Grovelands Childcare has secured capital funding from the Department of Children and Youth Affairs to develop a children’s garden and dedicated outdoor play area at each of its four centres in Athlone, Tullamore, and Mullingar.
The funding will be used to create children’s kitchen and flower gardens in each of the centres, with raised beds for planting seasonal herbs and vegetables, pathways, mounds and structures designed to intrigue, excite and teach children about the importance of sensory experiences, conservation, and enjoyment of nature.
Regina Bushell, managing director of Grovelands Childcare said, “We are delighted to have secured this funding which will enable us to further enhance the quality of our outdoor play areas. The fact that each of our four facilities successfully secured this funding, reflects the very high quality of care delivered in all of our centres. Outdoor play has an important and well documented benefit for children's health. In our new gardens and outdoor play areas we will create opportunities for children to be actively involved in a whole range of physical movements and enable them to gain maximum advantage from their time outdoors.”
“Our new children’s gardens will be interactive educational environments in which children of all ages, backgrounds, physical abilities, and cultures can play, explore, and discover the natural world,” continued Regina. “Every aspect will be designed to promote the fun and enjoyment of gardening and to nurture the link between children and the outdoors. We will involve the children in planting and caring for the garden, creating a sense of ownership and responsibility for the environment.”
Grovelands Childcare will begin to develop the play areas in August with work due to be completed by October.
