Earth Day: top tips for choosing an eco-friendly nursery

Grandir UK day nurseries and preschools are celebrating Earth Day this April, bringing parents with children between 0 – 5 years their top tips for choosing a nursery and preschool that not only looks after your child, but also reserves a spot for nature.

In 2024, eco-friendly action has become more and more important for a lot of people, with many making changes to the products they buy, services they use and the actions they take. You can also implement these changes into your nursery choice too.

Here’s Grandir UK’s top three tips to finding an eco-friendly nursery and preschool that’s right for you:

1. Look for nurseries with greener spaces

Outdoor play is a big part of the EYFS framework, and many nurseries and preschools will have a garden, outdoor space or take their children on regular outings to the local park.

But why not take this one step further and look for a nursery that encompasses a Forest School setting?

Forest schools provide an early year’s education that focuses on hands on, outdoor learning in a natural environment. Forest Schools will have a qualified teacher who will carry out a wide variety of activities such as outdoor cooking, working with natural resources and learning about different plants and wildlife.

Grandir UK’s Kiddi Caru Day Nursery & Preschool in Writtle, Chelmsford is a great Forest School setting which gives a home to two chickens, Tappy and Colin. The preschool children take turns to look after the chickens, giving them food and water, and clean out their coop. The children also collect the eggs from the chickens and give them to the nursery chef to cook in their meals.

"We find this activity has been highly beneficial to teach children how to care for animals and taking responsibility of day to day tasks." Says Katie Golder, the Nursery Manager at Kiddi Caru in Writtle.

2. Find a nursery which supports ecological living

If you are passionate about the environment, look for nurseries and preschools who teach children the basics of eco-friendly action such as recycling, gardening or climate change.

All Grandir UK nurseries and preschools have an Environmentally Aware & Responsible module in their curriculum, and their Sow & Grow activity is a regular occurrence in each setting.

This programme teaches children the basics of where food comes from, how plants grow, including photosynthesis and how the eco-system works. Not only that, but the children also actively plant and look after flowers, fruit and vegetables in their nursery garden, as a hands-on teaching method.

3. Search for nurseries with environmental awards

If a stamp of approval is what need to help make your nursery choice, look for nurseries that have achieved an eco-award.

The Eco-Schools’ Green Flag Award is a great example of this!

This organisation sets out to educate children on environmental concerns and to engage the next generation to take eco-friendly action. Nurseries, preschools and schools follow a seven-step framework to work towards achieving an Eco-Schools’ Green Flag.

Kiddi Caru Day Nursery & Preschool in Bedford, part of Grandir UK, have gained their Eco-School Green Flag award with a distinction.

“I could not be prouder of the children and the practitioners on achieving their Eco Award.” Says the nursery manager at Kiddi Caru, Bedford, Kelsie Hester. “Understanding how to protect our beautiful planet starts with the highest level of education of the next generation and it’s a brilliant feeling to be a small part of that.”

These are just some of the things to look out for when choosing an Eco-Friendly nursery and there are many Grandir UK day nurseries and preschools which have environmentally friendly spaces, activities and accreditations.

Find your local Grandir UK Day Nursery & Preschool on the Grandir UK website and join in on some eco-friendly fun!

click here for more details or to contact Grandir UK