Little Grubs Kindergarten is a small, nurturing, nature-based kindergarten for children aged 2–5, nestled within the beautiful Oakly Park Estate near Ludlow. Set on a working farm and surrounded by woodland, wildlife, and the rhythms of rural life, we offer children a rich and inspiring early years experience rooted in curiosity, play, and connection with the natural world.
We provide a broad and balanced early years education, thoughtfully designed to meet the individual needs of every child. While we value and sometimes incorporate forest school–inspired activities, we do not deliver a formal Forest School programme as our everyday provision. Instead, our approach is holistic, drawing from a range of respected early years philosophies, including nature-based learning, play-based pedagogy, and child-led exploration.
Our dedicated woodland site offers children the freedom to roam, explore, and imagine. From a bluebell-filled hornbeam glade and bouncy rhododendron branches to towering sequoia trees and a fallen stag oak, each space invites discovery, creativity, and a deepening relationship with nature. As the seasons change, children engage first-hand with weather, wildlife, and the everyday workings of the farm around them.
In the afternoons, children enjoy time in our warm and welcoming playroom, where open-ended activities encourage creativity and skill-building. Experiences may include sand and water play, playdough, painting, cooking, gardening, and imaginative play, alongside plenty of outdoor fun in our playground.
At Little Grubs Kindergarten, we nurture confident, curious learners by giving children the time, space, and support to explore the world in their own way—developing resilience, independence, and a lifelong love of learning.
Our meals are prepared by Ludlow Farmshop.
To get in touch call: 07514 688920 or email info@littlegrubskindergarten.co.uk
Little Grubs Kindergarten has been judged as a good provider by Ofsted. You can read our report here.
The project, part funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development in 2019, has established a new nature inspired kindergarten. Its aims include building links between young children, the countryside, environment and food. The nurturing educational environment has places for up to fourteen pre-school children per day, operating from a dedicated woodland and the refurbished ‘Old School Canteen’ on the Plymouth Settled Estates in Bromfield.