Little Bugs at Abercorn
(on the Hopetoun Estate)

Little Bugs at Abercorn is tucked away in the idilic Hopetoun Estate just outside South Queensferry

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Little Bugs - Abercorn

We are now Early Learning and Childcare Funded Providers for eligible 3 to 5 year olds

Little Bugs at Abercorn is tucked away in the idilic Hopetoun Estate just outside South Queensferry

Our walled garden is a secure space which hosts our main hut and toilet cabin as well as areas to explore and play. Our walled garden activities include our loose parts play area, mud kitchen, scramble nets and many more.

Our main hut also known as the Pheasantry will be our cozy space in the winter, a place where we can shelter and get ready for our next lot of play. In summer months the Pheasantry will be our shady spot to chill before heading back out for adventure.

Our log cabin is home to our changing and toilet areas. It will also house out cloakroom.

If we aren’t in our walled garden you will find us on the other side of the path exploring Mr McGregors garden. A vast space where we will be growing our own vegetables, building dens or taking part in natural art activities.

Our wild corner will be left to nature. This houses our bug hotel, owl boxes and hedgehog homes. We will take the opportunities to explore these areas carefully as we don’t want to disturb our guests.

Further information including our price list can be found in our Parent Handbook below:

Please note we have a minimum attendance of x2 sessions per week.

If you would like to book your child in to our session please complete an application form and send to info@littlebugs.co.uk

Abercorn Parent and Family open evenings

We are opening the gates of our nursery for our parents and Families to visit. This is the perfect opportunity to visit our wonderful outdoor facilities at Little Bugs Abercorn. We offer Flexi/home education settings and Nursery Care for children aged between 2 years and 5 years. If you are interested and would like to book a space please complete the form below.

Our Opening Times

Full Day sessions

8AM-6PM

Morning and Afternoon sessions

8AM-1PM & 1PM-6PM (Fordell Firs)
8AM-1PM (Abercorn)

Short Day sessions

8AM-4PM (Fordell Firs & Abercorn)
9AM-3PM (Abercorn)

We are now working in partnership with Fife Council to provide 1140 hours of funded child care to all eligible 3 to 5 year olds.

** We hope to work in partnership with West Lothian and City of Edinburgh Councils in order to offer 1140 funded hours for eligible children attending Little Bugs at Abercorn. **

We have a minimum attendance policy. Fordell Firs is x3 half day sessions or x2 longer sessions per week. Abercorn x2 sessions per week.

FAQs

We have put together our most commonly asked questions into a comprehensive FAQ. Whether it be related to funding or outdoor learning in general.

Fees & Funding

At Little Bugs Nursery, we are dedicated to providing every child with access to affordable, high-quality early learning and education. Click here to learn more about our fees and funding options.

Governance & Policies

All of our policies and Government policies are available for view on our website.

Our 4 Core Ambitions

Building Nurturing relationships

We want Little Bugs to be a friendly, fun and welcoming place. It will be a place where everyone is welcome to join in outdoor activities during stay and play sessions. All family members are invited to make suggestions for improvements through our Big Bugs parent platform.. The door will be open for parents and carers to discuss their children's progress throughout their child’s time at Little Bugs. Little Bugs nursery is somewhere in which children are excited to come and want to play and learn in a safe and free environment. Our Little Bugs staff will receive ongoing training, ensuring that they are up to date with the most recent educational advancements. Our aim is to ensure that all children are nurtured and feel happy to express their feelings and enjoy their time with our team. We will achieve this by having key workers who get to know each child as an individual. We will build relationships on trust and encourage a growth mindset as we know this is the best way for a child to become confident and resilient individuals.

Learning through Play

The Little Bugs nursery setting allows children to play and learn using natural resources which develops a good understanding and respect for nature and the environment. These natural resources allow children to develop effective problem solving skills and nurture creativity. Our aim is to provide rich opportunities for developing imagination, inventefulness and resourcefulness. We will deliver this by supporting child led activities ensuring our children are learning through their own interests. Outdoor experiences allow children to take calculated risks. Curiosity means they are willing to investigate the surroundings,whilst identifying and overcoming individual challenges. This style of learning will ensure that our children continuously achieve whilst gaining a sense of responsibility.

Learning in the great outdoors

At Little Bugs we give children access to environments and experiences which are unique to being outdoors. Little Bugs offers opportunities for physical activity. We offer outdoor space both outward and upward, places to explore, experiment and discover whilst ensuring ongoing mental and physical development. In providing this type of setting our aim is to ensure that we are providing children with a safe, active and healthy environment to grow and learn in.

Growth Mindset

We encourage all children to meet their full potential and support them to recognise their own levels of achievement. We scaffold all our little bugs throughout their learning journey as we believe this creates resilience and a love of learning. We know that with will lead our little bugs to be confident individuals with the essential skills to overcome any obstacle.

Little Bugs at Abercorn (on the Hopetoun Estate)