[May 2025]: Applications are now open for the final “30 hours” expansion of the Government’s free childcare scheme for working families. The new, expanded childcare hours are for eligible children, aged 9 months up to 3 years by 1st September 2025, attending nursery from that month. It doubles the previous number of hours available under the scheme, potentially saving eligible families as much as £7,500 per annum per child. The extended childcare hours will also allow parents — particularly mothers — improved potential to get back into work or take on more hours. Either would increase both household income and the greater economy. Most importantly, though, increasing access to high-quality early years childcare will give children the best start in life, enabling them with the skills and tools necessary to thrive once they leave early years settings to begin school.
Don’t delay — if your child is eligible, you can now apply for the September 2025 term but you only have until the 31st of August in which to do so. That deadline will be here before we know it, so act quickly if you want to benefit from the expanded childcare funding from September 2025.
The changes will make a “massive difference to children and working parents”— Bridget Phillipson, Education Secretary.
Here’s a snapshot:
- Who can apply? Eligible working families with a child aged 9 months up to 3 years by September 1st 2025.
- How many funded hours will be available? 30 hours per week over 38 weeks per year term time (1140 childcare hours over the year).*
- When can families start to apply? From 12th May 2025 for a September ’25 term start.
- When is the application deadline? Apply no later than 31 August 2025 if you want your child to start nursery in the September 2025 term.
- What About Children Aged 3 and 4? 3-and-4-year-olds of eligible working families have been able to access the 30 hours of free childcare per week (1140 hours per year) since it was phased in late last year (September 2024). Previously, only half those hours had been available under the scheme for this age group.
- Does the funding cover everything? No. The funding does not cover additional items like extra childcare hours over the allowance or nappies, meals, and the cost of trips. Your chosen provider will be able to provide more details specific to their setting.
- What if we’re not a working family? If you’re not a working family that’s eligible for the new 30 hours extension, it’s worth noting that all children who live in England already qualify for 15 hours per week (570 childcare hours per annum) under their ‘Universal Entitlement’. That is a separate scheme that’s explained here, does not require parents to be working, and is not means tested.
* Some settings may allow some flexibility, for example, by spreading out the same number of annual hours over more weeks of the year. Little Cedars intends to accommodate families in this way, whenever possible, and plans to introduce both a 51-week and 45-week provision from September 2025. We’ll publish more details separately in the coming weeks.
This is a plan “to break the unfair link between background and opportunity across this country, which starts by ensuring our children start school ready to learn.” — Bridget Phillipson, Education Secretary.
Eligibility
The key rules around eligibility for working families state that both you and your partner if you have one must:
Work at least 16 hours or more per week at the National Minimum Wage∞ or more;- Earn an adjusted net income∞ of less than £100k per annum;
- Have a National Insurance number.
Work at least 16 hours or more per week at the National Minimum WageIf the above factors do not apply to you, you may still be eligible for childcare funding if you are disabled, a carer, on maternity/paternity/adoption leave, or receive certain benefits or assistance from the government. Check your eligibility more comprehensively in Step 1 below. More details and an excellent overview are also provided in an official video provided by the Department of Education (viewing time: 2½ minutes).
To-Do List
- First, check that your child is eligible via the Childcare Choices website.
- If eligible, apply for the funded childcare on the Government website by 31 August 2025 if you want your child to start in the September 2025 term. If applying for a different term, you will need to apply during the term preceding it (terms begin on the 1st of January, April and September). Once approved, you will be issued with a code that your childcare provider will require in order to access the funding.
- Contact your preferred childcare provider at any point to check if they have a place available for your child under the scheme. Be aware that some have waiting lists.
- Log into your Gov.uk childcare account every 3 months to ensure your code is kept up to date. You need to reconfirm your details and check for continued eligibility in case your circumstances have changed.
You will not be able to receive the funded childcare without a valid code!
Funded Nursery Places at Little Cedars Nursery, Streatham
Little Cedars Day Nursery is a wonderful childcare setting in Streatham, close to Tooting Common, that offers a first-class service to local families and their children. The setting supports most government-funded childcare schemes and thereby provides affordable childcare for Streatham, Furzedown, Tooting and Balham families. Through the government funding schemes, free childcare is available to eligible children aged from 9 months to school age and this includes a number of places available under the extended ’30 hours’ scheme for working families. It’s the perfect way to give children the best start in life while also allowing parents, especially mothers, to rejoin the workplace after maternity leave, boost working hours if they want to, and elevate household income.
Begin your application to Little Cedars Nursery, Streatham, come for a visit with your child or send us your questions today. We can’t wait to meet you!
Little Cedars Nursery in Streatham is rated as a Good Provider of childcare and early years education by Ofsted. It may also be a convenient choice for families living nearby in Tooting, Furzedown, Balham, Norbury and Colliers Wood.
National Children’s Gardening Week is a wonderful annual event that’s designed to inspire children’s curiosity around growing plants and gardening-related activities. It takes place during what is typically a warm period of the year. That’s important because it means seeds and plants will grow faster and need minimal protective measures from inclement weather. Speedy growing results will appeal to little ones!
National Children’s Gardening Week coincides perfectly with the Spring Bank Holiday and May half-term school holiday, taking place from the 24th of May to the 1st of June 2025. It’s usually a lovely warm week and is perfect timing for children to make the most of the event and to maximise the many benefits of spending time around nature.
National Children’s Gardening Week also raises money to support children in hospices through the national charity Greenfingers. They create inspiring gardens and beautiful outdoor spaces where hospice children with life-limiting conditions can play, rest, relax, and spend time with family and friends. Such outdoor spaces allow affected children to spend quality time away from the bedside in well-designed outdoor areas where they can enjoy all the benefits of fresh air and a natural environment.
Children and families can take part at home as well as in participating schools, childcare settings, community groups, ‘outdoorsy’ retail outlets and even some National Trust properties.
Sowing Wildflower Seeds
Herbs and some vegetables can be grown from seeds, cultivated, and harvested from simple flowerpots or yoghurt pots. They can also be ‘re-grown’ through various devious means that will fascinate children including under-fives. We wrote a whole post about that too, so take a look — it’s quite ingenious, is incredibly educational, and results in free food! What’s more, it can be done indoors. 
Another ‘indoor gardening’ activity is growing these comical ‘egg heads’. Grown simply from cress seeds, they can be grown in egg shells as shown, or another alternative would be yoghurt pots. When the cress is ready to be harvested and used in salads or as a garnish, the little characters can have a haircut! 
Another activity that children can get involved in for National Children’s Gardening Week is to create bee-friendly gardens. Our recent post about World Bee Day explains how to make a bee oasis (from where bees and pollinators can get a refreshing drink) and a bee-friendly garden. 
Plants love compost and so do minibeasts. So, another wonderful activity for children in National Children’s Gardening Week is to make homemade compost. Our dedicated
Once the flowers are blooming outside, children can experiment with pressing flowers. Pressed flowers are a wonderful way for children to save flowers semi-permanently as keepsakes or to use as part of an art activity.
The youngest children will love this activity! Children will need some scavenged moss, pebbles, sticks, seashells and perhaps small pieces of driftwood from a beach. Children can then use these to transform the soil in a large pot or on top of a log into 
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. 
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 
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 
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 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!
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!
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 
Children of the UK, it’s time to get ready for World Book Day! Arriving in early March, it is a wonderful annual event where children across the nation get to immerse themselves in books, storytelling, and other book-inspired activities. Such activities are incredibly important for children. Did you know, for example, that children who regularly read for pleasure are happier children who also go on to have greater success in their lives? This uplift is even more significant for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Such is the power of reading for little ones! With all this in mind, today’s article outlines more about World Book Day and why it’s so important. It also suggests some activities that children and families can take part in to celebrate this year’s event.
World Book Day arrives each year on the first Thursday of March. So, for 2025 it’s celebrated on the 6th of March, then in 2026 it’s on the 5th, for 2027 it’s the 4th, and so on. Organised by the charity of the same name, the core mission of World Book Day is “to promote reading for pleasure, offering every child and young person the opportunity to have a book of their own.” The reason is simple: a life-long love of reading for pleasure results in improved life chances. It’s incredibly powerful for children of all ages, as indicated in the following findings from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation & Development:
The World Book Day® charity published a 17-page impact report for the event that took place in 2024. One of the key findings was that something needed to be done to stop the significant drop in children reading for pleasure. Otherwise, children would be missing out on some profound benefits. The report concluded that there had been several reasons for the downward trend. For example, 20% of children said they felt judged for what books they read. Some said that reading felt more like a chore or ‘work’ because the books were foisted upon them by adults. Just over 8% of children simply didn’t have access to any books at home. Of those that did, over a third said they had no choice over what they read.
In the UK, children under 18 are eligible to receive a £1 book token through the event. This can be used to buy a special World Book Day title or go towards another book (
Families: get ready for World Wildlife Day! On 3rd March each year, we celebrate UN World Wildlife Day, an important event that is all about protecting nature’s flora and fauna. At nursery age, little ones are naturally curious and eager to learn more about the world around them. World Wildlife Day is therefore the perfect opportunity to inspire a greater love for nature and wildlife in our young. Exploring the wonders of plants, trees, and the animal kingdom teaches them more about the world and also helps children develop key skills like language, creativity, and empathy. Whether through outdoor play or wildlife-themed activities, engaging with nature’s wildlife can therefore create valuable early learning experiences. With that in mind, today’s post outlines some simple activities that children, including those under five*, can take part in to celebrate World Wildlife Day. We also highlight some of the benefits of nature to children towards the end of the post.
Getting outdoors is the best way to see wildlife, especially if your family lives near a park or the countryside. Rambles, picnics, and simple walks are all obvious options and, of course, wildlife sanctuaries are a good choice if you have one nearby. That said, while such outdoor options are amongst the best ways for children to connect with nature, sometimes they’re simply not possible. However, when that’s the case, there are plenty of other possibilities including bringing the wonders of wildlife into your nursery, home, or garden. Here are some engaging, age-appropriate activities that will allow children to take part in World Wildlife Day whatever their circumstances:
Most children naturally take to drawing, so encouraging them to draw wild animals, plants and birds will be a popular suggestion, especially around the time of World Wildlife Day. For example, they could try drawing British mammals like rabbits and squirrels, jungle animals like elephants and tigers, or sea creatures like dolphins and whales. To make it easier, perhaps give them some visual reference to inspire them. They could choose from a variety of media, be it pencils, crayons, paints, or collages — or something entirely different. Playdough or salt dough models are also an option. Children naturally love to create and, once complete, perhaps display their pieces to encourage future progress.
Reading books about wildlife will introduce children to new animals and habitats. Great options for younger under-fives include ‘Dear Zoo’ by Rod Campbell and ‘Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?’ by Bill Martin Jr. (author) and Eric Carle (illustrator). Also, of course, children and families have the option to tell each other made-up stories. They’re a great way to encourage creative thinking and can be approached in a number of different ways. For example, a parent could tell a story first to give the child an idea of 
Try making some simple bird feeders with your children. There are lots of easy ways to make them as outlined in our dedicated guide, 
Create a simple scavenger hunt using pictures, words, or our free nature hunt sheets to encourage children to find different natural objects like leaves, feathers, and pine cones. This activity builds children’s observation skills, gives them deep insights into nature, and instils in them a better appreciation for the environment. Currently, free reference sheets are available for 
Engage children with easy science experiments, like 
Spending time in nature or learning about wildlife isn’t just fun—it has incredible benefits for early childhood development. To harness such benefits, families can incorporate nature-based learning into children’s routines in a variety of ways. Examples include organising outdoor exploration sessions, setting up small wildlife observation areas, and using nature-themed storytelling to engage the young learners. Connecting children with nature:
Incorporating wildlife into children’s activities doesn’t have to be limited to one day. Encouraging youngsters to notice the birds in the garden, look for insects on nature walks, or watch the changing seasons can gift them a lifelong love of nature. Parents and families can make wildlife observation a regular habit, perhaps by keeping a simple nature sketchbook where children can draw or glue in pictures of what they see, or by creating a wildlife corner at home with books, nature finds, and small child-safe plants. Even setting up a bird-watching station near a window can turn everyday moments into exciting learning opportunities. By celebrating World Wildlife Day, we can inspire the next generation of nature lovers—one little explorer at a time!
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.