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How to Create a Fairy Garden for National Children’s Gardening Week

How to Create a Fairy Garden for National Children’s Gardening Week

Today, we suggest a wonderful gardening-related activity that's perfect for young children.National Children’s Gardening Week arrives in late May and is the perfect time for young children to get involved in gardening activities. In celebration of the event, we describe a wonderful gardening-related activity that’s small-scale, easy, fun, and educational — perfect for little ones! The finished result is also rather magical and, once complete, lends itself to imaginative play. Today, we outline how children can make their own miniature fairy gardens. These are a great way to introduce little ones to creative gardening at a child-friendly scale. Under parent supervision* and largely using scavenged materials from outdoors, under-fives can let their imaginations run free and get creative! What’s more, the results are simply enchanting and will bring magic and a whole lot of delight to young children!

Take a look at some of the examples we show below and you’ll quickly see how enchanting the results can be. Shown are just a few of the many magical mini gardens that are possible using simple, natural, materials and a sprinkling of creativity. They are sure to inspire children to attempt their own fairy garden creations. Whether children call them fairy gardens, magical gardens, or mini gardens is up to them. Indeed, they may even think of them as mini kingdoms where imagined adventures are ready to unfold! This is a wonderful open-ended activity for kids that’s perfect for National Children’s Gardening Week. Enjoy!

When is National Children’s Gardening Week?

National Children's Gardening Week runs from the 24th of May to the 1st of June 2025.National Children’s Gardening Week begins on the 24th of May this year (2025) and runs until the 1st of June. The timing is no coincidence as it’s generally a warm week and therefore perfect for gardening and growing plants and flowers. What’s more, it also spans the half-term school holiday that most schools recognise in the last week of May.

The Aims of National Children’s Gardening Week

National Children’s Gardening Week is designed to inspire youngsters to get involved in gardening-related activities. It’s timed to arrive during a traditionally warm time of year when seeds, plants, and flowers grow fast. With such timing, they’ll see the fruits of their labour in a short space of time — sometimes literally! That’s great for little ones who may not have mastered the art of patience!

Gardening teaches children so much. Through gardening-related activities, they can spend time outdoors* in the fresh air and enjoy the many different benefits of spending time closer to nature. They’ll discover new skills and learn about living things, the world around them, and their place within it. Through such endeavours, they’ll better understand the circle of life and the need to care for living things. They’ll learn about taking responsibility, the importance of empathy, cause and effect, and so much more. It’ll also be fulfilling, enjoyable, and fabulous for their physical and mental well-being. Learn more about the benefits of spending time around nature for children here.

* (Appropriate adult supervision is essential for children, especially the youngest, when playing, exploring, and foraging outdoors. This includes the assessment and oversight of fairy garden assembly including age-appropriate component choices).

Fairy Garden Inspiration for Your Child

With that explained, let’s begin by showing 24 wonderful fairy garden examples to inspire you and your child. Click an image for a larger view and caption:

As you can see, each fairy garden is made almost entirely of natural materials that have been scavenged from the outdoors. Parents can help children find such things and, of course, supervision outdoors is paramount for young children. The types of materials that are perfect for making fairy gardens include:

  • Loose compost or sieved earth, which can be shaped to form the foundation of the fairy garden structure;
  • Different types of moss, some of which can be carefully laid onto the shaped earth or compost and used to represent grassy lawns and hills, while other types can represent bushes;
  • Small pebbles, which can represent footpaths, stepping stones, or even standing stones;
  • Medium-sized rustic rocks, which can be used to represent rocky outcrops, small cliffs, and focal points;
  • Small sticks and twigs, which can represent trees or be used for picket fencing boundaries or paths;
  • See shells, which are perfect for introducing a magical feel and can be used as attractive decorations;
  • Small pieces of driftwood from the beach, which can represent tree trunks and suchlike;
  • Tin foil to mould into miniature ponds, lakes or streams or to cover rocks that are used as magical features;
  • Small seedlings or picked flowers, which (under supervision) can be pushed into mossy mounds to add a bit of colour and beauty;
  • Small fir tree sprigs which, when placed vertically into mounded moss, will look like trees;
  • Plus other small props to add details that will appeal to a child, for example, a little wooden house that a child may already have in their toy collection. Other options are (when age-appropriate) miniature figures, small animal models, and so on. These are a great way to add characters to fairy gardens in readiness for the creation of stories and interesting adventure scenarios in the child’s play. They are the finishing touch that can bring the fairy garden to life!

How to Assemble a Child’s Fairy Garden

First, your child will need a small space in or on which to build the fairy garden. Although this could be a small, unused area in the garden, something more portable would be better so the fairy garden can be created somewhere convenient like on a garden table, on a raised flowerbed, in a potting shed, etc. A medium-sized flower pot filled three-quarters with soil, a shallow tin, a flat section of log, or a flat rock — as shown in many of the examples — would make perfect portable bases for mini gardens to sit on. A kitchen tray or seed tray could also be suitable as a base, particularly if the final creation will be housed indoors and children intend to water them to keep the moss and any plants alive.

TIP: Sometimes, it’s useful to get a head-start with the main base by choosing a log, flowerpot, or rock that already has some moss established. This saves time and also means the moss will hold more firmly from the outset. Be mindful not to harm any minibeasts living there though – teach kindness to little ones.

If starting from scratch, a little soil or compost needs to go on first to form the structural ‘landscape’ of the scene, shaped creatively to the child’s preference. Although a flat mini landscape will work, an undulating format will add extra interest to the final scene. For instance, children could shape this ‘foundational’ base to form a hillside, valley, or simple slope. Such things will eventually allow for intriguing details and picturesque focal points, particularly once covered in a thin layer of short moss to represent grass. Longer or more bulbous types of moss can be great for representing bushes, while fir tree sprigs make wonderful trees if stood on end and secured upright by pushing into the moss and underlying soil. A hillside with trees or bushes surrounding a miniature house will look fabulous as in some of the photo examples provided today. Lower levels may be perfect places to make ponds or streams. Once such foundations are in place, paths can be represented using carefully placed pebbles. For larger fairy gardens, children can consider introducing bigger components like standing stones, or rocks used to represent cliffs and rocky outcrops. Small seashells and even small flowers with stems pushed into the moss can be nice decorative touches to take creations to the next, beautiful level. Children can occasionally water the final creation to keep the moss moist, green, and alive.

The beauty of this activity is that children (and parents) can let their imaginations run riot! And, who knows; the activity could even lead to a life-long interest in model making and the creative arts! Children will love the finished result and can interact to create stories, different scenarios, and adventures using their wonderfully organic and magical scenes.

Support for the EYFS

Speaking of creative arts and crafts, this activity is also a great way to support the specific ‘Expressive Arts and Design’ area of focus within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum. It’s indeed the perfect opportunity to spark children’s imaginations and creativity and perhaps even result in some role-playing.

Another area of the EYFS that’s supported by this activity is ‘Physical Development’ as children will need to be dextrous in order to carefully place items like moss and other components within their fairy gardens. It will require fine motor skills and good hand-eye coordination.

‘Understanding the World’ is another area of the EYFS that’ll be well-supported by this activity. Children will learn more about nature, the world around them and some of its flora and fauna. And, if they decide to try to keep their fairy gardens alive through watering and perhaps even selective plant-growing, it’ll teach them important lessons about responsibility and the care of living things.

Have a wonderful time with your fairy gardens! They’re great fun, rather magical for little ones, and superb settings to use as focal points for imaginative play!

Nursery Places Available in Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley

Little Acorns Nursery, Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley

Little Acorns Nursery is rated as a 'Good Provider' by Ofsted.If you’d like your under-five child to get the best start in life in a first-class childcare setting near Chorley, consider a nursery place at Little Acorns Nursery, Clayton-le-Woods. Here, we understand just how important nature is to children and that’s one of the many reasons why Forest School was introduced to the setting. That’s along with a high-quality curriculum that brings out the best in every child, fabulous facilities indoors and out, and an enviable reputation for excellence. Ours is a home-from-home environment too, where children are part of the Little Acorns ‘family’ and first-class early years practitioners ensure they’re as school-ready as possible by the time they leave us. Free childcare hours are also available here for eligible babies and children aged from 9 months.

Contact Us Today

As a nursery based in Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley, we are also a suitable choice 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.

Little Learners: Get Ready for World Bee Day!

World Bee Day is a wonderful opportunity for families and supervised children to get involved in something meaningful, fun, and full of learning opportunities.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.

World Bee Day

World Bee Day arrives on the 20th May every year.World Bee Day is celebrated every year on 20th May to raise awareness of the vital role that bees and other pollinators play in our world. From helping plants grow and supporting the food we eat every day, bees are some of nature’s hardest workers – and they need our help to survive and thrive.

People around the world mark the day by learning more about bees, planting flowers, protecting wild habitats, and sharing ways to care for the environment. Under appropriate supervision, there are lots of ways even the youngest children can join in too!

2025’s World Bee Day Theme:

2025’s World Bee Day theme is “Bee inspired by nature to nourish us all.”“Bee inspired by nature to nourish us all”

2025’s theme is all about how bees help feed the world, and how we can look after them by taking inspiration from nature. Without bees and pollinators, there would be no fruit, vegetables, crops, and nuts to keep us healthy. The message is simple: if we care for bees and their habitats, they’ll continue to care for us too by helping our plants grow and keeping the planet blooming.

Learn more about World Bee Day, its background and its aims here.

How World Bee Day Supports Early Years Learning

Getting involved in World Bee Day supports many areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and helps children learn and grow in meaningful, hands-on ways.Getting involved in World Bee Day isn’t just fun — it also supports many areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), helping children learn and grow in meaningful, hands-on ways. Here are just a few ways bee-related activities can support early development:

  • Understanding the World: Through bee-related activities, children will learn about living things, the environment, and how everything in nature is connected. Exploring bees and their role in pollination helps little learners begin to understand the world around them — and how they can help look after it.
  • Communication and Language: Talking about bees, asking questions, listening to stories and learning new words (like ‘pollination’, nectar’ and hive’) builds vocabulary and encourages curiosity.
  • Young girl making bee crafts.Expressive Arts and Design: Making bee crafts, drawing flowers, role-playing as working bees, or moving like insects in a dance — all help develop creativity and imagination.
  • Personal, Social and Emotional Development: Caring for nature supports empathy and kindness. Group activities like planting or creating a bee garden also build teamwork and a sense of shared responsibility.
  • Physical Development: Activities like planting seeds, cutting out bee shapes, or painting flower petals develop fine and gross motor skills through playful, purposeful movement.

In short, World Bee Day is a brilliant opportunity for young children to explore the wonders of the natural world in a way that supports their learning across multiple areas, is fun, and makes a difference!

Bee-Themed Activities for Under-Fives

There are so many fun and simple ways for little learners to join in with World Bee Day!There are so many fun and simple ways for little learners to join in with World Bee Day! Here are a few activities that are perfect for children under five — each one encourages creativity, curiosity, and care for nature while also supporting the EYFS.

Plant a Pollinator Patch

Children can help plant bee-friendly flowers such as lavender, sunflowers, or wildflowers in a pot, bed or border. This not only encourages responsibility and care as they water and watch the plants grow but also supports the EYFS’s Understanding the World, Personal, Social & Emotional Development, and Physical Development goals.

Make Buzzy Bee Crafts

Children can use materials like paper plates, cardboard tubes, egg cartons and recycled materials to create their own bees!Using paper plates, cardboard tubes, egg cartons or recycled materials, children can create their own bees! Add wings, stripes, googly eyes and antennae for a hands-on creative session. These are wonderfully creative activities that will boost several areas of the EYFS including Expressive Arts & Design and Physical Development.

Bee-Themed Storytime

Snuggle up with stories that introduce bees in a child-friendly way. Great choices include The Very Greedy Bee by Steve Smallman and Jack Tickle, Bee: Nature’s Tiny Miracle by Patricia Hegarty, and What if There Were No Bees? by Suzanne Slade. Even better, encourage children to create their own stories involving bees! After storytime, don’t forget to talk about what bees do with your child and ensure they understand why they’re important. These are great activities to boost the EYFS’s Communication & Language, Literacy and Understanding the World focus areas.

Sing and Dance Like a Bee

The Bee Waggle Dance (video).Do you or your child know about the bee Waggle Dance? It’s a real dance that honey bees do to communicate the direction, distance, and quality of a food source to the rest of the bee colony. Click the video thumbnail to learn more — it’s absolutely fascinating! It’s also a great piece of knowledge to inspire children to buzz around the room with bee-themed songs, dances, and movement games. What’s more, it will help children in their EYFS goals including Physical Development and Expressive Arts & Design.

Go Bee-Spotting

A bee-spotting activity is a great opportunity to explore areas of the EYFS that include Understanding the World and Communication & Language.Explore the garden or outdoor space and, without disturbing them, see what pollinators your child can spot. Can they see any bees? What colours and flowers do they seem to like best? Are they collecting nectar? What type of bees are they? Bumblebees are super cute. Honey bees are super-hard workers and do so much for the world. A bee-spotting activity is a great opportunity to explore areas of the EYFS that include Understanding the World and Communication & Language.

Honey Tasting and Talk

If age-appropriate (never feed to babies under 12 months) and there is no allergy to it, let children try a small taste of honey. Then talk about how bees make it, and discuss where it comes from. You could even take this a step further by helping your child make a simple honey-based snack. For example, honey drizzled over pancakes or porridge oats — delicious! Such activities can help children focus on EYFS areas including Understanding the World, Communication & Language, and Physical Development.

These activities are designed to feel like play but, underneath, they’re packed with learning opportunities. What’s more, they help children build positive associations with the natural world and start to understand that even small actions can make a big difference.

Let’s Celebrate Bees on World Bee Day

World Bee Day is a chance to slow down and take a closer look at the tiny creatures that do such big jobs for our planet. It’s also a fantastic opportunity to help young children connect with nature, ask questions, and start to develop a sense of care for the world around them. Through simple, enjoyable activities, families can help raise awareness of the challenges bees and other pollinators face — from habitat loss to climate change. It’ll show children that even small actions, like planting flowers or spotting bees in the garden, can make a difference. So, get them buzzing while they explore nature, grow in confidence and curiosity, and learn that they too can help protect bees along with the wonderful world they’re a part of.

Nursery Places in Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley

Little Acorns Nursery, Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley

Little Acorns Nursery is rated as a 'Good Provider' by Ofsted.With our own gardens and outdoor spaces close by, children have lots of opportunities to explore and learn from nature at Little Acorns Nursery in Clayton-le-Woods. We know just how important nature is to children and it’s one of the many reasons we love introducing them to nature-based events, themes, and activities like those suggested in today’s post.

At Little Acorns Nursery, children have a wonderful start in life in a warm, caring, home-from-home environment where they feel safe, nurtured, and valued. Free childcare is available for eligible children from just 9 months of age. If you’d like to explore the possibility of sending your baby, toddler, or preschool child under five to this wonderful nursery and preschool in Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley, get in touch today. We’d love to answer any questions, tell you more, and show you and your child around the setting.

Contact Little Acorns Nursery

Families living nearby in Clayton Brook, Clayton Green, Thorpe Green, Pippin Street, Buckshaw Village, Whittle-le-Woods, Farington, Bamber Bridge, Lostock Hall, Euxton, Leyland and Penwortham may also find our nursery conveniently close.

Children's Activity Ideas for World Wildlife Day

Children's Activity Ideas for World Wildlife Day

World Wildlife Day arrives in early March each year — just around the corner at the time of writing. The annual event is hugely important and very worthwhile. It is also a great opportunity to inspire children to get more interested in the natural world. By doing so, they will benefit wild animals and plants — as well as themselves through fun, learning and discovery. What’s more, many of the nature-inspired activities that we’ll suggest today are totally free.

Spending time in and around nature is incredibly good for children and World Wildlife Day offers families many opportunities to get much closer to it. As well as being great fun, such activities can open children’s eyes to humanity’s impact on the planet and help them understand the importance of looking after nature’s incredible flora and fauna. Learning about the plight of some of the Earth’s wild animals and plants will also nurture a greater respect for the natural world. It will help to encourage greener values, greater empathy, and a sense of responsibility in even the youngest children. It is also likely to instil in them a love for the great outdoors and encourage outdoor play, which is also hugely beneficial to children. With all that in mind, let’s dive into what World Wildlife Day stands for and then explore some of the children’s activities inspired by the initiative. Families right across the UK can take part, explore and discover. In so doing, they will self-improve, become more responsible citizens, and evolve into more effective stewards of this irreplaceable planet.

About World Wildlife Day

World Wildlife Day (‘WWD’) always arrives on the 3rd of March. In 2025, that will fall on a Monday, then in 2026 it’s a Tuesday — and so on. WWD is an initiative born in late 2013 at the United Nations General Assembly and is closely related to CITES, which is all about the conservation of endangered species of wild flora and fauna. So — it’s incredibly worthwhile and families can each play their part in raising awareness.

“UN World Wildlife Day has now become the global annual event dedicated to wild animals and plants.”

Activity Ideas for Children & Families

Children and families can get involved in World Wildlife Day in a variety of ways. For example, they can simply get out for walks in local parks and countryside to see some of nature’s flora and fauna, embark on activities to attract wildlife to their own gardens or, if the weather is inclement, get creative at home with some wildlife art. The only limit for possible wildlife-related activities is the imagination! That said, we’ve got some suggestions below to inspire families and children to get started.

Create Some Wildlife Art!

Children love creating wildlife art.Children will love creating wildlife art. Whether it’s drawing animals and plants, making a collage, or constructing an animal out of cardboard or origami, wildlife art is a wonderful way to get children involved. What’s more, they will get a sense of satisfaction from the activity and it can help them appreciate wildlife more.

TIP: Use IFAW’s International Youth Art Contest art competition as possible inspiration. Although it’s now closed in 2025 for judging in readiness for the March event, you can view some previous entries to give your child inspiration (scroll to the bottom of that linked page to see the full gallery of examples).

Another great wildlife-related art activity is to challenge children to combine 2 or more creatures, thereby creating their own, new hybrid animal. Results can be inventive, endearing, or sometimes hilarious! [Examples].

Support a Wildlife-Related Charity

An incredibly worthwhile activity that children can get involved in is fundraising for a wildlife-related charity.Another incredibly worthwhile activity that children can get involved in is fundraising for a wildlife-related charity. This can be done, for example, through a sponsored activity of some kind. That could be a sponsored walk, hop, swim, or whatever children and families choose (under supervision, of course, for the youngest). A sponsored fundraising activity will not only raise funds for a wildlife charity of choice but also spread the word. Furthermore, children will get an enormous sense of achievement at the end when their actions raise vital funds for animals or conservation. Volunteering for local wildlife charities is also hugely worthwhile, of course, but it is more suited to when children are older.

“With over 1 million species estimated to be threatened with extinction, and facing the intensifying triple planetary crisis, innovative finance for wildlife conservation is more urgent than ever.”

Storytelling With a Wildlife Theme

Little girl telling her cuddly toy a story.Challenging children to create stories involving wildlife and nature is both creative and fun! Adults/parents can lead by example, to begin with, so that the youngest children can get the idea. Whether the story involves feeding hungry squirrels in the forest, swimming with dolphins, going on an adventure in the jungle, or something entirely different, it’s sure to pique children’s interest. It will stimulate children’s imaginations and natural spirit of adventure as well as helping to raise awareness of some of the issues facing wildlife.

Challenge the Family to Live More Sustainably

Children and families can challenge themselves to live more sustainably.World Wildlife Day brings into focus the enormous challenges that affect nature’s flora and fauna. Sadly, many of those challenges are caused by humans, whether it’s due to habitat loss, global warming, or something else. By raising awareness through World Wildlife Day activities, children and families can also challenge themselves to live more sustainably. This is a whole topic in itself! However, some easy measures can be things like:

  • cutting out food containing palm oil, which is responsible for the clearance of huge swathes of forests and jungles;
  • stopping the use of harmful chemicals in the home and garden (slug killers, pesticides and weedkillers, for example);
  • eating more vegetarian and vegan food options, which is better for the environment and, of course, animals;
  • recycling more waste;
  • using more sustainable, wildlife-friendly products in the home;
  • and reducing the use of plastics.

It’s a huge topic, so some research will be needed although our examples are a great starting point and are good things to bring to children’s attention.

Visit a Local Zoo or Wildlife Sanctuary

Children can get closer to wild flora and fauna if they live near a wildlife sanctuary, zoo, or National Park.Children can also get closer to wild flora and fauna if they live near a wildlife sanctuary (or zoo) or somewhere like a national park. Nothing can really replace seeing animals and plants in real life and so it’s worth researching to find somewhere to visit close by. In Lancashire, just five miles from Little Acorns Nursery, for example, is Turbary Woods Owl & Bird of Prey Sanctuary, which is well worth a visit. There, kids can see owls, falcons, hawks and more. Visiting will support this non-profit enterprise, educate little ones and give them a wonderful day out.

Plant & Food Growing

Children can learn how to grow their own food.Teaching children how to grow their own plants and, better still, food is a wonderfully educational and fulfilling activity. As well as learning to appreciate wild plants growing in parks and the countryside, learning how to grow their own, at home, is also great fun. Luckily, we have a whole blog post dedicated to Food Growing for Kids, so do take a look.

Take Children on a Nature Scavenger Hunt!

Nature scavenger hunts are fun and educational.A nature scavenger hunt is also great fun and is sure to get children interested in nature, wildlife, and the outdoors. The activity involves looking out for specific natural things, for example, a pine cone, a robin, a squirrel’s drey (i.e. nest), a winged seed, or animal tracks. It will also give children exercise and get them closer to nature in a fun, engaging activity. To make it easier, check out our free Nature Hunt activity reference sheets; our Winter Nature Hunt activity is here and, for later in the year, our Autumn Nature Hunt can be found here. We’ll be adding more to that series in due course.

Animal & Bird Spotting

Encouraging children to look for different types of animals, birds, and insects is a wonderful way to get them interested in nature.Encouraging (and supervising, where appropriate) an activity where children try to see different types of animals, birds, and insects is also a wonderful way to get them interested in nature. To make it easier, we have published some free, downloadable reference sheets, which also double as posters, for families to use during this activity. These include one for British birds, another for British land mammals, one for British butterflies, and one for minibeasts that children are likely to find in gardens and compost heaps.

Attracting Wildlife to Your Garden

Making simple bird feeders is one of several ways children can encourage wildlife to gardens.If children like the idea of attracting birds and other wildlife to their own garden, there are many easy ways to make this possible. As well as putting out suitable food to attract birds, children can help make a quiet, wild area with a compost heap to attract minibeasts. There are so many ways to attract wildlife so, to get you started, check out our wildlife-friendly flower-growing activity here, our make-your-own bird feeders activity and then be sure to read our guide to bird feeding for under-fives. And don’t forget — ditch the harmful chemicals like weedkillers, pesticides, slug and snail killers. After all, if a bird or animal eats something affected, it will also then be in danger from such poisons — and beautiful pollinators like bees and butterflies are being decimated by pesticides. Our children are tomorrow’s stewards of the planet, so it’s important to educate them to form good habits and show empathy towards wildlife.

These are Learning Opportunities

As a parent, you’ll notice that these activities are learning opportunities for children and also include many teachable moments. Through such activities, children will begin to understand the impact that they have on other living things around them and the environment as a whole. They can then adopt greener values, improve feelings of empathy, and understand how to be more responsible citizens. In short, they can self-improve while making the world a better place. Such is the power of the opportunity that World Wildlife Day offers to families who celebrate it. Enjoy!

A Childcare Place at Little Acorns Nursery, Clayton-le-Woods

Weekday Childcare for Babies, Toddlers & Preschoolers Near Chorley

Little Acorns Nursery, Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley

Little Acorns Nursery is rated as a 'Good Provider' by Ofsted.The staff at Little Acorns Nursery in Clayton-le-Woods hope that families enjoy today’s post and the activities suggested therein. We know how important nature is to children and, indeed, have our own gardens where children can connect with nature and enjoy the freedom of outdoor activities.

If you’d like to consider a possible nursery place for your baby or child at Little Acorns, please get in touch using one of the options below. We support many of the government’s childcare funding schemes including free childcare for eligible babies from 9 months of age. As well as being a nursery and preschool for families in Clayton-le-Woods and Chorley, we may also suit those nearby in Clayton Brook, Clayton Green, Thorpe Green, Pippin Street, Buckshaw Village, Whittle-le-Woods, Farington, Bamber Bridge, Lostock Hall, Euxton, Leyland and Penwortham.

Get in touch today:

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

Winter Nature Hunt — a Fun, Educational Activity for Children (with Free Reference Sheet!)

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!

There’s So Much for Children to Discover in Winter

A winter nature hunt will open children’s eyes to some of the many fascinating things that the season brings. Through this activity, their attention will be drawn to magical things like leaf skeletons of different shapes and sizes, or beautifully organic lichen growing on twigs and branches. It will help educate them about the difference between evergreen firs, with pine needles that stay all year round, and deciduous trees that shed every leaf over winter. Adults can show children that every snowflake is unique — it will fascinate every child who manages to catch one and take a close look. Children can learn about wildlife too. For example, robins and blackbirds tend to stay resident over winter while other species migrate to warmer climes. Then, when a frosty morning arrives, parents or supervising adults can draw children’s attention to the astonishing beauty of frost covering a spider’s web. With some encouragement to get outdoors, children will be able to witness frost encrusting plants, trees and grass, or making organic patterns on windows or frozen puddles. Then, of course, when snow falls and settles, the fun will really begin!

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

Download our Free Winter Nature Hunt Reference Sheet

The preview image above shows what the free Winter Nature Hunt reference sheet looks like and the 20 suggested things for children to look out for. Click to download or view in high-resolution Acrobat Reader () format. Print out at A4 or even A3 and children will be able to take the reference sheets out with them and tick off each item discovered. Not only will it be a fun adventure, but outdoor play is good for children and being close to nature benefits little ones in a huge variety of ways. Follow the bold links to learn more.

More Free Nature Activity Posters for Kids:

Our Winter Nature Hunt poster is just one of several nature-themed activity sheets that are free for families and children to download. Also available is a reference sheet for an autumn nature hunt and stunning posters that introduce children to butterflies, birds, mammals, and minibeasts. Children will love to display these in bedrooms or print them out and take them with them when on outdoor excursions. They’re all fun, attractive, adventurous, and educational!

Little Acorns Nursery, Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley

High-quality Weekday Childcare for Under-5s in Central Lancashire

Little Acorns Nursery, Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley

Little Acorns Nursery is rated as a 'Good Provider' by Ofsted.Today’s post and the free poster were brought to you by Little Acorns Nursery in Clayton-le-Woods, near Chorley. We’re a wonderful setting for babies and children under five, offering a first-class early years education and professional weekday childcare. We have incredible indoor facilities, a self-contained preschool block, and two gardens where children can explore, play, discover and learn. The gardens allow children to connect with nature which, as we’ve said before, is incredibly good for them. We also support various free childcare funding schemes, including free childcare hours for eligible babies as young as just 9 months, making childcare more affordable for Lancashire families.

Consider a nursery place for your child at Little Acorns Nursery today. Choose a button to start your application, arrange a tour, or ask a question:

As a nursery in Clayton-le-Woods, we may also suit families in nearby locations including:
Clayton Brook, Clayton Green, Thorpe Green, Pippin Street, Buckshaw Village, Whittle-le-Woods, Farington, Bamber Bridge, Lostock Hall, Euxton, Leyland and Penwortham.

Safety Notice

Young children should be supervised by a responsible parent or adult, especially during outdoor activities. Risks will need to be assessed and mitigated in each situation. For example, care should be taken to educate little ones about the dangers of potentially poisonous berries, plants and fungi, as well as being mindful of hazards like slipping on ice, stranger danger, wandering off and getting lost, traffic, and dangers associated with frozen ponds, lakes and even puddles. Children should also be dressed appropriately and be protected from the cold, wet, and any adverse weather conditions.

 

Let's Get to Know Butterflies – An Educational Nature Activity for Kids (with Free Poster!)

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.

Download the Free Poster

Click the poster preview below to either view or save the poster file. (Whether you need to left-click or right-click depends upon which web browser you use and its specific settings, so perhaps try both to get your desired outcome). The poster can then be printed out as large as A3, in full colour and fine detail. Choose your best paper and finest settings for the best results.

Download your free British butterfly identification poster (click to download or view).

The free poster is in Acrobat Reader (PDF) format. If you do not already have that application on your device, it is available free, here.

Children’s Interest in Nature is Crucially Important

Nature teaches children so much and is hugely important to them — in so many ways. When children spend time in and around nature, benefits include improved attention and engagement during lessons, reduced stress, better social skills, stimulated imaginations and creativity, improved well-being, better sleep, improved academic performance — to be honest, the list of benefits goes on and on! Click the bold link for more details because nature is a real powerhouse for children.

Teaching children to become interested in flora, fauna and the natural environment has never been more important. Because of problems like climate change, habitat loss, and nasty chemicals being used in gardening and farming, many creatures like butterflies, birds, and others, are severely under threat. The Big Butterfly Count takes place in July and early August each year, when most butterflies have reached adulthood.For many species, population numbers have plummeted over recent decades. Introducing your child to today’s butterfly spotting activity and the annual Big Butterfly Count are therefore very simple ways to get them interested in nature and the importance of looking after the natural environment. They are also more likely to go on to have more sustainable lifestyles when they spend time in and around nature during early childhood. That’s crucially important because today’s children will become tomorrow’s guardians of our beautiful planet — and it will need to be looked after well.

More free nature-based posters for children to download.

More Free Nature-Themed Activity Posters to Download

Other free nature-based posters that children/families can download free from this website include birds, mammals, minibeasts, and an autumn nature hunt. As well as getting children outdoors to benefit from nature, these activity posters are all educational, hugely worthwhile — and great fun!

Little Acorns Nursery – the Natural Choice

Outstanding Childcare in Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley

An outstanding childcare provider

Little Acorns Nursery, Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley

Little Acorns Nursery is an outstanding provider of childcare and early years education. As well as incredible facilities indoors and a self-contained preschool block, we have no less than two gardens outside where children can explore, learn from, and enjoy nature. And, of course, we support many of the Government’s free childcare schemes, making it more affordable for eligible families.

Get in touch with Little Acorns Nursery today to register your child for a place, express an interest, arrange a visit, or ask any questions — we’ll be delighted to help:

Little Acorns Nursery is located in Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley, and is also conveniently close by 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.

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

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

Stars from pop groups Boyzone and Westlife visited Chorley Football Club this week and are exploring the possibility of buying a stake in the club.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

Perhaps some Chorley children could end up being sporting stars of the future!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.

Sport in Early Childhood

Sport takes an incredible number of forms and, as such, allows children of all shapes, sizes and abilities to get active in one way or another. There are many sports to choose from, so there’s bound to be something to suit every child. Make no mistake, sport is generally very good for children and we’ll come onto some of the many reasons later in this article. Whether it’s table tennis, swimming, cycling, football, gymnastics, running, roller-skating, a simple game of rounders, or one of the many other sports, there’s usually something for everyone — including children with additional needs. Sport is fun too, so children will naturally enjoy taking part once they’ve identified sports games they connect with.

The Benefits of Sport to Children, Especially the Young

From table tennis, swimming, cycling, football and gymnastics to running, roller-skating and rounders, there's usually a sport for everyone.Participation in sports benefits children in many different – and often profound – ways. That’s especially true for children in their early years, being a stage when they learn fundamental skills like jumping, running, throwing and catching balls, etc.

What’s common to just about all childhood sports is that they get children moving — and that’s perhaps one of sport’s most important facets. With childhood obesity rates at alarming levels in recent years, getting children active — and used to an active lifestyle from an early age — has never been more important. Taking part in sports will help improve fitness levels, strengthen hearts, muscles and bones, and help children maintain a healthier lifestyle when combined with a healthy diet.

“Getting kids moving and having fun again has never been more important, and it all counts towards the 60 minutes of physical activity (including 30 minutes outside of school) they need every day.” — NHS

Sport and active hobbies will help little ones hone balance, agility, coordination and motor skills.Sports and active hobbies will also help little ones hone balance, agility, coordination and motor skills. That’s incredibly important during early childhood as these key skills are still developing and, as the old proverb goes, “practice makes perfect.”

The benefits of sports are not only physical; children’s mental health benefits enormously too. Not only is participation in such activities immense fun (which is an important benefit all on its own) but sport also helps children’s confidence and self-esteem to grow, as well as being a great antidote to any stress and anxiety they might be feeling.

“Having a positive attitude towards physical activity has also been associated with children being happier.” — NHS

Participation in sport also teaches little ones other key skills. For example, it helps children understand the need for good communication, cooperation, teamwork and even sportsmanship. It teaches them the importance of perseverance, strategy, how to win or lose gracefully, how to overcome challenges and how to build resilience. Learning such skills will stand them in good stead during childhood — and right into adulthood.

Regular participation in sports also instils discipline and a sense of responsibility in children. They learn the importance of practice, punctuality, and following rules. Such understanding can positively impact both their academic and personal lives.

Sport is a great socialiser too.Sport is a great socialiser too. Through sport, they’ll get used to interacting with other children as well as coaches, teachers, or childcare professionals. Moreover, children not only make new and deeper friendships through sport, but also learn social skills before, during and after such play. These skills and benefits will stay with them for the long term and will help to enrich their lives in profound ways.

Children also benefit cognitively through participation in sport. Sports require strategic thinking, decision-making, and problem-solving. They require children to learn to anticipate actions, make quick decisions, and adapt to changing situations. All such endeavours stimulate cognitive development in children and greatly enhance mental agility.

Taking that a step further, multiple studies suggest that regular physical activity improves concentration, memory, and even academic performance in children. It’s incredibly powerful when you think about it.

All in all, sport can play a crucial role in the holistic development of children. By enhancing physical, social, emotional, and cognitive skills, participation in sport can contribute to their overall well-being and indeed success in life. Let’s therefore nurture our Clayton and Chorley children and make the most of the incredible opportunity that is sport.

Little Acorns – an Outstanding Nursery in Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley

Entrust your early years childcare to an outstanding, award-winning provider

An outstanding childcare provider

Little Acorns Nursery, Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley

If you want the very best childcare nursery or preschool in Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley, you will find it in Little Acorns Nursery. We are officially an ‘Outstanding Provider’ as well as being the winner of an amazing National Nursery award. So, you know that your child will be in good hands under the care of our wonderful early years practitioners. We also support various Government-funded childcare schemes for eligible families.

Contact us today to register your child for a nursery place, explore the possibility of doing so, or ask any questions:

Our nursery/preschool is located in Clayton-le-Woods, near Chorley, Central Lancashire. As such, it may also suit those in towns and villages nearby, for example, Clayton Brook, Clayton Green, Thorpe Green, Pippin Street, Buckshaw Village, Whittle-le-Woods, Farington, Bamber Bridge, Lostock Hall, Euxton, Leyland and Penwortham.

 

Little Citizen Scientists Needed for the Big Garden Birdwatch

Little Citizen Scientists Needed for the Big Garden Birdwatch

January's Big Garden Birdwatch is a perfect home learning opportunity that's fun and benefits children in a multitude of ways.January’s Big Garden Birdwatch is a perfect home learning opportunity where children can find out about wild birds and get a better understanding of nature itself. What’s more, it’s a hugely worthwhile event that will benefit birds, conservation efforts, and children themselves. The activity also demonstrates how easy it is for little ones to become citizen scientists. With that in mind, let’s explore today the Big Garden Birdwatch, explain what it is, how to take part, and why it’s important for families to get involved.

What Is the Big Garden Birdwatch?

The Big Garden Birdwatch is the world’s biggest garden wildlife survey and is organised by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). It’s an annual survey of garden birds and is undertaken in late January each year by individuals, families and children right across the UK. Taking part is free and typically takes just one hour.

What’s the Goal?

The idea of the Big Garden Birdwatch is to understand how garden birds are faring in the UK.The idea of the Big Garden Birdwatch is to understand how garden birds are faring in the UK. Sadly, many bird populations are in decline, with some species facing huge declines over recent decades. Some 38 million fewer birds are now seen compared to 60 years ago. Song Thrush populations, for example, are down by 80% since the survey started in 1979. Even House Sparrow numbers have more than halved during that time. By studying the bird populations each year, trends can be identified including whether any bird species are in danger. Then the RSPB and other conservation organisations can work out what the problems are and how we might go about rescuing the situation as a nation. It also follows that, if there is a problem with bird populations, then there is likely to be a wider problem in nature too. This could be, for example, due to disease, over-intensive farming methods, habitat loss, invasive species, climate change, use of chemicals in gardens and farmland, and so on. Gathering data across the UK each January will help guide the nation to improve things — and children can help by getting involved in the Big Garden Birdwatch each January.

How Children & Families Can Take Part

Taking part is easy and takes just 4 steps:

  1. Register here to take part Children simply count how many birds of each species land on their patch at any one time.— it’s quick, easy and free to do so. Once registered you’ll receive detailed instructions in your free guide to the event, which includes your free bird identification reference sheet. This will be useful to you and your children so each bird species can be recognised more easily.
  2. Next, choose an outdoor spot to monitor. This will be your ‘patch’ and it could be your garden, balcony or perhaps even a local park. Optionally before the event begins (late January – see below), you may wish to start putting out bird food to attract more birds to the patch in the run-up to the event.
  3. Sometime during the period 24-26 January 2025, spend an hour noting down how many birds of each species you see actually land at any one time on your patch. So, for example, if you see four blackbirds during the hour but only 3 land on the patch at the same time, you’d count that as 3. That’s simply to avoid counting the same bird more than once.
  4. Once complete, fill in and submit your survey results to the RSPB. This can be done online any time from 26 January to 23 February 2025 (if sending a paper survey by post the deadline for receipt is 18 February). You can submit more than one survey if you like, so long as each submission is for a different location/patch. The RSPB will then analyse all the submissions from across the UK and be able to see how each bird species is faring.

Can’t get outdoors?

If you can’t get outdoors for any reason, don’t feel left out. Children and families can undertake the January birdwatching event from a window or balcony too, so long as they can view an outdoor patch where birds are likely to land.

The Huge Benefits of Nature to Children

Children love feeding birds and wild creatures!This wonderful activity is a great way to encourage families outdoors, where children benefit from nature in a myriad of ways. From lower stress and increased well-being to improved academic performance, stimulated imaginations, and better sleep, the benefits of nature to children are profound. Studies show that even a view of nature will benefit children — it’s incredible! Click the bold green link for more details.

The survey is also a great opportunity for children to practise counting and enhance numeracy skills. It’s also a good excuse to get creative, for instance by building a cardboard or stick bird-spotting ‘hide’ — the perfect den from which to watch the birds when the time comes.

Involvement in the Big Garden Birdwatch also allows children to get a better understanding of conservation issues and the need to protect nature and the planet. That’s incredibly important, not least because today’s children will be tomorrow’s caretakers of our precious Earth.

Reference & Bird Identification

The RSPB's bird identification sheet for January 2024.Together with the RSPB, we also have bird identification covered for children. The first option is the RSPB’s free bird reference sheet, which families will receive when they register for the event. Their digital version is best because it’s more environmentally friendly, is quicker to access, and usually shows a larger list than is shown on their printed version.

Free bird identifier poster — download available so children can print out and see how many birds they can identify over the course of a year.However, don’t forget that Little Acorns Nursery also published our own bird identification poster for children last year. That is also free to download (follow that bold green link) and shows many more species of birds than the RSPB’s option — perfect if children are really interested in bird spotting and want to continue after the January event.

A pine cone bird feeder that is simple for children to make at home.How to Encourage Birds to Visit Your Garden

If children and families want to make a real success of the Big Garden Birdwatch event, a few preparation measures will help attract more birds to their patch. We have that covered too with our separate post all about how to make home-made bird feeders and another explaining a number of excellent tips on bird feeding for under-fives. In addition, the RSPB offers a discount on bird food, purchased via their website, to anyone that registers for the event.

Outstanding Childcare in Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley

Looking for the Best Nursery or Preschool in Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley, or Central Lancashire?

An outstanding childcare provider

Little Acorns Nursery, Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley

Today’s article was brought to you by Little Acorns Nursery in Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley, an outstanding provider of childcare and early years education. Our outstanding nursery status is backed up by Ofsted and an important National Nursery Award too. So, if you want the very best start for your baby or child under five and live in the area, consider Little Acorns Day Nursery for your weekday childcare provision. We’ll bring out the best in your child, help them achieve personal bests, and give them the tools to absolutely thrive. We support many different Government-funded free childcare schemes too, making childcare more affordable for those who are eligible.

Get in touch today to request a nursery place, arrange a free tour of the setting, or ask us any questions — we’re here to help!

As well as being perfectly located for families in Clayton-le-Woods and Chorley, we may also suit those living nearby in Clayton Brook, Clayton Green, Thorpe Green, Pippin Street, Buckshaw Village, Whittle-le-Woods, Farington, Bamber Bridge, Lostock Hall, Euxton, Leyland or Penwortham.

Encouraging Learning Through Play at Home

Encouraging Learning Through Play at Home

Parents play a crucial role in fostering an environment that supports exploration, curiosity, and growth through home-based play.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.

Create a Playful Space

Designate an area in your home for play — even a corner with a few age-appropriate toys, books, and art supplies may be sufficient.Designate an area in your home for play. It doesn’t need to be elaborate — even a corner with a few age-appropriate toys, books, and art supplies may be sufficient. Ensure, of course, that the space is safe and free from hazards before your child embarks on their play activities.

Be a Playful Partner

Getting involved in your child’s play is hugely beneficial to the quality and impact of children’s play. Play together, ask questions, foster feedback that’s two-way, and encourage imaginative storytelling during play sessions. Your active participation not only deepens the bonding experience but also profoundly enhances their learning.

Limit Screen Time

Screens are now a pervasive part of modern life, and they can be both a blessing and a challenge. TV, educational apps, interactive websites, and streaming services can provide valuable learning experiences, but too much screen time can have adverse effects on children’s development. At the very least, excessive screen time can potentially impede the development of essential social and motor skills. Therefore try to limit the time your child spends on screens, including TV, tablets, and smartphones. Instead, encourage physical, interactive, and imaginative ‘real life’ play — and your child will reap great rewards. It’s a fine balance between accommodating the digital age and ensuring children take part in real-world activities that support educational growth and development.

Embrace Outdoor Play

Outdoor playing and learning covers many of the areas outlined in the Early Years Foundation Stage ('EYFS') learning and development framework.Outdoor play also offers a wealth of learning opportunities. It promotes physical health, stimulates the senses, and allows for unstructured exploration, which all contribute to holistic development. Take your child to the park, explore nature, or simply play with them in the back garden if you have one. Outdoor activities will also foster an appreciation for the natural world. Indeed, we wrote a whole post about the many benefits of outdoor play and another about the huge benefits of nature to children. Take a look at these important topics by following the bold links.

Encourage Pretend Play

Pretend play, such as role-playing with costumes or setting up a pretend kitchen or suchlike, fosters creativity and imagination — and is huge fun for your child. Encourage your child to take on different roles and scenarios during such playtime and watch their creativity and imagination soar!

Read and Explore Together

Reading is a wonderful way to support learning through play.Reading is a wonderful way to support learning through play. Choose age-appropriate books, of course, and be sure to engage in interactive storytelling. Ask and encourage questions about the story, encourage your child to predict what might happen next, and ask them what they might do if it were them in the story. Books and reading teach children so many things and, like pretend play above, truly encourage their imaginations and get their creative juices flowing. Learn more about how you can supercharge your child’s education through reading here.

Let Them Lead

Children learn at their own pace, so be patient and, on the whole, allow them to take the lead during play. Avoid over-structuring playtime; instead, let it flow naturally, following your child’s interests and cues. Doing so will ensure they remain engaged in the activity. Do, of course, sometimes inject new, perhaps creative ideas into their play, though. As adults, we can steer children subtly in their play when there’s an idea or concept that they may not be familiar with and may otherwise have missed out on. Simple examples could include introducing the concept of using different voices for different characters in a role-playing game and showing them a different way to build a structure in a building block or construction-based game.

Celebrate Achievements

Be sure to acknowledge and celebrate your child’s achievements during play. Whether it’s completing a challenging task, creating a masterpiece, or achieving something new, positive reinforcement will make play more fulfilling and boost children’s self-esteem. It’ll also, of course, make the activity more joyful and fun for the child — and that’s a sure-fire way to motivate them to play and learn even more.

Encourage Social Play

Arrange play dates with other children or involve siblings in play activities at home.Arrange play dates with other children or involve siblings in play activities at home. Social play helps children learn essential social skills like cooperation, sharing, and conflict resolution. It’s also a great way to make new friendships, learn from each other, and become a closer member of friendship circles.

Age-Appropriate Toys

When playing involves toys and props, ensure your child has access to those that encourage open-ended play and creativity. Blocks, arts and crafts materials, and imaginative play sets like dolls or action figures are excellent examples as they allow children to lead the direction that their play session follows. With such toys, their imaginations can run riot and they can get truly creative. Rotate the choice of toys and introduce new ones to keep playtime fresh and engaging over time.

An Outstanding Childcare Nursery in Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley

An outstanding childcare provider

Little Acorns Nursery, Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley

Just like at Little Acorns Nursery, your home can be a vibrant hub for play-based learning. A nurturing environment, the right resources and materials, and actively engaging with children during play, will empower them to explore, learn, and grow. By embracing the power of play at home and in settings like Little Acorns, we are paving the way to a brighter future where young minds flourish, curiosity thrives, and discovery is both fun and educational.

Little Acorns is an outstanding nursery in Clayton-le-Woods, near Chorley. Indeed, we are officially an Outstanding Provider according to Ofsted and that’s backed up by our prestigious national nursery award. We also support Government-funded childcare schemes for eligible families, making childcare more affordable for Central Lancashire families. If you want the very best for your baby, toddler or preschooler, register them for a place or bring them on a guided tour and we’ll be delighted to show you around and answer any questions. Get in touch:

Little Acorns Nursery is ideally suited for families seeking an outstanding childcare service in Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley. It may also suit those living nearby in Clayton Brook, Clayton Green, Thorpe Green, Pippin Street, Buckshaw Village, Whittle-le-Woods, Farington, Bamber Bridge, Lostock Hall, Euxton, Leyland or Penwortham.

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.