Little Birds Childcare & Forest School - York

Little Birds Childcare & Forest School - York Little Birds is a Forest School childminding setting, graded outstanding by Ofsted. Offering plenty of opportunities for outdoor play and learning experiences.

Little Birds is a home based childcare service Run by an Ofsted registered Childminder delivering the EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage) and providing a safe, happy and comfortable place for your child to learn and grow. I believe that children learn best through play and should be allowed the opportunity to explore the world around them. I am lucky enough to have a very large, safe and well equi

pped garden within beautiful private farmland. I have a small holding with 2 acres of land housing some free range chickens, a horse and a very friendly Shetland pony. We have a veggie patch in need of some love and where possible the children will be encouraged to be involved as possible. I understand the anxiety that parents may face when choosing childcare for their little ones. My aim is to work in partnership making sure that everyone's needs and wants are met and valued.

01/09/2026

What an incredible summer it has been at Little Birds 🌿☀️🌧️

Over the school holidays, we welcomed a whopping 372 children through our gates. Some joined us every day, while others dipped in for the occasional adventure.
Over the past few weeks, they have all challenged themselves, discovered new skills, and grown in confidence. Some have used tools for the very first time. Some have embraced the joy of mud, mess, and getting gloriously dirty. Others have simply relished the freedom of spending their days outdoors. Every child has had their own unique journey, but all have had the opportunity to have lots of fun.
Together, we have spent up to 10 hours a day outside, from 8am til 6pm, through torrential rain, blazing sunshine, and everything in between. Time and time again, the children have shown resilience, curiosity, determination, and a willingness to get stuck in.
And weve all eaten far too many blackberries 😋.

This week, we're slowing the pace a little as we prepare for a new term. Alongside taking a moment to catch our breath after such a busy summer, we're welcoming families for settling-in sessions with our newest little people.
Among our new starters are some very tiny ones, including younger siblings of children already in our Forest School family. Some are just 18 months old and are beginning their very first experiences away from their parents. These settling in sessions are all about building confidence, creating connections, and helping children feel safe, secure, and excited about the adventures ahead.
We have to say goodbye to children who arrived as tiny toddlers and leave us as confident and happy, school ready young people, while at the same time opening our arms to a new generation of little birds 🐦.

🥹🌟🌿☀️🍃🦔🦊🌳🐿🛠🔎🕷🐞🐛🪲🍄

After a long, hot, and exceptionally dry summer, last week's rain brought a very different kind of excitement. What had ...
29/08/2026

After a long, hot, and exceptionally dry summer, last week's rain brought a very different kind of excitement. What had been hard, dusty ground quickly became puddles, mud, streams, and endless opportunities for adventure.

The children embraced every moment. They caught raindrops in their mouths, created water channels, splashed through puddles, and discovered just how much fun can be found in a little mud and a lot of imagination. It was so nice watch their play unfold naturally.

One moment in particular stayed with me. A child who would normally be very cautious about getting messy decided to fully immerse herself in the experience. Dressed in waterproofs, she rolled in the mud, explored without hesitation, and spent the afternoon laughing, playing, and being completely present in the moment. It was wonderful to see her step outside her comfort zone and give herself permission to simply be a child.

It also reminded me of something important. At Forest School, getting muddy is not a sign that something has gone wrong. More often, it's a sign that something has gone very right.
Forest School is not about staying clean, looking tidy, or getting things "perfect". It's about taking manageable risks, building confidence, connecting with nature, solving problems, developing resilience, and experiencing the freedom to explore. Sometimes that means muddy hands. Sometimes it means wet clothes. Occasionally it means mud in places you never thought mud could reach!
We know that washing muddy clothes can be an extra job at the end of a busy day, and we are always grateful for the support families give in making these experiences possible. But if your child comes home dirtier than they left, please know that they have likely spent the day learning, growing, experimenting, and making memories that will stay with them for years to come.

Childhood is short. Mud washes off. Confidence, curiosity, and fun memories last much longer.

Some absolute masterpieces created the past couple of days. We love large scale painting! Given the freedom to explore a...
27/08/2026

Some absolute masterpieces created the past couple of days.
We love large scale painting!
Given the freedom to explore and express themselves as part of a team they came up with such brilliant results.

🎨🖌🎨🖌🎨🖌🎨🖌🎨🖌🎨🖌🎨🖌🎨🖌

Today was a perfect reminder of why following children’s interests is at the heart of Forest School. 🌿One of our childre...
21/08/2026

Today was a perfect reminder of why following children’s interests is at the heart of Forest School. 🌿

One of our children has been asking for several days if we could build a little house for a hedgehog. Today, with a smaller and quieter group, we finally had the opportunity to make it happen.
Together, we gathered the tools, shared ideas, and got to work. Every child took part including our youngest learners, just 2 years old, who carefully helped with sawing, drilling, and making marks on the wood. With teamwork, determination, and lots of discussion, we created a beautiful hedgehog house ready for a prickly visitor.

Along the way, there was so much learning happening: communication and language, problem-solving, teamwork, self-awareness around tool use and safety, creativity, confidence, and mark making as the children decorated their finished creation.

The hedgehog house was lovely, but what made today special was seeing a child’s idea valued, explored, and brought to life by the whole group. 💚🦔🛠

Today we decided to focus on something a little different. With lots of strong personalities in the group, we felt it wa...
20/08/2026

Today we decided to focus on something a little different. With lots of strong personalities in the group, we felt it was a great opportunity to explore teamwork, empathy and shared leadership.

We set up a handmade treasure hunt that wasn’t just about finding clues, it was about learning what it means to work together. The children had to stay connected in a hand-holding chain from start to finish, with the smallest child leading the way and the biggest child bringing up the rear. This meant everyone had to move at the pace of the youngest or slowest member of the group, and our smaller children were the ones spotting and collecting the clues. If they needed help reading them, they had to ask one of the older children for support.

It was great to watch the group dynamic shift throughout the activity. The older children discovered that leadership isn’t always about being first, fastest or taking charge. Sometimes it’s about listening, encouraging others and helping everyone to succeed, showing patience and respect and allowing our younger children to play more of a role within the group.
A gentle reminder that every member of a group has something valuable to contribute, and that kindness helps everyone thrive. 🌿🗺️

The last week of Forest School Holiday Club 🌳☀️What a week it’s been! The heat has certainly kept us on our toes 🫠🫠🫠, an...
14/08/2026

The last week of Forest School Holiday Club 🌳☀️
What a week it’s been! The heat has certainly kept us on our toes 🫠🫠🫠, and while we’re all feeling a little tired after such a busy few days, it’s been absolutely worth it.
The children have been amazing throughout the week – full of enthusiasm, resilience, and good humour despite the soaring temperatures. We couldn’t have asked for a better group.
One of the highlights was our Colour Run, which was a huge hit with everyone involved! We followed it up with an epic water fight to help cool everyone down, and there were smiles all around.
We’ve also packed the week with creative activities, including making dragon eyes, Nordic slings, friendship bracelets, clay creations, mud pies, and, of course, plenty of adventures on the rope swing.

The trees in our outdoor area have provided much-needed shade and helped keep us cool while we enjoyed the outdoors.
It’s been a fantastic week filled with laughter, creativity, friendship, and adventure.
Looking forward to some cooler weather though! 🫠☀️🌿😊

06/08/2026

Today was one of those Forest School days that reminds us just how wonderful children’s imaginations can be. 🌿✨

As it was just our older children today, I set them a challenge. I laid out lots of resources including clay, paint, peg dolls and other bits and pieces, then gave them very little direction apart from one simple idea: create a mythical world using only things you can find in the garden.
I honestly wasn't sure where it would lead, but they threw themselves into it with such enthusiasm. Watching their ideas unfold was a joy. Every creation was completely different, filled with tiny details and thoughtful touches that showed just how much care and imagination had gone into them. From miniature characters to magical landscapes, each world told its own story.
The end results were absolutely fantastic and a real reminder that sometimes the best learning happens when children are given the freedom to explore their own ideas. 💚

This afternoon we enjoyed a lovely dog walk together before ending the day gathered around the campfire, toasting marshmallows and making s’mores. 🔥🍫
A day full of creativity, conversation, fresh air and a little bit of magic.

Our first week of the summer holidays has been gorgeous. We've basked in the sunshine 🌞 ☀️ and had a great time with eve...
24/07/2026

Our first week of the summer holidays has been gorgeous. We've basked in the sunshine 🌞 ☀️ and had a great time with everyone.

It has been a pleasure to welcome back some familiar faces, including children who have previously attended our setting and have since moved on to school. We always value these opportunities to reconnect, hear about their year and see how much they have grown and developed. Watching friendships reform and new connections emerge has been a real highlight of the week.

The children have enjoyed a wide range of activities, including a trip to Dalby for a play and paddle in the stream, a three-mile hike filled with exploration and discovery, dragon-eye weaving, and friendship bracelet making using the Nordic sling method, den building, tool use to make their very own Elder person, firelighting practice and throughout the week, they have also worked on a clay pot project, carefully shaping and decorating their creations before finishing them with melted wax made from recycled candles.
This particular activity beautifully reflected the Forest School ethos, with the focus firmly on the process rather than the end result. The children took their time, revisiting their work over several days, developing patience, creativity, and confidence as they progressed. It was wonderful to see each child engage with the project at their own pace and take pride in their achievements.
Above all, this week has been filled with opportunities for children to spend time outdoors, build friendships, develop new skills, and enjoy the freedom to learn and play in nature, enjoying a slow pace.

We are looking forward to many more adventures throughout the summer holidays.

As we come to the end of another term, our hearts are feeling very full as we prepare to say goodbye to some of our long...
14/07/2026

As we come to the end of another term, our hearts are feeling very full as we prepare to say goodbye to some of our long-term children who will soon be starting Reception.

It's such a bittersweet time. While we are incredibly proud of how far they have come and how ready they are for this exciting new adventure, it's hard to imagine our little group without them. 🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹
Over the years, we've watched them take their first steps towards independence, build friendships, find their voices, and grow in confidence. This last term especially has been so lovely to witness as they've embraced new challenges, shown resilience, and truly blossomed into confident, capable little people.

Being a small, close-knit setting means that the children become so much more than just the little faces we see each day. We celebrate their achievements, support them through their worries, laugh with them, and create memories together. The truth is, we have genuinely grown to love each and every one of them, and they will always hold a special place in our hearts.

To our school leavers, thank you for all the smiles, cuddles, conversations, and unforgettable moments. We are so grateful to have been part of your journey and to have watched you grow into the amazing children you are today.
We will miss you more than you know, but we are so excited to see what the future holds for you. Keep being curious, kind, brave, and wonderfully you.
Good luck, little ones. Once one of our children, always part of our little Forest School family. ❤️🥹

10/07/2026

Making memories in the heatwave under the trees in the stream. Glorious 💚🌳

Address

Low Baxton Howe
Hovingham
YO624LS

Opening Hours

Tuesday 8am - 6pm
Wednesday 8am - 6pm
Thursday 8am - 6pm
Friday 8am - 6pm

Telephone

+447811349101

Website

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