Child learning and development programs in Manchester

“An amazing place to bring your child(ren). Each class is different and fun. Becky and Loz do a fantastic job of bringing so much excitement, colourful props. Their cheerful and empathetic personality, makes you feel valued. Me and my girl always looked forward to the classes. Thank you for offering your services which are highly recommended. If you've got a child or children under 4 please do them a favour and bring them to toddler sense. It was the best thing I ever done to bring my girl here. She loved this placed and so did I! ❤️”

“Adventure babies has been fantastic! Our daughter has thoroughly loved them (as have I), and this is by far the best parent and baby class we have been to. Really well thought through and executed sessions, With fantastic toys and accessories, always tailored to that weeks book. Cannot recommend these sessions and Hannah (who organises them) more highly, and we have already signed up for the next term!”

“Can not recommend Puddle Ducks enough. Made to feel so welcome, super friendly staff and a lovely set up! Highly highly recommend! X”

“We absolutely adore Siân's SEN Holiday Forest School Sessions. We joined in the summer of 2023 and quickly fell in love with the holiday sessions. It can be quite challenging when our usual group activities come to a halt, as our entire family thrives on structure and routine. Our daughter has an immense passion for the outdoors and revels in any messy or sensory play. If it were up to her, she'd make the great outdoors her permanent home! Right from day one, Sian extended a warm welcome and dedicated time to truly understand how our daughter prefers to engage. She has patiently built a strong connection with our daughter at her own pace. The activities provided are nothing short of amazing, especially for our daughter, who immerses herself fully in sensory experiences (as you can see in the photos!). Furthermore, the lunch and snacks offered here are fantastic. Our daughter can be quite particular about her safe and unsafe foods, but every visit here has her enjoying the delicious lunch provided. We sincerely appreciate the tremendous effort you put into creating safe and nurturing environments for children with special educational needs. ❤️”

“Early inspirations is an absolute amazing nursery. My daughter is 2 years old and she has settled in that nursery very well. The daily activities help to develop my daughter's learning and I have seen a massive improvement in my daughter's understanding and learning development. Thanks to the staff, everyone there are soo friendly and helpful, I like this nursery very much. I appreciate all the hard work the staff go through Thank you”

“My son’s been attending here now since just after the Easter half term this year. My sons developed in so many ways , he can be quite stubborn at the best of times , standards here are super high and work with every single child needs no matter how high or how low. Staff are incredibly on form with teaching and how they run things and have a very highly standard of professionalism which you can see. They are open and honest with each parent . Reporting back each day if anything needs to be addressed or reported. There on form with everything. Highly recommended nursery for your child to go too especially if your wanting a nursery for your child with such high standards of learning and still at the same time as your child being able to still be a child at the same time”

“My little boy attends Playdays and we are very happy with the care that he receives. This is a fantastic nursery with excellent facilities. The staff are very knowledgeable and friendly. They are focussed on his development and they look at children individually. I would recommend this nursery to family and friends”

“It's a nice little place, if you want to take your little one or have any apointment depending on what, receptionist is very nice & friendly, super welcoming.”

“From the moment we walked through the doors, Tiny Steps has exceeded all of our expectations! The staff made us feel welcome, supported, and confident in the care they provide. The nurturing environment, thoughtful curriculum, and genuine love shown to the children have been outstanding. Our child has grown emotionally, socially, and intellectually during their time here. Each day is filled with engaging activities, outdoor play, and lots of learning through fun. The staff are not only professional and well-trained, but also warm, approachable, and truly invested in each child’s development. What sets this nursery apart is the level of individual attention and care. The communication with parents is excellent — we always feel informed and included. Most importantly, our child is excited to go every morning and comes home smiling and full of stories. We’re incredibly grateful to have found such a wonderful place. Highly recommended to any parent looking for a safe, caring, and enriching start to their child’s early years.”

“My daughters have been going here for 2 and half years now. One of my daughters has quite complex medical needs and the nursery staff couldnt be more helpful with her. Always asking for updates on how to best support her.”

“Absolutely brilliant nursery, our son when he started in June had delayed social interaction and speech. He’s come on leaps and bounds and he really enjoys his time at the learning hive. All the staff are great with him, especially Ellie who spends a lot of time one on one with our son. I couldn’t recommend the learning hive enough.”

“My children have been going to Wild Space (weekly) for a couple of years now and show no signs of wanting to stop, which with a teen to please is testament itself to how great Wild Space Forest School is! Trudy is a fantastic leader and the whole place has a lovely welcoming, friendly vibe as well as a beautiful position conveniently placed in the heart of beautiful Diggle. Throughly recommend.”

“We have been delighted with the care and early education at Early Learning Daycare. Child led learning and a safe, fun setting with excellent staff has influenced our son's development in a very positive way.”

“My daughter loves here. This place is more than a school /nursery. The teachers are so caring and loving-kindness people... They treat my daughter like someone of theirs family.I see a lot of affection on their part with us parents too. Besides that it is impressive how they put all effort to create new and different activities all based on Montessori approach. I really could see changes in my daughter since the begging. She became more confident, concentrated and with More self- esteem.”

“Best place in whole Manchester. Teachers are so lovely and truly love what they do. Highly recommend it!”

“Myself and my son love Jen's story and sensory sessions. Jen is so lovely and personable with each and every child and adult.”

“Our son just had his last day here after spending 2 years at Appledore in Moorside. The staff are amazing and so caring of the children I felt confident and comfortable from the start to leave our son in their care. He loved and felt comfortable being left with Leanne Holly or Racheal he started the nursery a quiet reserved child and today you wouldn’t even know it, he is so confident and happy and I believe a big part of his progress has been the staff here I’m sad he has to now leave and move on. If your looking for a safe happy loving learning environment for your children I would recommend this nursery highly.”

“Our son has been attending this nursery since he turned one, and we couldn't be happier with the experience. From the moment we enrolled him, it's been evident that the staff genuinely care about his development and well-being. The support and advice we've received from the nursery staff have been invaluable. They go above and beyond to ensure that our son receives the best care and attention possible. We're especially grateful to all the key workers who have played a significant role in his growth and development. It's clear that they put their heart and soul into their work, and it truly shows in the way they interact with the children. Moreover, our son absolutely loves attending the nursery. Every morning, he's excited to go and spend time with his friends and the caring staff. This speaks volumes about the positive and welcoming atmosphere that the nursery provides. Overall, we wholeheartedly recommend this nursery to any parent looking for a nurturing and supportive environment for their child. Thank you to the entire team for everything you do!”

“Absolutely amazing class for babies and toddlers. Becky is very educated on children's development which is shown in all her classes. My daughter says is the best class she has ever been too.”

“Beautifully set out nursery with the most homely, warm feeling. Lauren and Katie are extremely professional, caring woman who go above and beyond. Highly recommend NGL”

“Well organised, friendly & professional. Highly recommend it.”

“My daughter has been going to little voices for a few months now and she absolutely loves it, her concentration is noticeably improved and she cant wait to go back every week”

“When investigating local childcare options for our daughter, we were stuck between the homely setting of a childminder and the consistency of a nursery - to us Swan’s offered the best of both worlds... The setting As a small setting it has a real family feel and impressed us from the outset with Nicola (Nursery Manager) showing real pride in touring us. There are three rooms: Baby, Tweenies and Pre-School and all are well loved and maintained with changing seasonal displays, toys and activities. There is an outdoor garden area that offers great stimulation - it isn't the largest but they do make great use of it! Overall, it's an inclusive and diverse community atmosphere. The staff All of the staff are excellent and the majority are extremely experienced. Management have been in place 20+ years and Toni in the baby room has been at Swan's for years & years (so many, I forget!) - I found this reassuring when our daughter first started at 9 months old. The staff have remained consistent throughout our daughter’s 3 years at Swan’s with only a small, natural turnover - always a good sign! The staff are friendly, caring and vigilant and work hard to bond with the children and encourage development on an individual basis. They seem to genuinely enjoy their jobs and workplace. Many of the staff also have their own children (not that this matters but some may find it comforting to know.) Ofsted Swans is rated Ofsted 'Good with Outstanding features' (personal development being one area they excel at.) It’s one of the higher rated Ofsted nurseries in the Prestwich area but often seems to get overlooked - I'm never quite sure why! It's a hidden gem. Rates, funding and inclusions Contact the nursery for the latest rates and funding info - all childcare is expensive but I remember it being one of the more reasonable rates in the area! Provisions includes breakfast, lunch and a light tea at around 4pm. Nappies, wipes and suncream are included for comparison purposes. Core hours Included in the standard daily payment rate is drop-off from 08.00am and collection by 5.30pm. You can pay a small fee extra to drop-off earlier (from 7.30am) and collect later (by 6pm.) Location & Parking Swans is located on Whittaker Lane - just 3 minutes walk from the Heaton Park metrolink stop. There is on-street parking behind the nursery on Earl Street - ideal for drop off & pick up, you will never find yourself fighting for a spot. App & tracking Swans uses the Learning Journals app to detail your child's day, communications and events. Up until pre-school - sleep, food intake, toileting and development milestones are all logged on the app along with regular pictures and videos of what your kiddo has been doing during the nursery day. Accidents/Incidents are also recorded via the app. Extracurricular activities My daughter has enjoyed regular seasonal walks/trips to Heaton Park, Stretch & Grow exercise classes (and for a very small fee extra) externally provided French lessons. Pre-school trips have been to Smithill's Farm and the Transport museum. Swans also put on an amazing graduation ceremony - it was above and beyond expectation with some lovely small take-home keepsakes. Other features There is secure on-site pram parking within the nursery boundary for those who need it. Summary We've been extremely happy with our experience of Swans for 3+ years. If we were to have any more children there is no doubt that I'd be popping my name down on the waiting list ASAP. Plus, both of my daughter’s Grandmas are retired primary school teachers and both have independently commented on how good her development has been (and now she's older - her readiness for school) crediting it largely to Swans and its staff. A huge thanks to Nicola, Emma, Joanne, Toni, Sana, Rachel, Leona, Kira and Ciara - you all do an amazing job and we’ll miss you & the amazing environment you work so hard to create on a daily basis.”

“Great school, very flexible and can cater for every level of a student. My son really enjoys it, thank you!”

“Highly recommend brown bears nursery. My son absolutely loves it and the staff are all so lovely.”

“Love wellfield Infants, such a caring friendly school and my 2 girls love it, my 6 year old struggled when she started and the teachers were amazing with her, the support was really good.”