free childcare hours Tag | Little Acorns Nursery School, Hindley Green

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Babies, Childcare, Childcare Funding, Children, Greater Manchester, Hindley Green, Nursery, Preschools, Under-5s, Wigan

Apply NOW for Funded Nursery Places This September

For Eligible Working Families

We were delighted to share news of the planned expansion of childcare funding for children of eligible working families in recent months. And now, the latest stage of that free childcare expansion is virtually here! It means that eligible children aged from 9 months to 4 years will be able to access 1140 hours per year of FREE* childcare. The final expansion will be the first time that children aged 9 months to 2 years will be included in the eligible group. It will be available from the 1st of September 2025, and, at the time of writing, that’s just around the corner.

Even closer, though, is the application deadline! Eligible working families have until August 31 to apply for funding for the term starting in September. If you intend to apply but miss the deadline, you will miss out on childcare funding for the whole of that term. Today’s guide explains everything you need to know if you’re an eligible working family and are considering applying for a funded nursery place for your child for this September. The same rules apply whether you are applying to Little Acorns Nursery, Hindley Green, or elsewhere.

Apply by 31st August 2025

to Get Your Childcare Funding Code for September

Childcare providers require a special code from successful applicants in order to provide Government-funded childcare. Without the code, the childcare cannot be provided for free. Families would then need to either pay for their childcare or apply for a subsequent term. Later terms also have their own deadlines, and the same kind of rules apply in each case. From the standpoint of the funding scheme for eligible working families, terms begin on the 1st of the month for September, January, and April. The funding application deadline in each case is the last day of the preceding month. So, for September funding, the application deadline is the 31st of August 2025. For the January term, it’s the 31st of December. Lastly, for the April term, the application deadline is the 31st of March.

Childcare providers require a valid funding code no later than the very start of the term in order to provide the free childcare hours during that term.

The Key Eligibility Factors

Our existing guide explains the key rules for eligibility for childcare funding for working families. The two key rules, though, are that the child’s parent(s) — or the parent and their partner if they have one — must each earn:

No more than £100,000 per annum for the current tax year;
No less than the equivalent of 16 hours per week at the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage during the next 3 months.

Click the bold, green link above for much more detail.

How to Quickly Check Your Eligibility

It’s easy to check whether you’re eligible for the childcare funding for working families; simply enter a few details, and this eligibility tool will then check your eligibility for you.

Apply for the Childcare Funding NOW!

As we said above, time is of the essence if you are eligible and would like your child to begin using the free childcare hours from the start of the September term. To apply for the funded hours, you’ll first need a ‘Childcare Account’ on the Gov.uk website if you don’t already have one. Then, you’ll need to enter a few details. Learn more and begin your childcare funding application here.

Remember: you need to apply no later than the 31st of August 2025 if you would like your child to start using their free childcare hours from the beginning of September.

After applying online, most applicants will discover right away whether their application has been approved. However, in some circumstances, it can take as long as a week¹. It’s therefore all the more important to apply as early as you can, so long as your child is at least 23 weeks old when you apply.

^{1. (Contact the Childcare Service helpline on 0300 123 4097 between 8 am and 6 pm on any working weekday if you have not received your application decision within a week. Call charges may apply.)}

Give Your Childcare Provider the All-Important Code

If your application has been approved, you will receive an email confirming that your funding code is available via your Childcare Account. Log in to the account to get this. Give the code to your childcare provider without delay, along with your National Insurance (N.I.) number and the date of birth of your child.

What You’ll Get

If your funding application is successful, your child will be entitled to receive 1140 hours of free childcare each year that they remain eligible. The government funding will be paid directly to your child’s childcare provider — so long, of course, as you/your child remain eligible. Eligibility will need to be reconfirmed via your Childcare Account, on time, every 3 months in order for childcare codes to be valid.

“Eligibility will need to be reconfirmed via your Childcare Account, on time, every 3 months.”

Stretching Funded Childcare Provision

Traditionally, the 1140 childcare hours equate to 30 hours of free childcare per week taken over 38 weeks of the year, with the 38 weeks usually aligning with typical school term-time weeks for your area. However, some childcare providers allow families to ‘stretch’ the free childcare hours over more weeks of the year. This is done simply by using fewer than 30 hours each week, so they can be used over more weeks of the year.

If you are thinking of applying for a nursery place at Little Acorns Nursery and would like to stretch your funded childcare hours, please let us know and we’ll endeavour to accommodate you whenever possible.

Good luck with your application! If you are applying for a nursery place at Little Acorns Nursery in Hindley Green, we look forward to welcoming you and your child to the Little Acorns family very soon!

A Weekday Childcare Service in Hindley Green, Near Wigan

Nursery Places for Babies, Toddlers, & Children Under Five

We hope you found the information above useful and look forward to welcoming new families to our Hindley Green nursery and preschool in the very near future. Whether you are privately funding your childcare or are eligible for government childcare funding, we’d love to welcome you and your child aboard. Why not come and see us — bring your child along! It’s a lovely home-from-home environment with great facilities and a fabulous team that will nurture every child. We’ll really bring out the best in each child and help prepare them well for their onward journey as they head towards school age.

Get in touch with Little Acorns Nursery today. We’ll be delighted to show you and your child around, see how they fit in, and answer any questions that you may have:

Apply Today Book a Tour Message Us 01942 259 870

As a high-quality nursery located in Hindley Green, we may also suit local families in Bickershaw, Leigh, Atherton, Westhoughton, Ince-in-Makerfield, Platt Bridge, Tyldesley, Bolton and Greater Manchester.

^{* Please note: Government-funded childcare, including free hours for children of eligible working families, does not usually cover extras including the cost of outings, meals, consumables and any additional childcare hours over and above the funded hours.}

28th July 2025/by Mark

Leaf Scavenger Hunt Activity for Kids (With Free Reference Poster!)

Activities for Children, Free Stuff, Nature, Nature Activities, Outdoor Play, Scavenger Hunt

Leaf Scavenger Hunt Activity (With Free Reference Poster!)

Wherever you look, nature’s flowers and trees are bursting with life during spring and summer. This got us thinking about the many nature-based activities that are possible for children and under-5s to enjoy at this time of year — under appropriate supervision, of course. One of them is a simple leaf-hunting activity that’ll get little ones exploring the outdoors, enjoying the fresh air, having some fun, and learning about the natural world. With this in mind, we’ve put together a Leaf Scavenger Hunt reference poster for children and families. It can serve as inspiration for some common leaves to look out for during the warmer months of the year. The poster is free to download, right here today, and highlights 16 different types of leaves. Included are oak, sycamore, beech, lime and many more. Children will probably be familiar with some — especially oak leaves with their wonderful little acorns — while others may be unfamiliar. However, all of our examples were sourced on a single morning’s outing, so it’s feasible to find all 16 kinds with a bit of eagle-eyed persistence! So, download the poster for your children, print it out, and explore the outdoors to see how many of the 16 leaf types your little one can find. See if they can identify the differences which make each species of leaf/tree/plant unique — and learn their names if they can. The free identification poster and some help from an adult should help. Have fun out there!

Download the Free Leaf Scavenger Hunt Poster

Download a high-resolution version of the reference poster by clicking the preview image below (left- or right-click, depending on your specific browser settings). Children can also zoom in on their device’s screen if they would like to see more detail.

Identification Tips

Some of the leaves will be easier to identify than others. For example, Horse Chestnut (a.k.a. ‘conker tree’) leaves are quite distinctive with their fan of multiple sections (see the 2nd row, last image on the right on the poster for our example). In contrast, hazel and lime leaves are quite similar to one another. One easy clue to tell them apart is that lime leaves are slightly shiny, whereas hazel leaves are extremely matt. And, of course, they have very different seeds once those appear (the lime seed clusters are quite beautiful as you can see on the poster in the 3rd row, 2nd image from the right).

Ash and Elder may initially also be harder to tell apart. However, children will soon note that Ash leaves have many more ‘compound’ leaves on each stem (up to 15) compared to Elder leaves, which tend to have between just 5 and 7. See the top row of the poster to compare them.

Ivy leaves, meanwhile, are one of the more distinctive leaves that often form a blanket over tree trunks, buildings, or garden sheds. Children can tell they’re ivy easily as they have clusters of unique flowers brimming with pollinators from summer onwards (see the first image on the 3rd row).

Leaves are Not Only Green

Another interesting factor to point out to children is that some of the leaves come in different colours. Beech leaves, for instance, can be green or deep burgundy, brown or dark purple depending on which variety of beech a child locates. It’s similar for acers, which can be green, yellow, red or a deep purple/maroon. Acers however, are more likely to be found in gardens and parks than in the countryside. Some are a little like miniature sycamores, only rather more delicate and fancy! And, come autumn, they also have ‘winged’ seeds like sycamores. Soon after this, deciduous leaves will turn brown for the autumn leaving only evergreens remaining green — as the name suggests — over the winter. Nature is fascinating and very educational!

The Wonders of Nature

This activity is a great opportunity for children to open their eyes to the natural world. By looking at nature more deeply, they’ll see the finer details that may have been overlooked. Nature is incredibly varied and interesting when you take the time to look closely and discover it properly. It’ll teach children about the natural world, the seasons, the changes in plants and trees at different times of the year, the circle of life, and so much more. Getting out, close to nature, is also incredibly beneficial to children. From busting stress, improving well-being, supporting the EYFS and boosting exercise, to improving concentration and even academic grades, nature’s benefits are immense for children as well as adults. Click the bold green link to learn more.

So, download the free Leaves Scavenger Hunt reference poster today and get outdoors to explore, discover, learn, and have fun with your little one in the Great Outdoors. It’s called Great for a good reason — enjoy!

More Leaf Activity Ideas!

Leaf rubbing is a simple but effective art activity involving leaves. Once children have collected them, leaves can inspire various other creative activity ideas for children. For example, has your child ever tried leaf rubbing (putting a leaf under paper and scribbling over it to reveal the leaf structure), leaf pressing (pressing leaves between pages of a heavy book to allow them to dry and flatten), or leaf printing (painting a leaf with paint then pressing it onto paper to offset the leaf’s form as an image)? These are just a few examples of the fun and creative activities children can do with leaves. Follow the bold green link for lots more!

Little Acorns Nursery: Weekday Childcare in Hindley Green, Wigan

Little Acorns is a nursery in Hindley Green, near Wigan, Greater Manchester. Recognised by Ofsted as a Good Provider, the setting offers high-quality weekday childcare from 7:30 am to 6 pm throughout the year (excludes bank holidays and one week over Christmas). Our extended opening hours provide convenience for working parents who need wraparound care for children. We also support free childcare hours for eligible children including babies as young as just 9 months, via the government’s childcare funding schemes. If you’d like to explore the possibility of your child attending this fabulous setting, please get in touch by using one of the options below. We’ll be delighted to meet both you and your child, show you around the setting, and answer any questions. Please choose a button to get started:

Apply Today Book a Tour Message Us 01942 259 870

Little Acorns Nursery is located in Hindley Green, so it may also be a convenient choice for families requiring childcare near Wigan, Atherton, Leigh, Ince-in-Makerfield, Platt Bridge, Westhoughton, Bickershaw, Tyldesley, and Bolton.

Parental Supervision & Safety Reminder

^{Some leaves, like holly leaves, require particular care as they are usually very prickly. Other leaves may also present a hazard for some other reason. Examples include possible choking hazards (toddlers and the youngest children should steer clear of acorns, for example) or poisonous berries that can appear on some trees and bushes at certain times of the year. So, adult supervision is essential for this activity, especially for the youngest. Young children should be accompanied when outside exploring parks and the countryside (we plan to write a separate blog post about child safety outdoors, so watch this space). They should also be taught to keep their hands away from their mouths and wash them thoroughly with soap and water once outdoor activities are over.}

30th May 2025/by Mark

Activities for Children, Learning & Development, Parenting, Reading, Storytelling, Under-5s, World Book Day

World Book Day – A Parent’s Guide to Celebrating with Under-5s

World Book Day is one of the most magical dates on the calendar for children and parents alike. Taking place on the first Thursday of March in the UK* (6 March for 2025), this annual celebration is all about inspiring a love of books and storytelling. But how can you make the most of it with your little one? Here’s a handy guide to help you embrace the joy of reading with toddlers and preschoolers!

What is World Book Day?

World Book Day takes place on the first Thursday of March in the UK. World Book Day is a special charitable event, celebrated globally, that encourages children of all ages to discover the joy of reading. Why? Because reading has the power to substantially improve children’s lives. Schools, nurseries, and libraries across the nation make the day extra special for children through storytelling sessions, fancy dress, and book-related activities.

“Reading for fun is the single biggest indicator that a child will grow up to enjoy a happier and more successful life – more than their family circumstances, their parents’ educational backgrounds or their income.” — World Book Day

As part of the event, children under 18 in the UK can also receive a £1 book token. They can spend this on any one of the special World Book Day books allocated to the event. Alternatively, children can put the £1 token towards another full-price book or audiobook of their choice, costing £2.99 or more, from participating UK booksellers. By the way, tokens cannot be redeemed against online purchases.

The 2025 closing date for redemption of the book tokens is the 23rd of March. Don’t worry if you are too late or would like additional books for your child without incurring significant costs — you can also organise book swaps with friends, neighbours and family at any time of the year.

The ‘Read Your Way’ Approach to Children’s Reading Success

It’s important that children choose their books. That’s because this has been shown to increase the child’s enjoyment and engagement with the book. Indeed, it’s a key reason for the event’s new ‘Read Your Way’ approach. This allows children to discover and enjoy books and reading on their own terms, without judgement, pressure, or expectation. In this way, it’s reading for pleasure and puts an end to reading being perceived by little ones as ‘work’. Here are the six key ingredients of the ‘Read Your Way’ approach for children’s reading:

Find time for your little one to read.
Read with them regularly.
Make reading fun!
Let your child choose which book(s) to read.
Ensure there are books at home as well as at nursery/school.
Ensure your child has trusted help to find a suitable book.

The Magic of Books for Under-Fives

For young children, books aren’t just about learning to read — they’re about sparking imagination, building vocabulary, and learning to love stories. Even toddlers who can’t yet read benefit hugely from being read to, pointing at pictures, and engaging with characters in their favourite books.

Reading with your child every day, even for a few minutes, helps develop their language skills and creates a wonderful bonding experience. Plus, it sets the foundation for a lifelong love of books. That is incredibly important. Learn more about the enormous benefits of reading with children here.

How to Celebrate World Book Day with Young Children

Are you looking for ways to make World Book Day extra fun and engaging for your little one? If so, here are some simple ideas:

Dress up as a favourite character! There’s no need for elaborate costumes; a simple hat, crown, or themed outfit inspired by a beloved book character can bring your child’s favourite stories to life.
Create a cosy reading and storytelling corner! It’s easy to make a comfy nook with cushions, blankets, and child-safe fairy lights where you and your child can snuggle up together with a book. We even have a whole post about the wonders of a good storytelling corner or nook.
Bring stories to life with some simple ideas like using silly voices, props, or even puppets to make storytelling extra engaging.
Visit a library or bookshop with your child. It’s a great way to make choosing a book feel like an adventure and, as per the ‘Read Your Way’ approach for this year’s World Book Day event, ensure your child gets to pick the book.
Make reading interactive too by asking your child questions about the pictures, encouraging them to predict what happens next, or letting them turn the pages.
Children might also enjoy inventing and telling their own short stories. They can also get creative by designing a book cover or illustrating the unfolding story.
If your little one has older siblings, World Book Day is also a great opportunity for them to read to their younger brother or sister. It’s a lovely bonding activity and helps build confidence in early readers.

Make Every Day a Story Day

World Book Day is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate reading, but the love of books doesn’t have to stop there! Try to incorporate stories into your child’s daily routine, whether it’s a bedtime book, a story at lunchtime, or a quick picture book during a break. As we said before, accomplishing a love of reading in a child is the single biggest sign that they will grow up happier and more successful. So, grab a book, find a comfy spot with your child, and let the adventure begin! Happy World Book Day!

Childcare for Under-5s at Little Acorns Nursery, Hindley Green

A High-Quality Childcare Service for Babies, Toddlers & Preschoolers

Interaction with books is something we strongly encourage at Little Acorns Nursery in Hindley Green — we know just how important books and reading are to the success and happiness of the little ones. Put simply, books and reading with children supercharges them for success!

Little Acorns is a good childcare provider as confirmed by Ofsted. It’s a wonderful setting where children are nurtured in every area of their learning and development. With our approach, they become the best versions of themselves, ready to hit the ground running when they leave us to begin school. We support Government-funded childcare funding schemes too, including free childcare for children as young as just 9 months for eligible families. To apply for a place for your child at Little Acorns Nursery in Hindley Green, please get in touch today:

Apply Today Book a Tour Message Us 01942 259 870

Little Acorns Nursery is in Hindley Green, near Wigan, Bickershaw, Leigh, Atherton, Westhoughton, Ince-in-Makerfield, Platt Bridge, Tyldesley, and Bolton.

^{* Across the world, many countries celebrate World Book Day on the 23rd of April. However, the UK organisers moved the date to the first Thursday of March each year so as to avoid a clash with the Easter holidays and St George’s Day.}

26th February 2025/by Mark

Babies, Childcare, Childcare Funding, Children, Early Years Education, Greater Manchester, Hindley Green, Learning & Development, Nurseries, Nursery, Nursery News, Preschools, Under-5s, Wigan, WN2

Free Childcare in Hindley Green — for Eligible Children Aged 9 Months to 4 Years

Eligible working families can access substantial free childcare in Hindley Green and elsewhere — and the funding scheme is supported by Little Acorns Nursery. Since September 2024, free “childcare hours” have been available for eligible babies aged from just 9 months as well as for eligible toddlers and preschoolers aged up to Compulsory School Age. What’s more, the number of free hours is set to increase in 2025 for the youngest children. In today’s post, we’ll explain more about who is eligible — and it’s a lot of families — how many free childcare hours they can access, and how the funding increases from September 2025. With Little Acorns Nursery supporting the schemes, this is great news for families of under-fives living in and around Hindley Green and Wigan, Greater Manchester.

Why the Increase in Free Childcare?

The new childcare allocation stems from then Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt’s ‘Spring Budget’ back in March 2023. There, he announced the plans for the new childcare provision, the first major stage of which started rolling out recently, in September 2024. It now allows many more families to enrol children in early years education at a younger age, which is proven to benefit them significantly. In tandem, it helps parents, especially mums, get back into the workplace to continue careers and increase household income. The childcare funding scheme is therefore designed to help children, their families, and the economy. The free provision expands still further from September 2025. We explain more below.

570 Free Childcare Hours for Eligible Babies 9 Months +

570 free childcare hours are available for eligible babies and toddlers aged 9 Months+ Since September 2024, the number of free childcare hours available for eligible children aged 9 months to 2 years (inclusive) is 570 per year. This is usually taken as 15 hours per week over 38 term-time weeks of the year*. In further good news, the allocation is set to double to 1140 hours per year from September 2025, thereby aligning with what eligible 3 and 4-year-olds are already entitled to (see below).

1140 Free Childcare Hours for Eligible Children Aged 3 & 4

1140 free childcare hours are available for eligible children aged 3 & 4. Meanwhile, a total of 1140 hours of free childcare is currently available for eligible children aged 3 and 4 each year. This is usually taken as 30 hours per week over 38 term-time weeks of the year*.

* Some childcare providers may be able to allocate the total hours over a different number of weeks. For example, fewer hours per week over more weeks of the year. Ask your chosen childcare provider if they offer the flexibility to ‘stretch’ hours in this way.

Eligibility for the Scheme

The bar to entry for this particular childcare funding scheme is actually low, so many working families are eligible. We outline the core eligibility requirements below:

It’s for children aged from 9 months up to Compulsory School Age, which children reach in the term following their 5th birthday.
The free childcare funding is for working families.
Each of the child’s parents (or a parent and partner if applicable) should not earn^(∞) more than £100k in the current tax year.
At the lower end of the earnings scale, they must earn the equivalent of at least 16 hours each week, over the next 3 months, paid at the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage^(∞) or above.
They must have a valid National Insurance (NI) number for use during their funding application.

Additional caveats around eligibility apply in certain circumstances, for example, for foster carers, those starting new jobs, people who are self-employed or have incomes that are irregular, and a few other circumstances. More details about eligibility are available here.

Get Started on Your Childcare Funding Application

To get started, first check your eligibility and then, if eligible, apply for the childcare funding here. Applications can be made once your child reaches the age of 23 weeks (a little over 5 months) and eligibility will need to be reconfirmed every 3 months. Successful applicants will receive a code, which they’ll need to give to their chosen childcare provider.

Not Eligible?

Even 3 and 4-year-olds not eligible under the working families provision above can access a substantial number of free childcare hours. What’s known as ‘Universal Entitlement’ already entitles all children aged 3 and 4 living in England to 570 annual childcare hours.

Some 2 and 3-year-olds are also eligible for 570 annual childcare hours but under a different, more stringent scheme. It’s available if parents receive certain qualifying benefits, or when children fall into specific additional needs categories, e.g. are looked after by a local authority or are subject to an ECH plan. More details for a range of funded childcare schemes can be found here.

Free Childcare in Hindley Green, Wigan, & Greater Manchester

Consider a Nursery Place for Your Baby, Toddler or Child Under Five at Little Acorns

Whether your child is funded by family or via one of the government-funded childcare schemes, Little Acorns Nursery in Hindley Green is a great place for babies and children aged up to 5. As well as supporting many of the available funded childcare schemes, the nursery is well-thought-of by Ofsted and gives every child a wonderful start to their early years. They’ll feel loved, valued, and nurtured at Little Acorns Nursery and we’ll bring out the very best in every child. It’s all part of our goals of helping them become the very best version of themselves and preparing them for starting school as they approach school age.

If you would like to enrol your child or bring them along for a tour of Little Acorns Nursery in Hindley Green, please choose an appropriate button below. We’re also happy to answer any questions that you might have:

Apply Today Book a Tour Message Us 01942 259 870

Little Acorns is a high-quality nursery and preschool in Hindley Green, Wigan, also being convenient for families nearby in Bickershaw, Leigh, Atherton, Westhoughton, Ince-in-Makerfield, Platt Bridge, Tyldesley, Bolton and Greater Manchester.

29th November 2024/by Mark

Childcare, Children, Early Years Education, Hindley Green, Nurseries, Nursery, Parenting, Preschools, Toddlers, Under-5s, Wigan

How to Help Children Settle Into Nursery

When your baby, toddler or under-five child first starts at nursery, it can be a time of apprehension for both parent and little one. It’s such a huge milestone when they first spend time away from home; they’re incredibly young and, until then, have usually spent most of their time around close family at home. When they first start at nursery, it’s a new, often unfamiliar setting for them and many questions may trouble the mind of any parent or carer at this time. Are they going to like it? How will they fit in? Will they make friends? What are the nursery staff like? Will they eat enough? Will they be warm enough? Will they cry when they’re left there? There are potentially so many questions and concerns! With that in mind, today’s post is all about how to help children under five settle into nursery. If you’re a parent or carer whose child is just starting at nursery, take a look.

Before Making Your Final Nursery Choice…

Draw up a short list of possible settings for your child, having first whittled down the choices by appraising reviews, Ofsted ratings, recommendations from other parents, and so on. Then comes a crucial step — visit each nursery on your final shortlist with your child to see if they are a good fit. Requesting a full tour is highly recommended and, indeed, good nurseries like Little Acorns in Hindley Green encourage parents/carers to bring their child along on such early visits. By so doing, we can welcome both prospective parents and their children to the nursery and give them a free guided tour. Both parent and child can then get a real feel for the setting, its staff, atmosphere, rooms, play equipment, outdoor areas, facilities and more. It’s by far the best way to see how well your child may fit in — before committing.

Make Early Friends & Arrange Play Dates

If your child already has a friend or neighbour of a similar age who will also attend your chosen nursery, it can be very useful. Both children will then have a friendly face to play with from Day 1. If not, it should be easy enough to ask around to find out about other local children who will start at the nursery when your child does. Arranging play dates for them in the weeks running up to the start date will help each child familiarise themselves with one another, so they each have a friend or two at the nursery right from the start. It’s a great way of settling them in.

Settling-in Sessions to Familiarise Your Child With the Nursery

Even better are settling-in sessions and any good nursery should offer these (Little Acorns does — see below). Once you have chosen a nursery and a place has been confirmed for your child, settling-in sessions are a really beneficial step for your child. By spending time at the nursery on a normal day, before they officially start, they will be able to familiarise themselves with the new setting, other children attending, part of the setting’s daily routine, toys and facilities, and staff who will look after them. Settling-in sessions are a great way to introduce all these new things to children so they don’t feel so ‘new’ and unfamiliar once they fully start at the setting.

Settling-in Sessions at Little Acorns Nursery, Hindley Green, Wigan

Aside from the initial guided tours undertaken, we schedule 2 formal settling-in visits for children once a place has been offered. These hour-long settling-in sessions usually occur in the week before children are due to start at the nursery formally. They are both free of charge. Here’s how they are approached:

During the first visit, a parent stays with their child for the full hour. This allows the child to explore the environment and make their acquaintance with new and any existing friends. It also gives the attending parent an opportunity to fill in any relevant documents and get to know the staff who will be looking after their child.
During the second visit, parents leave their child for an hour and we can then all see how they manage, away from their parents, with the staff members. If everything goes well, children will be fine to continue with their intended start date. However, if children struggle during the hour-long settling-in sessions we can extend them and, if necessary, move back the start date until they’re ready.

Such an approach is a great way for children to feel more at home, right from the moment they start nursery.

Get to Know the Nursery Staff & Build a Rapport

It will help your child settle in if you get to know nursery staff and proactively build a rapport with them. By doing so, you’ll be able to have good two-way feedback. You’ll get to know more about your child’s day and how they’re settling in and nursery practitioners will be able to glean valuable information that only a parent would know about a child, for example, likes and dislikes, strengths and weaknesses, and so on. Even a tiny detail of shared knowledge may make all the difference to your child’s happiness and well-being when they’re a new starter at a nursery.

Smartphone Apps Enable Regular Updates for Parents Virtually in Real Time

Many nurseries and childcare settings also have a smartphone app that is a perfect mechanism for two-way feedback between nursery staff and a child’s parent or carer. At Little Acorns Nursery in Hindley Green, for example, parents have access to a proprietary smartphone app called FAMLY (that’s FAMILY without an “i” by the way). Such an app is a perfect way for parents to communicate with staff and for nursery staff to send photos and any commentary or updates about children to their parents. By enabling everyone to keep in the loop virtually in real-time, children will benefit from the very best oversight to help them settle, know they’re safe, and feel well-cared for.

“I get photos and updates and this really helps settle my mind when I’m at work.” — Ashley G (Mother of Child) April 2024

Reassure & Communicate With Your Little One

Reassuring your child will also help them settle into nursery – so communication is key. This is true both before they start and once they attend, particularly at the beginning. Before starting, it’s important to ensure they know that changes will soon happen, what to expect when the time comes, and that it’s going to be a big adventure with lots of fun! Encourage questions and answer them sensitively. They also need to be reassured that you will always be there, behind the scenes, looking out for their best interests. And, of course, it’s crucial for them to know you’ll be there to pick them up at home time (don’t be late!).

Encourage Independence & Social Skills

As we said previously in our 20 Ways to Prepare Under-5s for Nursery post, encouraging children to be as independent as possible will stand them in good stead once they begin at nursery. Not only is an element of independence a good skill for children to master, but it will also help them feel more self-confident around the nursery children and staff. A few examples include ensuring, where age-appropriate:

that they know how to put on or take off jackets, zip or button clothing, and fasten footwear;
that they know how to feed themselves and use eating utensils;
that they have good hygiene, e.g. know how and when to wash their hands;
that, ideally, they are potty trained. If they’re not yet ready for that, ensuring they at least know how to pull up undergarments/clothing is a good first step on the way to becoming more independent with toilet training;
that they have practised their social skills, so that they’re confident to engage with peers and childcare practitioners at the nursery.

Get Them Used to the Daily Routine

Once they start at nursery, it’s going to be tiring for them. With all the nursery activities, play, and extra focus that they’ll require, they’ll need to be on top form from the word go. That’s why it’ll benefit them to be used to the timings before they begin. With that in mind, it’s a good idea to match their bedtime and morning awakening in the preceding weeks to the same timings they’ll encounter once they’re attending nursery. By doing so, their body clocks will already be adjusted by the time they start and they should not get so tired.

Celebrate Successes

Encourage children by celebrating their successes at the nursery. Whether it’s the successful completion of their first day, the first tear-free day, the making of a new friend or any other accomplishment, ensure you congratulate your child. This will give them a sense of achievement, reassure them that they’re doing well, and encourage them to keep attending and building on their progress.

Nursery Staff Will Nurture Children Too

With children sometimes taking as many as 2, 3, or even 4 weeks to fully settle into a new nursery, it’s also important for staff to closely monitor and nurture them. That’s indeed exactly what we do at Little Acorns Nursery in Hindley Green. We ensure the setting is a home-from-home environment for children as much as possible. Children will feel valued, loved, listened to, and well cared for at Little Acorns. We’ll reassure them when they need it, communicate well with parents/carers, discuss any challenges and work to address them speedily and in the most effective ways. We have children’s best interests at heart, so parents can rest assured that their little ones are kept safe, happy and well and, even if not immediately, they’ll grow to love being at the nursery. A couple of recent testimonials prove the point beautifully (hover over them to pause):

“My little girl started nursery here not long ago and I was worried that she wouldn’t settle very well … however I was so wrong, all of the staff at Little Acorns are amazing and have given me so much reassurance. All of the staff are so nurturing and supportive and they provide my daughter with so much care, attention and positivity. My daughter now cannot wait to get out of the car to get into nursery which speaks volumes. Within weeks of my daughter starting at Little Acorns she has come on so much, her speech is improving and she is learning new things every day, coming home and telling me what she has been up to at nursery. The nursery has a huge outdoor area which is perfect as my daughter loves the outdoors. I feel so lucky to have found a nursery with such a wonderful and happy environment for my daughter. My youngest daughter starts in a few weeks and I know she is going to be just fine here. Thank you … I will be forever grateful.”

Louise M(Mother of Child, May 2024)

“I cannot thank or recommend Little Acorns enough. I have been riddled with anxiety since having my little boy and was petrified for him to start nursery. The process of getting him started was so smooth and all the staff were extremely reassuring and helpful. They treat him like one of their own … [and] reassure not only myself but also my little boy. They learnt extremely quickly all about his likes and dislikes, they can calm him down very quickly due to their ability to prioritise person-centred care even when looking after multiple little ones which can’t be an easy task! I feel at ease when I drop my little boy off … despite the tears of mummy leaving … I know within a few minutes they will have calmed him down with his favourite toy and given him lots of cuddles and reassurance. I get photos and updates and this really helps settle my mind when I’m at work. His skills have come on so much since starting, I am forever grateful for the staff here!”

Ashley G(Mother of Child, April 2024)

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The point about the favourite toy in one of the testimonials is a good one. So, if your toddler has a favourite soft toy or comforter that might benefit them when they first start at nursery, ensure it’s brought to the nursery so they have access to it. It’s a great way of helping them feel more at home and to reassure them, particularly when they first join a new setting.

Little Acorns Nursery, Hindley Green, Wigan

A Place for Your Baby, Toddler or Child Under Five at Little Acorns Nursery

If you live in the Hindley Green area or near Wigan, consider a nursery place for your child at Little Acorns. Rest assured that we will nurture your child, make them feel at home, bring out the best in them and set them up to absolutely thrive. We’re rated officially as a good nursery by Ofsted and support many free childcare schemes, making it more affordable for eligible children. Click a button to get started on an application or guided visit for your child:

Apply Today Book a Tour Message Us 01942 259 870

We are a nursery and preschool in Hindley Green, Wigan, and may also be suitable for those living in nearby places like Bickershaw, Leigh, Atherton, Westhoughton, Ince-in-Makerfield, Platt Bridge, Tyldesley, Bolton and the Greater Manchester region.

30th September 2024/by Mark

Childcare, Early Years Education, Hindley Green, Learning & Development, Nurseries, Nursery, Preschools, Under-5s, Wigan, WN2

15 Reasons to Choose Little Acorns Nursery for Your Childcare

When choosing a nursery or preschool for your child, it’s very important to get it right. After all, when they’re under five, your child’s learning and development are at a critically important stage. You will want to ensure they’re safe, well cared for, and happy at your chosen nursery. You’ll also want to ensure they learn and grow optimally as individuals and are as school-ready as possible by the time they leave to start ‘big’ school. What’s more, you’ll want to hear what other parents and professionals think about the setting. With all that in mind, we’ve put together 15 reasons why choosing Little Acorns Nursery could be right for your child if they live in the Hindley Green area near Wigan. As you’ll see, many of the benefits of choosing Little Acorns for childcare are also backed up by independent opinions, for example, those of Ofsted inspectors and the parents of children who have attended.

1. Little Acorns is a Good Provider (Ofsted)

We’re a good provider of early years education and childcare. You don’t need to take our word for it, though, because the Government body Ofsted independently rated the nursery as Good in every category in their most recent report. We were rated as ‘good’ across the board including in overall effectiveness, the quality of education, leadership and management, behaviour and attitudes, and personal development. It was indeed a full house of good scores, meaning that children are in safe and very capable hands that will bring out the best in every one of them.

2. Wonderful Customer Reviews & Ratings Online

We’ve got lovely reviews and 5-star ratings online and, at the time of writing, have scored top marks across the board. The following is a typical review illustrating the type of lovely comments that parents have been publishing online about Little Acorns Nursery, Hindley Green:

“I wholeheartedly recommend this nursery. My little boy has loved his three years here, building loving and nurturing relationships with staff and the other children. He has learned so much and astounds us every day with the level of vocabulary and concepts he understands. Communication has been fantastic all through his time here. A truly family feel permeates the whole setting and I know I’m leaving my little one in good hands.”— Victoria M (via the Day Nurseries website, June 2024. Overall Experience: 5.0 out of 5).

Even the Ofsted inspector who last visited the nursery said:

“Parents speak highly of the staff at the nursery and develop high levels of trust.” — Ofsted report (April 2023).

3. Convenient Opening Hours for Working Parents

Little Acorns Nursery opens early and closes late on weekdays. This is great for local working parents as it allows them time to drop off and pick children up with minimal impact on their working hours. The nursery opens at 7:30 a.m. and closes at 6 p.m. from Monday to Friday inclusive. Those are longer working hours than many of our local competitors — we checked!

4. A Nursery Open All Year Round

Unlike some other nurseries and preschools, Little Acorns Nursery is open virtually all year round, only closing on Bank Holidays and for one week over Christmas. We’re therefore open over school summer holidays, for example, meaning working parents can carry on working without worrying about childcare during such school breaks.

5. Excellent Safeguarding

Little Acorns staff are fastidious about the welfare and safety of babies and children under their care. As even the Ofsted inspector reported in our last inspection, “Leaders have ensured that staff are well trained and knowledgeable about matters relating to child protection. They have provided clear procedures for staff to report any concerns that they may have about children’s welfare.” Your child is in safe hands at Little Acorns Nursery.

6. We Support Many Childcare Funding Schemes

Little Acorns Nursery supports a wide variety of free childcare initiatives that are available to eligible families through government funding. Whether it’s free childcare hours for 2-year-olds, 3- and 4-year-old preschoolers, or the imminent roll-out planned for eligible babies starting in September 2024, we support many different childcare funding schemes where families are eligible. With today’s tough economy and recent inflation levels, we know that families will welcome such help to make childcare more affordable.

7. The Nursery Has Undergone a Stunning Refurbishment

During the first half of 2024, the nursery underwent a significant refurbishment and the results really speak for themselves. It’s a real facelift that includes beautiful new flooring, refreshed paintwork, re-plastered walls, renewed skirting, lovely bright downlighters, new storage areas, new bathrooms, new hallway carpet, and a modern, spacious feel. There are some lovely new interior design touches too, which spark new life into the nursery and preschool areas. New furniture, resources and enhancements are also included to make this a more exciting, stimulating, and engaging place for children to spend time. These include details like new bifold doors to allow free-flow access from indoors to the outdoor areas when appropriate. You can see some of the refurbishments here.

8. Children Love our Extensive Gardens & Outdoor Areas

Few childcare nurseries and preschools can claim to have as large an outdoor space as Little Acorns Nursery in Hindley Green. Our extensive outdoor space is a wonderful area for children to explore, discover, play, and learn. Including both undercover areas and open areas, there are nature zones, sensory areas, a variety of exciting play areas, counting areas, and a stimulating array of equipment. This includes construction toys and equipment, creative activities, sand play, water play, bicycles and scooters, play houses and, of course, more standard climbing frames, slides, and suchlike. Children can benefit here from both structured and free play in a safe but exciting outdoor environment.

“The nursery has a huge outdoor area which is perfect as my daughter loves the outdoors. I feel so lucky to have found a nursery with such a wonderful and happy environment for my daughter.”— Louise M (via the Day Nurseries website, May 2024. Overall Experience: 5 out of 5).

9. Photos & Regular Updates for Parents

A smartphone app allows staff to send parents regular updates about their child’s day at the setting. This is a really useful tool, for example, to help parents see how well their child is fitting in when they first start nursery. It also shows parents some of the activities children are taking part in and includes commentary from staff. It’s a great way for parents to connect, monitor their child’s progress and be assured of their well-being, despite being away from their child.

“I get photos and updates and this really helps settle my mind when I’m at work.” — Ashley G (via the Day Nurseries website, April 2024. Overall Experience: 5 out of 5).

10. Skilled & Experienced Staff

Little Acorns Nursery employs high-calibre childcare staff who are caring, experienced and skilled. Naturals with the children, they are also qualified as a minimum when they start in paediatric first aid, safeguarding, and basic food hygiene although many have qualifications that far exceed that baseline. Staff also have the support of a CPD programme, for continuous professional development, which includes access to training courses and tools that will further their skill set. That’s a win-win-win as the staff, the nursery and the children will all benefit. The Ofsted inspector also commented on the quality of staff at the most recent inspection:

“The high priority given to continuing professional development has resulted in a team of many skilled and experienced staff. This has a positive impact on the quality of education for all children, including those who are disadvantaged.” — Ofsted (April 2023).

11. Childcare Tailored for Every Child

Some of the most fundamental goals at Little Acorns Nursery are to bring out the best in each and every child and, in turn, set them up for future success. Our professional childcare practitioners and leadership team do everything they can to achieve such goals, including through a learning and development programme that’s tailored for each child — after all, every child is different. From the outset, this is achieved in part via two-way feedback with parents and, where required in the case of those with special needs, the use of external professional expertise. In this way, every child’s strengths can be made even stronger and any weaker areas given focus to bring them up to speed.

“Staff work closely with parents right from the start to assess and plan how to meet children’s individual needs.” — Ofsted (April 2023).

12. Excellent Support for Children with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND)

Little Acorns Nursery is indeed excellent in its support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (‘SEND’). The Ofsted inspector perhaps said it best when they visited in 2023:

“The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) successfully uses her comprehensive knowledge of local arrangements for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). She links closely with other supporting professionals, accurately assesses need and identifies precise targets for learning. Through strong relationships with staff, children with SEND progress well, particularly in their understanding and communication.” — Ofsted.

13. We Ready Children for School

One of our key aims and indeed strengths is to prepare every child for starting school. So, during their time with us, we do everything we can to nurture them in every area of their learning and development. We ensure they have the knowledge and skills they’ll need so that, when the time comes to leave us to begin school, they’ll hit the ground running and absolutely thrive in their journey forward to school — and beyond.

“The carefully thought out curriculum helps children to gain the kinds of knowledge and skills they need in readiness for their future move to school.”— Ofsted (April 2023).

14. Hygge

Little Acorns is also one of only a few Hygge-inspired childcare nurseries and this facet helps make the setting even more of a home-from-home for little ones. Hygge (pronounced “Hue-gah”) is a Danish and Norwegian word that describes the kind of lifestyle that has cosiness, contentment, and well-being at its centre. A Hygge-style environment will therefore be one that appreciates natural materials like wood and warm, homely, child-friendly, decor like rugs and cushions. Hygge also encourages a real appreciation of nature amongst both staff and children. Put simply, Hygge makes Little Acorns Nursery a better place to be. Learn more about the nursery’s developing Hygge approach here.

15. The Benefits of Being Privately Owned

Little Acorns is an independently owned nursery rather than a large faceless ‘group’ that sets rules from somewhere hundreds of miles away. By being independent, our leadership team is more agile and able to adapt quickly for the best interests of the nursery and its children. Being a small independent also means your child won’t be ‘lost’ in the system but, rather, will be part of our nursery family. Little Acorns really is a home-from-home for every child.

The Best Nursery for Your Child in Hindley Green, Wigan

We hope today’s article has given local parents food for thought in their search for the best nursery & preschool in Hindley Green or a good childcare provider within a convenient distance of Wigan, Bickershaw, Leigh, Atherton, Westhoughton, Ince-in-Makerfield, Platt Bridge, Tyldesley, Bolton or Greater Manchester. Get in touch to find out more, come for a visit, or register your child for a place:

Apply Today Book a Tour Message Us 01942 259 870

30th July 2024/by Mark

Childcare, Early Years Education, Greater Manchester, Hindley Green, Nurseries, Nursery News, Preschools, Wigan

Connect With Us on Social Media — for Latest Nursery News & Early Years Information

This is a message to parents, guardians and caregivers of children under five, especially if they’re attending Little Acorns Nursery in Hindley Green. Please connect with us on social media to keep up to date with news and useful information. We regularly publish updates including some of the goings-on at the nursery/preschool itself as well as highly useful information about parenting, early years education, childcare, and much more. You can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and X (formerly Twitter). And, of course, we post highly useful articles right here on our blog. Read on for more details.

“Please connect with us on social media to keep up to date with news and useful information.”

Follow Little Acorns Nursery on Facebook

Subscribe to our Facebook channel, particularly if your child attends Little Acorns Nursery in Hindley Green. Facebook is one of our key social media channels through which parents of our nursery children can see many of the activities they have taken part in. If you follow us, you’ll see the little ones being creative, learning through play, taking part in a wide variety of tasks, playing outside and indoors, going on excursions, and learning while enjoying themselves in many different ways.

We’re @littleacornshindleygreen on Facebook and you can follow us on Facebook here.

Follow Us on Instagram

You can follow us on Instagram too. Little Acorns Nursery publishes a pictorial quick reference and links to many of our super-useful and informative blog posts, plus photos of the children playing, discovering, and learning. It’s especially suited to those who like to scroll for mainly photo-based updates and information on handheld devices like smartphones.

We’re @LittleAcornsHindleyGreen on Instagram and you can follow us on Instagram here.

Follow Us on Pinterest

Little Acorns Nursery has a Pinterest profile too. If you don’t yet use Pinterest, it’s highly recommended as a place to save or view curated ‘pin boards’ of interesting and useful content linked from around the Internet. Our own Pinterest channel has separate pinboards for Little Acorns blog posts, the early years, nature activities for under-fives, early years parenting, sensory activity ideas for little ones, outdoor play, nursery school activities and preschool. We may add more in due course.

On Pinterest, we are @LittleAcornsNurseryWN2, so please follow us on Pinterest here.

Follow Us on X (formerly Twitter)

Little Acorns Nursery is also on X (formerly Twitter) and, if you follow us on that channel, you’ll be able to see our highly useful posts and curated reposts about everything to do with childcare and the early years, as well as activity ideas for under-fives and posts showing what the children and babies have been up to at the nursery/preschool.

We’re @LittleAcornsWN2 on X, so please follow us on X here.

Bookmark Our News Blog

Last but not least, we publish highly useful information relating to children under five – every month – here on the blog. This will be useful whether or not your child attends the nursery as it will include well-researched posts, findings of studies relating to the early years, childcare funding information, interesting articles, updates from the Hindley Green nursery itself, plus a whole lot more. Our news blog can be found here (once there, you can bookmark it simply by clicking Ctrl + d on your keyboard).

Please Leave Us a Review

If you are a happy parent of a child at our Hindley Green nursery, we’d love it if you would be kind enough to leave us some positive feedback. Here are some options:

Write a review on Google here; and/or
Rate us on Facebook here.

Of course, if there is anything you’re not happy about, please get in touch so that we can remedy it right away.

Many thanks!

Little Acorns Nursery, Hindley Green

Are you looking for a high-quality nursery in Hindley Green, or near Wigan?

Little Acorns is a very good nursery & preschool, located in Hindley Green. That’s also close to Wigan, Bickershaw, Leigh, Atherton, Westhoughton, Ince-in-Makerfield, Platt Bridge, Tyldesley, Bolton and Greater Manchester. So, if you have a child under five and live near any of those locations, do consider Little Acorns for your weekday childcare. We’re rated by Ofsted as a ‘Good Provider’ of childcare and early years education and also support various free Government childcare funding schemes for eligible families. Most importantly, though, we give babies, toddlers and preschoolers the very best start in life by bringing out the best in each one. If you’d like your child to absolutely thrive and live in the Wigan area, please get in touch:

Apply Today Book a Tour Message Us 01942 259 870

30th June 2024/by Mark

Activities for Children, Children, Early Years Education, Learning & Development, Nature, Outdoor Play, Preschoolers, Quotes, Toddlers, Under-5s

Inspirational Quotes about Nature in Childhood

While writing a recent post relating to the benefits of nature in childhood, we came across some profound quotations about the topic. Inspired and, at times, touched by some of these, we decided to gather some of our favourites together for today’s post. We therefore share with you today Inspirational Quotes About Nature in Childhood. We hope you, too, are inspired by them — perhaps enough that you encourage your little one(s) to spend even more time with you outdoors, closer to nature. It’s incredibly good for them. Take a look, bookmark the page, and perhaps even save the quote images to print and display at home.

TIP: Click Ctrl+D on your keyboard to bookmark this post

Some of the quotations are touching, aren’t they? Clearly, many of the great poets, scientists, educators, academics, and scholars recognised the hugely positive impact that nature has on children — and indeed people of all ages. And, as we head towards summer at the time of writing, the weather should soon allow families to spend more time outdoors, so they can reap the many important benefits that nature and outdoor play have to offer. Perhaps start by downloading our free posters for a bird spotting activity, a minibeast activity, or a butterfly spotting session. Children will love to see what (or rather who) they can find in the natural world!

We hope you enjoyed and were inspired by today’s batch of quotations. We’ll publish more quotes relating to childhood in due course, so perhaps click Ctrl+D on your keyboard to bookmark this post or our blog area.

Don’t Miss:

Also, check out our post on Funny Quotes About Parenthood!

Nature Education at Little Acorns Nursery, Hindley Green

Children at Little Acorns Nursery in Hindley Green are very fortunate to have access, when appropriate, to extensive grounds. These are subdivided into several zones, which include nature and wild areas as well as sensory zones, sand and water play and much, much more. The gardens and outdoor play zones are places where children can explore, discover, and learn in a highly stimulating environment, all under the safe supervision of our nursery practitioners.

Weekday Nursery & Preschool Places Near Wigan

If you would like to explore a possible childcare place in an exceptional Hindley Green nursery near Wigan, please get in touch using one of the options below. We support various Government-funded childcare schemes too, meaning free childcare hours are available for eligible families. Please choose an option to get started:

Apply Today Book a Tour Message Us 01942 259 870

Little Acorns is a high-quality nursery & preschool in Hindley Green, near Wigan. As such, we may also suit families that require childcare services near Bickershaw, Leigh, Atherton, Westhoughton, Ince-in-Makerfield, Platt Bridge, Tyldesley, Bolton and Greater Manchester.

30th April 2024/by Mark

Childcare, Early Years Education, Greater Manchester, Hindley Green, Manchester, Nurseries, Nursery, Nursery News, Nursery Refurbishment, Pre-School, Preschools, Wigan, WN2

A Beautiful Make-Over for Little Acorns Nursery

The start of 2024 saw the commencement of a wonderful new refurbishment at the nursery. Little Acorns Nursery’s owners and management organised some significant improvements, which are already well-progressed upstairs and will continue on the ground floor of this Hindley Green childcare setting. Today we take a closer look and share with you some images of the progress and remarkable facelift that’s taking place. We’ll update you again in later months when the work is complete. Enjoy!

Why the Refurbishment?

As many will know, we took on the existing premises fairly recently and, before that, it had not been significantly updated in probably 20 years or more. In view of this, a refurbishment project was designed to update the overall aesthetics of the setting, tidy things up, and give the nursery a more modern, fresh look. While doing so, lighting, storage, flooring and other facilities are also being improved.

In-progress photo showing the process of dry-lining an old wall.

This image shows some of the walls before they were refurbished upstairs.

The new ceiling structure being built upstairs.

View from inside the new loft space, showing the access hatch and insulation.

View showing the new ceiling structure being built along with loft space access.

Work Started Early in January

Following a thorough risk assessment, work began right at the start of January this year. Initially, the focus has been on the classrooms upstairs. The structure to the ceiling there was totally renewed to both improve it and create extra storage in the loft area above. A method of easy access was installed to facilitate the use of this new storage space by staff. While working on the new ceiling structure, downlighters were spaced around the new ceilings and these vastly improved the lighting. Walls have been freshly plastered, skirtings were renewed and all painted in a lovely, fresh white. The spaces now have a lovely light, spacious and open feel about them.

For the flooring, luxury vinyl tiling was laid and, as you can see in some of the photographs, this is a high-quality floor that gives the rooms a modern, warm, and spacious feel. It will also be easy to keep clean. We’re also aiming for the spaces upstairs to be clutter-free once complete.

As you can see, the upstairs classrooms are already looking calming and inviting. We’re sure it will look even more fabulous once it’s all decked out with new furniture. In addition, resources and other enhancements will be added for the children. These will be things that they will find exciting, engaging and, in turn, will promote development. We can’t wait to see it all finished and it’s going to be wonderful for the children!

Another view of how great the upstairs is looking at the nursery.

The new walls, downlighters, fresh paint and high quality flooring look fabulous upstairs.

Upstairs is coming along nicely — and we haven't even added the new furniture yet!

Nicely framed photos look wonderful on the newly-decorated walls.

Some coat pegs, suitably named (obscured for privacy) for each child.

The luxury flooring and white painted walls, ceiling and skirting have really freshened up the nursery upstairs.

The hallway and stairwell have also been freshened up.

Detail of the notice board at Little Acorns Nursery.

The downstairs main room after being cleared but before some major improvements have taken place.

New Bathroom, New Hallway

The bathroom for the children was also renewed completely to bring things up to date.

In addition, the hallway and stairwell were completely overhauled with a lovely new carpet to the stairs, newly plastered walls and fresh new paint on all surfaces.

Next Steps

We’re currently sourcing new furniture in readiness for the newly refurbished nursery, particularly now that the upstairs is so far advanced. Some of the photographs also hint at some of the lovely interior design elements that are already beginning to bring the spaces to life.

Next on the agenda is an equally thorough refurbishment of the downstairs areas. We will have new flooring, a lovely new downstairs bathroom, spotlights throughout, new plastering, fresh paint, and refreshed skirting boards.

The ‘archways’ will also be sealed off and essentially removed. This will minimise noise ingress from one room to another.

An existing flat roof will be completely taken down and replaced with a new one. That will occur during the forthcoming Easter break, so as to avoid disruption to the day-to-day workings of the nursery. We will also install modern bi-fold doors that will give flexible and free-flowing access to the outdoor areas when appropriate.

Eventually, we’ll also renew the external signage, although this is likely to follow after the more involved improvements to the interiors are complete.

The Nursery Remained Open Throughout!

Incredibly, the childcare nursery remained – and will continue to remain – open, right through the refurbishment process. That’s accomplished through careful planning, regular health and safety risk assessments with sign-off by all relevant parties, and careful control over which areas children and workmen have access to. It’s rather like conducting a well-practised orchestra! Families were and still are, of course, also kept informed via verbal communication, signage, and also through updates sent out to families via our “Famly” smartphone app. Rest assured, the health, safety and well-being of our children is our topmost priority throughout all changes occurring at Little Acorns Nursery in Hindley Green. Once complete, the day-to-day lives of both staff and children will be hugely enhanced.

We’ll publish updates on the further progress of the refurbishments over the coming months, so watch this space!

About Little Acorns Nursery School, Hindley Green, near Wigan

The best start for babies and children under 5 with a comprehensive Early Years education

At Little Acorns Nursery in Hindley Green, babies and children under five receive a high-quality early years education in a wonderful nursery and preschool. Here, they are nurtured, feel valued, and are exceptionally well cared for. The setting is warm and inviting too — a real home-from-home for little ones — with highly professional childcare practitioners on hand to bring out the very best in them. We have fabulous facilities and resources too, both inside and out, and are a ‘good provider‘ — and that’s official according to Ofsted. We also support many Government-funded childcare schemes, thereby being able to supply free childcare hours for eligible local families.

Contact Little Acorns Nursery today and we’ll be delighted to explore with you the opportunity for your child to attend the nursery:

Apply Today Book a Tour Message Us 01942 259 870

As a nursery/preschool located in Hindley Green, Wigan, WN2, we may also suit families looking for childcare services conveniently close to Bickershaw, Leigh, Atherton, Westhoughton, Ince-in-Makerfield, Platt Bridge, Tyldesley, and Bolton.

29th February 2024/by Mark

Activities for Children, Childcare, Children, Early Years Education, Education, Hindley Green, Learning & Development, Nurseries, Nursery, Parenting, Preschoolers, Preschools, Reading, Toddlers, Under-5s

Under-5 to Superchild! The Power of Reading With Your Child

In the journey of childhood development, there is a simple yet powerful tool that supercharges learning, imagination and even life outcomes: reading with your child. While a magical connection with books is a cherished tradition in many families, it is also a proven way to optimise a child’s cognitive and emotional development — and even to give some a social boost. With that in mind, we explore today the incredible benefits of reading with children in the early years and learn how study after study has proven how transformational it is to their lives.

Enhanced Cognitive Development

Numerous studies have demonstrated the profound impact of reading on cognitive development in young children. The studies found that reading with children between the ages of 3 and 5 results in significantly improved cognitive skills, including attention span, memory, language development, logical thinking, and problem-solving skills.

This cognitive enrichment is not just confined to early childhood. Long-term studies have revealed that children who are read to regularly during their early years are more likely to perform well academically throughout their school years. We’ll explore more about how reading in the early years prepares children for school later in this article.

Transformed Language, Vocabulary, Spelling & Literacy

One of the most notable benefits of early reading is the rapid expansion of a child’s vocabulary. Indeed, research suggests that children who are exposed to a diverse range of words in books tend to perform better in language assessments, spelling, and overall literacy development. With reading to children opening up whole new worlds of information and vocabulary to them, this positive outcome makes total sense.

Academic Preparedness

Early reading provides a substantial head start in academics. A 40-year study by the Nuffield Foundation in the UK tracked the development of children from birth to age 7. Results revealed that children who were read to several times a week at a young age had a significant advantage in literacy skills when they started school.

The language skills of children aged just 3¼ years old were found to receive a 20% boost when they were regularly read to by a parent or carer. That’s an 8-month improvement!

Children who experience shared reading activities with their parents in their early years also tend to have a more positive attitude towards learning. They therefore perform better in school. Indeed, many enter formal education with increased confidence and a love for learning.

Advanced Emotional Intelligence

Reading with children also contributes to the development of enhanced empathy and emotional intelligence. Stories often feature characters experiencing a variety of emotions, and by engaging with these stories, children learn to empathise and connect with the feelings of others. That’s because exposure to complex characters and their emotional experiences in books helps children better understand and relate to the emotions of people in their real lives.

Social Mobility

Remarkably, the benefits of reading with young children also have the potential to break the cycle of socio-economic disadvantage. Several studies have found a strong correlation between early reading habits and positive socio-economic outcomes later in life. Specifically, children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds were found to be more likely to surpass the usual limitations of their circumstances when exposed to regular reading sessions with adults at an early age. This positive effect was found to extend well into adulthood. Individuals who were avid readers during their childhood were found to be more likely to achieve higher levels of professional success, with better job prospects, higher incomes, and greater job stability.

Tips for Effective Reading Sessions

Note that, at the start of this article and throughout, we have talked about reading with your child as opposed to simply reading to them. That’s an important differentiation because reading with children means involving them, so they’re fully engaged throughout. That’s another huge factor in unlocking the most potential for the child. So, how do we go about that?

Make it Fun!

Reading in a monotone voice is a sure way to get children to switch off and disengage from your reading sessions. Instead, make it fun by immersing yourself, as the reader, into the different characters and situations, using different volumes, voices, accents, cadences and tones as appropriate. This will naturally captivate your child, bring the story to life, and make it fun!

Encourage Interaction

Engage your child in the reading process. Ask your child questions about the storyline and characters. See if they can guess what happens next and discuss the story generally. This interaction enhances their attention, comprehension and critical thinking skills.

Encourage Questions

When your child asks questions or wants to talk about the story, embrace those moments. It shows their active engagement and curiosity. Encouraging discussions will help to deepen their understanding in so many ways.

Quality Time Spent Together

Reading is not just about the words on the page; it’s also about the quality time you spend together. The connection you build during reading sessions is priceless, fostering stronger bonds between you and your child.

A Positive Example

Children often mimic their parents’ behaviour. By showing them that you value reading, they are more likely to embrace it as a positive and enjoyable activity. So, why not become a reading role model and let your child see your enthusiasm for books? It’ll not only be fun and engaging for them but is also likely to result in a love for learning and a huge number of profoundly positive benefits.

Quality Childcare & a Good Early Years Education at Little Acorns Nursery, Hindley Green

As we’ve said before, parental engagement with children’s education is incredibly beneficial to little ones and that’s particularly true in the case of reading with them. So, we take every opportunity to read with children and encourage interaction at Little Acorns Nursery in Hindley Green. Reading with children is not only giving the gift of knowledge but also a key to unlocking future opportunities and even social mobility. As such, it is an incredibly powerful tool that effectively supercharges children’s education and future prospects. And don’t forget, of course — children simply love it!

If you are seeking the best childcare nursery in Hindley Green for your child, please get in touch. We offer a first-class weekday childcare service and early years education for babies and children under five. We also support all Government-funding childcare options, making childcare more affordable for eligible families. Please select an option below to further explore a place for your child at Little Acorns Nursery:

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Little Acorns is a nursery near Wigan, Bickershaw, Leigh, Atherton, Westhoughton, Ince-in-Makerfield, Platt Bridge, Tyldesley, Bolton and Greater Manchester.

31st October 2023/by Mark