Welcome to our Drop-off Sessions

We know the importance of healthy minds and healthy bodies. Nutrition is key to both of these as well as for growth and development. We all sit together at mealtimes, as this promotes good table manners as well as encouraging those social skills. 

Children have access to fresh drinking water at all times, of which they are encouraged to help themselves to throughout the day. 

All children are offered a morning snack. Throughout the week, we eat the fruits of the rainbow. On Tuesdays, we eat red & orange: raspberries, strawberries, watermelon, pomegranate, satsuma, papaya. On Wednesdays, we eat yellow & green: mango, pineapple, banana, apple, pear, kiwi, avocado. And on Thursdays, we eat blue & purple: blueberries, blackberries, grapes, cherries. 

Children can choose to either bring a packed lunch or they can have a Little Tree Huggers lunch. We have Soup & Sourdough Tuesdays; Pasta Wednesdays;  and Salad Bar Thursdays. 

Everybody needs a bottle for water. Please ensure this is named / labelled. 

If supplying your child with a lunchbox from home, please ensure it meets the healthy choices standards. This means ensuring it's a highly nutritious meal packed with veg, salad and or fruit, wholefoods and lean proteins. Please ensure there are no ultra processed foods as these contain high quantities of artificial foods which have adverse effects on overall health and behaviour. 

Everybody will need a packed lunch during our Holiday Clubs. 

At least two full and complete changes of clothing please. We like to get involved and fully emersed in the activities at Little Tree Huggers, many of which tend to be messy. 

At Little Tree Huggers, we go outside in all weathers. 

In winter, please pack warm layers, a coat, hats, gloves, etc, a full waterproof outer shell layer, and waterproof footwear. 

In Summer, please pack cool, light and airy layers, sunhats and your choice of sunscreen. 

In Spring and Autumn, please pack appropriately... some weeks this could involve packing one of everything! 

Bringing toys in from home carries far too many problems than its worth, so please leave them all at home. 

We have plenty for all children to do and to keep themselves busy with at Little Tree Huggers. 

A Little Tree Huggers day runs from 9am to 3pm, Tuesday to Thursday. Unfortunately, we don't offer half or part days. Children can do any number of days per week. 

Little Tree Huggers is registered with our local authority to provide funded places. 30 hours funding is available for working families with children from 9 months to 5 years of age (the term after they turn 9months until the term after their 5th birthday), 15 hours for all families with children 3 to 5 years old (the term after their 3rd birthday to the term after their 5th birthday), and for families receiving support with children who are 2 year olds (from the term after their 2nd birthday). 

To check eligibility and to apply for the relevant codes, please visit www.beststartinlife.gov.uk (apply for these nice and early, as codes need to be applied for and issued the term before you wish to have childcare for). 

Government funding is only available for 38 weeks of the year. Families can choose to use their full entitlement during term time only or they can stretch the entitlement across the year. We offer flexible stretched offers to help cover childcare over the school holidays. 

Tax free childcare is for working families, including those who are self employed in the UK, with children 0 to 11 years of age. For every £8.00 you pay, the government will add an additional £2.00, up to £2000 per child per year. To check eligibility, visit www.beststartinlife.gov.uk

Working families claiming Universal Credit with children under 17 years of age are able to claim back up to 85% of eligible childcare costs. Upfront childcare costs may be available to eligible parents moving in to work or increasing hours. Again, to check eligibility, vist www.beststartinlife.gov.uk

Home educated children of Statutory School Age (term after their 5th birthday) may not attend Little Tree Huggers for more than 18 hours per week, as this would place a legal duty on us to provide the majority of their education, which we are not licenced to do.