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Seed to plate experiences at Maples

There was delight for children at Maples Day Nursery in Winchester as they picked their harvest of tomatoes, having patiently grown them from plants in the garden outside.

After embarking on a summer gardening project, children from the award-winning setting on Hatherley Road were delighted to see the results of their hard work from the daily watering and pruning, before picking the ripened red tomatoes and taking them in to wash.

Back inside, children spoke about kitchen hygiene and protocols, before putting on their aprons and using safety knives to chop their homegrown tomatoes, along with other fresh vegetables, which they added to the blender to prepare soup which was enjoyed for lunch.

Throughout the experience, children were able to learn about the process from seed to plate, whilst showcasing their early language and mathematics skills to monitor and log the growth of the plants and identify when their crops would be ready to harvest through observations.

It is for such activities that Maples have been awarded the prestigious ‘Green Flag’ from Eco-Schools, the highest accolade in the international scheme, which is awarded for exceptional environmental awareness and conservation practices, with activities at the nursery including creating habitats for wildlife and litter picking sessions in their local area.

Maples Day Nursery Team Leader, Casey Woodbridge explained;

“We’re hugely proud of the children for seeing this project through from start to finish, and everyone loved the soup we created as a result. Teaching our children about self-sufficiency, healthy eating habits, and the joy of teamwork is a key part of their development. This was a fantastic experience and we look forward to trying more of our homegrown herbs and veg.

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Tomato Harvest at Hampstead Gate

There was delight for children at Hampstead Gate Day Nursery in Milton Keynes as they picked their first harvest of tomatoes, having grown them from plants in the garden outside.

After patiently tending to the crops in their eco-garden over the past few months, pre-schoolers from the award-winning setting on Eelbrook Avenue were delighted to see the results of their hard work from the exciting daily gardening sessions, before picking the ripened red tomatoes and taking them inside to wash and taste as part of their snack.

During the activities, children were able to learn about the process from seed to plate, whilst showcasing their early language and mathematics skills to monitor and log the growth of the plants and identify when their crops would be ready to harvest through observations.

It is for such activities that Hampstead Gate have been awarded the prestigious ‘Green Flag’ from Eco-Schools, the highest accolade in the international scheme, which is awarded for exceptional environmental awareness and conservation practices, with activities at the nursery including creating habitats for wildlife and litter picking sessions in their local area.

Hampstead Gate Day Nursery Team Leader, Jordan Hall explained;

“This was a fantastic learning experience for the children and even those in the group who don’t usually eat tomatoes were intrigued to try them, having worked so hard to nurture them. They were so proud of this achievement and couldn’t wait to tell their families; we are now looking forward to picking the remaining fruit and vegetables that we are growing.”

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Outdoor exploration at Lime Grove

Children from Lime Grove Day Nursery in Hemel Hempstead have been embracing the last of the warm weather with a series of outdoor activities to delve into art, sport and nature.

At the Ofsted-rated ‘Outstanding’ Day Nursery on Park Road, pre-schoolers started by exploring the practice of ‘plein air painting’, which is the process of painting outdoors with the subject in full view, using a range of natural materials collected from the garden as inspiration for their artwork, as well as tools for making their marks on the paper.

After creating their masterpieces, young explorers enjoyed searching for minibeasts with magnifying glasses and observing the insects in their bug hotels, as well as tending to the fruit and vegetables growing in their planters, ready to be picked and used in nursery meals.

From bike riding to beanbag throwing, there were also plenty of opportunities to showcase physical skills as children took part in a special Sports Week, trying out a variety of activities for the first time and working together in teams to follow the rules and learn new techniques.

During the activities, children spoke about the importance of exercise to healthy lifestyles and the benefits this can provide, as well as measures for staying safe in the sunshine.

Lime Grove Day Nursery Team Leader, Robyn Shuck explained;

“We are advocates of all-weather play the whole year round as there are endless benefits for the children and so many exciting learning opportunities to be had, all whilst aiding both personal and social development. We have been soaking up the September sun and have had so much fun whilst improving motor skills, co-ordination, confidence and teamwork.”

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Knowle Green children enjoy author visit

There was excitement for young book lovers at Knowle Green Day Nursery in Staines as they welcomed talented children’s author, Andrew Weale, for a special storytelling session.

Known for his titles including ‘One Newt in a Suit’ and ‘Dinosaur Doo’, pre-schoolers from the award-winning setting were captivated as they listened to a selection of stories written and read by the author, complete with group actions throughout, much to the delight of children.

As part of the exciting experience, children were able to ask Andrew questions about his stories and his path to becoming a published author, as well as having their books signed.

Following on from the visit, pre-schoolers have enjoyed activities themed around the beloved story of ‘Room on the Broom’ by Julia Donaldson, which children picked as their ‘book of the week’, having been inspired by green parakeet feathers found in the garden outside.

From making rice krispie nest cakes and acting out the story, to making potions inspired by the character of ‘The Witch’ and creating bird feeders for the garden parakeets using natural and recycled materials, there were endless chances for children to showcase creativity in learning opportunities led by dedicated Pre-School Team Leader, Sammie Betts.

Knowle Green Day Nursery Manager, Chanelle Weaver explained;

“Our pre-schoolers had such a wonderful time during Andrew’s visit and were transported by his storytelling abilities. The children absolutely love books and we hope that this session will continue to ignite a lifelong passion for reading, which we will nurture until they go to school.”

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Devonshire scoop second Green Flag with Distinction

There was cause for celebration at Devonshire Day Nursery in Chiswick as proud children and colleagues learnt that they had received another prestigious eco-accreditation.

After scooping a ‘Green Flag’ with distinction as part of the international Eco-Schools programme last year, children from the Ofsted-rated ‘Outstanding’ Day setting on Bennett Street were delighted to earn the top award for the second year running, following a sustained environmental project and curriculum of ‘green’ topics, involving all ages.

The accolade, which is the highest achievement in the international programme, recognises sustainable initiatives in nursery, which include growing vegetables, creating habitats for wildlife, crafting with natural and recycled materials, litter picking sessions and more.

This year, Devonshire children and colleagues have put emphasis on global citizenship by sponsoring a polar bear to help protect the creatures from climate change, as well as focusing on garden biodiversity by planting bee friendly flowers and installing bug hotels.

Devonshire also has its own dedicated Eco-Committee, which is led by a devoted Eco-Representative and made up of a number of Pre-School children who take a lead role in ensuring the rest of nursery is environmentally considerate by ensuring resources like paper aren’t wasted, taps are not left running and that knowledge is shared.

Praising the achievement, an Eco-Schools Representative explained;

“Your hard work and dedication has inspired young people and empowered them with the belief that they can positively impact our planet – this is something incredibly special. Thank you for submitting such a terrific application. We have loved reading about your journey this year and think that the positive messages you are giving your children about charity and looking after our wildlife is a real strength of your application.”

Devonshire Day Nursery Manager, Emmy Avery said;

“We are immensely proud of our nursery children for their extraordinary achievement. They are the future stewards of our planet, and with their unwavering dedication, we are confident that a greener and more sustainable world is within reach.”

Childbase Partnership has recently been named ‘Early Years Provider of the Year’ by Keep Britain Tidy for earning the Eco-Schools ‘Green Flag’ award in every single nursery setting, a record-breaking sector first, which recognises exceptional environmental awareness efforts.

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Knowle Green enjoy Eco-Week following awards victory

Festivities were well underway at Knowle Green Day Nursery in Staines as children and colleagues celebrated earning another eco-accreditation with a themed week at the setting.

Having received the prestigious Green Flag with Distinction, the highest accolade in the international Eco-Schools scheme, pre-schoolers were delighted to be immersed in a special Eco-Week, filled with activities including planting seasonal vegetables in the allotment area outside and learning how to tend to their crops, which will then be used in nursery meals.

After reading the story of ‘Harry and the Big Clean Up’, a storybook written by Childbase Partnership colleagues and provided as a free gift to every nursery child, pre-schoolers spoke about the impact of littering on animals and the environment, before taking to the grounds of the setting with their litter pickers to collect and dispose of any rubbish.

As part of the activities, children ventured to the woodland area outside, where they collected sticks and other natural resources to experiment with during mark making sessions, as well as to be used in crafting activities including collage making.

Knowle Green Day Nursery Manager, Chanelle Weaver explained;

“Over the past year, our pre-schoolers have shown immense dedication and passion for taking care of our planet. They have learned about recycling, conserving energy, healthy living and the importance of global citizenship. They have been actively involved in various eco-friendly projects, both at school and home and this was the perfect way to celebrate.”

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Highfield children make special visit to Wildlife Park

There was excitement for children from Highfield Day Nursery in Edgbaston as they visited Birmingham Wildlife Conservation Park to learn more about the creatures who live there.

From lemurs and meerkats to otters and monkeys, pre-schoolers from the Ofsted-rated ‘Outstanding’ Day Nursery on Highfield Road were delighted to meet a unique collection of animals from around the world, learning all about their care routines and habitats, as well as the important role the park plays in protecting the array of species’ from going extinct.

During the visit, children were captivated by the park’s resident red panda, leading practitioners to adopt the creature at the end of the day, much to the delight of the group who have used the sponsorship to find out more about the exotic animal through co-research back in nursery, using the interactive whiteboard, books and arts and craft activities.

Highfield Day Nursery Deputy Manager, Louise Walker explained;

“We had a fantastic day at Birmingham Wildlife Conservation Park and left feeling so lucky to have such a wonderful place on our doorstep. Through the adoption, we will be contributing to the care and wellbeing of the red panda, and the children will be able to learn more about the importance of wildlife conservation and the positive impact we can have in protecting endangered species. We are looking forward to visiting the red panda again soon.”

“We believe that by inspiring a passion for nature and wildlife at an early age, we can foster a lifelong love and understanding of conservation among our little ones”, she added.

It is for such initiatives that Highfield have been awarded a prestigious Green Flag award as part of the international Eco-Schools scheme, the highest accolade is the programme, which is given for exceptional environmental awareness and conservation practices.

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Cedar Park Day Nursery scoop top eco-accreditation

There was cause for celebration at Cedar Park Day Nursery in Twyford as proud children and colleagues learnt that they had received another sought-after eco-accreditation.

Following a sustained environmental project and curriculum of ‘green’ topics involving children of all ages, pre-schoolers from the award-winning setting on Bridge Farm Road were delighted to scoop the prestigious Green Flag with Distinction, the top award in the international scheme which is awarded for exceptional environmental awareness practices.

The activities, which include growing herbs and vegetables, creating habitats for wildlife, crafting with natural and recycled materials and community litter picking sessions, are designed to promote the development of personal, social and emotional life skills, all whilst introducing children to basic maths, science and environmental messages ready for school.

Cedar Park also has its own dedicated Eco-Committee, which is led by devoted Eco-Representative, Amber Webb, and made up of a number of Pre-School children who take a lead role in ensuring the rest of nursery is environmentally considerate by ensuring resources like paper aren’t wasted, taps are not left running and that knowledge is shared.

Cedar Park Day Nursery Manager, Rachael Main explained;

“We are committed to giving children the best possible future here at Cedar Park and caring for the environment plays a huge part in that. The respect and care they have for the world around them is inspiring to see and bodes incredibly well for their adult lives. They absolutely love the activities on offer and are so proud to have their achievements recognised.”

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Woodberry Day Nursery children implement garden eco-initiatives

Green-fingered children from Woodberry Day Nursery in Winchmore Hill were delighted to showcase their care for the environment with a series of initiatives to encourage biodiversity.

From planting wildflower seeds to attract bees and butterflies into the garden, to using rainwater collected in the water butt to tend to the plants, pre-schoolers from the Ofsted-rated ‘Outstanding’ Day Nursery on Church Hill have been pulling out all the stops as they work towards another prestigious Green Flag award with Distinction from Eco-Schools.

As part of their efforts, children observed the creatures in their garden bug hotel using magnifying glasses and discussed the changes to the environment in summer, as well as co-researching plant life cycles to gain a better understanding of the natural world around them.

Woodberry Day Nursery Quality Manager, Nikol Moravova explained;

“Our children have been working so hard to secure another Green Flag with Distinction, following our success last year. They love seeing the results of their hard work and have the most fantastic time taking part in the activities. The programme provides so many rich learning opportunities and they are always proud to tell their families what they have learnt and help encourage this at home, such as saving rainwater to be re-used in other ways.”

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Getting close to nature at Hertford Barns Day Nursery

Following an interest in the ‘Very Hungry Caterpillar’ story, children from Hertford Barns Day Nursery in Hertford were inspired to take to the garden to embark on a special nature hunt.

Whilst exploring their countryside surroundings, pre-schoolers from the award-winning setting on Cole Green were delighted to find their very own caterpillar, which they observed closely and had the opportunity to stroke, all whilst using their language and communication skills to describe the patterns they could see, before researching the species using books.

As part of the learning experience, children delved deeper into the topic of life cycles, looking at the process of metamorphosis and the journey from caterpillar to butterfly, before using the Very Hungry Caterpillar story to discuss the foods which the insects traditionally eat.

It is for such activities that Hertford Barns have been awarded a prestigious Green Flag award as part of the international Eco-Schools scheme, the highest accolade is the programme, which is given for exceptional environmental awareness practices.

Hertford Barns Day Nursery Manager, Jenny Pratt explained;

“The children have a great deal of care and respect for the environment and the creatures in it and were thrilled to get up close and personal with a real caterpillar, having read so much about them. This proved to be an incredibly rich learning opportunity for the group, who carefully placed the caterpillar back where they found it, after making their observations.”

Category: Eco/Environment

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Seed to plate experiences at Maples

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Tomato Harvest at Hampstead Gate

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Outdoor exploration at Lime Grove

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Knowle Green children enjoy author visit

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Devonshire scoop second Green Flag with Distinction

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Knowle Green enjoy Eco-Week following awards victory

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Highfield children make special visit to Wildlife Park

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Cedar Park Day Nursery scoop top eco-accreditation

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Woodberry Day Nursery children implement garden eco-initiatives

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Getting close to nature at Hertford Barns Day Nursery

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Cedars Day Nursery - Leighton Buzzard