Giggles Nursery - Cheltenham

We are sure many of you already know about the Partial Solar Eclipse happening this evening! For Cheltenham and the surrounding areas this is due to start at 6:17pm for "first contact" (the moon starts to first cover the disc of the sun) and then maximum coverage will be around 7:12pm.

Although this is an exciting event, safety needs to be at the forefront of everyone's mind. Please remember to encourage your little ones to not look directly at the sun during this time to avoid any eyesight damage. During an eclipse, the sun appears dimmer than usual. This makes it easier to look at directly which is the problem - the reduced brightness can override the body's natural reflex to look away which allows intense sunlight to reach and damage inside your eye. This can happen without pain so you may not realise any harm has occurred without pain.

If you have managed to get hold of any eclipse glasses please make sure they have been purchased from a reputable retailer and check that they meet the international safety standard (ISO 12312-2:2015(E)). If your glasses appear to not be genuine or are, but are scratched, torn or damaged in any way please do not use them.

There are a few easy ways to enjoy the eclipse safely which can be made quickly at home using a simple items from around the house - take a look here:

Three ways to watch the solar eclipse safely without glasses With some shops running out of stock, it may be too late to buy eclipse glasses - but you can still safely watch the spectacle using some household items.

Our wonderful April will be running the Cheltenham Half Marathon on behalf of two amazing charities.

Half of the money raised will go to the Sue Ryder charity who provide palliative, neurological, and bereavement support to people with terminal illnesses, neurological conditions, and those coping with grief. This will be in memory of a family friend who passed away recently.

The other half will go to the Lily Foundation, the UK's leading charity dedicated to fighting mitochondrial disease, focusing on research, support, and raising awareness for affected individuals and families. This is on behalf of a wonderful little boy at Preschool Joshua. Joshua's mum has kindly written some words for us to share with you all about her son (in the photo below) and the wonderful work this charity do.

"In December 2025, Joshua was diagnosed with mitochondrial disease, a rare, genetic, life-limiting condition that affects how the mitochondria in our cells produce energy. The diagnosis was a devastating blow to our family, and we are still coming to terms with what the future may hold for Joshua.
With the support of The Lily Foundation, we have found comfort, guidance, and a community that understands the challenges we face as we navigate this devastating disease.
The Lily Foundation is the UK’s leading charity dedicated to fighting mitochondrial disease and the largest charitable funder of mitochondrial research in Europe. Founded in 2007 by Liz Curtis in memory of her daughter, Lily, the charity funds vital medical research, raises awareness of mitochondrial disease, and provides essential support to families affected by it.
As a family, we were fortunate to attend this year’s Family Weekend, where we had the opportunity to meet leading experts, attend informative talks, and connect with other families living with mitochondrial disease. It was an invaluable experience that reminded us we are not alone.
The Lily Foundation has become a constant source of support, education, and hope. From helping families through the early stages following diagnosis to providing compassionate support for those who have lost a loved one, the charity is there every step of the way. Their work makes an incredible difference to families like ours, and we are deeply grateful for everything they do."

If you would like to donate towards two amazing causes, then please click on the link below or scan the QR code attached.

Good Luck April!

https://gvwhl.com/RTBXK

Today is World Friendship Day! Early years is an important time for little ones to start learning about friendship. Through play, children start to build essential social, emotional and communication skills with each other whilst learning about the importance of sharing and cooperating with others. We love seeing the special friendships blossoming amongst the children at nursery, it really is a joy to be a part of!

It is finally Summer and the sun is shining, so it is a great opportunity to go on lots of walks and enjoy the outdoors. Whilst spending more time outdoors, it is never too early to demonstrate and teach how to be around roads safely to young children. Below are the elements that make up the "Green Cross Code" and also some information about the different types of pedestrian crossings and how they work, which can be shared with little ones whilst out and about.

This is just a few handy bits of information to introduce elements of the Highway Code to them, but there is so much more learning which can be expanded on as they grow and start to become more independent - take a look at this "Tales of the Road" booklet for more.

https://think.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Tales-Of-The-Road-Print-Version.pdf

Today we would like to celebrate and give thanks to all the amazing men in our lives!

Tomorrow is Clean Air Day - The UK's largest public campaign to take action against air pollution, empowering people to make cleaner air choices and motivating them to use their voices to call for change. Air pollution is the biggest environmental threat to our health, so we need to work together to clean up our air for everyone to live healthier and happier lives.

A big part of our company ethos is "Happy Planet" and we have recently shared with you all of our brilliant work towards Modeshift STARS accreditation, so clean air day aligns with all of our hard work and beliefs. If and where you can tomorrow, consider walking, scooting or cycling to nursery and try leaving the car at home as you go about your day to day. Even if everyone made one less car journey a week, it would be a step in the right direction towards better air quality.

To find out more about Clean Air day please visit Global Action Plan's website:
https://www.globalactionplan.org.uk/our-work/clean-air

Today is International Day of Play - a time to recognise the vital role that playing has physically, cognitively, socially and emotionally in the development of children.

At Natural Choice Nurseries we follow "Planning in the Moment" which is an early years educational approach that prioritises child led play. Our skilled practitioners observe what the children enjoy doing or are curious about, and join in with their play to extend the learning in that moment there and then.

There are many benefits of Planning in the Moment such as engaged children, encouraged problem solving/creativity and a happy and fun learning environment!
You can find out more about our teaching approach on our website: https://ncnurseries.co.uk/our-curriculum/ -approach

It is the last day of our “Child Safety Week” posts – we hope you have found this week interesting and helpful.

We take safety seriously at Natural Choice Nurseries as we know your children are the most precious things in the world.

There is plenty more advice on accident prevention at Child Accident Prevention Trust https://capt.org.uk/. They are the UK’s leading experts in child accident prevention.

They also have a parent's pack which can be downloaded and is full of simple safety tips covering a range of topics which are the most common risks to children. https://capt.org.uk/resources/parents-pack/

Today's safety topic is road safety. We have been posting recently about the benefits of walking, scooting and cycling to nursery and all our work with Modeshift STARS. It is never too soon to start introducing road safety to children to build up their knowledge and understanding of the world around them.

Below are some tips from the Child Accident Prevention Trust for how to keep it simple when teaching road safety to little ones to ensure they are safe pedestrians, when cycling and scooting and also in the car.

Today’s safety topic is water safety. The weather is getting warmer and on sunny days there is nothing better than getting the paddling pool out or taking a trip to the local beach or swimming pool to cool off and let little ones have a splash about. But, did you know that it only takes a few centimetres of water for a child or baby to drown in? A scary thought, but something to consider whilst children are in any form of water (baths included).

Below are some safety tips from the Child Accident Prevention Trust all about water and some information on the importance of swimwear visibility.