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Activities for Children, Babies, Children, Early Years Education, Learning & Development, Toddlers, Under-5s

The Importance of Play in Early Childhood

One of the most widely accepted truths among professionals involved in ‘early years’ education is that play is incredibly important to children. That’s not just because it comes naturally to them and is fun; play is the key tool through which children learn about themselves, each other, and the world around them. Indeed, the act of playing benefits children in a wide array of profoundly beneficial ways, including socially, mentally, physically, and emotionally. With that in mind, today’s post highlights some of the many benefits of play to children, particularly in their early years. So, if you have a child under five, take a look and you’ll soon see why encouraging your little one to play in a variety of ways will bring out the very best in them and help set them up for life.

“Play is essential to development because it contributes to the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional well-being of children” (Paediatrics Journal)

Physical Benefits of Play

Motor Skills

Active play helps children master gross and fine motor skills, balance, movement, and coordination. One of the most obvious things about children’s play is that often it gets them exerting themselves physically, as they run, climb, jump, make, create, and construct. Such activities help them to master gross and fine motor skills, balance, movement, and coordination. All such skills are enhanced significantly through play and are a fundamental building block of children’s development.

Fine-Tuning the Senses

Play also naturally gives children’s senses a workout. As such, babies and children under five will understand more deeply the relationship between what they sense during play and the physical world. Senses including touch, smell, hearing, sight, taste, and proprioception (body awareness) will all therefore become more honed as little ones play.

Strength & Fitness

As children play actively, strength, stamina, and fitness will also naturally improve. These are fundamental developmental requirements that will help children thrive physically as they grow older.

Cognitive Benefits of Play

From an early age, playing helps in the development of young minds and contributes to the rapid growth of new connections in the brain. Right from an early age, the act of playing helps in the development of young minds and even contributes to the rapid growth of new connections in the brain. This is true even for babies, whose key tool to learn about the world is through play, as they explore with their senses as well as by reaching out to grasp toys and objects around them.

Greater Creativity

Play is a superb way of boosting children’s imaginations and creativity. As they play, whether alone or with others, they will naturally imagine scenarios, role-play, find solutions to challenges, create, build, design, and invent. Such undertakings will exercise their developing brains to generate better creative skills, boost their imaginations, and help them realise new possibilities. What’s more, doing so will also be immense fun!

New Knowledge Through Natural Discovery

Play will inevitably lead to discoveries that children were previously unaware of. What may seem commonplace and normal to adults may be a new discovery to a child. For example, how gravity affects objects, how water turns to ice in the cold, how heat melts sugar, how cooking transforms dough into bread, and so on. All such things are new to a child at some point in their playful youth, and it’s often through play that such new facts, properties, reactions, and the wonders of cause and effect are first discovered. Play teaches children so much!

Enhancements to Maths & Science Skills

Playing as a child will invariably lead to activities which involve elements of science, mathematics and maths language. Whether sharing items equally between friends, adding building blocks to a tower, experimenting with liquid or sand volumes, measuring ingredients or the size of construction components, playing will involve maths and science properties at various points. Such opportunities will help children understand such concepts in the most natural of ways – during play.

Social Benefits of Play

There is a wide range of ways children can benefit socially through play.

Communication & Language

Playing boosts social skills in children. Whether playing with peers or with parents, the need to gradually master communication and language is imperative. Play helps that to happen in the most natural of ways. All the time they’re playing, children are naturally communicating, picking up new vocabulary, learning new phrases, getting to grips with grammar, and so on. Play is indeed a wonderful facilitator of communication and language.

“Children who engage in pretend play with caregivers have more advanced language skills, including a richer vocabulary and more complex sentence structures.” (Journal of Child Language).

Social Skills

Children can’t help but improve social skills when playing with peers. After all playing, at its heart, needs to remain fun and learning good social skills will help that to remain the case. Play will inevitably help children learn social skills like sharing, cooperation, teamwork, communication, conflict resolution, and good manners like taking turns and the like. Such social skills will gradually be learned naturally through the simple activity of playing. Supervising adults can, of course, nurture this by pointing children in the right direction (socially) during play.

Building of Friendships

Playing and friendships go hand-in-hand when children play nicely and communicate well. This is even more true when their social skills have been developed so that everyone is treated fairly, rules aren’t broken, peers share when appropriate, and everyone retains an agreeable approach. Many long-term friendships are born through play and these are incredibly important for children’s happiness and well-being. At their core, friendships also facilitate one crucially important benefit — that of fitting in and therefore belonging.

Emotional Benefits of Play

Playing is fun and makes children happy. That's important! Playing is an integral part of every happy childhood. It’s fun and, put simply, makes children happy. That’s wonderful for children’s emotional and spiritual well-being and the importance of that cannot be overstated.

“Play can lower cortisol levels, a hormone associated with stress, and promote a sense of well-being in children.” (Psychological Science).

Playing helps children to develop emotionally. When playing with peers, for example, they can start to think about things from each other’s perspective through activities like sharing, role-playing, playing games by agreed rules, and so on. Through endeavours like these, their emotional intelligence will grow, their ability to feel empathy will increase, and they will become more perceptive and understanding of others. These are important traits for their social and emotional growth, all achieved through the simple act of playing.

Play Benefits Children Holistically

As we have seen in this article, play benefits children in a completely holistic way. Play enhances their lives through a multitude of benefits that include improved skills and abilities, a deeper understanding of the world and society, solid friendships and the myriad of opportunities that all of that will bring. Play also fosters a deeper love of learning, because play makes learning enjoyable. Indeed, through play, children explore, discover, and learn instinctively — with zero ‘friction’. As such, play should be at the very core of every child’s learning and development journey.

Learning Through Play at Little Acorns Nursery, Hindley Green

Settings like Little Acorns Nursery in Hindley Green understand well the importance of play in the early years. That’s why we encourage children under five to learn through play in our childcare setting. At Little Acorns, we ensure babies, toddlers and preschoolers have all the equipment, tools, resources and spaces to nurture exploration, experimentation, natural discovery and instinctive learning through play opportunities. Well-trained and experienced early years practitioners at the setting will help little ones to make the most of these learning opportunities, guiding them when necessary and employing both structured and unstructured play activities. Learning goals, tailored to each child, are all part of this too, as are continuous assessments to ensure every child is on track to reach personal bests in every area of their learning and development. In this way, every child at Little Acorns Nursery is set up to absolutely thrive.

To explore a possible nursery place for your child at Little Acorns Nursery in Hindley Green, please get in touch using one or more of the following options:

Apply Today Book a Tour Message Us 01942 259 870

We are a first-class nursery & preschool in Hindley Green, near Wigan, and may also suit families nearby in Bickershaw, Leigh, Atherton, Westhoughton, Ince-in-Makerfield, Platt Bridge, Tyldesley, Bolton and Greater Manchester.

31st May 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, Children, Early Years Education, Education, Learning & Development, Nursery, Preschoolers, Preschools, Primary School, Reception, Starting School

A Guide to April’s National Offer Day for Primary School Places

Starting school is a huge milestone for families. If you’re a parent or guardian of a child who will soon reach the age of 3 in the UK, you’ll need to make an application for your child’s primary school very soon. Today’s guide is designed to help you understand just about everything you need to know about the process of obtaining a school place for your child and what to expect on National Offer Day — specifically for primary school places.

Primary School Offers Day: 16 April*

There are two key ‘school offers’ days each year. The first arrives usually on the 1st of March* and is for secondary school places. The second, which we’ll focus on in today’s guide, usually arrives on the 16th of April* each year and pertains to offers for primary school places in the UK.

* The exact date may be slightly later if the usual ‘offer’ date coincides with a public holiday or weekend. In such cases, the offer date will be delayed until the next working day. Note, too, that applying late, by post, or ‘in-year’ (for a start date other than in the September term) is likely to result in offers being received at a later date.

Apply for a Primary School Place at the Right Time

Whether you want your under-five child to start school at 4 or 5 (see below), you should make the application for a school place when they are 3 or, at the very latest, when they have just turned 4.

Should Children Start School at 4 or 5?

Starting Primary School at Age 4

Most children in the UK start in ‘Reception’ year at primary/infant school at the age of 4. This is before the age required by law and usually starts in the September term. For these children, families will need to have applied for their place between September of the previous year and the 15th of January in the year they begin.

Deferring until Age 5

However, children born between the 1st of April and the 31st of August can legally begin school a little later if their parent/guardian/carer so chooses. This could be, for example, if the child’s parents believe the child is not yet ready for the challenges associated with school.

What Does the Law Say About Starting School?

The law states that children reach what’s known as Compulsory School Age in the UK on the 31st of either December, March or August following their fifth birthday (whichever arrives soonest). It’s worth noting, however, that schools and admission authorities have the right to decide whether children starting at five (rather than four) will begin in Reception year one year later than most other children of their age, or skip Reception completely and go straight into Year One with their matching age group. The child’s best interests will affect the decision, including factors like their individual needs and abilities. More information about deferring until five is available here.

Applying for a Primary School Place

You can register an interest directly with your primary school of choice and indeed they can usually give you information about how to apply. However, registering an interest does not guarantee your child a place even if the school is attached to the nursery/preschool your child already attends. Ultimately you normally need to make the formal application through your local authority and this is usually best done online, as outlined below.

To start an application for primary school for your child, go to this Gov.uk address, enter your postcode, and click the green ‘Find’ button. The site will then match you with your local authority. For example, for those near our nursery in Hindley Green near Wigan, it resulted in a button linked to Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council’s ‘Primary School Admissions’ page. This, as per its equivalents for other areas, gives lots of information about applying for a primary school place together with all the appropriate hyperlinks for applications, appeals, further information, and suchlike.

As part of your application, you will have the opportunity to confirm, in order, your topmost preferred primary schools. Subject to there being available spaces, the order of your preferences will be taken into consideration when places are allocated. However, other factors outlined later in this guide are also likely to affect your child’s offer.

Applying Late

If you miss the 15th of January deadline for standard primary school places with a September term start, the local authority’s site will give you access to a ‘late application form’. Note, however, that applying after the 15th of January means your application will be processed after those received on time. The effect this will have on your application is that you will have a lower chance of getting a place at your preferred school — as many places are likely to have been allocated before the local authority came to process your (late) application.

Changing Your Mind

For anyone who changes their mind about their preferred school choice(s), your local authority website will also give you options and guidance. This may include online options but some may also require the use of a late application form which, if used after the 15th of January, may also give you a lower chance of receiving an offer for your child’s preferred school.

Criteria Affecting Primary School Offers

Local authorities will first process applications made on time, so those stand the best chance of success. Late applications will be processed after all the ‘on time’ applications have been allocated places.

Either way, the criteria affecting whether a child receives a primary school place at their preferred school may also include factors like the following:

Their home’s proximity to the selected primary school;
Whether your child has a sibling already at the school;
Whether you, the parent, have worked at the school (2+ years);
Whether it’s a faith school matching your child’s religion;
Whether the child is eligible for the Pupil Premium or Service Pupil Premium.
… and other potential factors.

If, for any reason, your child is not offered a place at any of your preferred primary schools, your local authority will have to offer you a place at an alternative school. This will usually be the closest available school to your child’s home. However, it’s worth noting that such a scenario is quite rare, with only 1.4% of applicants not receiving offers from one of their ‘preferred’ schools in 2023.

Primary School Offers & National Offer Day

The majority of applicants, particularly those who applied on time, will receive primary school offers on National Offer Day, which arrives on 16 April or soon afterwards if that falls on a weekend or public holiday. Those who included an email address as part of their application will receive offers during that day while those who are informed via post may receive offers via 2nd Class post a couple of days or so later. However, some local authorities also allow parents to log into a portal to view primary school offers.

Accepting, Rejecting or Appealing a Primary School Offer

Primary school offer confirmations will include a deadline by which the offer must be accepted if that’s the parent’s intention. Failure to accept an offer by that date may mean that the primary school place is instead offered to someone else, for example, a child on a waiting list for that school (we’ll come to waiting lists shortly).

If you are one of the small proportion of families who did not receive an offer from a preferred primary school, you can appeal the decision and offer confirmations will include details about the appeals process. Learn more about appeals here. However, it’s usually wise to first accept any offer provided so that, if your appeal is rejected, your child has a school place to fall back on. Doing so should not affect the outcome of your appeal.

Waiting Lists

Waiting lists are an option for those families who:

don’t receive an offer for a preferred primary school, or;
receive no school offer at all (rare), or;
decide they simply want to switch to a different primary school for one reason or another.

To apply to be put on a school’s waiting list, contact your local authority and perhaps also register your interest directly with the school itself, so they are aware. Having an existing school offer/place does not preclude you from going on an alternative school’s waiting list, by the way.

Good Luck from Little Acorns Nursery School, Hindley Green, Wigan

**We hope you receive the ideal primary school place for your child when the offer day finally arrives.**

The staff at Little Acorns Nursery in Hindley Green wish all families with children starting primary/infant school the best of luck on primary school offers day. We do hope everyone receives an offer for their preferred school.

We’re convinced that all preschoolers leaving Little Acorns to begin school will have the very best start, having become as ‘school-ready’ as possible during their time with us. This preparation will help them to really hit the ground running from the moment they arrive at school. For tips on how best to prepare your child for starting school, don’t miss our guide Tips for a Smooth Transition to Reception.

Meanwhile, if you have a baby, toddler or preschooler that requires high-quality childcare and a good ‘early years’ education near Hindley Green, Wigan, get in touch:

Apply Today Book a Tour Message Us 01942 259 870

As well as offering a high-quality childcare service in Hindley Green, Wigan, WN2, we are also conveniently located for families in Bickershaw, Leigh, Atherton, Westhoughton, Ince-in-Makerfield, Platt Bridge, Tyldesley, and Bolton.

29th March 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

Babies, Children, Funny Quotes, Parenting, Preschoolers, Toddlers, Under-5s

Funny Quotes About Parenthood

We regularly stumble upon funny quotes about parenthood and have been saving some of the best into an archive. This week, we have gathered some of our favourites and, today, share with you our curated collection for your entertainment. Every one of them made us chuckle and indeed that was our ‘acid test’ for inclusion in this post. We hope you find them as amusing as we did! We’re sure that many of the quotations will resonate, particularly if you’re a parent. So, with that said, why not have a short break and take a look?

Our Favourite Funny Quotes About Parenthood

Aren’t they funny? We’ll also follow up in the future with a similar post which showcases funny quotes by children. Little ones can say the funniest things, so look out for that in due course.

Little Acorns Nursery School: High-Quality Childcare in Hindley Green

A Complete Early Years Education for Babies & Children Under 5

Little Acorns Nursery in Hindley Green offers a first-class early years education and high-quality childcare for babies and children under five. Ours is a warm, welcoming, home-from-home environment where children feel loved, valued, and well cared for. With a learning and development programme that’s tailored to each child and a team of outstanding early years practitioners overseeing their care, we bring out the very best in every child. So, if you would like to give your child the very best start in life, consider Little Acorns Nursery for your child’s early years education and weekday childcare. Ofsted rates us as a ‘good’ provider and we support many different childcare funding options. At Little Acorns Nursery, your child will be in safe and capable hands.

Get in touch today to explore a possible nursery/preschool place for your child. Please select an option below to get started:

Apply Today Book a Tour Message Us 01942 259 870

Our nursery may also suit families looking for a childcare service close to Hindley Green and the WN2 postcode. For example, the nursery is very near Wigan, Bickershaw, Leigh, Atherton, Westhoughton, Ince-in-Makerfield, Platt Bridge, Tyldesley, and Bolton.

31st January 2024/by Mark

Activities for Children, Children, Early Years Education, Learning & Development, Nursery, Parenting, Preschoolers, Reading, Storytelling, Toddlers, Under-5s

A Winter Storytelling Corner for Your Child

Once winter arrives in December and cold winds start to breathe the landscape to sleep for a season, little ones will be less inclined to venture outdoors. Parents, too, will no doubt appreciate them avoiding the rain, cold, and inclement conditions that may occur. As such, winter is the perfect time to transform dreary days and dark evenings into a haven of warmth and cosiness indoors. An enchanting children’s activity that goes hand-in-hand with this is that of storytelling. With that in mind, today’s post guides you through the delightful process of creating a Winter Storytelling Corner tailored for the youngest members of the family. A storytelling corner is a wonderful way to make these winter nights cosy, magical, and filled with high-quality shared moments. Shared reading time is also highly beneficial to children‘s overall learning and development.

Setting Up a Winter Storytelling Corner

Start by selecting a cosy corner or nook in your home – for example, a secluded and quiet space somewhere that’s away from busy activity, cold draughts and suchlike. It will need to have somewhere comfortable for you and your child(ren) to sit or ‘nest’ once you get to the storytelling part. Once you’ve found somewhere suitable, it could be adorned with soft blankets, plush cushions, and perhaps even a few twinkling fairy lights. The goal is to create an inviting spot that beckons little ones and you, their parent or caregiver, to snuggle up and feel the warmth together as the winter tales unfold.

You could even go so far as to enhance the ambience with winter-themed decorations that will further engage your little one(s) and attract them to this magical new space — so long as they’re safe, of course. For example, perhaps get creative together by making paper snowflakes to dangle from the ceiling or gather images of snowmen and friendly animals to adorn the walls. If you have any stuffed animals or winter-themed ornaments from Christmastime, these will also add to the winter theme. This approach not only adds a personal and engaging touch but also makes the storytelling corner visually appealing and inviting.

A Winter’s Tale or Two

Curate a collection of timeless winter stories that capture the spirit of the season. Consider classics like “The Snowman” by Raymond Briggs or “The Mitten” by Jan Brett. These stories, with their simple yet captivating narratives, are perfect for engaging young minds and sparking their imagination. These are just a couple of examples, though, and there are lots of winter-themed books to choose from, whether online, in book stores, in charity shops, or swapped amongst family or friends.

For the tinier tots, perhaps introduce interactive board books with textures to touch and flaps to lift. Titles like “That’s Not My Snowman” or “Baby’s First Winter” provide a sensory experience and keep the youngest listeners engaged.

Storytelling Techniques to Engage Your Little One

Books and stories can be brought to life through expressive storytelling. When you’re reading to your little one, try varying your tone and using different voices for characters. Don’t be afraid to add a sprinkle of theatrical flair by fully ‘committing’ to your characterisation — just like an actor might do. Children will love this — little ones are totally captivated by animated storytellers who make the tales come alive.

Creatively Extending Stories

You can even enhance the storytelling experience in a number of ways.

Perhaps incorporate simple props that relate to the story. If the tale involves animals, have soft toy animals on hand for little ones to interact with as the story unfolds. Other alternatives are hand puppets and finger puppets. Try using them to act out characters from the stories as you read them, or get your child to do so. Adding an interactive and visual element in this way will encourage children to participate actively and immerse themselves in the storytelling process. This approach can be creative, captivating, and sometimes even comical. As such, this is very entertaining for children and will help to make the whole activity enjoyable and fulfilling.

Another example of extending storytelling time is to encourage children to participate in crafting activities inspired by the tales. For example, after reading about snowmen, engage in a hands-on activity of creating snowmen using cotton balls and craft paper, or simply embark on a themed drawing or painting session. This not only reinforces the story but also provides a creative outlet for little hands together with an extra layer of engagement.

A Magical Antidote to Wintery Weather & Dark Evenings

A Winter Storytelling Corner is more than just a cosy nook; it’s a gateway to shared moments, deeper bonding between adult and child, stimulated imaginations, and the joy and escapism of stories. It opens up whole new worlds to children and, as such, is a magical antidote to some of the colder and more dreary days and dark evenings of winter. So, snuggle up and let the winter tales weave their spells this winter — and make the season a time of warmth and wonder for little ones.

Little Acorns Nursery, Hindley Green

High-quality Childcare & Early Years Education for Babies & Under-Fives

We also love reading with children at Little Acorns Nursery in Hindley Green. It’s not only fun for them but we know how much reading also enriches children’s lives, supercharging both their education and future prospects. So, we encourage parents to read with children too, when at home. Parental involvement in children’s educations is hugely important, accounting for a massive, positive impact on their success.

Little Acorns Nursery is a ‘good’ childcare provider and supports various childcare funding options, making childcare more affordable for eligible families. To apply for a childcare place, arrange a guided tour, ask a question or for anything else, please get in touch:

Apply Today Book a Tour Message Us 01942 259 870

Our nursery is also close to Wigan, Bickershaw, Leigh, Atherton, Westhoughton, Ince-in-Makerfield, Platt Bridge, Tyldesley, and Bolton, so may also suit families in those locations.

31st December 2023/by Mark

Tips for a Smooth Transition to Reception Class

The transition from preschool to Reception marks a significant milestone in any child’s life. It can be emotional for parents and, for children, it can be a period filled with excitement, curiosity, and perhaps a bit of apprehension. Ensuring a smooth transition involves a combination of careful planning, practical strategies and emotional support. With that in mind, today’s guide outlines more than twenty simple, actionable ways to ensure your child has a seamless transition and a positive start to school life.

Emotional Support Strategies

Talk About Feelings

Discuss emotions related to starting school. Encourage questions, answer honestly, and address any concerns your child may have. Doing so will reassure your child and create a more positive perception of the upcoming experience.

Positive Reinforcement

Use positive reinforcement to create a positive association with the idea of school. For example, highlight the exciting aspects of learning, making friends, playing new games, and discovering new things.

Celebrate Small Achievements

Acknowledge and celebrate small achievements. Whether it’s successfully completing a puzzle or putting on shoes independently, recognising these accomplishments builds a positive mindset and boosts children’s confidence.

Visit the School Together

Arrange visits to the school — take a guided tour together and explore the classrooms and play areas. This will make the environment less intimidating and more welcoming and familiar when the time comes.

Building Skills

Build Social Skills & Make Play Dates

Organise play dates with future classmates to build social connections before the first day. Encourage interactions with other children to develop essential social skills. Attending a nursery, preschool, or playgroup will provide excellent opportunities for this.

Practise Listening Skills

Engage in activities that enhance your child’s listening and attention skills. These will be essential once they begin at school.

Promote Independence & Responsibility

Foster self-reliance by allowing your child to perform simple tasks like dressing themselves, tidying up, using the toilet, and organising themselves. Also, assign small responsibilities to them at home to instil a sense of accountability and responsibility. Such skills will serve them well once at school.

Encourage Decision-Making

Provide simple choices to empower your child and foster decision-making skills. You can perhaps teach them how to weigh up the pros and cons of each choice they face, so they get a feel for how best to approach a final decision.

Read Together

Read age-appropriate books together, particularly those that introduce topics they’ll be introduced to in Reception class. This not only sparks excitement and teaches them new things but also helps children understand what to expect. Instil a love for reading through interactive reading sessions. Visit the library too and explore a variety of books.

Educational Games

Incorporate fun and interactive learning activities into daily routines. Simple mathematics games, storytelling, and creative arts and crafts can enhance cognitive skills and nurture a love for learning.

Fine Motor Skill Development

Strengthen fine motor skills through activities like drawing, cutting, and building with blocks. These activities not only aid in academic readiness but also contribute to overall coordination.

Nearer the Time

Introduce the Concept of Time

Ensure that your child understands basic time concepts, such as morning, afternoon, and evening. This, in tandem with our next tip below, will help your child better understand the structure of the school day.

Establish a Consistent Routine

In the run-up to leaving nursery/preschool to begin at school, introduce a consistent daily schedule that mirrors the school routine. This will help your child become familiar with the structure of the day and help them to adjust more naturally.

Create a Homework Station

Designate a comfortable and quiet area at home where your child can engage in reading and other learning activities. This can later transition to become a natural place for school homework and be a tool to promote a positive attitude towards learning.

Introduce Uniforms

If applicable, gradually introduce your child to the concept of wearing a school uniform and get them used the the process of getting dressed.

Teach Basic Self-Care

Ensure your child can manage basic self-care tasks independently. Such skills will be invaluable to them once they have started school.

Practise Sharing

Emphasise the importance of sharing and taking turns through play. This is not only good manners but will also help them make and keep friends.

Encourage Expressing Needs

Teach your child to communicate their needs effectively. Good communication is an essential tool for any child. Explaining their needs to teachers and peers will ultimately result in happier outcomes and contribute to children’s well-being.

Establish a Bedtime Routine

Ensure sufficient sleep by establishing a calming bedtime routine. This not only gets them used to a pattern but will also help them to maintain focus and energy levels once at school.

Create a Visual Schedule

Use visual aids to help your child understand and anticipate daily activities. This could be a simple colour-coded timetable, or a series of drawings depicting activities they will be undertaking during their school day.

Create a Consistent Drop-off Ritual

Develop a consistent and reassuring routine for dropping off and picking up. This will foster a sense of security for the child and be key to minimising any separation anxiety that may otherwise occur.

Reception & Compulsory School Age

Reception is the first year of primary school in England, coming after nursery but before Year One. Children joining Reception class usually begin there in the September after their 4th birthday. Compulsory School Age, however, begins later — at the end the December, March or August that follows their 5th birthday (whichever is soonest).

The journey from preschool to the first day of school is a significant milestone for both parent and child. Preparing children for school involves a holistic approach that addresses emotional, social, and practical aspects. By incorporating these strategies into your family’s daily routine, you can contribute to a positive and confident transition for your child and set the stage for the most successful start to their school journey.

School-Readiness at Little Acorns Nursery, Hindley Green

Here at Little Acorns in Hindley Green, we also follow comprehensive strategies to build children’s skills, knowledge, independence and confidence in the run-up to beginning primary school. Indeed, we ensure they have hit personal bests in every area and are school-ready by the time they leave us for Reception. It’s magical to see how each and every child grows, in so many ways, during our time with them. It’s always sad to see them go when they leave to begin school but, when that time comes, we wish them every success in the knowledge that they leave superbly well-equipped for their journey.

A High-Quality Childcare Nursery for Your Child in Hindley Green

Are you looking for a really good childcare nursery in Hindley Green, near Wigan? Please get in touch with us at Little Acorns Nursery if so. We offer a superb childcare service and early years education to babies, toddlers and preschoolers aged under five. We support many Government-funded ‘free childcare’ schemes too, meaning childcare will be more affordable for eligible families.

Apply Today Book a Tour Message Us 01942 259 870

Little Acorns is also near Bickershaw, Leigh, Atherton, Westhoughton, Ince-in-Makerfield, Platt Bridge, Tyldesley, Bolton and Greater Manchester, so may additionally suit families in those areas.

30th November 2023/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:

Apply Today Book a Tour Message Us 01942 259 870

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

Discover Minibeasts – A Fun Nature Activity for Children

Today’s ‘Discover Minibeasts’ post is the third in our series of nature-based activities for children. And, as with the bird spotting and the butterfly spotting activities, this one also comes with a free A3 poster for families to download. Children will be able to use the poster to identify the 30 different species of minibeast that are featured. From ants and aphids to weevils, woodlice and worms, there are some fascinating critters for children to look out for.

Did you know? There are about 25,000 different types of minibeast in the UK!

Minibeast spotting is a great activity that will help to nurture children’s interest in outdoor play and nature — and that’s important. Study after study shows that spending time in nature is hugely beneficial to children of all ages. As well as helping children physically, emotionally and spiritually, nature and outdoor play help them learn new skills and can even improve grades (follow that last bold link for more details). What’s more, it can lead to a life-long love and appreciation of nature and The Great Outdoors, as well as encouraging children to learn about ecological issues like global warming, habitat loss and the need to protect the natural world. Such is the potential power of today’s humble minibeast-spotting activity! With that in mind, why not download our free poster today? It’s completely free and no sign-up of any kind is needed.

Preview of the Free Minibeasts Poster:

How to Download the Poster

Simply click the large poster preview image or this link to view/download the high-resolution version (whether you left-click or right-click to download will depend upon your particular browser settings — try both if you’re unsure). The file is less than 3MB in size. You will need Acrobat Reader on your device, which is available free of charge here. When printing out, we recommend using full colour and high-quality settings and paper for the best results. You/your child can alternatively view the poster on screen, e.g. on an iPad or tablet, which will allow you/your child to zoom in for the highest detail.

Given that minibeasts are mostly found outdoors, it’s important for children, especially the very young, to be supervised, for safety purposes. There are many potential dangers outside, so parents or caregivers will need to be vigilant around these when supervising little ones.

Tips for Spotting Minibeasts

Once children are armed with handheld versions of their minibeast posters, they’ll need to work out where best to spot them. The good news is that minibeasts are almost everywhere there are plants, trees and soil. Children can look for the more visible minibeasts like bees, butterflies, caterpillars, moths, ladybirds, aphids and hoverflies simply by looking for flowers and plants, which are a food source for such critters. Other minibeasts like grubs and earthworms may be found within soil and compost, so a little (gentle) digging around may prove fruitful for them — but care will need to be taken not to harm the little creatures. Meanwhile, the best places to find creatures like beetles, woodlice, millipedes and centipedes are generally going to be under things. For example, they may have their homes under piles of leaves, under flower pots, under rotting logs and — the best place of all for minibeasts — in the compost heap!

Be Gentle — Encourage Empathy

When supervising children for this minibeast-spotting activity — or any other involving animals and insects — please be sure to teach children about gentleness and empathy. Minibeasts are small and fragile creatures, so ideally should be looked at but not touched or disturbed. Teach children that each is an individual, with its own life, needs and feelings. Minibeasts will also not want to be taken from their homes, wherever those may be. So, please do encourage children to be gentle and kind, just like they’d like to be treated themselves if it were the other way around. Thank you.

Is your toddler frightened of insects like spiders? If so, try naming them, for example, “Simon the Spider”. In this way, children will begin to associate each as an individual, rather than just a scary and nameless critter. This approach can really help!

Discover Minibeasts!

All in all, minibeast spotting is a fun and fascinating activity for children to take part in and is perfect for the spring, summer and autumn seasons. As well as being fun, educational and worthwhile it also raises children’s interest in ecological matters. For example, it may lead children to realise the need to nurture the natural world, the problems associated with harmful pesticides and weedkillers, and the need to leave natural, undisturbed areas for wildlife to flourish. Children will eventually become the stewards of our beloved Planet Earth, so educating them early about looking after the planet is crucial for the existence not only of the flora and fauna, but also for mankind itself.

A Focus on Nature at Little Acorns Nursery, Hindley Green

The childcare professionals at Little Acorns Nursery know full well how important nature is to children as part of their early years learning and development. That’s why we’re adopting the ‘Hygge’ lifestyle at the setting. We ensure children get ample access to outdoor spaces to play, explore and learn in whenever possible. Even indoors, children get access to natural materials and resources.

Do you have a child under five and live in the Hindley Green area, near Wigan, or in a nearby location like Bickershaw, Leigh, Atherton, Westhoughton, Ince-in-Makerfield, Platt Bridge, Tyldesley, or Bolton? If so, Little Acorns Nursery offers a first-class early years education and weekday childcare service that’ll give your little one the very best start in life. We’ll nurture them and do everything we can to help them develop into the very best version of themselves so that they’re fully prepared and ready for school by the time they leave us as they approach the age of five. What’s more, we support Government funding including free childcare schemes for eligible families. Get in touch today to register your child for a nursery/preschool place, book a guided tour of the nursery or ask a question. We’re here to help!

Apply Today Book a Tour Message Us 01942 259 870

31st August 2023/by Mark

Activities for Children, Birds, Children, Early Years Education, Free Stuff, Hindley Green, Learning & Development, Nature, Nurseries, Nursery, Outdoor Play, Pre-School, Pre-Schools, Preschoolers, Preschools, Toddlers, Under-5s

Discover British Birds – A Fun Nature Activity for Children

Today, in a follow-up to the butterfly-spotting activity that we published in May, we bring you a matching bird-spotting activity for children to take part in. The activity will help to nurture children’s interest in birds and nature, which is beneficial to children in a myriad of different ways. It’ll also encourage them to recharge in the fresh air, outdoors, and escape from electronic screens and toys for a while. Outdoor play is important for little ones and many studies have backed this up.

Free Bird Poster

Like before, today’s article comes with a free reference poster for families to download and print out. The poster features 40 different species of bird that can be found in Britain. Most are fairly common, with just a handful that are more shy or seen more rarely. Children, including those under five, can display the A3 poster on their bedroom or nursery wall, or print it out as a smaller hand-out to use as reference when they’re outdoors. The visual reference will allow children to see how many different birds they can spot over the course of a year, we suggest. Supervising adults can help them to learn the bird names too, as we appreciate the youngest may not yet be able to read the names unaided. Take a look at the poster preview below and download it for your child today.

Preview of the Free Bird Poster:

Download Instructions

Depending on your settings, you can usually left- or right-click the image above (or this link) to either open it on screen or save it to your device. Once opened in Acrobat Reader ^∞, your child will also be able to view the images large, by zooming in, to get all the fine detail. If printing out, we recommend using high-quality printing paper and the finest colour settings for best results. Print at A3 to use as a poster or A4 to use as hand-outs for your children to take outdoors.

Tips for Spotting Birds

As well as being a fun, nature-based activity, bird spotting can teach children valuable skills like patience, stealth, observation, perseverance, critical thinking and empathy to name just a few. With that in mind, here are some tips that may help children to see more types of birds when taking part in this activity.

Try different locations and a variety of natural environments, including at different times of the year (spring to autumn). Your child will see different types of birds by using this approach. Please note, however, that we have not included waterfowl in our poster, although may keep that option up our sleeves for a future poster/activity.
Teach children to keep movements and sound minimal when they’re waiting for birds to come to a particular spot, so the birds are not frightened away.
If moving, for example through a forest, moving quietly and stealthily will ensure that children will see more types of birds. Care even over each footstep will help if it means that children will avoid making a ‘crack’ because they stepped on a twig. Such an approach will also help them hone their balance and gross motor skills, as well as make the activity feel more exciting.
Attracting birds with the right kinds of bird food will help with this activity. In gardens, ‘peanut cakes’, suet seed balls, sunflower ‘hearts’ (seeds with the outer husk removed) and, sparingly, grated Cheddar cheese are always popular.
The use of binoculars or monoculars will help spot birds further away. For safety, children should use them only under adult supervision and avoid pointing them towards the sun and other bright objects.
Teach children to also listen out for the various bird calls, as those can give away the location and even type of birds.
Encourage children to develop a ‘keen eye’, i.e. good observational skills that are proactive as well as reactive.

Why This Activity is Important

As well as being fun, educational and beneficial to children through time spent in nature, bird-spotting helps to draw children’s attention to the plight of birds, other wild creatures and the natural environment. Sadly, the number of birds has dropped by nearly 60% in the UK since 1979. The population of house sparrows alone has declined by almost 22 million in the last 57 years. The Chief Executive of the RSPB stated the following after 2023’s Big Garden Birdwatch:

“The numbers speak for themselves when it comes to the startling declines of some of our once common birds…
We are in a nature and climate emergency and we’ve lost 38 million birds from our skies in the last 50 years.”

Nature activities like butterfly-spotting, bird-spotting, country walks and outdoor play around nature will help foster children’s interest in the Great Outdoors and the simple pleasures associated with spending time in the natural environment. That alone is very good for both body and soul. In parallel, though, such activities are also likely to encourage an interest in ecology, conservation, reversing habitat loss, and eco-friendly lifestyles. All of these benefit the world itself. Moreover, such interests often last a lifetime. So, this simple type of children’s activity can have a real domino effect.

Nature-Based Activities for Under-5s at Little Acorns Nursery, Hindley Green

Because spending time around nature is so important, the team at Little Acorns Nursery in Hindley Green ensure that children get good access to nature, nature-based activities and even natural materials. This approach is backed up by our adoption of ‘Hygge’ at the setting. This, together with our first-class approach to early years childcare, give babies, toddlers and preschoolers a great start in life, giving them all the tools to absolutely thrive. As well as that, we also support all Government-funded childcare places for eligible families.

Why not register your little one for a childcare place at Little Acorns Nursery in Hindley Green, near Wigan? Get in touch using a button below and we’ll be happy to show you and your little one around, answer questions and register them for a nursery place.

Apply Today Book a Tour Message Us 01942 259 870

Little Acorns is a high-quality nursery & preschool in Hindley Green, near Wigan. We are also nearby to Bickershaw, Leigh, Atherton, Westhoughton, Ince-in-Makerfield, Platt Bridge, Tyldesley, Bolton and Greater Manchester, so may also suit families living or working in those locations.

Safety & Well-Being

^{Before we sign off from this post, we should mention the topic of safety and well-being for children. Vigilance around these is critical and seldom more crucial than when children are spending time outdoors. Children, especially the very young, should therefore be closely supervised by a responsible adult at all times, paying special attention to hazards including ponds and water sources of any kind, poisonous plants, toxic chemicals (weedkiller, pest killer etc.), trip hazards, nasty drops and uneven ground, sources of germs, barbed wire and other sharp objects, roads, railways and traffic, potential allergens, choking hazards, stranger danger, risks around becoming lost, and so on. Parents/adults will need to constantly watch out for potential risks and teach children to do so too. This list is not exhaustive, so do your research/assessments.}

31st July 2023/by Mark