Fonthill Lodge Childcare

It is with deep sadness that we share the passing of our dear colleague and friend Connie, who was a valued member of our Lucan crèche family for over 20years.
Connie touched the lives of so many children, families and colleagues through her kindness warmth and dedication. She will be greatly missed by all who had the privilege of knowing and working with her.
Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with Connie’s family and friends during this very difficult time.
May she rest in peace 💜

rip.ie

🦕 Dinosaur fun sensory play in Parkleigh Caterpillars room 🦖

The children had a fantastic time exploring dinosaurs through hands-on sensory play, digging, touching, discovering and using their imaginations together. Sensory play helps support children’s fine motor skills, language development, creativity, and social interaction, all while making learning exciting and engaging.

Playing with dinosaurs encourages curiosity about the world, storytelling, problem-solving and imagination. From squishy textures to dinosaur discoveries full of fun, exploration and learning through play!

In Lucan the Yellow room had lots of fun working on their fine motor development while taking part in a tracing activity. The children worked independently on this activity and took their time to connect the shapes on their under the sea pictures. This activity supported hand eye co-ordination, concentration, confidence and independence.

The children also took part in a lock & key activity which encouraged early numeracy skills, teamwork, problem solving, hand-eye co-ordination and trial & error, while encouraging the children to be independent & confident in making their own decisions.

In the Bees Room at Parkleigh we’ve been making the most of the lovely weather with yoga and story time in the garden 🐝📖🧘‍♀️ A perfect mix of relaxation, imagination, and fresh air!

We love seeing the children engage, explore, and enjoy every moment of their day 💛

🌿✨ A peek into our busy days at Parkleigh! ✨🌿

In our Nest Room, sensory play is a big favourite at the moment! The children are loving exploring lights, colourful balls, and different textures—sparking curiosity, exploring and it brings with it a sense of calm

In Hollystown the children became little chefs and made their very own homemade pizzas 🍕

This hands on activity was about so much more than just food. The children explored early maths skills as they counted toppings, built fine motor skills while spreading sauce and sprinkling cheese, and developed independence and confidence by making their own choices.

Making pizza also opened up great conversations about healthy eating. We talked about how different toppings like vegetables, cheese can help our bodies grow strong and stay energised. The children learned that pizza can be a balanced, nutritious meal when we include a variety of food groups.

Cooking together encourages teamwork, communication, creativity and of course, the joy of sharing something they made themselves.

Learning through play (and a little bit of flour!) 💛

🐣🌸 Easter fun in full swing at Parkleigh creche 🌸🐣

The children have been busy exploring lots of sensory play this week. From searching for eggs hidden among flowers, to scooping, pouring and discovering textures, there has been plenty of hands on learning.

We also enjoyed messy play with colourful rice and small world items, encouraging curiosity, creativity and lots of chatting and sharing together 💛

Outdoors, the children explored natural materials with their feet, building confidence and experiencing different textures in a fun and playful way.

A lovely week of learning through play 🌷

☘️This week in the Owls class in Clonee we have been exploring St. Patrick’s Day through a range of creative, sensory, and hands-on learning experiences.
During the week, the children worked on different activities that helped them learn about important Irish symbols while also developing their creativity and fine motor skills. One of their art projects was creating the Irish flag using their hands and paint in the colours green, white, and orange. After painting, the children decorated their flags with small pieces of coloured card and stickers, encouraging creativity and careful hand coordination.
The children also created fun leprechaun-themed artwork using sponges and forks to stamp different textures and shapes. This activity allowed them to explore painting in a playful way while learning about leprechauns, which are an important part of Irish folklore and St. Patrick’s Day traditions.
In addition, the class explored sensory tables where the children searched for hidden St. Patrick’s themed objects. Through these activities, they learned about some of the key symbols of the celebration. The children discovered what a shamrock is, talked about the colour green and why it is strongly associated with Ireland and St. Patrick’s Day, and learned about leprechauns as magical characters that are part of Irish stories and traditions.
Overall, it has been a very engaging week where the children explored Irish culture through art, sensory play, and discovery-based learning