Young Friends Tribe

At Young Friends for sustainability reasons we have a completely plant based menu and with careful planning we highly recommend it. Obviously providing young children with a balanced and nutritious diet is essential for their growth and development. Many families are choosing to follow a plant-based diet for a variety of reasons, and it is important to know that this type of diet can be just as nutritious for children as a diet that includes animal products.

Here are a few key points about why a plant-based diet can provide young children with all the nutrients they need:

Rich in nutrients: A well-planned plant-based diet can be rich in important nutrients such as protein, iron, calcium, and vitamin B12.
Versatile and delicious: There is a wide variety of plant-based foods available, making it easier than ever to provide children with a balanced diet that includes a variety of flavours and textures.
Supports a healthy gut: Plant-based diets are often high in fiber, which is important for maintaining a healthy gut and promoting regular digestion.
Supports a healthy immune system: Plant-based diets are often high in antioxidants, which can help support a healthy immune system and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
It's important to research and work with a professional to ensure that a nursery's plant-based diet is balanced and provides all the necessary nutrients for growth and development. With a little planning and preparation, you can be confident that children can get all the nutrients they need from a plant-based diet

Calling all Early Years Colleagues!...

Teaching young children about the importance of conserving water is a crucial step in creating a sustainable future. Here are a few fun and engaging ways to help young children understand the value of water and learn to conserve it:

Games and activities: Encourage children to participate in water-saving games and activities that are both fun and educational. For example, you can play "guess the amount of water used" or "turn the tap off" challenges.
Demonstrations: Show children how much water is used in everyday activities such as washing hands, brushing teeth, washing wellies and watering plants. Use visuals such as transparent measuring cups and containers and rain collectors to demonstrate the amount of water used.
Role-playing: Encourage children to role-play and act out scenarios where they are conserving water. They could pretend to be water-saving superheroes, who save water by turning off the tap tightly off when its dripping, or using old water play water to water the plants.
Art projects: Use art projects to help children understand the concept of water scarcity and the need to conserve it.
By incorporating these fun and educational activities into your curriculum, you can help young children understand the importance of conserving water and form positive habits that will last a lifetime

2023 is the year for all of us Early Years marvels to take responsibility for our impact on the environment and implement sustainable practices. Our future depends on a healthy planet and the sustainable mindsets of our children. It's time to turn the page and start a new chapter! 2023 is the year for us to embrace sustainability and make a positive impact on the environment together. Let's show our children that we are dedicated to helping them preserve our planet for them and future generations. The Tribe is here to support you every step of the way. Let's work together towards a greener future and make 2023 the year of sustainability in Early Years! Let's do it!

At Young Friends one of the most common themes of every day is saving water. Our children are so clued up on this and helping come up with ideas all the time. At the moment the rain is so ferocious the children can't collect rain, measure it and use it fast enough! They use it to water our inside plants, for water play and even to do the cleaning - pouring it (with funnels of course to avoid wastage) into their spray bottles and spraying tables and plant leaves

At Young Friends we are are always analysing with the children to make sure we are being as effective in our sustainability as possible. For example, the other week, after composting some of our fruits at snack time we realised that our compost was very wet. The children decided they wanted to help it out a little. We read “Compost Stew” to find out what materials would help it. In a big bowl we cut up banana skins, added shredded paper we had just shredded, added ivy leaves which we had cut back from the garden. We also found out that Teabags and coffee grounds are excellent for using as a coffee accelerant. We collected some used ones from the staff room and added them to our compost stew. We then added the stew to the outside compost. As we knew Coffee grounds and Teabags work so well as a compost accelerator, we sent out a message to parents to send in their old waste. We have had several deliveries since that we have added and our compost is looking very healthy and full of worms!

Our framework supports children to follow their interests.