Nursery packed lunches requires careful thought to ensure meals are safe, nutritious, and enjoyable. The following key considerations will help create a positive and supportive mealtime experience for every child in your nursery. Share your expectations with parents through your Nutrition and Mealtimes Policy. Where to store nursery packed lunches Ensure you provide a designated… Continue reading Nursery packed lunches: things to consider
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Top tips: Easy outdoor activities for families this spring
Spring is a wonderous time to get outside and appreciate the magnificent world around us. Encouraging parents to embrace the outdoors at this time of year can have many benefits, including: What can we do outdoors? NDNA products related to these tips PANCo – https://ndna.org.uk/panco/ Disclaimer: Activities with children must always be risk assessed, including… Continue reading Top tips: Easy outdoor activities for families this spring
Early years activity: Easter maths
This Easter/spring themed sensory tray will be perfect for encouraging the children to engage in a hands on, sensory play experience. It will also help to hone their mathematical thinking and understanding. Learning aims Resources you will need Easter maths activity guide How can you extend this Easter maths activity? Make an Easter/spring themed treasure… Continue reading Early years activity: Easter maths
Government approves grants for 300 school-based nurseries
The DfE has announced that it has approved grants for the first 300 new or extended nurseries in schools today. This is part of their plan to boost early education and care places in areas of high demand and low supply. But NDNA has been warning since the plan was first suggested in Labour’s manifesto… Continue reading Government approves grants for 300 school-based nurseries
Top tips: Bring the outside in
Bringing nature into your nursery provides children with rich, hands-on experiences that enhance curiosity, exploration and overall development. Incorporating nature into children’s daily activities, cultivates a deeper connection to the world around them and potentially, a life-long engagement with the environment and an accompanying sense of responsibility towards it. Here are 10 tips to help… Continue reading Top tips: Bring the outside in
Early years activity: Spring sense
Spring has sprung so let’s get outside and explore this busy season with all our senses. Start with a walk to observe, touch, smell and feel the environment and then create a sensory bin with all the treasures you’ve found along the way. Learning aims Resources you’ll need Spring sense activity guide How can you… Continue reading Early years activity: Spring sense
Take nurseries out of unfunded NIC increases – sign the petition
With National Insurance Contribution (NIC) changes about to hit underfunded nurseries and increase the cost of childcare, NDNA is fully supporting a new petition to exempt childcare settings. This was launched by NDNA’s Nottinghamshire network chair Karen Richards in December but has taken months to go through the Petitions Committee’s clearance process. According to NDNA’s… Continue reading Take nurseries out of unfunded NIC increases – sign the petition
Schematic play: what are play schemas in early years?
Find out what schematic play is and what it looks like to better understand children’s development and play patterns. One of the key elements of early childhood learning is play schemas – repeated patterns of behaviour through which children explore and understand the world around them. What are schemas? Schemas in early years are repetitive… Continue reading Schematic play: what are play schemas in early years?
NDNA blog: Marketing your nursery – top tips part 1
In this series of blogs, National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) provides top tips on developing and implementing a marketing strategy for your nursery. The articles address each important aspect of promoting your nursery. We also provide links to where you can find further training and information. In part one of our marketing top tips blog,… Continue reading NDNA blog: Marketing your nursery – top tips part 1
NICs debated in Parliament: “different treatment” for maintained nurseries highlighted
The Department for Education has published how it will deliver £25 million of additional funding to help schools with early years provision and publicly maintained settings. The funding for 2025/26 is to support those settings with NICs costs relating to both teachers and support staff costs associated with the increase to NICs. The NICs grant will provide additional funding in respect… Continue reading NICs debated in Parliament: “different treatment” for maintained nurseries highlighted
Coram report: cost of childcare increasing in Wales and Scotland but halved in England
Coram’s annual childcare report 2025 shows just how much the funded entitlement can support parents with the average childcare bill halving for parents in England. https://www.familyandchildcaretrust.org/childcare-survey-2025 However, those who are not eligible have seen their bills rising by £100 a week or more. In Scotland and Wales where expansion of places for two year olds… Continue reading Coram report: cost of childcare increasing in Wales and Scotland but halved in England
Top tips: Keeping special days in early years settings inclusive
Celebrating special days and celebrations can be a source of joy for children, families and staff. Family dynamics can be wide and varied. You should ensure you are keeping special days in early years settings inclusive to all the families in your nursery community. Our top tips will help you to review your inclusive approach… Continue reading Top tips: Keeping special days in early years settings inclusive
Early years activity: Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day can be a wonderful opportunity to celebrate mothers and other special people in a child’s life. This early years Mother’s Day activity will support children to discuss acts of kindness and care, and identify their emotions. Learning aims Resources you’ll need Early years Mother’s Day activity guide How can you extend this early… Continue reading Early years activity: Mother’s Day
IPPR report on collective bargaining highlights childcare
The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) have published a report on areas where sector specific collective bargaining could help improve pay and conditions for workers. Childcare has been highlighted as a next step after adult social care. The report highlights the fact that the government is facing challenges in delivering its missions in crucial… Continue reading IPPR report on collective bargaining highlights childcare
Private day nurseries eligible for claiming Employment Allowance at increased rate
Following lobbying from NDNA, the Government has issued further specific guidance around eligibility of private and voluntary run nurseries across the UK for the National Insurance Contributions (NIC) Employment Allowance. Although the NIC will increase for employers from April 2025, the Employment Allowance (EA) will also increase from £5,000 per employer to £10,500. This could… Continue reading Private day nurseries eligible for claiming Employment Allowance at increased rate
Top Tips: Poetry in the early years
Getting into the habit of describing the world around us is a wonderful way to build a rich vocabulary and lays the foundation for creating and appreciating poetry. To celebrate World Poetry Day, why not share these top tips with parents to encourage them to create poems at home? Tips to encourage parents to create… Continue reading Top Tips: Poetry in the early years
Early years poetry activity: Whispers of Spring
In this sensory poetry activity, children will use their senses to explore the signs of spring, to be inspired, and spark discussion, leading to the creation of a collaborative poem that captures the essence of spring. Learning aims The learning aims of this activity are to promote sensory engagement by letting children experience nature and… Continue reading Early years poetry activity: Whispers of Spring
Early years activity: Holi – the festival of colours
Holi is a vibrant Hindu festival that marks the arrival of spring and celebrates love and new beginnings. It is also known as the Festival of Colours. This Holi early years activity encourages children to celebrate colours and have fun with friends. Learning aims There are many different learning outcomes of this activity. To encourage… Continue reading Early years activity: Holi – the festival of colours
Top tips: Embedding other cultures in your setting
Inclusion means that all children feel seen, heard and valued in their setting. Embedding a variety of cultures into your practice improves their sense of self and supports positive mental health. Here are some top tips to embed all cultures into your setting: Looking for ways to embed diverse cultures into your nursery setting? Our… Continue reading Top tips: Embedding other cultures in your setting
Updated charging parents nursery guidance April 2025
In February 2025, the Department for Education updated its early education and childcare funded places guidance that local authorities – and consequently providers – must follow. Template letter to explain charging parents nursery guidance to parents NDNA understands that you need to be able to communicate clearly with parents about why you make charges to… Continue reading Updated charging parents nursery guidance April 2025