The Country Mouse is a magical place where children can grow at their own pace, where they have the time and freedom to develop creative and critical thought, and where they can become independent, confident and resilient. We bring the indoors outdoors and the outdoors indoors, so that children can investigate, explore and learn with real things in real places.

 

We believe it’s so important to protect a child’s emotional well-being. Playing outdoors, particularly in natural, woodland spaces, develops a child’s senses and awareness. The nursery’s outdoor area is impressively large but is made up of smaller activity “rooms” so is intimate enough for young children to feel confident. In our Forest School garden, children can explore the natural environment and develop a sense of their place in their world. They are free to peer into our bug hotel, make pictures from leaves and twigs or just sit quietly with a drink beneath a tree. When children are touching and working with the natural world, they are relaxed and happy: a forest garden is a non-competitive, inclusive space; it instils a sense of peace. As they master achievable tasks, such as whittling, climbing, den-building and mud-sculpting, their confidence and independence grows.