Our first outdoor area is situated to the rear of Lower and Upper Riverside. It has sponge flooring (to try and prevent accidents), a decked area which looks onto the River (where the children are able to feed the ducks), access to a ‘Woodland Walk’, a large climbing frame with slide and cargo net, a see-saw horse, hop scotch and a large sand pit which has a sliding lid to ensure that the sand is kept hygienic and clean.

Our second outdoor area is situated to the side of the Nursery and is directly accessible through the Baby Suite and Upper Riverside. It has a mini sponge road, complete with road markings, mini roundabout and a zebra crossing – all great resources in promoting road safety to the children. There is a sheltered outdoor classroom, where the children can play and learn whatever the weather.

The Baby Suite has access to their own designated outdoor area to ensure that the younger children are kept safe when the older children are playing out in the main garden. This area has a willow wig-wam, a mini-mud kitchen and a small climbing frame and slide.

Mud kitchen and digging area

The children enjoy ‘pretend play’ in the mud kitchen, creating yummy mud pies and ‘washing the pots’. In the Digging Area, the children enjoy ‘Mud painting’, using different tools and equipment to dig the soil, and the older children enjoy talking about nature and what they have seen and experienced. The garden also benefits from a beautiful willow dome, which the children can use for shelter, to make a secret den, a fairy glen or a dinosaur cave!

Vegetable garden

We’re very proud of our vegetable garden and greenhouse here at Riverside Nursery. The children enjoy planting seeds and paying visits to the garden to watch the seeds grow. Once the vegetables are ready, the children pay a further visit to collect and harvest them. Where possible we try and use this produce in our kitchen!

We also have a large range of tricycles, bikes and scooters, hoops, tunnels and outdoor games.