https://www.littleacornsnursery.school/tag/exploration/ Fri, 31 Jul 2026 07:41:03 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://www.littleacornsnursery.school/sensory-room-clayton-le-woods/ Fri, 31 Jul 2026 07:41:03 +0000 https://www.littleacornsnursery.school/?p=7850 Little Acorns was delighted recently to unveil our new Sensory Room at our Clayton-le-Woods nursery near Chorley. The space offers a holistic experience tailored to each child's individual needs and features calming lights, soft play equipment, a variety of textures, and a sensory den. Designed to enhance engagement and enjoyment, the new sensory equipment, accessories, and resources facilitate a wide range of sensory experiences that support therapeutic, educational, and recreational goals for every child. Indeed, the new room has been a huge hit with the children who love to go there to relax, explore, learn, and engage with the wide range of stimulating activities. The new Sensory Room is accessible throughout the day under the watchful eye of our dedicated early years professionals. It's an inclusive environment that not only provides diverse sensory opportunities for all children but also offers a safe and calming space to help regulate and reduce instances of sensory overload. Watch our video and view the image gallery to get a flavour of what's on offer in the new sensory space.]]> https://www.littleacornsnursery.school/why-families-should-try-a-digital-detox/ Mon, 18 May 2026 12:35:12 +0000 https://www.littleacornsnursery.school/?p=7734 For most families, electronic screens are everywhere. Across the country, there are TVs in living rooms, with many households also having them in kitchens, dining rooms, and even bedrooms. Smartphone use is also prolific. Additionally, we have tablets, computers, game consoles, e-readers, and even wearable smartwatches that have screens. So, rather like the movie title, "Everything Everywhere All at Once," electronic screens are nothing short of ubiquitous. But what effect does watching such screens have on people, particularly children? And is there an argument for taking a significant break from them once in a while? Today's post explores the topic and explains Why Every Family Should Try a Digital Detox, whether for a day, a week, or significantly longer. Let's dive in.]]> https://www.littleacornsnursery.school/spring-nature-hunt-activity-for-kids/ Fri, 17 Apr 2026 12:26:46 +0000 https://www.littleacornsnursery.school/?p=7679 — A Fun & Educational Activity for Children (with Free Reference Poster!) It's wonderful for families when spring arrives: the coldest weather is behind us, the sun is out more often, and there is so much beauty to see outdoors. As spring progresses, more and more flowers appear, providing colourful displays, and all kinds of plants and leaves are sprouting forth. Following spring's arrival, we'll see more animals, birds and insects too. They're likely to include delightful bumblebees attracted by newly-blossoming flowers, adorable snails and minibeasts on the look-out for food, and swifts flying acrobatically through the air, having returned to the UK after wintering overseas. Everywhere we look, nature is teaming with life once again. With this in mind, it's a wonderful opportunity to encourage children to get outside once more, enjoy nature and the fresh air, and embark on a Spring Nature Hunt. The activity is both fun and educational for little ones. Spending time in nature is also very good for children's health and well-being. And the icing on the cake? Today's activity comes with an attractive reference poster depicting 25 natural things for children to look out for — and it's free for families to download.]]> https://www.littleacornsnursery.school/clayton-forest-school-open/ Thu, 15 Jan 2026 14:11:33 +0000 https://www.littleacornsnursery.school/?p=7503 We’re delighted to share some very exciting news: our much-loved Forest School in Clayton-le-Woods re-opens this spring (2026). After dedicated staff training, careful preparation and thoughtful planning, we’re ready to welcome children back to outdoor learning — and we know it’s something they will be extremely excited about. Forest School has always been an important part of who we are as a nursery. In fact, we are proud to have been the very first setting in the area to establish a Forest School, and it quickly became a highlight of the week for our children. Bringing it back now feels like a natural and meaningful step forward, rooted in the proven belief that young children thrive when they are given time, space and freedom to explore the natural world around them. Indeed, spending time in and around nature is profoundly beneficial to children.]]> https://www.littleacornsnursery.school/summer-nature-hunt-activity-free-poster/ Tue, 15 Jul 2025 15:20:30 +0000 https://www.littleacornsnursery.school/?p=7213 Summer is a wonderful time for children to get outdoors. There, they can breathe the fresh air, benefit from being closer to the natural world, and escape from electronic screens. Nature is incredibly good for children as well as adults (more about that later). A simple way to encourage little ones outdoors is to take them on an exciting and educational nature hunt! There are many fascinating things to look out for during the summer months including butterflies, caterpillars, bees, beautiful wildflowers and much more. A summer nature hunt will open their eyes and minds to the wonders of nature's flora and fauna, lead to educational conversations with accompanying adults, and be an enjoyable and educational activity. Within all that in mind, we've put together a free Summer Nature Hunt poster that will give children and families an idea of what to look out for during the warmer months of summer — and serve as useful visual reference. The poster is free to download right here in this blog post (see below). Once printed out, it can be displayed large on children's bedroom walls or taken along during the activity — perhaps reduced to a convenient size like A5. Children can use the little tick boxes to tick off each item that's been spotted. So, venture out little ones — see how many wonderful things you can spot in the natural world this summer!]]> https://www.littleacornsnursery.school/world-bee-day-for-under-fives/ Wed, 16 Apr 2025 12:57:17 +0000 https://www.littleacornsnursery.school/?p=6991 Little learners, get ready – it’s almost time to buzz into action for World Bee Day! The annual event arrives in May and it’s a brilliant opportunity for children and families to get involved in something meaningful, fun, and full of learning opportunities. Bees are amazing little helpers, whether in gardens, parks or the countryside — but they need our help too! World Bee Day is a chance for children to discover the magic of these fascinating creatures, learn more about the natural world, and start to build early environmental awareness. They can get proactive too. Whether by planting wildflowers, spotting bees in the garden, or creating bee-inspired arts and crafts, even our tiniest learners can join in the buzz. Read on to learn more about this fun, educational, and hugely worthwhile event, which takes place each May.]]> https://www.littleacornsnursery.school/winter-nature-hunt-activity-for-children/ Sun, 15 Dec 2024 08:15:07 +0000 https://www.littleacornsnursery.school/?p=6832 With the season of winter arriving in December, new opportunities for outdoor activities arise for children of all ages. And, as nature and outdoor play are so beneficial for children, we thought a winter nature hunt would be a great idea (cool even!). With that in mind, we've put together a free, downloadable, reference sheet of 20 things for children to look out for during this season. Despite the colder temperatures at this stage of the year, if children are wrapped up in warm clothes and suitably supervised by an adult, there is still lots for them to enjoy, discover, and learn from. That's even more true for children still in their early years. Nature is a huge educator and is often stunningly beautiful too. A winter nature hunt is therefore a great excuse to get them outdoors, exploring, discovering, learning and simply having fun!]]> https://www.littleacornsnursery.school/butterflies-nature-activity-for-kids/ Sun, 14 Jul 2024 10:11:31 +0000 https://www.littleacornsnursery.school/?p=6494 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.]]> https://www.littleacornsnursery.school/autumn-nature-hunt-activity-for-children/ Wed, 15 Nov 2023 14:32:20 +0000 https://www.littleacornsnursery.school/?p=6100 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!]]> https://www.littleacornsnursery.school/learning-through-play/ Sun, 15 Oct 2023 08:00:54 +0000 https://www.littleacornsnursery.school/?p=6026 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.]]>