Creche & Full Day Care
Care, Learning & Play Throughout the Day
Meals, Rest & Home Comforts
Baby Room - Sunshine Room
Little Explorers — 1 to 2 Years
Our Baby Room is a small, warm and nurturing environment for children aged one to two years, with a maximum of just five children cared for by their Early Years Educator, Zoe.
At this age, children learn through movement, touch, sound and exploration. Experiences are based around each child's individual age, stage of development and emerging interests, giving children plenty of freedom and time to discover at their own pace.
As our youngest children spend much of their day exploring at floor level, the Baby Room has underfloor heating, creating a warm and comfortable space for crawling, moving and play.
Sensory exploration is an important part of the day, using taste-safe or edible materials where appropriate. Resources include wooden toys, natural materials and cause-and-effect toys carefully selected for this stage of development.
Art and music are also a big part of life in the Baby Room. Zoe brings her love of music into the children's day through songs, rhythm and movement, while creative and messy-play experiences allow children to explore colour, texture and materials freely.
Outdoor play is part of the children's everyday experience. Our covered pergola allows them to enjoy the garden in a wide range of weather conditions, with areas for sand and sensory play, construction, a play kitchen and plenty of space to move and explore. Soft artificial grass provides a comfortable surface for children who are still crawling and finding their feet.
Above all, we want our Baby Room to provide the security, warmth and freedom children need to explore, develop and grow at their own pace.
“For little children, even the smallest discovery can be a very big adventure.”
Toddler Room - Rainbow Room
Growing Independence — 2 to 3 Years
Our Toddler Room is designed for busy, curious two-year-olds who are becoming increasingly independent and beginning to make more choices about their own play and learning.
The room is organised into different areas, including arts and crafts, home and kitchen play, construction, a quiet corner, tabletop activities, an interest area and animal play. Children are free to move between the different areas and choose activities that capture their attention and curiosity.
Time to Explore
Our educators in the Toddler Room embrace the principles of slow pedagogy. This means giving children time — time to become deeply involved in their play, repeat experiences, investigate something that interests them and complete things at their own pace, rather than constantly moving children from one planned activity to another.
The environment changes in response to the children's emerging interests, with our interest area and table providing opportunities to explore the things that are currently capturing their imagination.
Growing Independence
At this age, many children are also beginning their toilet-training journey. The Toddler Room has its own adjoining bathroom, with a child-sized toilet and sink as well as changing facilities. Having these facilities immediately beside the room allows children to develop these new self-care skills gradually and comfortably, with support from their educators.
Outdoor play is also an important part of the day. Toddlers share our dedicated outdoor area with the Baby Room, with access to the covered pergola, sand and sensory experiences, construction, imaginative play and open space for movement and exploration.
Above all, our Toddler Room gives children the freedom to choose, time to explore and gentle support they need as their independence begins to grow.
Full Day Care
2.8 to 5 Years — A Full Day of Play, Learning & Choice
Our older Full Day Care children, aged approximately 2 years 8 months to 5 years, enjoy a varied day with plenty of opportunities to play, explore, create, socialise and relax.
In the morning, children join our Stepping Stones Room, a play-based environment guided by Aistear. Children can choose from imaginative play, art and creativity, construction, sensory and small-world play, tabletop experiences and quieter areas, following their own interests and becoming involved at their own pace.
Our environment draws inspiration from Aistear, Reggio Emilia, Steiner and Montessori, recognising that children learn and express themselves in many different ways. Natural and realistic materials are used wherever possible, helping to create spaces that feel meaningful, familiar and connected to children's everyday lives.
Indoor & Outdoor Learning
Outdoor play is an important part of the children's day, and we see our garden as an outdoor classroom — an extension of the learning that happens indoors.
Children have regular opportunities to enjoy physical play, construction, sand and sensory experiences, imaginative play and exploration of the natural world. Having different indoor and outdoor spaces gives children greater choice in how they spend their time and where their interests take them.
Meals, Rest & a Home-from-Home
A full day at Daisychain is about much more than filling the day with activities. We want children to experience a natural rhythm, with time to be busy and active as well as time to slow down.
Children enjoy a freshly prepared hot meal cooked by our chef, alongside snacks and tea throughout the day.
And although children in this age group may be getting older, sometimes they still need a rest. Children who are tired can curl up and relax on our cosy sofa, or, if they need to sleep, a comfortable bed is available to them. We respond to each child's individual needs rather than expecting every child to follow the same rest routine.
Continuing Their Day
In the afternoon, our Full Day Care children continue their day in our Montessori Room.
Here, children have opportunities to explore Montessori materials alongside creative, practical and play-based experiences. Our Montessori approach is flexible and child-centred, allowing children to make choices, follow their interests, investigate their own ideas and learn in different ways.
Throughout the entire day, children are supported to develop independence, friendships, confidence and everyday self-care skills, while still having the reassurance and support of familiar educators when they need it.
Above all, we want a full day at Daisychain to feel like a child's day — with time to play, explore, eat, rest, laugh, make friends and simply enjoy being a child.
“A full day should leave room for busy hands, curious minds — and quiet moments too.”