Business Details
31 Years
experience
Trusted Day Nursery in Baldock for Children Aged 3 Months to 5 Years
Established in 1995, Puddleducks Day Nursery has been dedicated to providing exceptional childcare and education for children aged 3 months to 5 years. Located in Baldock, Hertfordshire, within a historic Grade II listed building designed by William Butterfield, we combine a warm, home-like atmosphere with a child-led approach to learning. Our experienced team fosters each child's development through sensory exploration, structured activities, and outdoor play, prioritising physical, emotional, and intellectual well-being.Celebrating 30 years of enriching young lives, we maintain strong partnerships with families and offer tailored environments for different age groups, including Duckling's, Twitchit's, Tiggy's, Nutkin's, and Preschool rooms. Our curriculum integrates Forest School sessions, cooking clubs, and heuristic play, ensuring children develop independence, creativity, and a lifelong love for learning. We are committed to nurturing confident, curious learners ready to thrive in future educational settings.
Services
Day Nursery
Forest School Sessions
Cooking Club
Gardening Activities
Music and Rhyme Time
Woodwork Club
Spanish Classes
Heuristic Play
Tiny Mites Sessions
Yoga Mites
Details
- Year established: 1995
Highlights and features
- We offer 30 years of experience in early years education and care.
- Our child-led approach prioritises individual curiosity and holistic development.
- Dedicated, trained staff support each child's unique learning journey.
- We provide tailored environments for every age group from 3 months to 5 years.
- Our curriculum integrates outdoor learning, Forest School sessions, and creative play.
What people say
Nurturing environment
Wonderful staff
Seamless transition
Extensive activities
Indoor and outdoor play
Services
Day Nursery
Puddleducks Day Nursery provides full-day care for children aged 3 months to 5 years in a nurturing, home-from-home environment. Our tailored rooms cater to different developmental stages, with trained staff supporting sensory exploration, social skills, and early learning. We combine structured activities with child-led play to foster independence, creativity, and a lifelong love for learning.
Forest School Sessions
Forest School sessions connect children with nature, building confidence and resilience through hands-on outdoor experiences. Children explore natural environments, engage in creative play, and develop problem-solving skills while learning about ecological responsibility and seasonal changes in a safe, supervised setting.
Cooking Club
Cooking Club introduces children to healthy eating and basic culinary skills using fresh ingredients. Participants learn about balanced diets, food origins, and kitchen safety while developing independence through hands-on activities like preparing snacks and simple meals.
Gardening Activities
Gardening activities teach children to grow fruits and vegetables from seeds, fostering an understanding of plant life cycles and sustainable practices. Harvested produce is used in cooking sessions, reinforcing healthy eating habits and environmental awareness through practical, seasonal learning.
Music and Rhyme Time
Music and Rhyme Time supports communication and language development through songs, rhymes, and instrument play. This multisensory activity enhances listening skills, memory, and coordination while encouraging self-expression and social interaction across all age groups.
Questions
What are Puddleducks Day Nursery's operating hours?
We are open Monday to Friday from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM, with extended care available from 7:30 AM and until 6:30 PM upon request.
What age groups do you cater for?
We provide care for children aged 3 months to 5 years across five tailored rooms: Duckling's, Twitchit's, Tiggy's, Nutkin's, and Preschool.
What educational approach does Puddleducks use?
Our child-led approach prioritises curiosity and holistic development, combining structured learning with free play in indoor and outdoor environments to foster independence and creativity.
Are meals and snacks provided?
Children bring their own lunch, but we provide morning and afternoon snacks using fresh ingredients grown in our garden where possible.
How do you support children's transition into the nursery?
Our trained staff offer personalised support during settling-in periods, maintaining open communication with parents to ensure a smooth, stress-free transition for each child.
What outdoor activities are available?
Our outdoor space features Forest School sessions, gardening, heuristic play, and physical activities like obstacle courses to promote exploration and physical development.
Reviews (5)
Lee Loo
Dec 30, 2021
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Not as great as everyone makes out. Unless your child is going full time and you're giving them a lot of money, they don't care. Was unprofessional at times. Her care diary wasn't always updated, put in the wrong nappies. Had her last day yesterday and despite being there for a while, nothing was even mentioned about her leaving. Also didn't inform me when she was bitten and didn't tell me appropriately. Would not recommend at all.
Tml Tml
Feb 29, 2020
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The most caring dedicated staff I’ve had the most fortunate luck I had in finding this nursery for my 3 daughters.
Mirna Ayoubi
Jan 29, 2020
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We love love love our saturday morning lessons with puddleducks my son looks forward to it all week! He is now obsessed with ducks and the use of them throughout the lesson really encourages little ones! It is our quality fun time for the week!
Sandra Lentowczyk
Jan 10, 2020
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We have joined Puddleducks about two years ago when our little girl was about 2 months and we love it since then. All of the Teachers we met are extremely friendly and have just perfect attitudes for babies/toddlers.
Eniko Kostyal
Dec 06, 2019
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We have been to different swim classes before, however we do find that classes at puddleducks are very well organised, they always have something to do, so children don't get bored. Our daughter's confidence has improved quite a lot, and she is getting better and better after each lessons.
