Muddy Monkies Downwood Vineyard

I feel very secure in the knowledge that my son is well looked after at Muddy Monkies and is safe, understood and thriving.

Daughter loved her time here and didn’t want to come home. Would recommend it to anyone whose little one likes the outdoors.

Our son started at Muddy Monkies in January 2022, we joined the setting at a very upsetting time for our family. All the staff went out of their way to accommodate us and give him the support, care and reassurance that he needed in such unsettling times.

The staff are all incredibly kind, considerate and hard-working. They take the time to listen to any concerns and issues and will go out of their way to help resolve them by working alongside us.

Our son loves the outdoor setting and all the staff and children. Muddy Monkies has definitely brought the best out in him and he’s learning and developing each day he attends. We have come to love hearing all about his day and we wouldn’t want to send him to any other nursery, it’s the perfect setting for our outdoor-loving son.

Our daughter has a fantastic time at Muddy Monkies. Her confidence has grown tremendously since she started last September. It is lovely to see her playing games at home that reflect activities that she does while at forest school. It's lovely hearing all of the new songs that she is learning and her stories of what she has been doing each time. We love that she gets to spend so much time outside and has a fantastic time doing it. It is rare that a week goes by where we don't comment to each other about how pleased we are with the decision to send our daughter to Muddy Monkies.

Muddy Monkies Ltd. and the whole team are just amazing! My 2 year old has made incredible progress since she has joined last year. She used to be very shy but her confidence has blossomed since joining the forest school. Kids are allowed to be kids under professional supervision, learning is made fun and I feel the staff gives each child just the right support and encouragement they need. My daughter always sings the songs she has learnt at Muddy Monkies, she loves having a sleep in a hammock, climbing trees and sliding in the mud. The team always make sure the children are safe and are very professional. I feel very confident leaving my child in their care. Highly recommend!

My 4 year old and 8 year old went here 1 day a week during the summer holiday and both absolutely loved it, they had fun, made new friends and tried different activities! They are lovely and very professional and I felt really comfortable leaving my kids in there care. They keep asking when they can go again.

Overall, the children and staff were very happy, eager to learn new things, had great teamwork and I never heard anyone say they were bored. I admire how the staff are always working towards the next project and I would always recommend Muddy Monkies Forest School.

We use Muddy Monkies Ltd for holiday childcare as my little girl is at school. She absolutely loves her days there and is so very happy and exhausted from being on the go all day when collected. She constantly asks when she's next there. So very thankful they are close by to us.

I am so glad we made the decision to put my son into Muddy Monkies Ltd. It provides the children with so much experience and opportunity on a daily basis. From having their lunch cooked on an open fire to patrolling the perimeter to carry out safety checks and a lot of time climbing trees and sliding down muddy hills in between. He absolutely loves it and every pick up I am greeted with a huge ‘Mummy!!’ and beaming smiles. I have one hundred percent confidence in the staff, setting and wish he could start his school journey here too!

Muddy Monkies is the most fantastic place for both my children to learn, play and have fun. All the staff there give the children so much attention, patience and understanding. I really like that they give such a thorough handover at the end of the day, so you know exactly what your children have been up to. The staff have such commitment to ensuring the children feel safe, alongside encouraging independence. My children always come out of the setting with a smile on their face. I couldn’t recommend it enough.

All staff are lovely and he even learns French and German.

My little pre schooler’s journey couldn’t have had a more positive beginning, he is so content and happy. The rate at which he is learning and changing is astounding and it’s all achieved through pure fun! Highly recommended!

The setting is amazing, and the skills the children learn are just fantastic. It is lovely hearing and seeing all their adventures when it's the holidays, and not once have they come home without a huge smile on their faces! They count down the days until they get to go again!

My son absolutely loved going to Muddy Monkies. His confidence grew so much whilst attending this forest school. He loved being outside in the fantastic woodland setting. It's really great that the children are given so much opportunity to connect with nature. The environment at Muddy Monkies is extremely nurturing and my son came home happy every day. I highly recommend this setting to any parent.

The children who go to Muddy Monkies come home and are chatting away about the day they had and what healthy meals are provided for them on the open fire.

The team at Muddy Monkies are an amazing group of early years educators that we feel so blessed to have found. The forest school ethos behind Muddy Monkies of child-led learning through nature and play is completely in alignment with how I feel children should be encouraged to learn. It has been a complete joy to see our daughter engage with her key worker (who has seemingly unending positive energy) and form bonds with the other children so quickly. She already, in only a matter of weeks, knows more about the woodlands than I do, whilst at the same time making numerous mud pies, sandcastles, and even performing a puppet show! Couldn't recommend this place more. Thank you!

My daughter is having a ball at Muddy Monkies. The staff could not be more welcoming, knowledgeable and professional. She is loving all of the various activities she has the opportunity to take part in and I love the fact that she is outside and making the most of nature during her time there.

Amazing in every way. I couldn't wish for a better setting for my son to attend. I was apprehensive about leaving my son due to personal reasons, however the staff enabled us both to feel safe and secure in every step of our transition into child care. The staff are so extremely dedicated and are full of passion which is so clearly evidenced by their practice, their ability to build long lasting, meaningful relationships with my son and their interest in incorporating me in the care they provide. My son leaves the setting extremely happy and excited to tell me about his day and what he has learnt, he speaks so fondly of the professionals and loves attending. Would recommend this setting to any of my friends with children!