Kids Planet Lytham Lodge

A teepee for storytelling and science, three full-time Sports Coaches and regular outings to Lytham Hall give Kids Planet Lytham Lodge a clear outdoor and movement-led character. The setting combines nature-based experiences with organised sport, rather than treating physical activity as a break between indoor activities.

Ofsted rated the nursery Outstanding on 25 June 2024. Its premises are arranged on one level, and it has capacity for 108 children aged three months to five years. That whole-setting figure should be kept separate from the number of children sharing a particular room or activity.

Full-day, morning and afternoon bookings offer different ways to use the nursery, which opens throughout the year. The strongest reasons to consider it are the concrete outdoor offer, its local outings and the attention to individual children illustrated in June 2024.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage provides the framework for children's learning, development and care: play, conversation and practical experiences help children build skills and understanding. Lytham Lodge adds the group's Udeskole approach through its own outdoor provision. Here, the Udeskole Teepee Experience brings stories, sensory exploration, science experiments and moments of mindfulness into a sheltered outdoor space. Nature becomes a place for learning as well as play.

Three full-time Sports Coaches support the branch's physical activity programme. Mini football, athletics, yoga and team challenges give children different ways to practise movement, with sessions adapted to their abilities and interests. The partnership with Fylde Rugby Club adds special visits and experiences. For families who value active days, this is a more concrete proposition than a general promise of outdoor time.

In June 2024, staff used children's existing knowledge as a starting point for new ideas. Conversations about birds drew on what children already knew about pigeons, while sports activities brought together mathematics skills and learning about emotions. Learning connected across activities. It did not depend on children encountering an idea once and moving on.

During that same month, practitioners encouraged children playing with magnetic shapes to investigate why some pieces connected and others did not. They allowed thinking time, listened to children's responses and explained what was happening. That example shows the role of adult conversation in play: the resources provided the starting point, and questioning helped children examine their ideas.

Outdoor and Community Life

Regular outings include Home Farm, the beach and Lytham Hall, with further adventures at the Windmill and Fylde Rugby Club. These places give children experiences beyond the nursery premises and connect their learning with their surroundings.

The Udeskole Teepee Experience also provides an outdoor base in different weather conditions. Storytelling and science share that space with imaginative and sensory activities, so its purpose extends beyond somewhere to sit outside. Families choosing an outdoor emphasis should look at the activities themselves: this branch combines quieter experiences with sport and trips.

In June 2024, children talked about spending time with people at a local care home and helping with the nursery's parade float. They also contributed to shared behaviour rules and discussed ways to comfort someone who felt sad. Those examples connected consideration for others with things children actually did, both within the setting and in the surrounding community.

Relationships and Communication

In June 2024, staff exchanged detailed information with parents to maintain continuity between home and nursery care. Children sought comfort from familiar adults, and those new to the setting received reassurance as they built relationships. For a family starting childcare, the useful detail is the connection between information shared at home and the response a child receives during the day.

Activities and meals were organised in small groups in June 2024. Staff used those occasions for conversations in which children could listen, respond and practise taking turns. Babies joined songs through actions, while older children tried out vocabulary heard in books. Small-group organisation here describes an activity arrangement at that date, rather than a room-size promise.

Famly, the nursery parent app, provides real-time updates and is included in the fee. It gives parents another connection with the nursery day alongside conversations with staff. The practical value is being able to follow what their child has been doing while away from home.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At its June 2024 inspection, Ofsted found that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities received highly effective support, including work with other agencies and staff training, and that safeguarding arrangements were effective. This is a dated assessment of practice, with specific mechanisms behind the SEND judgement rather than a blanket promise about every future child's experience.

In June 2024, additional funding was directed towards particular developmental needs through discussions with families and other professionals. Indoor climbing equipment had also been introduced in response to children's learning needs. These examples show how support could involve changing resources and working with others, as well as adjusting adult interactions.

Independence formed part of everyday care in June 2024. Babies were encouraged to clean their hands and faces, and children practised using cutlery. Families also received advice about food choices, exercise and screen time. The emphasis was on manageable daily habits that children could practise themselves.

Sessions and Attendance

The nursery is at The Lytham Academy, Ballam Road, Lytham St Annes, FY8 4LE. Opening hours are 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, across 52 weeks of the year, with bank holidays closed. That year-round opening pattern is useful for families whose working weeks continue through school holidays.

A Full Day runs from 8am to 6pm. Morning bookings run from 8am to 1pm, and Afternoon bookings from 1pm to 6pm. The Full Time pattern uses the 8am to 6pm window too, while ad-hoc hourly care carries a higher rate than regular bookings. The distinction matters for families comparing a settled weekly arrangement with occasional additional care.

Enquiries can be made by telephone on 01253 732757 or by email to lythamlodge@kidsplanetdaynurseries.co.uk. Tours can also be booked. The branch offers an After School and Holiday Club, including collections from Lytham Hall Park Primary School; that collection service is separate from the nursery-age attendance patterns.

Getting There

Parking is provided at the setting. The single-level layout is another practical feature to weigh alongside the Ballam Road location when assessing how the premises will work for your family.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is offered alongside privately paid care. On private bookings, fees include meals and snacks, sports activities, the parent app, and consumables including formula milk, sun cream, wipes and nappies. On days when early years funding is applied, meals, consumables and activities are charged separately, with different charging bands according to the hours attended.

Freshly prepared food and snacks cater for dietary needs. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation, which should distinguish private care from days using funding so families can understand the complete cost of their chosen pattern.

• Outdoor days. The teepee, regular local outings and sports programme give this branch an active character. During a tour, discuss how your child's age and interests shape participation in these experiences.
• Funding-day extras. Meals, activities and consumables attract separate charges on days using early years funding, while private fees include them. Compare the full written quotation for the attendance pattern you intend to use.
• Starting with a baby. The nursery accepts children from three months, and its June 2024 practice placed emphasis on information shared with parents and reassurance. Ask how settling, sleep and your baby's home routine will be organised in their room.
• Individual support. The June 2024 SEND assessment described agency partnerships and training tailored to children's needs. Families seeking additional support should discuss how those arrangements would translate into a plan for their own child.

Kids Planet Lytham Lodge suits families who want outdoor learning and physical activity to form a substantial part of nursery life, whether they need full-day care or a morning or afternoon session. The teepee, Sports Coaches and named local outings give that preference something tangible to rest on.

Its June 2024 assessment provides a strong quality reference, while the practical decision turns on the session pattern and the distinction between private fees and funding-day extras. For a child drawn to movement, investigation and experiences beyond the nursery, this is a setting with a clear and well-defined offer.