Child's Play Day Nursery Penistone

Farm animals, outdoor play in every weather and bus journeys into town give Child's Play Day Nursery Penistone a countryside character with a practical streak. Based at The Old Barn on Gravels Farm, it makes everyday experiences part of learning: caring for newly hatched birds, exploring outside and visiting the market. These are experiences children can talk about and connect with life beyond nursery.

At its October 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Outstanding overall. It has capacity for 57 children, with a current age range of eight to 60 months. For parents, the strongest combination is the emphasis on language, independence and real experiences, alongside a baby settling arrangement that allows time rather than imposing a fixed number of introductory visits.

Rooms and Ages

Cubs and Tigers are the under-two groups: their space uses natural materials, sensory play and familiar home routines, with outdoor access each day. Tins for filling and emptying and loose parts give babies concrete things to handle and investigate. The resources are simple; the opportunities to explore them are open-ended.

Bears & Elephants use the downstairs area, where children over two move between activities they choose and organised group times, practising communication and managing everyday tasks. Lions have a dedicated preschool room, with stories, songs, expressing feelings and increasing independence supporting preparation for school. They also use resources elsewhere in the nursery, so having their own space does not mean being separated from everything the younger groups do.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides the framework for children's learning, development and care, with play and everyday routines supporting their growing skills. Alongside it, the Child’s Play Approach sets goals and core experiences for each key group. Its concrete additions include looking after chicks and ducklings as they hatch, plus journeys by bus to the town's library and market. Learning has something real to attach to.

For the youngest children, music monkey brings rhythm and rhyme into the daily routine. Messy and sensory activities remain accessible for children to choose, rather than being confined to a single organised activity. Older groups have daily physical activities that include Zumba, giving movement a regular place alongside conversation and play.

In October 2024, children mixed flowers and herbs into potions, asked for tools to cut petals and discussed bees and honey. Adults used the activity to introduce vocabulary and explore children's ideas. The value was in the conversation as much as the finished mixture: a child's question could change the direction of the activity.

Books also led into practical experiences that month. After sharing The Gruffalo, children picked blackberries and helped make a crumble, using weighing and measuring as part of the cooking. The story became a reason to investigate ingredients and quantities, rather than ending when the book closed.

Outdoor and Community Life

Outdoor time is a daily part of the current offer, including walks, encounters with farm animals and muddy-puddle play on the lane. This is a nursery for children whose families welcome getting outside in rain or snow as well as sunshine. Suitable clothing matters because outdoor exploration is part of the day, rather than an occasional treat.

In October 2024, a farmer brought lambs to the nursery, while incubators allowed children to watch chicks and ducklings emerge. Photographs followed the birds' return to the farm, extending the experience beyond hatching. Trips by bus included the post office, shops and library, with road safety woven into the outings. These experiences linked unfamiliar vocabulary to animals, places and tasks children could encounter directly.

Relationships and Communication

Unlimited free settling-in sessions are offered for the under-twos, with the approach adapted to each family's needs. Home routines inform the baby room's day, and a key person system supports relationships across the nursery. The move into the over-two area follows the child, giving the transition a personal basis rather than treating it simply as a change of room.

In October 2024, communication with families included an app, detailed conversations at handover, termly reports and parents' evenings. Parents could contribute to consultations about changes and join activities and trips. That provided several ways to participate: everyday updates for immediate information, and longer conversations about development or the nursery's direction.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the October 2024 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and praised SEND support, including early intervention, collaboration with other professionals and help through transitions. These are dated findings about practice, with concrete mechanisms behind the judgements. The current approach also includes working with other professionals and responding early to children's individual needs.

In October 2024, familiar songs in children's first languages were introduced with parents' help, while books and conversations explored different festivals. Everyday independence included managing coats and shoes, using open cups and preparing fruit. For children, these small tasks made participation part of ordinary routines.

Meals are freshly cooked on the premises, with dietary needs catered for, including vegan and dairy-free requirements. Children take part in food preparation and make choices about what they eat, connecting mealtimes with practical independence.

Sessions and Attendance

Opening hours are 6am to 8pm, Monday to Friday. The nursery operates across the year and closes at Christmas. Enquiries can be made by telephone on 01226 370888 or by email at enquiries@childsplaynurserypenistone.co.uk.

CampActive Before & After School Club provides two separate patterns: before school from 07:30 to 09:00, and after school from 15:00 to 18:00. Games and activities develop teamwork and social interaction, with arts and crafts also included. This is school-age provision, separate from the nursery day, and gives families an additional attendance option as children grow older.

Getting There

The address is The Old Barn, Gravels Farm, Schole Hill Lane, Penistone, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S36 9AW. The farm setting is relevant to the nursery's daily character, with animal encounters and outdoor exploration forming part of the experience.

Funding and Paid Extras

In October 2024, the nursery provided government-funded childcare. Current prices should form part of a written quotation from the nursery, so families can consider the complete cost alongside their intended attendance pattern.

• Settling for babies. Under-twos have unlimited free settling-in sessions and routines shaped around home life. At a visit, discuss how those sessions would fit your child's feeding, rest and separation needs.
• Outdoor expectations. Walks, farm animals and muddy-puddle play are part of the offer throughout the seasons. Families should be comfortable with regular outdoor exploration and the clothing it requires.
• Nursery attendance and total cost. The 6am to 8pm opening window is broad, while CampActive has separate before-school and after-school sessions. Which nursery booking pattern would fit your week, and how would funded hours, meals and consumables affect the written quotation?
• Dietary needs. Food is prepared on site and caters for individual requirements. Families managing allergies should confirm the current preparation and serving arrangements for their child.

Child's Play suits families who want countryside experiences, practical independence and a day built around children's questions. The baby settling offer is a useful strength, while the progression from sensory exploration to preschool stories and self-care gives the age groups a clear sense of purpose.

For families with school-age children, both before-school and after-school attendance are supported through CampActive. The nursery's appeal rests on what children actually do: investigate natural materials, care for animals, travel into town and turn stories into experiences. That makes it a compelling choice for parents who value learning connected to everyday life.