What are your nursery opening hours?

8am to 5:45pm (Monday - Friday), 51 weeks a year. We are closed for 1 week before New Year.

What ages do you take?

Nurseries: 20months - 5 years
Holiday Camps: 3 - 7 years

Can I come and see the setting, and how do I sign up?

Yes, we have weekday showaround slots available for you to come at visit us at our forest in Cobham. Complete our enquiry form here and we’ll share how you can do this.

What happens when it rains or when the weather is bad?

As the Danish saying goes, “there’s no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothes”. We’ve teamed up with Didriksons and all our Outdoor Owls are equipped with proper clothing for the outdoors, come rain or shine. When there are high winds and it is stormy we will stay indoors.

How do you get children ready for school?

We understand that for most children when they leave us they will be entering a different environment after amazing times in the forest. In the 9 months before school your child we partake in preschool sessions in our separate classroom style environment with outdoor blackboard and wood log stools. Children are exposed to this mimmiked classroom environment, in small group sessions learn to focus on topics for periods of time, use their listening ears and raise their hands. Children build great confidence to speak in front of a group. Before they head to school you will receive a report of where they are at with their early years learning goals.

Is there somewhere for children to sleep?

Absolutely. We have large teepee which is cosy and has cot beds set up safe and visible of staff for children still sleeping during the day, or who just wish to take a short nap. During colder days we do extra to keep them warm.

How does toileting work?

We have a designated nappy changing area for those still in nappies, with our toilet tents and also our indoor setting. We provide nappies but should you wish to bring your own, our staff will use these. All nappies are disposed of appropriately.

Do you provide any clothes? Is there a kit list?

For every new child starting as part of your enrolment fee you will receive a set of Didriksons, outerwear waterproofs with fleeced lining. These keep our children warm and dry all year round. Your little one will also receive their own hi-vis vest too.

Once you’re signed up we will share with you a kit list of how best to dress your child with others layers for the different seasons.

What’s the minimum/ maximum number of nursery days a week?

So we can give all of our children the best preparation for life it's crucial their keyworker gets to know them and for them to be familiar with our environment, rhythms and routines. We therefore have a minimum attendance of two days per week and a maximum of five days.

I love the idea but has this been done before?

Yes. Outside of the UK in the Nordic countries, this approach to taking children out in nature is common. For many years, nurseries like ours have been running successfully, developing children, teaching them to problem-identify and problem-solve, think creatively and take measured risks in a safe environment.

I have another question…

If you have any other questions please feel free to contact us at hello@outdoorowls.co.uk. We would love to hear from you too!