A NURSERY in Onchan is planning to expand their outdoor facilities as a reward for reaching its 25th year in business.

Despite already having the largest garden on offer for Island children The Beehive Kindergarten in Onchan is keen to expand by incorporating permanent outdoor sand pits, water pumps, obstacle courses, vegetable gardens and outdoor story telling areas.

The Beehive is one of the longest established nurseries in the Island and cares for children from birth to the age of eight.

The family run business was set up in 1985 by Vivienne and Richard Welch and daughters Katrina and Alice take an active role in the running of the business.

As well as the main nursery The Beehive also has a specialist baby wing – for their Baby Bees – after Vivienne and husband Richard bought and converted the house next door to keep up with increasing demand for places.

Alice explained the reasoning behind the nursery's plans. She said: "We're really focused on the outdoors and we've got quite a reputation in the Island for being an outdoorsy nursery and always having the children in the garden.

"Being outdoors is so important to children. If you ask adults what they remember from their childhood it’s usually playing outside. You rarely have an adult remembering playing inside.

"We're going to focus on the garden and that's going to be our reward for 25 years. It's going to be lovely. We've got so many plans for what we want to do."

Children at the nursery are also treated to trips out in the two Beehive minibuses.

Alice continued: "We take the children out around the Island in our Bumble Buses because we believe they need to know about the wider world. We treat the Isle of Man as an extension to the classroom."

Children at the Beehive are not put into strict routines instead they have a "flexible structure" and the main emphasis is on play.

Vivienne explained: "Play is so important to children. Play is the work of childhood – that's how children learn."

Alice agreed: "We give them as many play opportunities as possible. We provide inquisitive play scenarios in the garden and in the indoor environment. We cover a range of learning areas and we look at the child as a whole and try and develop them in every area equally."

Children at The Beehive are also taught the importance of good behaviour throughout their time at the nursery.

Alice said: "Most of the children are very well behaved and we try to focus on good manners. The first few years of childhood are the most important. If you want to instill good values in a child it is between birth and seven when they are really shaped."

Vivienne said it is evident when the nursery has done a good job. She said: "If you speak to any teacher who teaches the young they always know which children have attended nursery."

Reflecting on The Beehive's 25th year in business both Alice and Vivienne put the success of the nursery down to highly qualified dedicated staff and the fact the nursery is family run.

The nursery has employed both Norland and Chiltern nursery nurses and some members of staff are currently undertaking a foundation degree course in Early Years.

Alice said: "The Beehive is not just a business to us – its our life. The staff have made it their business as well. We are really focused on making it a centre of excellence and we will endeavour to achieve this.

"We've got a really good reputation. We get a lot of feedback from parents and most of the parents say they've heard about The Beehive from other parents. It's all through word of mouth and I think that's why we’re so popular."

Alice concluded: "I think nursery care is brilliant. You don't just prepare a child for school you prepare them for life."

For more information on The Beehive Kindergarten click here.