Little Explorers Day Nursery, Leicester

Children’s safety and wellbeing are central to nursery life at Little Explorers. We serve balanced, nutritious meals throughout the nursery day, while our Health and Self programme gives children practical opportunities to learn about looking after themselves and making healthy choices as they grow.

Through the GrandirUK App, families receive regular updates about their child’s learning and daily routines, helping them stay connected with nursery life and giving our team and families useful information to share with each other.

Seasonal events, celebrations and Stay and Play sessions create further opportunities for families to spend time at the nursery, share experiences with their child and be part of nursery life.

Sing and Sign sessions and Make and Bake activities are regular parts of the week at Little Explorers, alongside creative and sensory experiences that give children different opportunities to communicate, explore and use their imagination.

Regular outings extend these experiences into the local community, including visits to the nearby fruit and veg shop. Here, children can discover different foods and learn more about healthy choices while becoming familiar with the people and places around Knighton.

Our nursery has recently been refreshed, with bright, modern spaces thoughtfully arranged around children’s different ages and stages. Soft flooring, neutral tones and well-organised areas create comfortable environments with plenty of opportunities to play, explore and make choices.

• Sweet Peas: For babies and younger toddlers, with dedicated areas for rest, sensory play and early exploration, as well as a nappy-changing area within the room.
  
  
• Daisies and Preschool: A versatile, open-plan space with areas for both adult-led and child-led experiences, giving children opportunities to explore their creativity, develop growing independence and build skills that support their preparation for school.

Children move into their next room when they are developmentally and emotionally ready, rather than simply because they have reached a particular age. Across the nursery, a range of resources and creative experiences support learning through play.

Outdoor space

Our outdoor area has a soft lawn and different play zones, alongside a sandpit and large loose-parts resources that children can move, combine and use in different ways through their play.

Children have opportunities to garden, balance, explore nature and create their own imaginative games outdoors. These varied experiences encourage movement, exploration and curiosity while giving children another environment in which to follow their interests.

High-quality care starts with familiarity. Our long-standing team gives children opportunities to build consistent relationships with the people caring for them, while allowing the team to get to know each child’s individual needs, routines and personality.

Children move into their next room when they are developmentally and emotionally ready, rather than simply because they have reached a particular age. This individual approach means transitions can happen at a pace that is right for each child.

Our Early Years curriculum gives children plenty of opportunities to express their creativity, make choices and develop growing independence. Experiences support key areas of development including communication, physical development, problem-solving and understanding the world.

Our bespoke programmes, including Make and Bake, Innovate and Investigate, and Health and Self, bring these areas of learning to life through practical experiences. Together, they help children develop skills, confidence and independence that support their preparation for school and future learning.

Exploration is an important part of developing independence. Our recently refreshed rooms are thoughtfully arranged with soft flooring, neutral tones and well-organised areas, creating an environment where children have space to explore, make choices and follow their interests.

Our bespoke programmes build on this through practical, hands-on experiences, while regular outings to places such as Clarendon Park and local shops take exploration beyond the nursery and into the community around them.

For families with more than one child, having siblings at the same nursery means one drop-off and pick-up, while each child can enjoy experiences suited to their own age and stage.

As Daisies and Preschool share an open-plan room, brothers and sisters who are close in age may have opportunities to play and learn alongside each other. Younger siblings in Sweet Peas are nearby, with shared outdoor spaces including the lawn and sandpit giving children further opportunities to see each other during the nursery day.

Sibling places are subject to availability, but where we have space in the appropriate rooms, we will always look at the options for welcoming brothers and sisters together.

Led by Nursery Manager Kerry, our experienced team includes many members who have been part of Little Explorers for more than ten years. This continuity gives children opportunities to build familiar, consistent relationships with the people caring for them throughout their time at nursery.

All members of the team are trained in first aid and take time to get to know each child as an individual. Through warm, respectful relationships, they support children as they develop their confidence, independence and skills throughout their Early Years.