Asquith invests 5m in nursery garden revamp

The nursery chain is revamping all garden areas and has instructed nursery managers to encourage as much outdoor play as possible.

Specialist construction teams have been briefed to build forts, hobbit homes, Wendy houses, stages, water features, picnic and market stalls, alongside climbing frames, swings and slides.

Part of the design process involved Andy Morris, chief executive of Asquith day nurseries, and Francis Donegan, head of property and maintenance, visiting various nursery sites and asking the children what they would like from their play areas.

Mr Donegan said, 'We have really taken on board the feedback of the children and we are sure to not build anything that we wouldn't want to play on ourselves.'

Each setting will have unique designs based on the size and surroundings of the nursery and the needs of the children. The refurbishments include a £280,000 design at Caterham with an LED lit fort, wonky house, tipi and story huts. Woodlands Nursery has benefited from a £150,000 garden complete with a lookout tower, a stage area and a water pump.

Mr Morris said, 'There has been a growing body of evidence in the past couple of years that children, especially boys, learn better in an outdoors environment. We now know that they will concentrate harder and soak up more knowledge in the fresh air - and our plan is to run a "free-flow" system wherever possible so the children can just get out there and run around, tend vegetable plots, play on stage if they wish or simply sit and listen to our managers and staff as they tell them stories.'

Cathy Hart, Asquith training manager, said, 'Fresh air is proven to improve the brain's neurological pathways. We know children's brains develop in beneficial ways when they are outside.'