Mini Explorers Nursery

Call Directions Website Contact the school

Mini Explorers Nursery Here at Mini Explorers we endorse the outdoors. The emphasis is on outdoor learning and adventure. There is no substitute for first hand experiences.

We hope that by taking elements from some of the leading Early Childhood thinkers and from other leading practice that our nursery will grow into a place where children can wallow in their childhood, engaging with the natural world. Children need time to grow their own ideas and space to allow their thinking to branch out in different directions. The freedom to try out new things will enable children to connect their thinking without the fear of failure; there is a lot to learn when things don’t work out the way you plan them - we all learn through our mistakes. Children are fascinated by the simple treasures they find; a prickly fir cone, a tiny flower, a shiny stone. At Mini Explorers we believe their world is naturally full to the brim of learning opportunities, counting the spots on a ladybird, mixing paint to the shades of autumn leaves and comparing the length of twigs. We believe it is important to make the connection between the food we eat and where it comes from visible to children. We want to help them enjoy the cycle of planting, nurturing, harvesting and of course, eating the freshest of foods. At Mini Explorers children don’t just look at the seasons they feel, smell, hear and taste the seasonal changes.

🍂🪄 Lots of busy hands and magical creations! 🪄🍂Our Hoppity Hares and Farm School One children have been letting their im...
20/10/2026

🍂🪄 Lots of busy hands and magical creations! 🪄🍂

Our Hoppity Hares and Farm School One children have been letting their imaginations run wild as they created the most magical potions using a wonderful mixture of colourful, textured and autumnal materials!

From leaves and conkers to tomatoes, apples and pumpkin seeds, our little explorers gathered their ingredients, carefully added them to their mixtures and stirred up some truly magical creations!

But the magic didn't stop there! This simple, hands-on activity offered so many wonderful learning opportunities. Our children explored colours and textures, practised measuring and pouring, splashed and stirred, shared tools and developed their fine motor skills as they carefully handled their ingredients.

There was plenty of language development, imaginative play, problem-solving and teamwork too! The children chatted about their creations, experimented with different materials and brought their wonderful ideas to life.

Activities like these show just how much learning can come from exploring the world around us. By following the children's interests and giving them the freedom to investigate, create and experiment, we're supporting their curiosity, confidence and development in the most magical way!

✨ Who knew autumn could be so magical? ✨

🌿🐰 COME AND EXPLORE MINI EXPLORERS! Looking for a nursery where your little one can learn, grow and enjoy the magic of c...
18/10/2026

🌿🐰 COME AND EXPLORE MINI EXPLORERS!

Looking for a nursery where your little one can learn, grow and enjoy the magic of childhood in the great outdoors?

We'd love to welcome you and your family to our November Open Day! 💚
Nestled within the beautiful countryside at Crabtree Hall, Mini Explorers is a little different from your traditional nursery.

With over 260 acres of countryside on our doorstep, our children enjoy the very best of both worlds, with warm, nurturing indoor environments and endless opportunities for outdoor adventures.

From woodland walks and muddy puddles to caring for our farm animals, growing and harvesting our own produce and discovering the wonders of the natural world, every day is filled with opportunities to explore, discover and learn.

🌿 MINI EXPLORERS OPEN DAY 🌿
📅 Saturday 7th November 2026
⏰ 10am - 12noon
📍 Mini Explorers Nursery, Crabtree Hall, DL7 9LN

Come along, have a wander around our nursery and experience a little of what makes Mini Explorers so special.

You'll have the opportunity to explore our lovely indoor and outdoor spaces, meet some of our much loved animals and get to know the wonderful team who make our nursery such a happy and welcoming place.

We'd love to hear all about your little one, answer any questions you may have and chat about everything from our unique Farm School approach to nursery sessions, availability and funding options.

Whether you're looking for a nursery place in the coming months or simply starting to think about the next chapter for your little one, we'd be delighted to meet you.
Because at Mini Explorers, we believe childhood should be full of curiosity, adventure, muddy wellies, wonderful friendships and those little everyday moments that make the biggest memories. 🤍

🎟️ Our Open Day is free to attend, but booking is essential.
Reserve your family's place here:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/.../mini-explorers-nursery...
📧 [email protected]
📞 01609 749152

We can't wait to open our doors and welcome some new little explorers and their families! 🌿🐰

Hoppity Hares’ Natural Obstacle Course! 🌿Our Hoppity Hares have been busy exploring, balancing and building their physic...
17/10/2026

Hoppity Hares’ Natural Obstacle Course! 🌿

Our Hoppity Hares have been busy exploring, balancing and building their physical skills with our fantastic obstacle course!

Using materials found in nature, the children had so much fun challenging themselves in lots of different ways. From balancing along low beams and beams raised off the ground, to carefully stepping on tree stumps and stepping over logs while counting them, there was plenty to keep little bodies and minds busy!

We also introduced a circle, triangle and square made from natural materials for the children to jump into, helping them to develop their shape recognition alongside their gross motor skills.

As the children took turns to have a go, they were also developing their social skills, learning to wait patiently, share the space and encourage their friends.

Activities like these are a wonderful way to develop:

🌿 Balance, coordination and core strength
🌿 Confidence and independence
🌿 Turn-taking and social skills
🌿 Counting and early maths skills
🌿 Shape recognition
🌿 Problem-solving and spatial awareness

We love seeing our little explorers learn through active, hands-on experiences, using simple natural materials to create exciting opportunities for play, discovery and learning. 🍂

🎃🍂 Pumpkin exploring with our Hoppity Hares and Farm School One! 🍂🎃Our Hoppity Hares and Farm School One children have b...
16/10/2026

🎃🍂 Pumpkin exploring with our Hoppity Hares and Farm School One! 🍂🎃

Our Hoppity Hares and Farm School One children have been getting hands-on with their pumpkins, and what a fantastic learning experience it turned out to be!

The children explored a variety of different-sized spoons to scoop out the insides, discovering the different textures and using their hands and tools to investigate. We also introduced knives for cutting, giving us a wonderful opportunity to talk about knife safety and how to use tools carefully and safely.

But the learning didn't stop there! The children used their pincer grip to carefully pick out the pumpkin seeds, we lined them up and counted them, developing their fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination and early mathematical understanding along the way.

Once we'd finished exploring and cutting our pumpkins, it was time for a little imaginative play! 🥄☕ We added our pumpkin pieces to our cauldrons, poured in some water, added a dollop of cream (shaving foam!) and finished with a sprinkle of our pumpkin seeds. And just like that… we had created the perfect pumpkin latte, complete with cream and sprinkles! 🎃☕✨

Who knew one simple pumpkin could offer so many wonderful learning opportunities? From sensory exploration and fine motor development to counting, tool safety, communication and imaginative play, our mini explorers have been learning through every scoop, pour and sprinkle! 🧡🍂

🎃

🍂🌾 Our FS2 Scarecrow Creations! 🌾🍂Our FS2 children have been busy getting creative and making their very own scarecrow! ...
15/10/2026

🍂🌾 Our FS2 Scarecrow Creations! 🌾🍂

Our FS2 children have been busy getting creative and making their very own scarecrow!

The children have loved getting involved, exploring different materials and working together to bring their scarecrow to life. We think they’ve done a fantastic job!

Our scarecrow was inspired by Harry O’Hay from The Scarecrows’ Wedding! You may have spotted Harry making a special appearance at our Harvest Sing-Along last week, too!

Well done, FS2 — we’re so proud of your wonderful creations!

Our Mini Explorers have been busy discovering our new A-frame climbing structure, and they already LOVE it! It’s been w...
14/10/2026

Our Mini Explorers have been busy discovering our new A-frame climbing structure, and they already LOVE it! It’s been wonderful to see the children exploring, climbing and challenging themselves as they discover all the different ways they can use this exciting new addition.

Although it may look like simply a fun addition to our outdoor environment, our A-frame offers so many valuable learning opportunities for our young children!

Physical Development – Climbing, balancing and moving around the structure helps children develop their gross motor skills, coordination, strength and spatial awareness.

Building Confidence and Independence – As children explore the A-frame at their own pace, they develop confidence in their abilities, take on new challenges and celebrate their achievements.

Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking – Working out where to place their hands and feet and how to move around the structure encourages children to think, experiment and persevere.

At Mini Explorers, we believe some of the most meaningful learning happens when children are free to explore, take on new challenges and learn through hands-on experiences. Seeing how quickly our mini explorers have embraced their new A-frame is a lovely reminder that learning through play can be both exciting and full of opportunity!

🍂🎃 Autumn Adventures for our Smallest Explorers! 🍁🧡Our smallest Explorers have been busy discovering the magic of autumn...
13/10/2026

🍂🎃 Autumn Adventures for our Smallest Explorers! 🍁🧡

Our smallest Explorers have been busy discovering the magic of autumn through a wonderful sensory basket inspired by the colours, textures and treasures of the season!

From exploring the bumpy textures of pumpkins and courgettes to noticing the beautiful autumnal colours, our little ones have been encouraged to investigate using their senses, developing their curiosity and beginning to make sense of the world around them.

Alongside our sensory explorations, we've been enjoying the lovely story The Scarecrows' Wedding by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler! This delightful tale has brought our autumn theme to life, encouraging early language development, listening skills and a love of stories from the very beginning.

Through these simple but meaningful experiences, our babies are developing their sensory awareness, fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination and early communication skills, all while having lots of fun exploring at their own pace. 🍁

🌿 Exciting developments at Mini Explorers! 🌿Some of our families may have spotted a familiar van on site recently… AB Pl...
12/10/2026

🌿 Exciting developments at Mini Explorers! 🌿

Some of our families may have spotted a familiar van on site recently… AB Playgrounds are here, and we have some very exciting developments well underway that we just know the children are going to LOVE! 💚

First up, in our paddock… we have a brand-new A-frame for the children to explore! This exciting addition will provide opportunities for the children to develop their physical skills, build strength, improve balance and coordination, and challenge themselves as they climb up, over and down the other side. It will also encourage problem-solving, spatial awareness, perseverance and confidence as they learn to assess risks and challenge themselves safely.

🐦 And over in our Forest School area… we're creating an incredible new bird-watching area! This will give the children a wonderful opportunity to slow down, observe the wildlife around them and discover more about the birds that share our outdoor environment. From spotting different birds and listening to their songs to noticing their behaviours and learning how we can care for and protect wildlife, there will be so many opportunities to develop curiosity, language skills and a love of the natural world.

At Mini Explorers, we're passionate about creating exciting outdoor spaces where children can be adventurous, curious and independent, learning through real experiences and connecting with the world around them. 🌱

Our newest Baby Bunnies are continuing to settle beautifully into nursery life, growing in confidence and becoming more ...
10/10/2026

Our newest Baby Bunnies are continuing to settle beautifully into nursery life, growing in confidence and becoming more familiar with their surroundings, routines and the lovely faces who care for them each day.

As they begin to feel more comfortable in their new environment, we’re seeing lots of wonderful moments of curiosity and exploration. Through sensory experiences involving sound, taste, touch and movement, our babies are discovering the world around them, developing their early skills as they reach, grasp, shake and investigate different objects.

Our Baby Bunnies team continue to build those all important relationships through gentle interactions, familiar voices, smiles and plenty of reassurance. These little moments help our babies feel safe, secure and valued, giving them the confidence to explore at their own pace.

It's lovely to see their little personalities beginning to shine through as they develop a growing sense of belonging here at Mini Explorers.

🌿🐰 COME AND EXPLORE MINI EXPLORERS! Looking for a nursery where your little one can learn, grow and enjoy the magic of c...
10/10/2026

🌿🐰 COME AND EXPLORE MINI EXPLORERS!

Looking for a nursery where your little one can learn, grow and enjoy the magic of childhood in the great outdoors?

We'd love to welcome you and your family to our November Open Day! 💚

Nestled within the beautiful countryside at Crabtree Hall, Mini Explorers is a little different from your traditional nursery.

With over 260 acres of countryside on our doorstep, our children enjoy the very best of both worlds, with warm, nurturing indoor environments and endless opportunities for outdoor adventures.

From woodland walks and muddy puddles to caring for our farm animals, growing and harvesting our own produce and discovering the wonders of the natural world, every day is filled with opportunities to explore, discover and learn.

🌿 MINI EXPLORERS OPEN DAY 🌿

📅 Saturday 7th November 2026
⏰ 10am - 12noon
📍 Mini Explorers Nursery, Crabtree Hall, DL7 9LN

Come along, have a wander around our nursery and experience a little of what makes Mini Explorers so special.

You'll have the opportunity to explore our lovely indoor and outdoor spaces, meet some of our much loved animals and get to know the wonderful team who make our nursery such a happy and welcoming place.

We'd love to hear all about your little one, answer any questions you may have and chat about everything from our unique Farm School approach to nursery sessions, availability and funding options.

Whether you're looking for a nursery place in the coming months or simply starting to think about the next chapter for your little one, we'd be delighted to meet you.

Because at Mini Explorers, we believe childhood should be full of curiosity, adventure, muddy wellies, wonderful friendships and those little everyday moments that make the biggest memories. 🤍

🎟️ Our Open Day is free to attend, but booking is essential.

Reserve your family's place here:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/mini-explorers-nursery-open-day-tickets-2002698313567?aff=oddtdtcreator

📧 [email protected]
📞 01609 749152

We can't wait to open our doors and welcome some new little explorers and their families! 🌿🐰

Address

Crabtree Hall
Northallerton
DL79LN

Opening Hours

Monday 7am - 6:30pm
Tuesday 7am - 6:30pm
Wednesday 7am - 6:30pm
Thursday 7am - 6:30pm
Friday 7am - 6:30pm

Telephone

01609 749152

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Mini Explorers Nursery posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The School

Send a message to Mini Explorers Nursery:

Shortcuts

Share

Category