Acton Welcomes Its First Forest School Nursery

Ad - Visit Buttercups Nursery Old Oak Road on their Open Day 26th September

Buttercups Nursery Old Oak Road is taking the classroom outside – see it for yourself at the Open Day on Saturday 26th September, 10am-12pm

For years, parents in places such as Richmond, Twickenham or nearby Chiswick, have flocked to send their preschoolers to dedicated Forest Schools where the classroom is out amongst the trees and the toys are natural materials. Now, parents in Acton can take advantage of this unique opportunity to nurture their children’s curiosity, resilience, and connection to the natural world from an early age.

Buttercups Nursery Old Oak Road’s Forest School programme will operate alongside its existing curriculum, blending outdoor learning with the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework and Montessori. Children will spend much of their time outdoors, with activities such as nature-exploration and wildlife-discovery, building dens and shelters using natural materials, being taught how to use tools safely and nature-based arts and crafts.

The programme will be led by a trained Forest School practitioner, ensuring activities are child-led, risk-aware, and tailored to each child’s developmental needs.

There are many benefits to spending time outside surrounded by nature; children develop physical skills through running, jumping and climbing and gain independence and confidence by taking managed risks. Learning is child-led resulting in higher levels of engagement, and social skills are improved as children work together to overcome obstacles.

Unlike many other Forest Schools, Buttercups Forest areas are fully contained within the nursery gardens, making them safe for the children to explore. And because the nursery building is close at hand, the children still enjoy freshly cooked meals.

The children are loving their new forest area, one child explained, “I like to build houses for the insects to live in,” whilst another said, “I like to water the little plants so they will get big like me!”

The family-run nursery group, Buttercups, has long believed in the power of Forest School to improve child development. Carol Whitehouse, Director and Founder explained, “It is wonderful to see the children exploring and discovering for themselves, and you can really see the difference it makes. It is very exciting for us to be able to introduce this new Forest School site to our Acton Nursery.”

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September 7, 2026