It’s been an exciting time for us at our Lytchett Kindergarten, and with the children (and staff) now very much settled in, we couldn’t wait to share what we’ve been up to.
We spent the summer getting the kindergarten ready for opening on 3rd September; our builders, painters, gardeners and even tree surgeons were kept busy with all the wonderful plans we had to bring our vision to life.
It’s safe to say that the kindergarten has now been transformed and the feedback so far has been great!
The children got stuck in straight away
Dropping your child off at a new kindergarten can be a daunting experience, both for you and your child, but all our staff were prepared and the first few days went without a hitch. Our kindergarten is lucky enough to have its own baby room for the 1-2 year olds and a separate wing for the older children. Both areas lead out to a stunning garden area where the children's imagination can run wild.
One of the key activities we like to get children involved in is preparing their own food. It teaches independence and key skills that some children usually wouldn’t learn for a few more years. In the first week we had children helping to prepare their breakfasts, and in the second week we took a trip to our allotment where they harvested the butternut squash and other vegetables ready to cut and prepare back at the kindergarten for a curry at lunchtime.
We’ve also been encouraging creativity with activities such as natural weaving, leaf bashing, painting, and making natural wood cookies and were amazed at the sawdust created using the bow saw.
We are regularly updating our Facebook page with updates and pictures from the kindergarten so you can see more of the activities they are getting involved in. Take a look here >>
We’ve had some great feedback
It hasn’t taken long for the great feedback to come flooding in, and as our kindergarten develops and grows with the children, we look forward to hearing from more of the parents. Here’s what one parent has had to say.
“I’m always excited for my little one to go to nursery here, not because he’s off my hands but because the exploring, fun, learning, playing, eating that he will experience I know he will have an awesome day doing things he loves with all the kind friendly staff.
We love this nursery! I struggled to understand which one would be best for my little one, then we found Kids Love Nature at Lytchett. We were wowed by their set up and what they have to offer with outside and inside space, we were welcomed and made to feel at ease with our little one, all the staff are wonderful and amazing at what they do!” - Kelly Marchant, Parent
Teri, our Kindergarten Manager, was very much involved in the kindergarten coming to life before it opened, so has seen it develop over the months before it opened. With some great skills behind her and heaps of enthusiasm, we couldn’t wait to get her on board.
“Following the well developed Kids Love Nature educational approach, we wanted a space that every child would enjoy, one that would give them the chance to embrace and develop their creativity every day, and allow them the freedom to choose what they do next. The skills they are learning at our kindergarten boost their confidence, self esteem, and teamwork. I am very excited to see how my kindergarten is going to enable the children to thrive later on in life.” - Teri, Lytchett Kindergarten Manager
We’ve also worked very hard to build up a team who believe strongly in the Kids Love Nature teaching method and all have a huge love for the outdoors. Here’s what one of our Early Years Practitioners, Abi who transferred from the Kids Love Nature kindergarten Durlston has to say:
“I am really enjoying discovering the unique setting and embracing the outdoors at Lytchett, the opportunity to utilise the allotment is incredible, I am keen to ensure that children have regular nature walks in local area.”
Our future plans and events
We are still making the final touches to our kindergarten and have another open day coming up on the 13th October. This will give you and your family a chance to explore the kindergarten, speak to our Manager and the rest of the team and find out more about the educational approach that we follow.
You can find out more about our open day and sign up here.
With autumn and winter fast approaching, we have some great ideas for the children to get involved in, which come rain or shine we will be enjoying outside.
Enrolling at our Lytchett Kindergarten
We still have some spaces available at our kindergarten in the Discovery room (1-2 years), Explorer room (2-3 years) and Adventurers classroom (3-5 years) so if you would like to book a showround, our Manager Teri will be happy to meet you. Alternatively, if you are ready to enrol, you can fill out this quick form here.
Speak to one of our team by calling us on 01202 622337 or via email at lytchett@kidslovenature.co.uk.