Free Childcare for Children from 9 Months – Now Available in Streatham

Childcare funding is now available for eligible children from just 9 months of age.Last year, we announced some radical new childcare funding plans outlined in the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s 2023 Spring Budget. Today, we’re happy to confirm that one of the schemes went live this month (September 2024), meaning several hours of free childcare per week are now available for eligible children and babies as young as just 9 months of age. It will be a great help for eligible families, whose children may now be able to benefit from free childcare hours from 9 months of age right up until they start school. In today’s post, we’ll explain the rules around eligibility, exactly how many free childcare hours babies and children can get, and some of the measures we’ve put in place at Little Cedars Nursery to deliver the expanded childcare service to eligible Streatham families.

How Much Free Childcare Will Eligible Babies & Children Get?

The new scheme we’re talking about today is effectively an extension of the existing ‘15 hours’ scheme for 3 and 4-year-olds of eligible working families. It’s been rolled out this month (September 2024) to eligible children aged from just 9 months and effectively means that some children will now be eligible to receive free childcare hours from 9 months right up until they reach official ‘school age’.

  • Since the start of this month (September 2024), eligible children from 9 months to the age of 3 can now receive 15 hours* of free childcare per week.
  • That joins up nicely with the existing “Universal Entitlement” scheme where all children aged 3 and 4, who live in England, can get 15 hours* of free childcare each week already, thereby taking their free childcare provision right up to school age.
  • Note too that, if your family circumstances fit the same criteria outlined below, eligible children aged 3 and 4 could see their free childcare entitlement increase from the previous 15 hours* to 30 hours* per week under the scheme we highlight today for working families.
  • Next year, from September 2025, the Government’s plan is to also expand the childcare entitlement for children aged 9 months to 3 years to 30 hours* for those who are eligible. We’ll cover how that works separately once it’s available next year.

Children, families and the economy should all benefit from the new childcare funding for children aged 9 months to 3 years.As well as helping families financially, the scheme expansion should help children begin their early years education even earlier, for many, which has been shown to be hugely beneficial to them. The free childcare provision will also help many more women back into the workforce. Children, families and the economy should all benefit.

* For the 15-hour schemes, eligible children can access 570 hours of free childcare per year, or it’s 1140 hours per annum for the 30-hour equivalent. Those hours are usually spread over 38 weeks of the year. However, some providers may allow some flexibility, e.g. fewer hours per week over more weeks of the year. Your specific childcare provider will be able to confirm whether such flexibility is available at their particular setting. At Little Cedars, we will try to accommodate you wherever possible.

Who is Eligible for Free Childcare for Babies From 9 Months?

The revised 15-hour and 30-hour schemes (depending on age) that are now available from this month (Sept 24) apply to children of eligible working families. The three key eligibility criteria for children aged 9 months to 4 years (inclusive) are outlined below.

Both you and your partner (if applicable):

  1. Must expect to earn the equivalent of at least the National Minimum Wage or Living Wage for a minimum of 16 hours per week (on average) during the course of the next three months. That’s currently £183 per week for those over the age of 21 but the figure will be less for those who are younger or in an apprenticeship;
  2. Must not be earning an adjusted net income over £100,000 during the relevant tax year;
  3. Must have a National Insurance number.

(Figures are correct as at September 2024).

Additional rules and caveats apply in certain specific situations including where you/your partner are foster carers, self-employed, starting a new job, earning a non-regular income, have a certain immigration status, are not working and in receipt of certain benefits/support, and others. Find out more about eligibility for the childcare funding scheme here and/or use HMRC’s excellent (and quick!) childcare funding calculator here to see how many free hours your child could be eligible for.

We’re Set Up for the Arrival of New Babies at Little Cedars Nursery, Streatham

Exterior of the new Caterpillars baby room at Little Cedars Nursery, Streatham.

Part of the interior of the new Caterpillars baby room at Little Cedars Nursery, Streatham.

 

Ofsted rates Little Cedars Day Nursery as a Good ProviderLittle Cedars is a nursery & preschool offering high-quality childcare in Streatham, near Tooting, Tooting Bec, Tooting Common, Tooting Broadway, Furzedown, Balham, Norbury and Colliers Wood.In readiness for the influx of babies taking up the new funding, Little Cedars Nursery has a brand new baby room. It’s a lovely, warm, homely area for little ones and a couple of photographs are shown above.

So — if you’re an eligible working family in Streatham with a child aged anywhere from 9 months to 4 years of age, we may be able to help with a funded nursery/preschool place. For everyone else, fees are competitive, value for money is high, and the quality of our childcare is hard to beat in the Streatham area.

Interested? Apply for a nursery place at Little Cedars and/or get started with your childcare funding application today:

Officially a ‘Good Provider’ of childcare and early years education, Little Cedars is a high-quality nursery for babies and children under five in Streatham. We’re within walking distance of Tooting Common and will also be conveniently located for families near Tooting, Furzedown, Balham, Norbury and Colliers Wood.

10 Fun Outdoor Activities for Children & Under-5s

Summer is a wonderful time for children to get outdoors and make the most of the warmer weather and beautiful sunshine. Outside in the fresh air, little ones can enjoy a bit of freedom, let their imaginations take over, get creative, and benefit in a whole range of different ways. Immersing themselves in play outdoors is also an escape from electronic screens, man-made toys, and the many restrictions associated with being indoors. Additionally, it teaches them new skills. With that in mind, today’s post outlines 10 different outdoor activities that children, including those under five*, can enjoy this summer and potentially even longer, weather permitting. What’s more, most of the ideas are free of any cost! Take a look.

1. Create a Rustic Playden!

Children will love constructing home-made dens outdoors.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!

2. Make & Sail a Paper Boat or Stick Raft!

Young children floating home-made paper boats in a large puddle.With a little help from an adult or using suitable reference from the Internet or a book, children will be able to make little paper boats or, alternatively, construct little stick rafts. If they’re old enough and are accompanied by an adult for safety, they’ll be able to float these in a puddle, pond, paddling pool, or local stream, which will be great fun and also give them a huge sense of achievement. If too young to be near water, they can simply use their imaginations to ‘float’ their boats on dry land — perhaps a flattened sheet of tin foil from the kitchen could, for example, be used to represent a pond. Follow the bold links for easy examples that show how easy it is to make a paper boat or stick raft. With this activity, they’ll stimulate imaginations as well as hone motor skills.

3. Create Beautiful Rock Art

Painting pebbles is creative for children and they look fabulous!Rock sculptures are easy and fun for children to construct.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.

4. Create a Cosy Picnic

Children will love creating their own picnic, whether it's in the garden, local park, or out in the countryside.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!

5. Introduce Children to Rambling

Rambling allows children the freedom to run, explore, and discover.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.

6. Nature Treasure Hunts

Nature 'treasure' or 'scavenger' hunts are great fun, and also educational, for children.Nature ‘treasure’ or ‘scavenger’ hunts are great fun, and also educational, for children. For example, challenge them to find a pine cone, a round stone, a rock with a hole in it, a red leaf, another that’s orange, and another that’s brown, flowers similarly in different colours, a winged seed (like that of a sycamore or acer tree), a conker, a sunflower, fruit like apples, pears, or plums on a tree, cereal seeds growing in a field, and so on.

7. Set Up an Obstacle Race

Children will enjoy competing on an obstacle course.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.

8. Arrange a Photography Challenge

Encourage children to take photographs when taking part in outdoor activities.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.

9. Set Up & Maintain a Mini Garden Area

Creating a mini garden is hugely worthwhile, fun, and educational for children.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.

10. Spot Wonderful Wildlife

Whether it's birds, bees, insects, minibeasts, butterflies, or mammals, there are always creatures for children to discover if they know where to look.Our final outdoor activity idea for children is wildlife spotting. Whether it’s birds, bees, insects, minibeasts, butterflies, or mammals, there are always creatures of one form or another for children to discover if they know where to look. Our free identification posters will help too, so download those (click the bold links earlier in this paragraph) and print them out for children to use as a visual reference. They can then go on an outdoor ‘safari’ of sorts — it’ll be a fun, exciting, and educational adventure and it’ll open children’s eyes to some of the delightful creatures that they share the planet with.

TIP! Children will see more wildlife if they make their gardens wildlife-friendly. Follow our guide to making a wildlife-friendly garden with your child for more information.

Outdoor Play is Good for Children

These are all simple and mostly free ideas for activities that children can take part in outdoors during the warmer months of the year. They’re fun and exciting, and many add a bit of adventure to children’s lives. Outdoor play is incredibly important to children and nature is incredibly beneficial to little ones too, so these outdoor activities can be profoundly impactful for children and can enrich their lives. Have fun, and stay safe.

* Safety Notice

* Before embarking on any outdoor activity with a child, always consider safety first and a responsible adult should supervise them, especially near hazards, water, etc.

Our High-Quality Childcare Service in Streatham

Little Cedars Day Nursery (Streatham, SW16) – for Weekday Childcare & a Good Early Years Education

Little Cedars is a nursery & preschool offering high-quality childcare in Streatham, near Tooting, Tooting Bec, Tooting Common, Tooting Broadway, Furzedown, Balham, Norbury and Colliers Wood.Ofsted rates Little Cedars Day Nursery as a Good Provider

We hope our outdoor activities today give parents and those caring for children some food for thought — and that children enjoy them as much as we think they will. Little Cedars Day Nursery is in Streatham, SW16, and offers a high-quality weekday childcare service for children under five. More than that, though, we give children good foundations in their ‘early years’ education, setting them up well for when they start school. In this way, they’re primed for success and ready to thrive!

Little Cedars Nursery is also near Furzedown, Tooting, Norbury, Balham, and Colliers Wood, so it may also suit families from those locations. We support many Government-funded free childcare schemes too.

Register your child for a nursery place at Little Cedars Nursery today, request a free tour, or ask any questions — we’ll be happy to help:

Healthy Snack Ideas for Toddlers

The NHS recommends that, from the age of 1, parents can introduce toddlers to 2 healthy snacks per day, given between meals.The NHS recommends that, from the age of 12 months, parents can introduce little ones to 2 healthy snacks per day between meals. Toddlers have small stomachs, so they need snacks to maintain energy and nutrient levels. However, what kind of snacks can parents give to their toddlers? Sometimes, it can be hard to come up with something that’s enjoyable as well as being nutritious and healthy. With that in mind, today’s article is designed to inspire parents with some quick, easy, and healthy snack ideas to give toddlers at snack time.

Quick, Easy, Healthy Snack Ideas for Toddlers

Pre-plan for giving toddlers 2 snacks per day. Here are just a few suggestions that are simple, nutritious, quick and easy to prepare, and healthy for toddlers.

  • Fruit and vegetable sticks are great as healthy snacks for toddlers.Try small, finger-sized watermelon sticks; they’re delicious, nutritious and refreshing for your little one.
  • Try making a fruit cocktail for your toddler. It can, for example, contain chopped banana, apple, strawberry, peeled peaches and pears, and grapes (all suitably diced to avoid being a choking hazard). Use fresh or tinned fruit. If using tinned, ensure it’s in juice, not syrup.
  • Vegetable sticks are a great choice as they’re easy for toddlers to hold and are healthy and nutritious. Houmous dip, sliced egg, pepper fingers and tomato, suitably diced.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.
  • Fruit and vegetable sticks are also great with houmous dip, perhaps also served with suitably sized slices of pitta bread.
  • Pitta slices and vegetable sticks are also great with mashed avocado. A touch of honey can be used to sweeten the avocado if required, but ensure it’s never given to babies/those under the age of 12 months — it can produce harmful toxins in infants’ intestines due to a reaction to the bacteria it contains.Pitta slices, a mashed avocado dip, and diced tomatoes.
  • Another great snack is cheese sticks or small pieces of diced cheese (sized so as not to be a choking hazard). Perhaps combine them with healthy crackers, pitta bread, or chapati (each also suitably and safely sized, of course)
  • Mini sandwiches, cut either into small fingers or tiny cubes, are also a great choice for a healthy snack. Fill with healthy fillings like houmous, lean ham, mashed avocado, grated cheese, or perhaps cream cheese.
  • Cream cheese can also be used as a dip or spread in snacks made with rice cakes or finger-sized slices of English muffins. If serving fresh at home, the muffins could even be slightly warmed or lightly toasted — delicious! (N.B. Test the heat level for suitability before serving, of course).
  • Sliced hard-boiled egg, apple and pepper fingers, and finger-shaped sandwiches.Another firm favourite with toddlers is a hard-boiled egg sliced into holdable fingers. Such slices are rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals.
  • Pasteurised, unsweetened, plain yoghurt is great, especially if combined with fruit pieces that have been suitably diced.
  • Home-made smoothies are also a wonderful snack choice that can also be made from yoghurt (again pasteurised, unsweetened and unflavoured) or pasteurised milk that’s been blended with fruit like bananas, strawberries, raspberries or even mango. Delicious!

The snacks should be given in between meals, to keep children from being hungry. However, it’s important not to give children snacks too close to mealtimes, otherwise it is likely to limit what they eat for their proper meals.

Tips For Snack Success

  • Make the snacks look appealing as this will have a greater chance of being consumed by your child. Combining colours, textures, and shapes may help, as may some tasty, healthy dips.
  • Space snacks out so that they fill hunger gaps midway between meals.
  • Try to give your toddler snacks at the same time each day so that they and their stomachs get used to the pattern.

Portion Sizes

Snacks should contribute towards the four key food groups that children need each day as part of a balanced diet (starchy foods, fruit and vegetables, dairy, and protein). Portion sizes are important when serving meals and snacks, especially under the age of five. However, as children grow, so can portion sizes. However, how big is a portion?

  • For starchy foods like rice, beans and potatoes, a child’s portion is the amount that would fit into the child’s cupped hand.
  • For proteins like fish and meat, the child’s hand also offers a useful guide; a portion is about the size of their palm.
  • For fruit and cereal, the child’s hand again offers a useful guide; a portion is about the size of their fist.
  • For vegetables, it’s similar to starchy foods in that a portion is about the size of the little one’s cupped hand. However, when children are still hungry after main meals, they can fill up a bit more using vegetables because it’s not necessary to limit the intake of those (unlike the other food groups) — and they’re particularly healthy.

More information about healthy eating for under-fives can be found here.

Little Cedars Day Nursery, Streatham

Your High-Quality Childcare Provider in London SW16

Little Cedars is a nursery & preschool offering high-quality childcare in Streatham, near Tooting, Tooting Bec, Tooting Common, Tooting Broadway, Furzedown, Balham, Norbury and Colliers Wood.Ofsted rates Little Cedars Day Nursery as a Good Provider

At Little Cedars Day Nursery in Streatham we do, of course, also supply healthy snacks for children, as appropriate, with one given mid-morning and another mid-afternoon. These are healthy snacks, prepared in-house by our chef using fresh, high-quality ingredients as part of the setting’s healthy eating regime.

If you are looking for a high-quality nursery or preschool for your child in Streatham or close to Furzedown, Tooting, Norbury, Balham, or Colliers Wood, do consider Little Cedars. Ofsted rates the setting as a Good Provider and many of the Government’s free childcare schemes are supported, making childcare more affordable for eligible families.

Register your child for a nursery place, book a guided visit with your child, or find out more today:

Safety Notice

Only feed children age-appropriate food. Please ensure that you do your own research. This article is intended for parents of toddlers aged at least 12 months. It is supplied in good faith but does not constitute professional advice. Seek the help of a professional if you are at all concerned about your child’s diet, health and well-being. Always read the labels and be mindful of possible allergens, choking hazards, and other dangers such as heat sources when preparing food for and around children.

20 Tips for Potty Training Success: How to Fast-Track Toileting in Under-5s

While some toddlers take to it like a duck to water, potty training can be quite daunting for others. It’s a task that can sometimes be the source of considerable upset for little ones which, in turn, can be stressful for parents. However, with the right tools and some useful tips from experts and those who have already gone through the process, potty training can be plain sailing. With that in mind, today’s guide gathers together 20 top tips for successfully fast-tracking potty training — take a look!

Before we begin on the tips, though, let’s see what we should be expecting from our little ones:

When Should We Expect Children to Master Potty Training?

There is no hard and fast rule about the age by which little ones should have mastered the use of the potty.Children are all different. They learn and develop at different rates to each other and that applies to potty training success too. Circumstances in each family are different too, and this will also have an effect. In other words, there is no hard and fast rule about the age by which little ones should have mastered the use of the potty. Parents should therefore not worry if their child is slower to master toileting than their siblings or peers. That said, some very rough guidelines will always be useful to parents and these follow.

During the daytime, some tots will manage to stay mostly dry by the age of two to three, with most achieving it completely by the age of four. It’s a huge milestone when it finally happens!

During the night, most are also dry overnight by the age of six, although generally, infants will no longer poop at night even earlier — around the age of 12 months. That said, some children continue to wet the bed at night well beyond the age of 5 or 6. This can be for a variety of reasons, for example, simply because they sleep so deeply. They should never be told off about such incidents and minimal fuss should be made (they are, after all, accidents). The good news is that children are likely to grow out of bed-wetting anyway. We may follow up at a later date to write about measures families can take to minimise the likelihood of bed-wetting incidents for children over five.

20 Top Tips for Potty Training Success

Now we’ve outlined the key background information, it’s time for our 20 tips for potty training success.

  1. A good time to start your child on potty training is when they have shown that they’re aware of what’s in their nappy. Clues include looking in the nappy during a change, showing discomfort when in need of a change, or showing an awareness that they’re actually going to the loo.
  2. Beginning potty training during the warmer months of the year is also another top tip. That way, children will be wearing less clothes and what clothes they are wearing will be easier to dry on the washing line.
  3. Teach little ones all the appropriate words around the topic of potty training and toileting. By empowering them to use such language, they’re much better placed to ask to go to the loo in good time.
  4. Try rewarding your child for successful use of the potty. The promise of a treat for a successful ‘number two’ can often be all that’s needed to convince a reticent child to attempt it on the potty. Colourful reward stickers and a toileting chart celebrating successes also encourage children.
  5. When a number one or two are each achieved, especially early on in their potty training, celebrate and congratulate your child — these are huge milestones! Giving them praise will encourage them to build on their success.
  6. There are lots of different types of potty and toileting accessories on the market.Allowing your toddler to help choose their potty can automatically make it less daunting and instead more of a ‘friendly’ thing to have in their life.
  7. Potties and toileting accessories that feature your child’s favourite characters, for example, dinosaurs, unicorns, or TV characters, will also make them much more friendly and even fun to the little one.
  8. Indeed, choosing the ‘right’ potty and toileting accessories is important on many levels. There are many different kinds to choose from, each suitable for different circumstances and preferences, including:
    Portable potties for when you’re out and about (some even come in a travel case format with wheels).
    Training seats that attach to an adult toilet.
    Musical potties that activate a song when they’ve sensed a successful use; these are great for children to sing along to and doing so will encourage them.
    A set of suitable steps will also help little ones get themselves to the right height once they’ve progressed from a potty to a toilet. These are also useful for reaching adult-level sinks to wash their hands.
  9. Encouraging children to 'teach' dolls and teddy bears to use the potty will help normalise it.Children can also be encouraged by having their own toy potties. They, and parents, can ‘train’ teddies and dolls to use these during play. Doing so will help them be both relaxed and more educated about potty training — even proactive.
  10. Parents can also source potty training-themed books, stories, songs, YouTube videos and even games that will help children engage in the potty-training process whilst also making it fun.
  11. When potty training first begins, it’s a great idea to encourage your toddler to visit the potty at initially short, regular intervals. This could be every 30 minutes at the start but can be gradually extended to longer intervals once the child is showing signs of success.
  12. Ensure your child tries to use the potty immediately before bedtime, of course, and when they wake up from any period of sleep (day or night). It’s also a good idea to encourage them to use it after meals.
  13. When progressing away from using nappies, the use of ‘pull-ups’ is a good tool for the transition. Pull-ups are midway between a nappy and traditional underwear and, as such, will both protect and get children used to not wearing nappies.
  14. When starting potty training, picking a quiet time will help children focus, so they do not get distracted or put off.
  15. Setting a toileting schedule that doesn’t conflict with other items in your child’s routine will also help. Sticking to such a schedule will get little ones used to using the potty — and indeed they’ll expect to do so.
  16. Don't forget to make potty training fun!Don’t forget to make potty training fun! Many of these tips will help towards that, including the rewards idea (#4), praise (#5), characters on potties (#7), toileting-themed music (#8), and so on.
  17. Normalise the whole process. The last thing potty training needs to be perceived as is a ‘problem’, so making it just a normal part of everyday life is essential to success.
  18. Let them know that their friends or peers are also potty training (or trained). Ensure children know that you also went through the process of potty training, as did older siblings, friends, and relatives. In this way, they won’t be made to feel ‘different’ or that something is ‘wrong’.
  19. Keep calm in front of your child even if they begin to get stressed during potty training or toileting. Don’t let them hear anything negative about potty training, including any accidents, which will happen however swimmingly the training goes.
  20. Remember that part of potty training is also teaching your child good hygiene practices including the need to always wash hands after use of the potty or toilet. They need to understand that this is essential for their health,Mastering the potty and toilet will boost children's independence and self-confidence. household cleanliness, and for their independence.

With successful potty training comes an easier home life for parents, improved cleanliness and hygiene for children and, with no nappies to buy, less household expense. Mastering potties and later the toilet will also be a huge boost to children’s independence and self-confidence; both being hugely important at nursery/preschool and, in particular, when they begin school.

Our Nursery in Streatham, London SW16

Little Cedars Nursery: High-Quality Childcare Services in Streatham

Little Cedars is a nursery & preschool offering high-quality childcare in Streatham, near Tooting, Tooting Bec, Tooting Common, Tooting Broadway, Furzedown, Balham, Norbury and Colliers Wood.Ofsted rates Little Cedars Day Nursery as a Good Provider

We hope that today’s potty training tips help to make the process go smoothly. We are Little Cedars Nursery in Streatham, London SW16, situated conveniently close to Furzedown, Tooting, Norbury, Balham, and Colliers Wood. As a Good Provider of early years childcare, we give babies, toddlers, and preschoolers under 5 the very best start in life. We bring out the best in them, so they’re ready to hit the ground running by the time they start school. We also support many of the Government’s free childcare schemes to make it more affordable for eligible families.

Contact Little Cedars Nursery today to register your child for a childcare place, ask a question, or book a free tour of the setting:

How to Make a Wildlife-Friendly Garden With Your Child

There are many simple ways that children and families can attract wildlife to their garden or nearby outdoor space.As promised in our last post we now extend our gardening for children theme and take a look at some of the ways that children can attract wildlife to their gardens or other outdoor spaces nearby. Young children, particularly under-fives, will love seeing a variety of delightful little creatures arriving, especially if it results from their actions. The wildlife-attracting activities we suggest today will help their young minds learn more about nature and how to help it, as well as teach them new skills. Spending time in nature is also incredibly good for children and, what’s more, the activities include acts of kindness that will also benefit plants, flowers, and the wildlife itself. It’s a real win-win! So, perhaps take a few minutes out of your day to learn how you can help your child attract wildlife — and make the world a better place!

What Kind of Wildlife Can Children Attract?

We’re talking here about how to attract adorable pollinators like bees, butterflies, moths, and hoverflies, as well as larger creatures like birds and, if children are lucky, hedgehogs. Some of the activities are also designed to attract interesting creatures like minibeasts, which are always a huge hit with children. So, by following today’s suggestions, children may get to see a wide variety of delightful wildlife!

Children should be aware that wildlife may not visit right away. Wildlife is naturally afraid of humans and often distrusts ‘new’ things in their neighbourhoods. So allow time for the wild creatures to become accustomed to changes in children’s gardens and encourage children to be patient — it’s a great lesson to learn.

How Can Children Attract Wildlife to Gardens?

How children attract wildlife depends primarily on what kind of wildlife they want to attract and, to a degree, what kind of natural space they have available. Supplying a source of food or somewhere to live is the key to success in most cases. Let’s take a closer look.

How to Attract Bees, Butterflies, & Other Pollinators

Bees, butterflies, hoverflies and pollinators in general are some of the easiest types of wildlife for children to attract. What’s more, it’s a fun, easy, and educational activity for children to take part in. Here’s how:

Pollinators Need a Drink!

Creatures like bees and birds will all appreciate being given a supply of drinking water.One of the key things that pollinators like bees need is something to drink, particularly when the weather is hot. They expend a lot of energy buzzing about and can easily become exhausted without a source of water. So, a simple thing that children and families can do is to put out some small, shallow dishes of water among any flowers (whether in flowerbeds or flowerpots). The little drip trays that you put under flowerpots are perfect but any small, shallow dish will do. A critically important detail is that a ‘landing stone’ should be placed into the water so that the bees have somewhere safe to land above the level of the water’s surface. They can then crawl to the water’s edge to have a refreshing sip of water without getting themselves into danger. What’s more, you may also find that other types of pollinators visit — perhaps even dragonflies and damselflies if they’re in the neighbourhood.

Pollinators Need Food (think Nectar!)

Children can sow pollinator-attracting flowers from things like poppy seeds and wildflower seed mixes. Bees and other pollinators will love these!Bees, hoverflies, butterflies and all pollinators also need nectar as a food source. For our children, that means that flowers — and their pollen — are the key to attracting them. So, with adult supervision, children can sow pollinator-attracting flowers from things like poppy seeds and wildflower seed mixes. These are readily available commercially, are usually marked on the packets as pollinator-friendly, and are usually very inexpensive. They’re also easy to grow (see our wildflower-growing guide for children for more details). These will not only look beautiful once they’ve flowered but will attract bees, butterflies and many other types of pollinators to the child’s garden or nature area. They are delightful little creatures and are also incredibly important, of course, for crop production for our own food. So, once again, if children feed such creatures, they are helping both the pollinators and humans. They can learn a great deal from this activity, therefore.

Attracting Butterflies

Bees, butterflies and even dragonflies absolutely love flowering Buddleia.As we mentioned above, butterflies will be attracted to flowers like poppies and wildflowers. However, they absolutely love flowering Buddleia (right) and Hylotelephium (a.k.a. ‘Ice Plant’ – see main image at top), especially if they’re located in a sunny position. On a good day, children may find such plants absolutely covered with visiting butterflies and other pollinators — and these creatures are a delight for little ones and adults alike. Note, though, that parents will need to hard prune most Buddleia varieties in early Spring, otherwise, they can grow quite large. If space is limited, therefore, stick with poppies, wildflowers, and ice plants rather than buddleia.

Butterflies can be attracted to children's gardens using overripe fruit drizzled with sugar solution.As well as enjoying the nectar from the flowers that children have planted (see above), butterflies can also be lured to children’s gardens through a kind of drink that’s also food for them. For butterflies, children simply mix up to four parts of warmed water with one part of sugar. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Children can then drizzle the sweet solution over small slices of ripe fruit or even small cut-up pieces of a clean sponge. As with the water for the bees, these can then be placed in shallow dishes and left among flowerbeds or alongside flowerpots on a balcony or windowsill. Once they’ve discovered them, butterflies will soon begin to land to sip at this sweet food supply. Children will then be able to see their incredible beauty up close. Download our free butterfly identification poster for children here.

Another food type that butterflies love is — rather strangely — overripe fruit like oranges, bananas, melons, pears, plums and pineapples. Even when these are well and truly overripe — indeed way more ripe than humans would eat — butterflies enjoy them immensely. So, these too can be put out for butterflies to nourish themselves. Children can even make a paste mix of squashed, overripe banana and water and, when butterflies find this or any of our butterfly food suggestions, children can watch as the butterflies sip through the equivalent of their tongue, the proboscis.

Avoid putting these food and water sources near open windows otherwise pollinators and possibly other insects and bugs may get trapped inside your house.

How to Attract Birds

There are a number of activities that children can take part in to attract birds to gardens and outdoor areas.

Food to Attract Birds

Putting out food suitable for birds is the most simple way to attract birds to a child's garden or outdoor space.Putting out food suitable for birds is the most simple way to attract birds to a child’s garden or outdoor space. Once the birds recognise and trust it, the new food source will provide a regular stream of pretty, feathered visitors. Children will love knowing they helped to attract these wonderful creatures and have been responsible for giving them a much-needed meal. They can also use our free bird identification poster to learn which bird species are which. So, it’s both worthwhile and educational as an activity for children.

With regard to the food to put out for the birds, children/families can buy or make ‘seed cakes’ or ‘fat balls’. Children will love making these and can follow our guide to making home-made bird feeders here. Once complete, these can simply hang from string from branches of trees and bushes, from overhangs on buildings and sheds, or even from brackets used for hanging baskets. All of these are good places as they provide some protection from attack by birds of prey who, if present, usually watch and attack from above.

For a close-up view, a type of bird feeder that attaches to the outside of windows is commercially available.Commercially available ‘Robin peanut cakes’ and ‘sunflower hearts’ are also a big hit with many birds, and can usually be found in supermarkets or online. Whole bird-friendly peanuts are also popular with birds like bluetits and great tits, however, can be a choking hazard for baby birds during the breeding season if not crushed into tiny pieces. More information about suitable food types for birds can be found using the link in the paragraph above.

Another feeding option is a semi-permanent bird-feeding ‘station’ or bird table. As with the bird feeders, these can either be purchased commercially or home-made and need to be sighted somewhere ideally with cover from above — unless, of course, they have their own integral roof. There are even some that stick to windows, so those can be great options for children who live in an upstairs flat or apartment. All bird feeders should be cleaned regularly, by the way, in order to stop the spread of diseases and protect birds’ health. Obviously, too, the use of all such items will require the parent or caregiver’s supervision and help as appropriate.

Put Out Bird Baths Too

Birds need to drink and bathe themselves, so putting out water in shallow vessels like flowerpot saucers or complete bird baths will be welcomed by them.Birds need to drink and bathe themselves, so putting out water in shallow vessels like flowerpot saucers will be welcomed by them. These are best located somewhere a little secluded, e.g. in amongst flowers in a flowerbed or below overhanging shrubs or trees, rather than right out in the open. Otherwise, birds may avoid them as they’ll feel unsafe from birds of prey that sometimes view from high up in the air. If bird baths supplied are on the larger side, birds may bathe in them as well as drink from them. That’s a delight for children to see, so encourage your little one to make one or more bird baths available but also make sure of several things:

  1. Ensure the water is shallow as birds will prefer this;
  2. Put a rock or smaller upturned flowerpot saucer in the middle of larger bird baths as somewhere for the birds to safely land;
  3. Ensure the water is changed regularly and the bird bath is kept clean;
  4. Ensure children wash their hands after touching these or anything else in the garden.

Note that birds often distrust anything ‘new’ in the garden, so it may be a few days or even a couple of weeks before the first bird takes a bath. That said, sometimes a particularly brave bird may come almost right away and, in any case, patience is a virtue, as they say. That’s another important lesson that children also need to learn.

Add Nesting Boxes

Children will also love seeing birds moving into birdhouses, which families can either make or buy.Children will also love seeing birds moving into birdhouses, which families can either make or buy, often inexpensively, and put up around gardens or properties. There are lots of different kinds, for example, blue tit boxes have a hole as an entrance whereas robins require a larger opening. Some research online may be wise and families can decide which type to go for based on what species of birds they wish to attract.

Bird boxes should be positioned carefully, though, bearing in mind the following guidelines:

  • Boxes should face anywhere between north and east otherwise babies can die from the heat during the summer months;
  • Position at least 2 metres above ground level, somewhere cats, foxes, squirrels and birds of prey cannot easily access them (so, not near the tops of fences, for example);
  • For the same kind of reasons, it’s best if bird boxes are located under some kind of overhead protection e.g. under the eaves or an overhang on your house, or on a tall post underneath a tree canopy (this reduces the chance of attack from above by birds of prey). Hiding them within an area covered in climbing plants is another option;
  • Locate them away from permanent bird feeders as they need to be away from other areas that are busy with activity from birds, animals, and humans;
  • Tilt the box forward a little so that rain runs off more easily.

More information about bird boxes and how families can even make them is available on the RSPB website.

How to Attract Minibeasts

Children can make a compost heap to attract minibeasts and give them a home.By far the best way to attract minibeasts, apart from ensuring harmful weedkillers and other nasty chemicals aren’t used around the garden, is to give them a compost heap to live in. Such places will attract minibeasts like centipedes, woodlice, millipedes, worms and many other types — perhaps even slow worms. Building a compost heap is a wonderfully worthwhile, fun, and educational activity for children to take part in and our guide explaining how to make and maintain a compost heap can be found here.

Once the compost heap has been established, minibeasts will move in as it will represent both a home and a food source for many of them. Children can also download our free Minibeasts identification poster here.

Teach Children Empathy & Responsibility

Children should be shown how to take care of and be gentle when looking for wild creatures, as each is an individual who wants to live in peace, is scared of humans and is both delicate and easily harmed. Taking such care will teach children lessons like empathy and responsibility as well as help the garden wildlife to stay safe and well.

Create a Wilderness Area

Lizards, frogs, toads, and newts may also be attracted to wild areas that are damp.Aside from that, minibeasts and many other types of garden visitors love a wild area of the garden or outdoor space to live in, ideally with ramshackle things like flower pots, rocks, piles of rotting leaves, and rotting logs/branches for bugs, slow worms and other minibeasts to live under. Lizards, frogs, and toads may also be attracted to such areas, particularly if the area is kept damp.

In the right circumstances, children may even get to see birds like robins nesting if there is somewhere safe, peaceful, hidden and suitably high off the ground.

Keep grass in wilderness areas long, sow wildflowers there, and disturb the area as little as possible.

Bug hotels are also a great way to attract bugs and minibeasts to the garden.Make or buy a ‘bug hotel’ and place this in the wilderness area too, as it’ll provide a home for all sorts of bugs and insects, including some pollinators like solitary bees, bumblebees, and other minibeasts like ladybirds, woodlice, snails, spiders — even some types of butterfly potentially. Indeed, bug hotels are excellent in autumn as they will provide somewhere safe for the creatures to over-winter and hibernate. The RSPB has an excellent guide to making your own ‘minibeast hotel’ which is another name for a bug hotel. This particular one is fairly large, so will need input from parents or caregivers, however, the same principle can be used by children on a smaller scale if they would like to build their own. We may produce our own guide for them separately in due course.

How to Encourage Hedgehogs

If children are really lucky, they may even find that adorable little hedgehogs pay a visit.With the right preparation and if children are really lucky, they may even find that adorable little hedgehogs pay a visit. Better still, they may even move in under and raise families of adorable baby hedgehogs if the circumstances are right. Piles of leaves in wild areas, compost heaps in garden corners, unlit bonfire wood stacks, beneath sheds and where there are leaves collecting under undergrowth are all great areas for hedgehogs to stay, particularly if they’re secluded and peaceful areas away from noise, activity, and garden pets like dogs and cats. Ensuring there is a suitable gap under garden fences will also allow hedgehogs to come and go as they please, to forage for food. Ensure they’re not too big, though, if you have a pet.

If encouraging hedgehogs to the family garden, ensure children know not to feed them bread or milk as these are harmful to them.

Avoid using pesticides and harmful chemicals in the garden. Examples to avoid include weedkiller, snail or slug killers, and patio cleaning chemicals. These are usually potent poisons and are likely to kill garden creatures — even birds and their young, whether ingested directly or via eating of poisoned slugs, snails, or bugs.

Little Cedars Nursery: the Natural Choice for Childcare in Streatham

We offer the very best start for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers in Streatham

Little Cedars is a nursery & preschool offering high-quality childcare in Streatham, near Tooting, Tooting Bec, Tooting Common, Tooting Broadway, Furzedown, Balham, Norbury and Colliers Wood.Ofsted rates Little Cedars Day Nursery as a Good ProviderLittle Cedars is a wonderful nursery and preschool in Streatham that understands exactly how to bring out the very best in every child. During their time with us, we’ll ensure we do everything possible to ensure they’re ‘school ready’ and primed for success by the time they begin formal education at school. We’re located in Streatham but are also conveniently close for families in Furzedown, Tooting, Balham, Norbury and Colliers Wood. Many free, Government-funded places are also supported for eligible families and Ofsted rates Little Cedars as a ‘Good Provider’. So — your child is in the very best hands at Little Cedars Nursery, Streatham.

Contact Little Cedars Nursery today to register your child for a place, arrange a visit, or ask any questions:

 

It’s the Perfect Time for Some Children's Gardening Activities!

At the time of publishing this article, many UK children are enjoying National Children’s Gardening Week. At this time of year, the weather is sunnier more often, so it’s the perfect time to involve children in gardening activities. Whether taking part in the event or not, gardening is a fun, educational activity for children — and will also help to make the world a better place! So, if you would like to introduce your child to gardening and all that it has to offer little ones, read on as we tell you about some gardening activity ideas that little ones can take part in now and at any time during the warmer months of the year.

National Children’s Gardening Week

National Children's Gardening Week takes place each year during the 'warm week' beginning right at the end of May.National Children’s Gardening Week takes place each year in the UK during what’s known as the ‘warm week’ beginning right at the end of May. This year (2024) it spans from 25 May to 2 June. However, children can get involved in gardening well outside of those dates*, of course.

The annual gardening event for children started in the north of England but now takes place across the whole Nation and, like the plants and flowers in the gardens, its popularity is growing. Indeed, children are taking part at home, in schools, and at childcare settings like nurseries and preschools. In turn, the initiative itself supports the Greenfingers charity, which provides wonderful gardens and outdoor spaces for children in hospices.

* Children Can Garden Any Time in the Warmer Months

Late spring and the summer months in particular make things much easier for children to learn about gardening as there’s negligible chance of frost occurring. Warmer weather makes gardening easier and less complicated for them because, when it’s warm, there is no need to protect plants and seedlings from adverse weather conditions. What’s more, gardening results are much faster during the warmer months of the year, so even less patient children can remain engaged. That said, patience is something every child will have to learn, so a little waiting for results is a good lesson to learn.

Gardening Activities for Children

There are many fun gardening-related activities for children to do during the warmer months. Here are a few ideas to get children and families started.

Grow with Peter Rabbit Activities

Free "Grow With Peter Rabbit!" activity booklets are available to download.This year (2024), National Children’s Gardening Week has teamed up with The World of Peter Rabbit and is encouraging children and their families to Grow With Peter Rabbit! Free activity booklets for the initiative can be downloaded here.  The dozen or so pages in this year’s activity booklet include 9 gardening-related activity ideas for children to take part in. Activities include anything from growing a windowsill herb garden and creating leaf-print cards to more simple tasks like solving garden-related pictorial puzzles. Download the activity booklet using the bold link above.

Wildflower Growing Activity

The most simple way to sow and locate seeds is to create a wildflower meadow.A quick and easy outdoor activity for children is to sow and grow wildflowers (follow the bold link for much more information about this simple but worthwhile activity). Once growing and flowering, wildflowers will brighten up the garden and also attract important pollinators like bees and butterflies. What’s more, this activity is possible using just flower pots or grow bags on a patio or balcony if you don’t have access to a garden. You can also download our free butterfly reference poster for children here.

Make Simple Bird Feeders

A wonderful way to encourage young children to enjoy and learn from nature is for parents to help them make bird feeders.Did you know, there are some incredibly easy ways for children to make home-made bird feeders?  Follow our guide and you’ll soon see how children can make bird feeders from something as simple as a pine cone or even a recycled milk carton. Take a look via the link and get ready to welcome some lovely birds to your patch. Indeed, bird spotting is all part of the fun (download our free bird-spotting poster here).

Composting Activity

As the compost pile transforms, involve children in observing the changes.Composting is another hugely worthwhile activity for children to take part in, even right up into the Autumn. It’s easy and a great way to ecologically dispose of waste like egg shells, vegetable peelings, and garden waste like grass cuttings. What’s more, once complete, the household will have a ready supply of nutrient-rich compost that will enrich and feed flowers and plants in the garden or flower pots on the windowsill.

Minibeast Spotting

The Great Outdoors serves as a natural classroom, with true hands-on learning experiences that provide numerous opportunities for children to acquire new skills and knowledge.Compost heaps are also wonderful homes for minibeasts, which are also fun and educational for children to spot. Use our previously published free Minibeast Reference Poster to learn how to recognise some of the common minibeasts that might be hiding in gardens, under pots, and in compost heaps around Britain.

Wildlife-Friendly Gardening

Try to teach your children how to make gardens wildlife-friendly (whether in back gardens or smaller spaces like patios and balconies). Ensure children understand that wildlife like bees and other flora and fauna are under threat from nasty chemicals and habitat loss. Try to teach your children how to make gardens wildlife-friendly.So, making a wildlife-friendly garden or area is a very worthwhile activity for children to take part in — and is educational on so many levels. See our separate guide to wildlife-friendly gardening for kids, try some of the ideas above, or download this free wildlife-friendly activity pack.

Indoor ‘Gardening’ Activities for Kids

The seeds will eventually grow into green cress 'hair', giving the egg people real character!Children can do ‘gardening’ activities indoors too! Get them to try making egg cress heads, for example. It’s an easy, fun activity and children will love the results!

Did you know that children can also grow food from scratch indoors? They’ll love growing microgreens indoors and it can also be done on a windowsill. Not only will it be fun and educational for the children, but they’ll also be able to eat the results! Learn more about growing microgreens indoors here and learn more about the benefits of teaching children to grow food here.

More Gardening Ideas for Kids

More gardening-related activities for children can be found here. At the bottom of that page, you can also use the ‘older entries’ link to discover even more ideas.

Gardening is also a great way to introduce children to the concept of sustainability, ecological matters, and the need to protect both the environment and the planet as a whole. After all, we only have one planet and our children and grandchildren will eventually be in charge of its stewardship. Find out about some additional sustainable gardening activities that children can take part in here.

Why Gardening is Such a Worthwhile Activity for Children

Gardening will teach children many new skills and new knowledge.The benefits of gardening for children are many and varied and that’s why it’s such a wonderful activity to get them involved in. It will teach children many new skills and new knowledge. It’ll teach them about the circle of life, how to care and be responsible for other living things, and about the importance of looking after the planet. It will also give them an insight into where some food types come from. It is also great fun, will give children a huge sense of achievement, and may even open their eyes to the possibility of careers in horticulture, land management, food production, farming, and the like. And, of course, gardening makes the world a better place in so many ways. Let’s also not forget that being around nature is hugely beneficial to children, but do remember to follow good safety precautions when children are outdoors.

Little Cedars Nursery: First-Class Childcare in Streatham

Looking for the best childcare in Streatham or near Tooting, Furzedown, or Balham?

Little Cedars is a nursery & preschool offering high quality childcare in Streatham, near Tooting, Tooting Bec, Tooting Common, Tooting Broadway, Furzedown, Balham, Norbury and Colliers Wood.Ofsted rate Little Cedars Day Nursery as a Good ProviderLittle Cedars Nursery also appreciates the importance of nature and outdoor play, so often engages children in such activities in our wonderful outdoor spaces. These include our own planting area where children can grow vegetables! The setting is a first-class nursery and preschool in Streatham and may also suit families nearby in Furzedown, Tooting, Balham, Norbury and Colliers Wood. A full early years education is available here for babies and under-fives, who are given all the tools and guidance they need to thrive once they leave us to begin at school. Government-funded childcare schemes are supported and the nursery is rated by Ofsted as a ‘Good Provider’.

So, if you’d like to give your baby, toddler, or preschooler the best start in life in the Streatham region, please get in touch today:

 

 

Exploring Spring with Children Under 5

Paying attention when spring arrives can teach children a great deal about the world around them, nature, and the impact of the seasons.At Little Cedars Nursery, Streatham, one of the activities we do with children around this time of year is to explore the season of spring. Spring is a wonderful antidote to the cold, winter months as new shoots begin to sprout from the soil, flowers start to reappear, birds begin to return from warmer climes and there are early indications of warmer weather ahead. Paying attention to such things when spring arrives can teach children a great deal about the world around them, nature, and the impact of the various seasons. It’s also a free, fascinating, and educational activity that parents/guardians can do with children. Families can, for example, explore the signs of spring in the garden, out on walks, in local parks, and in the countryside. With that in mind, today’s article looks at the type of things children and families can look out for during the season of spring.

When is Spring?

According to the meteorological calendar, spring arrives on the 1st of March and ends on the 31st of May every year. As such, it keeps things very simple, synchronising spring with a standard calendar’s full months of March, April and May.

According to the astronomical calendar, however, spring for 2024 arrives on the 20th of March and will end on the 20th of June, although exact dates can vary a little from year to year. To explain, the astronomical calendar is based on the position of our planet’s elliptical orbit around the sun and involves the tilt of the Earth. Using that alternative timeline, spring begins on the ‘vernal’ (spring) equinox, which is a day of equal length to the ‘autumnal’ equinox later in the year.

Things Children Can Look Out For in Spring

Spring is such a vibrant and exciting season that there are lots of things children and families can look out for. Here are a few suggestions to start things off:

Baby Farm Animals

Meeting spring lambs or calves is always a huge hit with children.As every child knows, young lambs are an absolute delight. They’re incredibly cute and the way they play, group together with fellow lambs, and happily jump into the air is simply adorable! Although timing varies from farm to farm, most newborn lambs arrive during early spring — typically in March — with others arriving in April, particularly if they’re in UK areas further north where it can be colder. At Little Cedars Nursery, we try to ensure children get to meet some spring lambs or calves each year and it’s always a huge hit with the children.

Frogspawn

Another huge hit with children in spring is the appearance of frogspawn in ponds.Another huge hit with children in spring is the appearance of frogspawn in ponds. Children will love watching the little eggs change over time, their contents growing from tiny black dots into creatures that have obvious legs, tails and heads. And, once they emerge from the eggs, the tadpoles continue to delight little ones as they gradually develop into tiny frogs. It’s a wonderfully magical thing for children to witness in spring and is also hugely educational.

Sprouting Snowdrops

Snowdrops are one of the very first plants to reappear when spring arrives.Snowdrops are one of the very first plants to reappear when spring arrives. They’re pretty little plants with slender green leaves and flowers that, as their name suggests, resemble delicate drops of snow. Young children will love that! Look out for them in gardens, parks, forests and hedgerows. Each plant generally forms a ‘bunch’ of around ten stems and they reappear every year. Warn children to look but not touch, though, as they are poisonous if eaten.

Shooting Daffodils

Daffodil shoots begin to appear in February and, once spring arrives in March, their flowers will brighten up any garden.Another of the earliest plants to appear in the year is daffodils. Their shoots begin to appear through the soil in February and, once spring arrives in March, their flowers will brighten up any garden, lawn, forest or flower bed right into May. Once daffodils are in bloom, you also know other plants will soon follow. So, they’re a great sign of the changing season for children to look out for, and a signal that gloomy winter is now over and summer is not far away.

Daffodil flowers come in many different forms, with different coloured ‘trumpet’ style blooms including yellow, white, orange and indeed mixtures of those colours. Perhaps encourage children to see how many different types they can spot when out and about — many residential gardens will have daffodils growing, so this activity can be done in towns and cities as well as in more rural areas. As with snowdrops, though, daffodils are poisonous if consumed, so children should again look and admire them rather than pick them.

Bumblebees

Once they know they're peaceful creatures, children will generally love bumblebees.Bumblebees are amongst the cutest of garden visitors and many children will naturally love them, particularly once they’ve realised how adorable they are with their velvety bodies, sweet faces and attractive markings. They’re also peaceful little creatures, many of whom don’t even have a sting, who simply want to go about their business of collecting nectar from flowers. Bumblebees start to reappear in the spring — because flowers are also reappearing after being dormant over the winter months. They then become more and more populous as the months become warmer and can be seen right into autumn.

There are many types of bees in the UK and all types are incredibly important to both nature and humans; it’s mainly bees that pollinate flowers so more flowers, plants, trees and indeed crops can grow. Because of this — and their cuteness — bees are a wonderful thing to encourage little ones to look out for and learn from. If there were no bees, the human race would be in big trouble and they also therefore represent a great way to introduce children to the concept of looking after nature, conservation, and green matters.

It’s important, too, to ensure children respect them by admiring but not interfering with them. Like children, they have their own lives and have feelings too. Bees can teach children so much!

Songbirds

Robins are beautiful to listen to.The return of many of the UK’s favourite birds is another wonderful sign that spring has arrived and winter is over. While some birds, including robins, may stay during winter, others will have migrated to warmer places, perhaps thousands of miles away. Once they return to the UK, children will be able to watch out for them and listen out for more birdsong. Early mornings and sunsets are great times to hear them, particularly when the weather is calm, meaning their sounds travel more clearly. For example, tiny wrens have an incredible and very melodic set of sounds. Robins are also beautiful to listen to. Thrushes sometimes sing at the tops of trees at dusk too, and that’s also wonderful to hear. Encourage children to watch and listen out for other birds too, for example, blackbirds, starlings, doves, blue tits, great tits and occasionally more rarely-seen birds like goldcrests.

Birds are fascinating creatures for children to learn about and spring is a fabulous time to start to see them as they return to gardens, parks, and the countryside. Download our free bird identification poster to get your child started.

Pussy Willow Buds

The soft, fur-like buds of the pussy willow are an instant hit with children.Buds on trees and bushes can also be an interesting natural phenomenon for children to look out for in spring. Many are quite beautiful if you take the time to have a close look. Young children are indeed fascinated by several types of tree buds in early spring and perhaps the most attractive one to them is pussy willow. For them, the soft, fur-like buds of the pussy willow are an instant hit and something that really draws their attention. They really do feel furry and it’s almost as if they’re little creatures or kittens paws — quite a magical thing for any child to look out for in spring!

Catkins

Catkins are also fascinating for children, especially the youngest.Catkins are also fascinating. Their little dangling fronds almost look like yellow caterpillars, so this is another type of spring occurrence to draw children’s attention to. From such attention, they can be taught lessons about pollen, seeds, nectar and the circle of life.

We hope this starter guide to exploring spring with children and under-fives has given families food for thought. There is so much to see, hear, touch (when safe) and smell in spring and it’s a great time to encourage children to start spending more time outdoors, weather permitting. Getting children interested in nature and spending time in the natural environment is incredibly important to them and has a huge number of benefits — some quite astounding in fact. Learn more about the benefits of nature in childhood here.

Little Cedars Nursery in Streatham

High-quality childcare in Streatham, close to Tooting, Furzedown, Balham, Norbury & Colliers Wood

Little Cedars is a nursery & preschool offering high quality childcare in Streatham, near Tooting, Tooting Bec, Tooting Common, Tooting Broadway, Furzedown, Balham, Norbury and Colliers Wood.Ofsted rate Little Cedars Day Nursery as a Good ProviderLittle Cedars is a nursery and preschool located in Streatham in Southwest London (SW16). We offer a complete early years education for babies, toddlers and preschoolers aged under five. We support many Government-funded schemes for free childcare too and are rated by Ofsted as a ‘Good Provider’.

If you’d like the best weekday childcare for babies and children under five, contact Little Cedars Nursery today:

Little Cedars Nursery in Streatham is also suitably located for families in Streatham Hill, Streatham Park, Streatham Common, Furzedown, Tooting, Tooting Common, Tooting Bec, Tooting Broadway, Balham, Norbury and Colliers Wood.

Free Wild Mammals Poster for Under-5s — & World Wildlife Day

With World Wildlife Day falling on the 3rd of March and Spring virtually upon us, we thought it was a great time to produce another free wildlife poster for children and families to download. This one features 20 wild British* land mammals that children will love! Using the poster, they can learn to identify the animals shown and perhaps look out for them when out and about over the coming months and years. It’s a handy reference tool that can be used to get to know their furry neighbours, whether in local parks, on trips to the countryside, or whilst on holiday. While some creatures like grey squirrels are common to see, some of the others shown are more shy — but that just makes it more exciting when they are finally spotted!

Many of Britain's wild mammals are stunningly beautiful and children often have a natural interest in them.Getting children interested in nature, and spending time around it, is extremely good for them as we’ve reported before — the benefits of nature to children are simply huge. Today’s focus on British mammals will not only be a good way to encourage an interest in some of Britain’s wonderful creatures but may also help them understand more about the need to support conservation efforts and protect wildlife. It’s a great way to foster empathy in little ones too. We’ll tell you more about World Wildlife Day shortly but first, grab yourself and your children the free mammals poster — the creatures shown are stunningly beautiful and kids are bound to love displaying the poster.

Download, print out and feel free to share this British Wild Mammals poster. Click the bold blue link or the preview image below and save to your hard drive. Once opened in Acrobat Reader and printed out, children can see if they can learn the different animal names and even spot some of the beautiful creatures over coming years while outside, in the countryside, or on holiday.

Free Wild Mammals Poster for Under-5s — & World Wildlife Day

United Nations World Wildlife Day

World Wildlife Day - 3 MarchWorld Wildlife Day celebrates the world’s flora and fauna. It happens on the 3rd of March each year and is a way to raise awareness of the need to protect nature. That can be achieved by reducing harmful emissions, pollution, habitat loss, and the loss of biodiversity. By introducing children to the beautiful wildlife around them, children will naturally be more empathetic towards other creatures and even progress to learning about conservation matters and the impact of humans on the planet. In this way, little ones can grow into young stewards of the planet and have an active interest in protecting it going forward. Get them started today by downloading our free Wild Mammals poster — who knows where it could lead!

Parents, teachers and early years practitioners can learn more about the United Nations World Wildlife Day here.

Other Free Wildlife Posters Children Can Download

Don’t forget that this is just one in a series of several wildlife/nature-related posters. All of them are free, shareable, and will be both fun and educational for children. Choose from today’s British Mammals poster above, our British Birds poster, Minibeasts poster, or Butterflies poster. Follow the links for more details and the free downloads.

Exceptional Childcare in Streatham

Little Cedars: a high-quality childcare nursery in Streatham, London, SW16

Little Cedars is a nursery & preschool offering high quality childcare in Streatham, near Tooting, Tooting Bec, Tooting Common, Tooting Broadway, Furzedown, Balham, Norbury and Colliers Wood.Ofsted rate Little Cedars Day Nursery as a Good ProviderWe love nature and all the benefits it brings to children, so we’re lucky to be located close to Tooting Common at Little Cedars Day Nursery (Streatham, SW16). We also encourage children to get involved in planting and growing in our own garden at the setting as nature teaches them so much. It’s all part of the early years learning and development programme at the setting.

Contact Little Cedars Nursery today and explore the possibility of a nursery/preschool place for your child in Streatham:

Based in Streatham, Little Cedars Nursery may also suit your little one if you are looking for a high-quality nursery or preschool near Tooting Common, Tooting, Streatham Hill, Streatham Park, Streatham Common, Furzedown, Tooting Bec, Tooting Broadway, Balham, Norbury or Colliers Wood.

* By ‘British’ we mean mammals that can be found and seen in Britain. We are keeping things simple for little ones but appreciate, of course, that some of the animals featured were not originally indigenous to Britain. Examples include the Muntjac Deer (originally from China) and the grey squirrel (originally from North America). Even some red squirrels that we see in parts of Britain may be descendants of some that were imported to boost our own declining populations. We also appreciate that there are several sub-species not shown, e.g. several types of mouse, shrew, vole and others. That, again, is to keep things simple for little ones.

National Storytelling Week (27 Jan - 4 Feb 2024) — a fun & beneficial activity for children & families.

The annual activity is a great opportunity for children and families to get creative and to entertain one another through the sharing of stories.Children and families, get ready for National Storytelling Week! For 2024, storytelling in the UK is officially celebrated from Saturday the 27th of January to Sunday the 4th of February. It’s a great opportunity for children and families to get creative and to entertain one another through the sharing of stories.

Storytelling is an ancient and important tradition across the globe and one that has many benefits for both the storyteller and the listener. As such, it’s something that should be encouraged amongst children of any age. Today, we take a closer look at some of those benefits and suggest ways that both kids and families can make the most of this wonderful, free activity.

Storytelling: the Perfect Antidote to Wintery Days

Through storytelling, children can be transported to different locations, situations and climates, all in the blink of an eye.National Storytelling Week couldn’t come at a better time of year. As many across the UK have witnessed in recent weeks, January brings with it cold days, dull skies, and wintery weather. Even the daylight hours are short, limiting the number of activities children can undertake outdoors. With storytelling, however, families can be transported to any number of different locations, situations and climates, all in the blink of an eye. Indeed, storytelling can take children to places and scenarios that would simply not be possible in real life. Such is the power of this art form and the human imagination.

Some Benefits of Taking Part in National Storytelling Week

Whether storytelling is a simple verbal activity or dramatised in some way through acting or the use of props, it can be highly entertaining and captivating. There are also a significant number of additional benefits for both the storyteller and the listener, including:

  • Storytelling offers a significant number of benefits to both the storyteller and the listener.Stories stimulate imaginations;
  • Storytelling enhances creativity;
  • By showing what it’s like to be someone or even something else, stories nurture empathy;
  • Storytelling can be a great way to relax;
  • Storytelling helps to expand vocabulary and literacy;
  • Storytelling helps to improve children’s speech and listening skills;
  • Stories can be a great way to share new facts;
  • Stories open up new worlds to children;
  • Stories are a great vehicle for escapism, which is important, especially to those who have had a challenging day;
  • Storytelling activities can even lead to careers involving writing or other creative jobs;
  • Last but not least, storytelling is simply great fun!

So, all in all, there’s every reason for children and families to get involved in National Storytelling Week from Saturday the 27th of January to Sunday the 4th of February 2024. However, don’t stop there … storytelling is worthwhile any time of year!

How to Enhance Children’s Storytelling Sessions

If you’re an adult overseeing a storytelling session with children, perhaps start them off by telling them a short story yourself to get the ball rolling. They can learn from your example and then take turns to tell their story to the group. Making up brand new stories is beneficial (it will promote greater creativity) but it’s also OK for the youngest children to be influenced by existing stories they’re familiar with if they initially struggle to create something from scratch.

Setting aside a storytelling corner or niche will encourage children to tell stories and to read.Another great way to help children create new stories is to encourage them to be inspired by objects around them. For example, a teddy bear, toy character, or picture nearby may inspire them. This can be taken further by providing children with a basket of such props, for example, a toy animal, pine cone, toy crown, goblet, apple, and a rock. A ‘story scrapbook’ can be used by children in a similar way. Such things can significantly help children to become more creative and generate storyline ideas, sequencing, and plot twists.

Try encouraging questions and interaction from children who are listening. This will help to get them more involved and immersed in the storyline.

Another creative approach is to let them influence how the story should unfold by making suggestions along the way.

Hand or finger puppets can also be excellent, immersive tools to bring stories to life. Adding in some acting will add an extra layer of drama and entertainment to stories too, so encourage this. It can be taken to many different levels, perhaps with the use of different voices and accents, fancy dress to look like a character, introducing props and so on.

Why not set up a storytelling corner or nook? This can be used all year round and should be a quiet, comfortable space. Perhaps scatter cushions, blankets, and soft toys, and add fairly lights, props and, for young actors-in-the-making, costumes. A bespoke storytelling corner is sure to encourage children to come back to the activity throughout the year.

Such approaches are a recipe for a very entertaining, captivating and immersive storytelling session, which children will love! It’ll get them thinking deeply, stir their creative juices, boost their imaginations, and allow them to enter a different and magical reality for a short time. They’ll learn more about the world and gain improvements to skills like empathy and literacy along the way. Through the simple activity of storytelling, both the listener and storyteller will benefit in a myriad of ways. So — get children involved this National Storytelling Week and watch them blossom!

Little Cedars: Your Streatham Nursery & Preschool

A High-Quality Nursery in Streatham, near Furzedown, Tooting, Balham, Norbury & Colliers Wood

Little Cedars is a nursery & preschool offering high quality childcare in Streatham, near Tooting, Tooting Bec, Tooting Common, Tooting Broadway, Furzedown, Balham, Norbury and Colliers Wood.Ofsted rate Little Cedars Day Nursery as a Good Provider

Are you searching for the perfect nursery or preschool for your child in or near Streatham? Little Cedars Day Nursery offers a high-quality home-from-home environment where babies, toddlers and preschoolers absolutely thrive. Rated as a Good Provider of childcare and early years education by Ofsted, Little Cedars represents a wonderful choice for families looking for the very best fit for their little ones. We also support a raft of free childcare funding schemes, making childcare more affordable for eligible families.

Our Streatham childcare nursery may also suit families living nearby in Tooting Common, Tooting, Streatham Hill, Streatham Park, Streatham Common, Furzedown, Tooting Bec, Tooting Broadway, Balham, Norbury and Colliers Wood.

Eye Colour in Infancy: The Magic of Changing Hues

Eye colour can completely change during early childhood.Have you ever noticed that some babies are born with blue or grey eyes that later change to brown, green or hazel? It’s a magical metamorphosis that sometimes occurs in growing infants and it can be quite intriguing. Parents may indeed wonder whether their newborn child’s eyes are going to change or remain the same as they were at birth. The answer comes down to a combination of time, location, genetics and something called Melanin and today’s article explores this captivating phenomenon.

Eye Colour, the Iris, & Scattering of Light

Blue or grey eyes are common during infancy in Northern Europe.When we talk about eye colour we are, of course, talking primarily about the colour of the irises of a human’s eyes. The iris is the circular muscle around the centre pupil and it is this muscle that governs how much light can pass into the eye by making the pupil larger or smaller. When there is lots of light around, the iris constricts the size of the pupil and, in contrast, makes it big when light levels are low.

It is on the surface of the iris muscle that you find the colour pigmentation that most affects eye colour. However, in some cases, the exact hue that an onlooker perceives is also affected by the way light wavelengths are scattered from the surface of the iris and out through the lens. Effects including the ‘Tyndall’ effect and ‘Rayleigh Scattering’ are potentially a part of this and each may be responsible for altering the colour we see when we look at a person’s eyes. In a similar way, the white light coming from the sun is scattered in such a way that makes the sky look blue. However, when it comes to the eyes, this scattering of light wavelengths only really shows when there is very little Melanin in the eyes.

Melanin

The more melanin pigment the eyes contain, the darker the eye colour will be.Melanin is a protein that’s secreted by special skin cells called melanocyte cells, which form colouration pigmentation in our bodies, including in the eyes, hair and skin. When it comes to the eyes, a lot of melanin pigment means the eye colour is more likely to be dark, for example brown. In contrast, those without much melanin eye pigmentation will have lighter eyes, for example, grey or blue. It is also those lighter colours that are most affected by the Rayleigh Scattering and Tyndall effects that we discussed in the last section.

Eye Colour & Location

Worldwide, brown eyes are the most common colour in infancy.Melanin is a protective protein and, by having more melanin pigmentation, an eye has greater protection against harmful ultraviolet (UV) sun rays. That’s one of the reasons that populations from hot, sunnier countries are more likely to have brown or darker eyes — because those are better protected from the sun’s UV rays. Indeed, brown eyes are the most common eye colour in infancy, despite some common misconceptions. It is true, however, that blue or grey eyes are common in infancy in Northern Europe, where the sunlight is less strong.

Changing Eye Colour in Infancy

Interestingly, many babies born with grey or blue eyes end up with eyes of a different colour. This is because the protective melanin pigmentation can take time to build up in the irises and it’s this that accounts for many babies starting off with grey or blue eyes and ending up with green, hazel or brown eyes. The metamorphosis may take between 6 and 9 months to begin showing dramatically, with the changes mostly complete by the age of 3 years. That said, subtle eye colour changes can continue right into early adulthood in some cases.

Eye Colour & Genetics

Genetics also play a part in the colour of eyes.Genetics also play a part in the colour of the eyes and can be helpful when attempting to predict a newborn’s eye colouring. However, correctly predicting the colour of a baby’s eyes based solely on that of parents is not guaranteed. That’s because any inherited colouration may skip one or more generations. And, with a mix of different chromosomes and genes being passed down from parents, grandparents and beyond, skipping generations can sometimes result in completely unexpected eye colouring in infants. Genes will also control how much melanin will initially be present in a newborn’s eyes as well as affecting further production as the child ages and the eyes adjust to conditions.

What About Heterochromia?

Those affected by heterochromia may have two different coloured eyes or two colours present in an eye.Heterochromia is a condition that affects less than 1% of the world’s population. Those affected may have two different coloured eyes or perhaps two colours present in one eye. The causes of heterochromia include physical injury, disease, genetics or sometimes the use of specific medications.

The singer David Bowie famously had eyes that appeared to be two different colours. This was the result of a condition called anisocoria, allegedly caused through a scuffle during an argument over a girl. In Bowie’s case, the injury caused one iris to become paralysed and remain permanently larger than the other. It is this difference that makes one eye appear to be darker.

Baby eye colour is a fascinating topic and, as we have seen above, predicting the colour of your newborn baby’s eyes may not be as simple as it may seem. Witnessing a baby’s eyes gradually turn from grey or blue to green, hazel or brown is also quite a magical milestone and we hope today’s guide has gone some way to explaining why such an incredible metamorphosis can sometimes occur.

Your Childcare Nursery in Streatham

Little Cedars provides high-quality childcare for babies, toddlers & preschoolers in Streatham, SW16

Ofsted rate Little Cedars Day Nursery as a Good ProviderLittle Cedars is a nursery & pre-school offering high quality childcare in Streatham, near Tooting, Tooting Bec, Tooting Common, Tooting Broadway, Furzedown, Balham, Norbury and Colliers Wood.

Do you have a baby, toddler or preschooler who requires reliable weekday childcare and a high-quality early years education? If you’re living in or around Streatham, Little Cedars Day Nursery may be just what you’re looking for. Our warm, welcoming, home-from-home environment and well-trained staff offer loving care from Monday to Friday and bring out the very best in every child. We are officially a good childcare provider too, and equip little ones with everything they need to thrive. To explore the possibility of a childcare place for your child at Little Cedars Day Nursery in Streatham, please choose an option below and we’ll be delighted to help.

It may help nearby families to know that our Streatham childcare nursery is also close to Streatham Hill, Streatham Common, Streatham Park, Furzedown, Tooting, Balham, Norbury, Colliers Wood, West Norwood, Wandsworth, Clapham and Brixton.