, 14 Jul 2024 10:11:31 +0000

With the UK's Big Butterfly Count happening from roughly the second half of July right through to early August, we thought now was an excellent time to release our free butterfly poster for families to download. This is designed to encourage children and families to get outdoors to see how many of the UK's most commonly seen butterflies they can see and identify. Our identification poster features 36 of the 59 butterfly species found in Britain (we have excluded butterflies that families are unlikely to see as some are quite rare or limited to small areas of the nation). That's a much more comprehensive number of butterfly species than surveyed in the Big Butterfly Count (just 19 types of butterfly and 2 daytime-flying moths are included in that survey this year). We therefore wholeheartedly encourage children and families to download our free butterfly poster today, so they can get started on getting to know British butterflies. It's educational as well as being a wonderful way to get children outdoors to enjoy the fresh air and all the profound benefits that nature will bring them.

Maths Concepts for Under-5s — & Why They’re Important

Mark — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:01:22 +0000

Once babies have transformed into toddlers, it's never too early to introduce them to maths-based concepts and language. Indeed, introducing under-fives to such concepts in the earliest years will benefit them hugely as it lays the foundations for future learning. That's one of the main reasons it is a part of the EYFS curriculum. Continuing this learning at home will also help them instinctively understand that mathematics is a normal and integral part of everyday life. As such, there is no need for it to be perceived as a daunting topic. With all that in mind, today's guide explores why the early introduction of mathematics is so beneficial to under-fives and how parents and caregivers play a vital role in encouraging their mathematical curiosity, knowledge, and confidence.

Tips for Potty Training Tots

Mark — Mon, 15 Apr 2024 14:07:25 +0000

One of the key tasks all tots must face, in tandem with parents, is potty training. It's something we all had to master as toddlers and therefore we know it's 100% achievable — despite it sometimes seeming to be rather a challenge. Achieving success, though, will improve the quality of life for the child, the parent, and other guardians involved in the child's care. Learning to master the use of the potty and later the toilet will also be a major boost to self-confidence and independence when the child is at nursery, preschool, and later school. With that in mind, today's guide outlines our top tips for successful potty training.

The Benefits of Sport in the Early Years – & Exciting Chorley News!

Mark — Thu, 15 Feb 2024 10:46:09 +0000

In exciting news, Chorley made it to the National press and TV this week and there has been a huge amount of buzz about what's been going on. For anyone who missed it, the story involves Chorley Football Club and stars from two pop groups. Shane Lynch and Keith Duffy from Boyzone and Brian McFadden from Westlife visited a Chorley FC match. Along with Boyzone's Ronan Keating, they are exploring the possibility of buying a stake in the club. The story has gone completely viral with the likes of Sky Sports, ITV and the BBC having sent camera crews to cover it. The stars' visit and interest in Chorley Football Club have been the talk of the Nation and have certainly put Chorley on the map!

“This is a game-changer that has the potential to bring our town into the limelight like never before, generating a buzz and publicity that will shine a bright light on Chorley and the local area.” — Chorley FC

With Chorley Football Club being only 4.8 miles and a 14-minute drive from Little Acorns Nursery in Clayton-le-Woods, this news has certainly registered on our radar. What's more, it's sure to fire up greater interest in sport from children in the Chorley area. Perhaps some of them could even end up being sporting stars of the future! With all that in mind, we thought we'd take the opportunity today to explore the value and importance of sport to children in their early years.

Encouraging Learning Through Play at Home

Mark — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 18:01:24 +0000

As we discussed in our recent post The Power of Learning Through Play in Early Childhood, play helps babies and children to improve cognitive skills, social skills, motor skills and emotional growth. It feeds the imagination, boosts creativity and fosters a love of learning. Language skills benefit, problem-solving abilities are enhanced, and children naturally pick up maths concepts and even elements of science through play. With that in mind, today's post follows up with the topic of Encouraging Learning Through Play at Home.

How to Encourage Learning Through Play at Home

Play-based learning doesn't stop when children leave childcare nurseries; it continues at home, where parents and caregivers play a crucial role in fostering an environment that supports exploration, curiosity, and growth through play. Through the suggestions outlined below, parents can help children more optimally benefit from everything that learning through play provides — while at home.

The Power of Learning Through Play in Early Childhood

Mark — Sun, 15 Oct 2023 08:00:54 +0000

In the world of child development and early education, there is a simple yet profound truth: children learn best when they are learning through play. Play is the universal language of childhood and, indeed, it transcends both borders and cultures. Whether it's building sand castles on a sunny beach or arranging blocks on the floor at home, play is the gateway through which children explore, discover, and grow. But how and why is play so important? And can it benefit even babies, the tiniest members of society? In today's article, we'll unravel the secrets of learning through play. We'll refer to some findings of scientific studies that attest to its incredible impact, explore play's significance in the early years and infancy, and explain how childcare nurseries like ours harness its potential to nurture young minds. So, join us today as we explore the power of play and why it should be at the heart of every child's learning experience. Let's open the door to a world where fun, laughter, imagination, and natural discovery pave the way to a brighter future for our children.

Let’s Find Minibeasts! A Simple Nature Activity for Kids (With Free Poster)

Mark — Tue, 15 Aug 2023 11:41:14 +0000

Children and parents, let's go minibeast spotting! Whether you have a garden, neighbourhood park, or just a few potted plants, there are bound to be minibeasts visiting or living there. What's more, summer is the perfect time to spot them. Spending time in nature is hugely important for children and there are many benefits to children simply playing outdoors too. Today's minibeast activity is therefore the perfect opportunity for young children to reap all those benefits, get closer to nature, and learn about some of its incredible wildlife.

Minibeasts

Minibeasts are fascinating little creatures that come in many shapes and sizes. Each is a unique little character and many are simply enchanting. Take bumble bees, for example, with their adorable furry bodies, stripes and antennae, little ladybirds with their cute spots, or stick caterpillars that look just like twigs! There are so many different types, so we've put together a free identification poster showing 30 of our favourite minibeasts that are likely to be lurking nearby if families take the time to look. The poster is free to download and share. Print it out in colour at full size (A3) or reduce it to A4 for children to take outdoors. There are little tick boxes too, so children can mark which minibeasts they've seen as time goes by.

Wildlife-Friendly Flower Growing Fun for Under-Fives

Mark — Fri, 14 Jul 2023 15:34:54 +0000

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!