Our Nursery Animals
Here at Shardlow Hall Day Nursery, we have horses, ducks, chickens and a dog who provide endless learning opportunities for the children. Animals help teach children empathy, confidence and responsibility. They also help improve communication skills and can help calm children. Many of our animals are rescued and the children love caring for them and watching them grow! Our children get to experience feeding our animals, collecting eggs, watching them hatch and much more. They show so much care which is amazing to see and they really are the best little helpers!
Brooke & Sian
We have two horses, Brooke and Sian, who live at our horse yard which is located within our nursery grounds. The children visit them regularly and even get to feed them. Brooke and Sian love having visits from the children and they usually trot over as soon as they see the children at the fence. Brooke and Sian also like pulling faces at the children which they find hilarious!
Chickens & Ducks
At Shardlow Hall Day Nursery, caring for animals is a big part of what we do and our children absolutely love it! One of our resident chickens was rescued a few years ago, and now lives happily at nursery where the children help care for her by feeding her and collecting freshly laid eggs.
Each year, we also hatch our own chicks, giving the children the incredible opportunity to witness the life cycle first-hand. It’s always a magical experience filled with curiosity, wonder and care.
In the past, we’ve also rescued ducks and ex-battery hens, many of whom were in very poor health. With gentle hands and kind hearts, our amazing children helped look after them each day, learning about empathy, responsibility and the importance of kindness to all living things. Over time, the hens regained their strength and thrived, all thanks to the dedication and love of our little helpers.
These experiences are not only unforgettable for our children, but they also teach valuable life lessons about compassion, respect for animals and the joy of nurturing.
Lola
Meet Lola, our super friendly cocker spaniel who is part of the Shardlow Hall team!
Lola stays in the office and spends time with the children by visiting them and going on walks. Lola is our family pet who we’ve had for 12 years. She’s extremely friendly and has been brought up around children since she was a puppy. The children love Lola and are always eager to see her! Dogs are a great way to teach children many skills including responsibility, empathy, communication and compassion. They’re also a great addition to any workplace as they help relieve stress and create a happy working environment. The benefits are endless!
Our Neighbours
We're extremely lucky to be surrounded solely by fields and farmland. The farm is next to our back garden so we often see cows, sheep, combine harvesters and tractors busy in the fields! The children love this and it opens up lovely communication and learning topics.
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Lifecycles
We love learning all about different life cycles so we provide lots of opportunities for children to get involved in observing and caring for them...
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