Ashbourne Day Nurseries at Orton Southgate

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Peterborough nursery praised by Ofsted for “warm and welcoming” care and confident children

Our children have worked incredibly hard this week at home with their families making Easter bonnets. They all look absolutely amazing!

We are so grateful for the wonderful support from our families—thank you for your time, effort, and creativity.🐣👒
If you look closely there is a cheeky chick that keeps photo bombing Caitlyn's photos.

Our babies love being outdoors and exploring new physical movements 🌿☀️

Outdoor play provides wonderful opportunities for our youngest children to develop their physical skills in a natural and stimulating environment. As they crawl, cruise, walk and climb, they are strengthening their core muscles, developing balance and coordination, and building confidence in their growing abilities.

The uneven surfaces, open spaces and fresh air offer rich sensory experiences that encourage curiosity and exploration. Staff are always close by, offering reassurance and modelling simple language such as “step,” “climb,” “up,” and “down,” supporting both physical development and communication.

It is lovely to see the babies challenge themselves, persevere and celebrate their achievements — all while enjoying the benefits of being active outdoors. We are so proud of their growing independence and confidence.

Our children have been exploring crafts to express their emotions by making their very own Colour Monster creations 🎨🌈

Through this activity, the children used a variety of materials — paints, paper, and collage items — to represent different feelings, helping them to recognise and communicate their emotions. This hands-on approach supports emotional literacy, fine motor skills, and creativity all at once.

As they worked, the children talked about their feelings, made choices about colours, and shared their creations with peers, fostering confidence, self-expression, and social interaction.

Our preschoolers have been exploring habitats this week, learning all about where dinosaurs used to live and the other animals around them 🦖🌿

The children were fascinated by how dinosaurs built their homes, so we brought some hay to create dinosaur nests for the eggs. They enthusiastically got involved in shaping and arranging the nests, supporting their fine motor skills and imaginative play.

The preschoolers also reminded us that dinosaurs needed water — not just for drinking, but for washing too! This encouraged discussions about animal care, the needs of living things, and the importance of water in different habitats.

We are proud to announce that we have achieved Millie’s Mark accreditation!
This recognition reflects our commitment to going above and beyond every day to keep children safe, while continuously minimising risks and preventing accidents. 💜💜💜

Our babies enjoyed a sensory baking experience as they explored mixing ingredients to make cookies 🍪

The baby room were supported to pour, scoop and stir, developing their fine motor skills and hand–eye coordination. They explored different textures, noticing how the flour felt soft and how the mixture changed as ingredients were combined. This activity encouraged early curiosity, concentration and confidence.

Staff modelled language throughout, introducing simple words such as “mix,” “pour,” “soft,” and “sticky,” supporting communication and language development. The children were given time to explore at their own pace, with close supervision to ensure a safe and nurturing environment.

It was wonderful to see their smiles and engagement as they experienced the sights, smells and textures of baking together.

Sharing this for our parents & carers💜

Meningitis is a serious condition. The current outbreak in Kent has been linked to the MenB strain. If you become worried about yourself, your child, or a friend, particularly if symptoms are getting worse, seek medical help urgently. Early treatment can be life-saving.

Keep up-to-date with the UK Health Security Agency blog post at: https://ukhsa.blog.gov.uk/2026/03/18/meningitis-b-outbreak-what-you-need-to-know

Hello Spring! Happy Spring Equinox! 🌸

Today, 20th March, marks the Spring Equinox — the first day of spring, when day and night are nearly equal in length 🌞🌙

Spring is a wonderful time of year filled with new beginnings, growth, and discovery. At nursery, the children will be exploring the changing seasons through nature activities, outdoor play, and learning all about how the world around us begins to bloom again 🌱🌷

We love celebrating seasonal moments that encourage curiosity, exploration, and a connection with nature.

How are you welcoming spring at home? 🌼 Share your springtime moments with us in the comments!

At Ashbourne, we believe in children learning through play, and today the children’s interest in sand provided the perfect opportunity to explore a variety of skills 🌾

Our preschool staff noticed how engaged the children were with the sand and thoughtfully embedded learning across multiple areas. While scooping, pouring and shaping, the children developed their fine motor skills, coordination, and early mathematical concepts such as volume and comparison.

We also introduced literacy in a playful way, encouraging the children to explore letters, words, and storytelling inspired by their sand creations. This approach supported language development, curiosity, and creativity, all while keeping the learning child-led and fun.

Our babies love exploring messy play — especially gloup! 🤍

Gloup is a wonderful sensory experience that supports early development in so many ways. As the babies squeeze, pat and scoop the mixture, they are strengthening their fine motor skills and hand muscles. They explore new textures and watch how the mixture changes when pressure is applied, encouraging curiosity and early scientific thinking.

Messy play like this also supports communication and language as staff model simple descriptive words such as “squishy,” “runny,” “soft,” and “splash.” Most importantly, it allows the children to explore freely, build confidence and enjoy learning through hands-on experiences in a safe and nurturing environment.

✨ Would you like to try making gloup at home? ✨

It’s simple and safe to create:

You will need:
• 2 cups of cornflour
• 1 cup of water
• A bowl
• Optional: a few drops of food colouring

Method:
Slowly add the water to the cornflour and mix with your hands or a spoon. Keep stirring until it forms a smooth, silky mixture. You can add a little more water or cornflour to adjust the texture. It should feel solid when squeezed and turn runny when released!

Top tip: Place a mat or tray underneath for easy clean-up and let your little one explore at their own pace.