First off, the outdoor space is basically a secret garden for tiny humans. There’s a mud kitchen that looks more popular than a five-star restaurant during snack time. (I’m not jealous. Okay, maybe a little.) They have real tools—child-sized, obviously—and a bug hotel that would make a five-star insect consider early retirement.
The staff don’t just smile and nod when a kid asks why worms come out after rain. They actually investigate with them, turning a worm puddle into a biology lesson. (Side note: I’ve learned more about earthworms from watching Leo’s videos than I ever did in school.)
But let’s talk about the indoor vibe.
Walk inside, and you’ll notice the walls aren’t covered in generic cartoon characters. Instead, they’re decorated with the children’s own work—torn, glued, glittered, and proud. There’s a “calm corner” with cushions and a lava lamp for when a meltdown looms. (Can adults get one of those? Asking for a friend.)
The preschool program doesn’t rush kids into flashcards. They use “play-based learning” that somehow teaches your kid to count without them realizing it’s math. Last week, my friend’s daughter, Maya, learned about gravity by dropping avocado every ten seconds. The staff just said, “That’s experimenting.” I call that advanced patience.
Bunnybrookes Day Nursery & Preschool in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire
