Nursery World's Noticeboard-bug hotels and mucky play

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

The Old Station Nursery group's 13 settings celebrated ten years since the opening of the first nursery in Faringdon, Oxfordshire. The nurseries all held their own parties to mark the occasion.

CHARITABLE GIVING

Managers from Portico Day Nurseries, a nursery group of five settings, presented Claire House Children's Hospice in the Wirral with a cheque for £2,100.

The nursery chain has supported the charity, which provides respite and bereavement care for children and young adults with complex medical needs, for a number of years.

PICK YOUR OWN

Pre-school children at Nursery on the Green in Frimley, Surrey got the opportunity to pick some of the fruit and vegetables they had been growing in the nursery's garden including carrots, cucumbers, strawberries and lettuces. The children also measured the sunflowers that they planted from seeds.

A FINAL FAREWELL

Bright Kids Nursery Group, which has settings in Worcestershire, Warwickshire, Shropshire and Birmingham, held a graduation ceremony to say farewell to all the children leaving to go to school in September. After the ceremony, the children and their families enjoyed a party and mini disco.

GLORIOUS MUD

Stepping Stones Play and Learn Group in Colchester, Essex created a mud kitchen to encourage children to enjoy playing with natural materials. Staff at the group said the children had lots of fun.

BUILDING A BUG HOTEL

Children from Woodlands Day Nursery in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, were inspired by an article in Nursery World to create their own mini- beast hotel.

All the children's parents got involved and brought in glass jars, bottles, tins, twigs and sticks from home, while the children filled the jars with leaves to make a safe haven for the bugs to sleep in.

ON PARADE

Children, parents and staff from Kids Inc Day Nursery in Crowthorne, Berkshire took part in the Crowthorne Carnival Parade, which this year had the theme of Best of British.

The children's efforts in creating outfits to represent the UK emergency services earned them first prize in the carnival's pre-school category.

NEW OPENING

CHARITY CAFE

Sefton-based children and families charity Parenting 2000, launched by a group of mothers after the death of Jamie Bulger in 1993, has opened a new community venue in Litherland in Sefton.

The Courtyard Cafe is one of a number of community ventures opened by the charity, which runs other family services in Sefton including employment support, family learning and counselling.

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