LEYF Nurseries

Creativity doesn't come from an expensive paint set. It comes from curiosity and the right environment to explore.

In this video, a baby at our Greengate Nursery discovers mud as paint, using their brush to mix and spread colour and texture straight from the earth.
This kind of unstructured, sensory play builds fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination and early problem-solving, while nurturing a child's relationship with the natural world.

At LEYF, our gardens are designed as learning spaces in their own right. Nature gives children everything they need to create.

Want to see it for yourself? Book a visit to your nearest LEYF nursery today.

👉 https://www.leyf.org.uk/our-nurseries/find-your-nursery/

Last week, Children's Garden Nursery & Pre-School held its first ever community event, a Summer Beach Party 🏖️

Families gathered in a garden transformed for the day, with a pool to splash in, a sand pit to dig in and delicious barbeque food. It marked a year full of milestones for our children, celebrated together.

Moments like these matter. They bring our nursery community closer, and they remind us that connection, not just curriculum, is at the heart of a child's Early Years.

A huge thank you to everyone who helped bring the day to life, and to every family who joined us.

Camberwell Grove Nursery & Pre-School celebrated the opening of its new Eco Ponds and gardens, joined by families from across the community.

Children explored the new ponds and released fish into the water. In the garden, there was cycling, mud kitchens, sandcastles and plenty of adventurous play as children tested their limits and built their confidence outdoors.

Thank you to Nick Corlett and Gillian Oliver for leading this project, and to Jordan Adams at Utopian Play for building the pond.

Children across our nurseries spend a good part of the day with their hands in the soil.

There is real learning in it. Handling natural materials builds strength and coordination, giving young children a direct understanding of the natural world that no lesson can replace.

The growing matters most of all. Children plant the vegetables, water them and eventually eat them. A child who has cared for something living is far more likely to grow into an adult who cares for the planet.
Filmed at LEYF Greengate and LEYF Barking Riverside.

We have nurseries right across London. Come and have a look around your local one. 👇
https://www.leyf.org.uk/parents/apply-for-a-place/

Not long left until our Eco Pond is ready to open!

The final stages are coming together beautifully. The water is flowing and the plants are in, helping to play an important role in creating a balanced ecosystem by providing oxygen, shelter and habitats for insects and other wildlife, while helping to keep the water healthy. 🌱

We can’t wait to see our children at Camberwell Grove Nursery & Pre-School learning from this new outdoor space.

If you'd like to see this space in person, you can book a visit here: https://www.leyf.org.uk/nurseries/camberwell-grove/

Did you guess correctly? The big project at our Camberwell Grove Nursery & Pre-School is an Eco Pond! 🌿

An Eco Pond gives children the chance to experience nature up close, discovering the creatures that call it home, asking questions, and learning about the world around them through everyday exploration.

We believe children learn best when they're curious, and hands-on spaces like this help them explore, investigate and develop a genuine care for nature from an early age.

We'll be sharing the finished pond soon, watch this space!

Why do children serve their own food at LEYF nurseries?

Because mealtimes teach more than you think. Serving yourself builds independence. Passing the spoon teaches patience. Sitting together builds friendships.

It’s one of the many small ways our teams turn everyday routines into learning.

Something new is taking shape in the garden at Camberwell Grove Nursery & Pre-School.

We'll be sharing more soon, but we'd love to hear your guesses first.

Let us know in the comments.