May’s World Bee Day is a wonderful and very worthwhile International event. It’s also one that’s perfect for children, including under-fives, to get involved in. Not only does it raise families’ awareness of the importance of bees and pollinators, but it’s also a great opportunity to introduce little ones to some of nature’s adorable little creatures and get them more interested in the natural world. Nature is fabulously good for children, benefiting them in a myriad of different ways, so creating a buzz around World Bee Day is sure to be fun, educational, and hugely beneficial to children. With that in mind, today’s post explains more about World Bee Day and activities that children can take part in to celebrate the event.
What is World Bee Day?
World Bee Day arrives on the same date each year — the 20th of May. The annual event celebrates bees and other pollinators and the important role they play in the world. Without them, there would be no food crops, fruit, vegetables, or nuts, leaving animals — including humans — in real mortal danger. The event also raises awareness of the plight and dwindling numbers of bees and other pollinators around the world, shining a spotlight on ways to reverse their decline.
So, by drawing children’s attention to bees, they’ll learn more about bees and pollinators, more about nature, where food comes from, and how human practices impact the natural world. Such a focus is a great way to both educate and instil in them the need to look after nature and all its flora and fauna. After all, today’s children are tomorrow’s stewards of this precious planet.
How Can Children Get Involved in World Bee Day?
There are many ways to create a buzz and get children involved in World Bee Day, so read on to discover some excellent bee-related activity ideas for under-fives below.
Create a Bee-Friendly Garden
Children naturally take to planting seeds, tending seedlings as they grow, and watering plants and flowers. That’s great because it gives many opportunities for children to make gardens wildlife-friendly in readiness for World Bee Day each year. They can sow wildflower seeds, water existing flowers and bulbs in the garden, or even plant some low-cost flowers or seedlings in pots for the family’s windowsills, patio, balcony or garden. And, when flowers are blooming in May, the bees and pollinators will come! Whether it’s honeybees, bumblebees, or other pollinators like hoverflies, each one is adorable and a delight for children to see.
TIP! Bees love brightly-coloured flowers including those which are yellow or white. However, they are particularly attracted to those which are blue, purple, violet, and ultraviolet.
Teach Respect & Empathy
Remember to teach respect and empathy; bees are busy little things, going about their business, so it’s important for children to look but not touch. Encourage children to watch them and not disrupt their lives — they have feelings, their own lives, and incredibly important jobs to do after all.
Make a Bee Oasis
During hot days, bees can get very weary and can therefore sometimes be seen on the ground motionless as if they’re dying* or ill. Often they’re simply exhausted from all their hard work, flying in hot weather, and might also be dehydrated. To help bees avoid getting to this stage, children can put out little saucers (like those that go under flowerpots) with shallow water in them. They can simply be placed on flowerbeds and lawn edges close to the flowers that bees visit to collect nectar. However, it’s essential to include stones or small rocks that protrude from below the waterline into the air above. Bees, along with other pollinators, will then be able to use these to land on, crawl along, and sip at the water’s edge. The stones or rocks are also useful as an escape route should they accidentally end up in the water — bees can’t swim!
* Also learn how you can help a bee that needs reviving with sugar water here.
Take Children on a Bee-Spotting Walk
Wherever there are flowers, children will find bees, particularly if the flowers are brightly coloured and fragrant. A walk around the local neighbourhood, park, or natural open spaces will be both great exercise and an opportunity for little ones to spot some lovely bees and pollinators. Getting outdoors (appropriately supervised* and dressed) is beneficial to children in many ways, and a bee-spotting walk will be a simple way to introduce them to these important and cute little creatures. Can they spot a bumblebee? Can they spot a bee collecting nectar in their leg pouches (also known as pollen baskets or corbiculae)? Which type of bees are they seeing? Can they tell the difference between a common wasp (generally with yellow stripes) and a honeybee (generally with brown stripes)? And do they like the smell of some of the beautiful flowers that they’ll see on their bee walk? Such an activity is a delight to the senses!
Teach Children the Bee Waggle Dance!
Honeybees dance! Did you know? When they want to communicate the discovery of a source of nectar to other bees in their colony, they will do what’s called the ‘Waggle Dance’. It’s a real thing! Scientists have studied the dance and have discovered that it tells other bees the direction, quality, and distance of the new food source from the hive. It consists of a wiggle while walking forward in the direction of the food source. The number of repetitions and specifics about the wiggles give other bees clues about the distance, location, and quality of the food source. They’ll then know which direction to head in and how far they’ll to need to fly. The accompanying video explains more. Inspired by this, why not encourage children to do their own waggle dance to music?
Create Bee Art!
If the weather is unsuitable for outdoor activities, one of the easiest bee-related activities that children can take part in is making bee art. They can try drawing bumblebees, flowers, and hives with pencils, pens, or markers. Alternatively, they can get even more creative using paints or collages. Cutting up coloured tissue paper shapes and making bee-related images using appliqué is sure to be fun and impressive (child-safe scissors being used by parents or under super-close supervision). Parents can perhaps cut out any tricky shapes for the youngest children and then help guide them as they glue bee, flower, or hive elements into place.
Bee Crafts!
Bee art can be extended further by creating three-dimensional models and shapes. With a little help from parents or older siblings, even children under five can take part. They will enjoy sticking shaped paper or cardboard pieces and other recycled materials into place to form three-dimensional bees and flowers. Useful materials for such models could be things like corrugated card, tissue paper in various colours, coloured pipe cleaners, fabric, kitchen roll cores, paper plates and cups and, of course, coloured paints to decorate the final piece. Such creations can be as simple or complex as families like. This is a great activity to boost fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination!
Bee Fancy Dress
Children can get into bee-inspired fancy dress while doing their waggle dance! Striped clothes will help. Perhaps parents can help them make wings from card or material and shaped wire. Some antennae should not be too difficult to make from a headband, some pipe cleaners and some homemade pom-poms or foam balls from a craft shop. Children will love such creativity and the fun that ensues with friends once they’re all dressed up!
Create a Buzz About World Bee Day This May!
The bee-related activity ideas suggested in today’s post will be a fabulous way to introduce children to these magical little creatures, the wonderful work they do for us and the planet, and the measures little ones can take in their own lives to improve the plight of the natural world. The activities will also be fun and educational — indeed supporting many areas of the EYFS — and allow children to benefit from the enormous number of ways that nature can help them. From greater well-being and lower stress levels to greater focus and improved grades, nature is amazing for children and adults alike. What’s more, spending time around bees and nature will help children become more ecologically conscious, give them a sense of empathy and responsibility, and live more sustainably as they grow older. We wish everyone a happy World Bee Day this May.
Lessons from Nature at Little Cedars Nursery, Streatham
We know how important nature is to children at Little Cedars Nursery in Streatham and that’s why the setting has its own planting and vegetable area for the children. Nurturing flowers, growing fruit and vegetables and tending plants will teach children a lot about the natural world, the importance of taking responsibility for other living things under their care, empathy, and where food comes from. Such activities also give them new knowledge, new skills, and a sense of achievement. They’re just one element in the full spectrum of early years learning and development opportunities at Little Cedars.
Get in touch today if you’d like your baby or child to visit Little Cedars Nursery — it’s by far the best way to see how well they will fit in. We can show you both around, answer questions, and tell you more about nursery places here in Streatham.
Little Cedars Nursery in Streatham is designated a ‘Good Provider’ by Ofsted and supports childcare funding for eligible children from 9 months of age. Located in Streatham close to Tooting Common, it will be a convenient choice for those living in and around Tooting, Furzedown, Balham, Norbury and Colliers Wood.
* Young children should be supervised at all times when exploring or playing outdoors. Read our safety tips for outdoor play for more ways to keep them safe outdoors.
Transform your living room into a mini adventure zone. If you don’t have existing adventure equipment, perhaps use cushions and make tunnels from blankets draped over furniture. You can also create masking tape ‘routes’ on the floor to mark out an exciting course for little ones to navigate, crawl through, jump over, and balance along. You can add a timer to make it a fun race or include challenges like hopping on one foot or crawling backwards. This is a great way to build gross motor skills while having loads of fun.
Hide small toys or objects* around the house and give your child simple clues or a checklist to find them. This activity encourages problem-solving and keeps them engaged in an exciting mission. Perhaps introduce themes, for example, a pirate treasure hunt with a ‘treasure map’ or a nature scavenger hunt using items like leaves or toy animals.
A few sheets stretched over furniture, with blankets, pillows, and child-safe* LED fairy lights below, can create a cosy hideaway. This can be used for storytelling, imaginative play, or simply a quiet space to relax. Encourage your child to bring their favourite books and stuffed animals inside, to make it their own secret retreat. Den building helps encourage creativity, teamwork, and a sense of independence.
Let your little ones dress up as pirates, fairies, princesses, or superheros and encourage them to act out their own stories. Role-playing helps boost their imagination, creativity, and confidence. Provide props like child-safe* toy swords, wands, or kitchen utensils as pretend play items to expand their stories. Acting out different scenarios enhances communication skills and self-expression.
Swap traditional paintbrushes for sponges, cotton pads, or even cut vegetable fingers or potato ‘stamps’. Using unusual tools to apply paint allows children to explore different textures and get creative with their masterpieces. You can also use things like leaves, or child-safe kitchen utensils, to achieve different effects. Let them mix colours and discover new shades while experimenting with new application techniques.
Help your child make their own salt dough with flour, salt, and water. Moulding and shaping salt dough is a great sensory and motor skill activity. While supervising children for safety, provide cookie cutters, rolling pins, or stamps so they can make different shapes and imprints. You can also add child-safe food colouring for extra sensory fun.
Give your child a mix of stickers, old magazines, and child-safe glue sticks to create their own collage artwork. This is a great way to develop fine motor skills. Set up themes such as Under the Sea or Space Adventure to inspire their creativity. When finished, perhaps display their artwork on the fridge or a wall to encourage pride in their work and nurture their sense of achievement.
A large cardboard box can become a rocket, a car, or a house with just a little imagination. Provide crayons or water-based markers and stickers for decoration and let their creativity take over. You can cut out* windows, and doors, and even make a steering wheel for them. Encourage storytelling by asking them where their box creation will take them.
Closely supervising* children for safety, fill a washing-up bowl with water and let them guess whether different objects will sink or float. This simple science experiment is both educational and fun. You can extend the activity by discussing why some things float and others sink, teaching basic physics in an engaging way.
Dye dry rice or pasta with child-safe food colouring for a colourful, ‘scoop-able’ sensory play activity. Once the dye has dried, provide spoons, cups, and small containers for pouring, scooping, and mixing. This activity helps develop fine motor skills while being visually stimulating.
(While supervising children*): mixing flour with baby oil or vegetable oil will create a soft, mouldable 
Freeze fruit like strawberries, orange segments, or suitably sized small toys in ice. Once you have removed them from the freezer, let children “rescue” the fruit and objects from the ice by using warm water and spoons. This activity promotes patience and problem-solving skills with a scientific twist. You can add child-safe food colouring to the water before freezing for a more visually engaging experience.
Provide ready-made bases, tomato sauce, cheese, and toppings for kids to assemble* their own mini pizzas. Encourage them to arrange toppings into faces, pictures, or patterns, making the activity both fun and delicious.
Applying icing and sprinkles to cookies or biscuits makes for a fun and tasty decorating activity. Let children experiment with different patterns and colour combinations, encouraging creativity and hand-eye coordination.
Let children choose their ingredients and blend* fruit with milk or yoghurt to make delicious and nutritious drinks. If they’re old enough, are closely supervised, and it’s safe for them to do so, let them help with mixing. Once the smoothie mix is ready, use fun paper straws or cups to make it feel like a special treat.
Play your children’s favourite tunes and have a dance-off! A dance party is great for burning off extra energy indoors and it’s immense fun. Children can swirl paper ribbons or strands of coloured tissue paper for added fun and movement when they dance. Dancing helps children stay fit and is also good for honing coordination, balance, and motor skills.
Musical statues and musical chairs are classic games that never fail to bring laughter and excitement to a rainy day. Add fun challenges like dancing in slow motion or pretending to dance like a robot and it’s sure to be a big hit with kids!
Create shakers using rice or dried pasta in bottles — or use pots and pans as drums, perhaps using a wooden spoon. Encourage your child to form their own mini band. Different materials and a range of cardboard boxes or Tupperware-style tubs will allow children to experiment with a variety of possible sounds. It’s very creative!
With all the food and feasting associated with Christmas, it got us thinking about food hygiene and safety for children. Aside from keeping alert to possible allergens, parents need to be careful to ensure families remain safe from illnesses caused by food hygiene mishaps. After all, such illnesses can be particularly dangerous to little ones, who are fragile, but can be largely avoidable when good hygiene measures are taken. With that in mind, today’s post outlines various ways in which parents can stay on top of hygiene around the preparation of food for their children. And, of course, such measures will keep adults safer too.
Ensuring the food preparation environment is clean and hygienic will reduce the chance of microbes, including germs and viruses, contaminating food. Wiping down with warm, soapy, water on clean dish cloths is ideal for many such tasks. Anti-bacterial sprays are useful but should not be allowed to contaminate food, plates and cutlery etc. directly or indirectly.
Only feed children, especially babies and under-fives, age-appropriate food/meals. This is very important because many foods contain too much salt, sugar and saturated fats for young children. Some other foods can contain dangerous levels of toxins or even heavy metals. 
Always thoroughly wash vegetables, fruit and salads and, when appropriate, peel vegetables before use.
It’s hugely beneficial if children learn about food safety and proper hygiene associated with its preparation. Such things are useful life lessons and will help to keep them more safe and free of illnesses and nasty bugs. Teach them by example whenever possible. A great start is to encourage them to thoroughly wash their hands and fingers with warm, soapy water before preparing or eating food. They should also be encouraged to sit down at the table and be in a calm state before eating. This will help to better ensure food does not become contaminated or knocked onto a dirty floor. It will also reduce the chance of the child choking on food.
Any successful storytelling nook needs to be warm, cosy, quiet and comfortable. That means choosing a corner or recess of some kind in the home that’s away from distractions like TVs and game consoles. Somewhere that’s not used as a thoroughfare by other family members will also help. Wherever you choose, it also needs to be warm. Therefore, somewhere away from draughts is required, so avoid being too close to entrances and exits to the outside. A corner of a quiet room or a tranquil alcove are therefore often ideal spots for your child’s storytelling nook.
Whether reading from a book or creating a new story off the top of one’s head, there’s something that really brings a story to life — being animated and expressive during storytelling, rather like actors might do. That’s true whether it’s the adult or the child telling the story.
Do consider adding a storytelling nook or reading corner to your child’s home. They’re great vehicles for escapism, are incredibly worthwhile, and offer potentially magical experiences for your child. And, if you go the extra mile to make them cosy, immersive and special, they will encourage your child to love reading and creating new adventures using their imagination. Storytelling nooks and reading corners can open up whole new worlds to your child and be a wonderful antidote to electronic screens, gloomy weather, and more limited daylight during winter months. What’s more, they’re a great way for all parties to grow deeper bonds through shared periods of exquisitely immersive, high-quality time.
Are you the parent of a 3-year-old child, or one that’s just turning 4? If so, you need to choose your 3 preferred primary schools now and submit your application for them at the latest by mid-January of the coming year. It’ll be here before you know it! Whether you want your child to begin school at the age of four or five, you have limited time left for your application. With that in mind, today’s post outlines our top tips for a successful primary school application for your preschooler. Read on to learn how to maximise your potential success in achieving a school place that’s best for your child.
It’s important for parents to focus on primary schools that are close to their child’s home. That’s for two reasons:
Visit the schools on your shortlist. Such ‘in-person’ visits are like gold dust. You can ask questions, get a feel for the school, see how the existing children are getting on, witness the teaching style, and see how well your child might fit in. Take them with you if possible. Most primary schools will have open days or evenings, so find out about those and attend. Alternatively, call the head or school office to arrange a guided visit if possible.
One of the most fundamental decisions you need to make before applying is whether you want your child to begin at primary school when they’re 4 or the ‘legal’ maximum age of 5. This is a conundrum especially for “summer-born children” i.e. those born between the start of April and the end of August. For this age group, they’ll be amongst the youngest if they start in Reception Year at 4 or amongst the oldest if they defer their start until the age of 5. What’s more, for those deferring until 5, it’s not the parent who decides whether a child goes into Reception or Year 1 — it’s the schools and local admission authorities. So, parents need to decide, before applying, whether they wish to go with the usual flow and start their children at 4 (will they be ready?), or defer a year until they’re 5. It’s a fine balancing act and your decision needs to be made in the best interests of the child. That said, most children do start at 4 and go in Reception Year.
Priority for primary school places is given first to those who submit applications on time. Each year, that means between the 1st of September and the 15th of January when your child is 3 or has just turned 4. Even if you intend to defer your child’s school start until they’re 5 rather than starting them while they’re 4, you still need to apply while they’re only 3 or have just turned 4. If you miss the mid-January deadline, you will stand a much lower chance of achieving a place for your child at your preferred school(s) — because places will already have been allocated to those who applied on time. Sadly, many families miss out because they simply didn’t realise how early they needed to apply.
You read that right! When National Offer Day for primary schools arrives, it’s generally agreed that you should accept whichever school place is offered to your child. That’s the case even if you’re unhappy! It’s because your child then has a firm school place to fall back on should you appeal, or go on a waiting list for another school, and are unsuccessful. Accepting the initial school place that’s offered does not adversely affect your chances with appeals or waiting lists, which is why the accepted wisdom is to accept the initial offer.
Home-made play dens are great fun both to construct and to use. Children will love constructing them, perhaps using fallen branches, sticks, or garden bamboo canes. If they show real ‘bush craft’ potential, they could even progress to covering them with large leaves, moss, fir tree fronds, or simply use a spare blanket or sheet from indoors. Once made, children will adore setting up camp, perhaps with cushions or soft moss, straw, or hay, used as a comfy base inside. Once built, their imaginations will run riot as they invent all kinds of games, role-play scenarios, and free-form play. This creative activity is such fun and has so much potential!
With a little help from an adult or using suitable reference from the Internet or a book, children will be able to 
Rocks, particularly the smooth pebble kind, are often magnets for children’s attention when they spot them outdoors. Parents and carers can encourage children to take their natural interest a few steps further by creating rock art and rock sculpture (using, of course, suitable rocks that are safe for them to use under supervision). Children will love painting rocks with patterns, flowers, or abstract designs and these can look hugely attractive. Rock sculptures are also something that children will love building, whether using painted rocks or natural ones. Scenes with multiple ‘towers’ of piled rocks look magical and children can even pretend these are part of their ‘castle’ or mark the boundaries of their kingdom and suchlike. Creating outdoors with rocks will be fun and creative, it’ll stimulate imaginations, and also hone art and motor skills.
Children will love creating their own picnic, whether it’s in the garden, local park, or out in the countryside. It’s a multi-faceted activity where they can first help prepare the food and drink, help pack it in backpacks or a cool bag, and then settle somewhere pleasant outdoors. There, they can set up camp, perhaps with a nice soft blanket to sit on, and lay out their picnic feast. It’ll be a great spot, too, to relax with friends or family, or use as a base from which to embark on other outdoor games and activities. Picnics are also a great way to extend the time children can spend outdoors because they’ll be fed and watered outside too. Magical!
Introduce children to the concept of rambling. It’s a term that also sounds much more interesting than ‘walking’ in any case, and is a great excuse to get little ones out and about, for example, in the countryside, local park, or green space. Rambling out in nature is good for children (and adults) and also presents lots of exciting opportunities for adventure for little ones. Whether it’s a fallen log that children can try to walk along, tree stumps that they can balance on, branches they can try to hang from by their arms, or little brooks and ditches that they can jump across, rambles can be wonderful adventures for children — under adult supervision, of course. They’re also great ways to stimulate imaginations as children can pretend they’re explorers, pirates, hobbits, and so on.
Children will also hugely enjoy making and then competing in their own obstacle race. Encourage them to set up a route through a suitable clearing, forest, field or park. Get them to mark boundaries and the course route with natural objects (sticks, rocks, stones, jumpers, etc.). Include obstacles like branches to jump over, tree trunks to run around, ditches or other similar hazards to jump over, and so on. Perhaps they can race several times and you, as the supervising adult, can time them. Whoever wins could be presented with a prize of some kind, whether it’s a purchased toy or simply a gold star sticker. It’ll be a great chance for children to let off steam, keep fit, and hone balance, coordination and motor skills.
Little ones are usually familiar with the concept of photographs, especially in today’s age, with cameras on every smartphone and tablet. And, of course, there are still simple stand-alone cameras available, whether digital or using traditional film. Either way, suggest that children — with care not to break or damage the device — take photos of natural things and scenery when they’re outdoors. There could even be a competition to see who can take the best photo of a flower, insect, or scene of some kind. This activity will stimulate their creativity, encourage an understanding of scientific concepts like light and shadows, and give them a sense of responsibility as they (hopefully) look after the camera or smartphone itself. Prizes or stickers could perhaps be available for the most successful and appealing shots.
Children will love having their own mini garden. Whether it’s a small area in the household garden or simply some flowerpots or grow-bags on a windowsill or patio, there is always somewhere a child can grow plants (or even vegetables or herbs) in a household. All they need is some light, soil, and water, after all. And, of course, the care and attention of someone to look after them. Children will naturally be fascinated by the concept of growing plants, flowers, herbs, vegetables, or fruit from seeds or seedlings. Tending to them and seeing them successfully grow will also give them a sense of responsibility, achievement, and perhaps even of empathy. Children can learn so much from tending to plants.
Our final outdoor activity idea for children is wildlife spotting. Whether it’s 
The NHS 
Try small, finger-sized watermelon sticks; they’re delicious, nutritious and refreshing for your little one.
Consider using soft-cooked carrots, peppers, or cauliflower in finger-sized stick form, or even broccoli florets. Cucumber sticks are also an option but don’t require soft-cooking.
Another firm favourite with toddlers is a hard-boiled egg sliced into holdable fingers. Such slices are rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals.