22 Street Lane Nursery - December 2025 Newsletter

Nursery Newsletter December 2025 Play • Discovery • Growth

December Newsletter

Dear Parents and Carers, The festive season has arrived at 22 Street Lane Nursery, and excitement is building! Our Christmas decorations are sparkling, letters to Santa are being prepared, and the children are starting to create lots of seasonal crafts. Now all that’s left is to enjoy the festivities ahead and wait for Father Christmas himself! We have planned a wonderfully magical month ahead. The children will be “travelling” across the globe to discover how different countries celebrate Christmas, while also learning about the true spirit behind the season. There are plenty of special days to enjoy too - Christmas Jumper Day, our delicious Christmas Dinner, and of course, our lively Christmas party week. We’re also expecting a few surprise visitors to drop by the nursery… but we’ll keep their identities a secret for now! Please be reminded that the nursery will close at 12pm on Wednesday 24th December, and we will reopen on Friday 2nd January. Wishing you all a joyful Christmas and a happy, healthy start to the New Year. To find out more, please read on...

December Newsletter NEWS

Country of the Month, December 2025: Christmas Around The World! Throughout November, we celebrated the United States of America as our Country of the Month. The children explored the design of the US flag, learned about notable buildings and foods, and enjoyed some Walt Disney classics. We also looked at a range of American traditions, including sports such as American football, baseball, and basketball. In December, we will be exploring how different countries celebrate Christmas. If your family has any special Christmas traditions, we would love for you to share them with us on Tapestry so we can explore them further with the children.

Bonfire Night Celebrations: Wednesday 5th November As part of our Bonfire Night celebrations, the children had a wonderful time creating their own firework artwork, exploring themed sensory trays, and making their own bonfire and firework paintings. Our older children also took part in discussions about fire safety, helping them understand how to enjoy the festivities safely. Meanwhile, some of our Swans’ group had great fun during their Forest School session, using autumn leaves to make their very own ‘leaf fireworks’!

December Newsletter

NEWS

Remembrance Sunday: Sunday 9th November For Remembrance Sunday, we took time to honour and reflect on the brave individuals who cared for and protected others in the past. The children explored the themes of courage and peace through a selection of carefully chosen books, helping them understand the importance of remembrance in a gentle and meaningful way. They also enjoyed creating a variety of poppy-inspired crafts, exploring poppy-themed sensory trays, and engaging in role play activities that encouraged kindness, empathy, and helping others.

World Nursery Rhymes Week: W/C Monday 10th November For World Nursery Rhyme Week, the children took part in a wonderful range of rhyme-inspired activities and lively music sessions. Each room continued to sing our selection of core nursery rhymes, and the children thoroughly enjoyed learning and singing along to many favourites. Looking ahead to next year, we are excited to work on introducing dedicated nursery rhyme bags in every room, supporting the children’s continued development in this important area of early learning and helping to make rhyme time even more engaging and enriching.

December Newsletter NEWS

World Kindness Day: Thursday 13th November We celebrated World Kindness Day on Thursday 13th November. Some created thoughtful drawings and pictures to share with someone special, while others enjoyed a small outing to local businesses, where they handed out flowers and helped spread kindness throughout the community. A group of our Swans also took part in a meaningful “give back” activity during their Forest School session, helping to tidy benches and fairy houses in the woods. It was a wonderful day filled with generosity, care, and acts of kindness both big and small.

Children in Need: Friday 14th November The challenge this year for Children in Need was ‘Challenge Yourself to 25’ in order to support organisations that provide vital support and help to children and families in need. As a Nursery, we raised a total sum of £290 for this amazing cause! The children enjoyed taking part in dance party games, dressing up in their favourite outfit or colour, as well as creating Pudsey Bear pictures! Thank you for all your generous donations!

December Newsletter NEWS Road Safety Week: W/C Monday 17th November During Road Safety Week, we explored a range of road safety themes across the Nursery. Our older children talked during carpet time about how to stay safe when crossing the road and took part in the traffic-light game to help them understand what traffic lights are and why they are important. In our younger rooms, we continued the theme through traffic light-coloured playdough, vehicle-print painting, transport themed tuff trays, and simple discussions about road safety as the children engaged in these activities.

Thanksgiving Festivities: Thursday 27th November We enjoyed marking Thanksgiving again this year at the nursery. We encouraged the children to think about and share what they are thankful for, and they also had the opportunity to sit together for a Thanksgiving meal. Thank you also to the families who donated to the foodbank; this helped us support the children in thinking about ways to give back to those in need.

December Newsletter NEWS Christmas Stay and Play Sessions: W/C Monday 1st December We would like to invite all our parents and carers to our festive ‘Christmas Stay and Play’ sessions! This is a lovely chance for you to spend some time with your child in the setting, join in some merry activities, and enjoy the magic of Christmas together! Spaces are offered on a first-come, first-served basis, so please RSVP below the post on Tapestry with your name, your child’s name, and what date you’d like to attend as soon as possible. Please note that to ensure everyone gets a chance to visit, only one parent/carer can attend.

• Monday 1st December, 3-4pm - Ducklings (12) • Tuesday 2nd December, 3-4pm - Goslings (12) • Wednesday 3rd December, 3-4pm - Chicklets (14) • Thursday 4th December, 3-4pm - Goslings (12) • Friday 5th December, 3-4pm - Ducklings (12)

Hanukkah Celebration: Friday 12th December This year, we will also be celebrating Hanukkah at Nursery by introducing the children to some of the festival’s key traditions in fun and age-appropriate ways. Throughout the week, the children will explore Hanukkah through stories, songs, creative activities and themed sensory play. We will also talk about the themes of light, kindness, and togetherness to help the children understand the meaning behind the celebration. If your family celebrates Hanukkah and would like to share any traditions or photos, we would love to include them in our learning.

December Newsletter NEWS

A Special Visit From Santa and his Reindeer: Wednesday 10th December On Wednesday 10th December, we have some very special visitors coming to 22 Street Lane, Santa and his Reindeer! If your child does not attend on this day and you would like to come along to see the reindeer,

we have the following time slots available: • Chicklets/Ducklings: 10.30-11.00am

• Goslings: 10:00-10.30am • Cygnets: 11.00-11.30am • Swans: 11.30-12:00pm

Please Note: The reindeer will be in the car park, so the car park will be closed for the morning for the safety of the children. If you do come along, please find on-street parking and enter the Nursery through the single pedestrian gate.

Christmas Party Week: W/C Monday 15th December Starting the week of 15th December, we’ll be celebrating with our 22SLN Christmas parties! Throughout the week, children are welcome to come to nursery dressed in their favourite party outfits and will enjoy a range of festive, themed activities to get everyone in the holiday spirit.

December Newsletter NEWS

Wednesday 17th December: Christmas Dinner Day Oli will be preparing a festive Christmas Feast for us on Wednesday 17th December, complete with all the trimmings for the children to enjoy! We’ll be decorating the tables with crackers and party hats so everyone can celebrate in true festive style.

Christmas Closure The nursery will close for Christmas on Wednesday 24th December at 12pm. We will be welcoming all our families back to the nursery on Friday 2nd January 2024.

December Newsletter Christmas Present Collection

Donated items are distributed to children aged 0-18, so most gifts are welcome (Guns or plastic weapons cannot be accepted). Please ensure that donated presents are not wrapped, as it’s important that Leeds Hospitals Charity can see the items in order to allocate them to the appropriate children according to their interests and age range. We’ve already started collecting donations, but we will continue to accept new items up until Friday 5th December, as they will be collected the following week, so there’s enough time for the gifts to be distributed to children in time for Christmas!

December Newsletter

This festive season we are spreading the Christmas cheer with our annual Christmas Jumper Day. The children are invited to wear their best festive frocks, joyful jumpers and other seasonal styles on Thursday 11th December, the more festive the better! Christmas Jumper Day: Thursday 11th December

December Newsletter

It’s beginning to sound a lot like Christmas! You’re warmly invited to join us for Cygnets’ Christmas Carols on Monday 15th December from 2:30pm to 3:00pm. Come and sing along with us around the Christmas tree as we spread some holiday sparkle and cheer. We can’t wait to see you jingling and singing with us! Please Note: only one parent/carer can attend per child. If you would like to attend, please leave a comment on the Tapestry post we uploaded. And don’t forget to wear your Christmas jumper to help make the day extra festive! Cygnets Christmas Carols: Monday 15th December

December Newsletter Swans Christmas Nativity: Tuesday 16th December

The Swans are going to be performing a very exciting rendition of the Nativity this year on Tuesday 16th December at 10am at St Andrew’s Church, Roundhay, LS8 1DS. If your child DOES NOT attend nursery on a Tuesday, then we kindly ask you to meet us at St Andrew’s Church at 9.45am for a 10am start. Children who DO attend nursery on a Tuesday will be accompanied to and from the church by staff members. Please could we ask that you drop your child off at nursery by 9.00am latest on this day. Also, please let us know if your child is unable to attend on this date so we can plan alternative parts for our Nativity show.

December Newsletter

Dish of the Month

Tomato and Butterbean Soup with Homemade Focaccia

See our past selections on: 22streetlanenursery.co.uk/dish-of-the-month/

Ingredients For the Tomato and Butterbean Soup: • 1 red onion, chopped

• 3 carrots, chopped • 1 red pepper, sliced • 2 cloves of garlic • 2 tbsp olive oil • 1 tin of tomatoes • 1 tin of butter beans (drained) • 1 tbsp tomato puree • 500ml veg stock • 1 half block of feta cheese

• 1 small bag of panto breadcrumbs • 1 portion of natural breadcrumbs • 2 bunches of basil • 1 bunch chives • 1 tsp of dried herbs and spices (I used oregano and paprika) • Salt and pepper to taste For the Focaccia Bread: • 500g strong bread flour plus extra for dusting • 7g dried fast-action yeast • 2 tsp fine sea salt • 5 tbsp olive oil plus extra for the tin and to serve • 1 tsp flaky sea salt • ¼ small bunch of rosemary sprigs picked

December Newsletter

Dish of the Month

Method For the Tomato and Butterbean Soup: 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a tray with baking paper. Place on the veg and garlic cloves, drizzle generously with olive oil and season. Roast for 30-40 minutes until tender. 2. Whilst that’s cooking, pour a tin of tomatoes into a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Add in the tomato puree, veg stock, seasoning and a good pinch of salt and pepper, leaving on a simmer. 3. Once cooked, add in the roasted veg and butter beans and allow to heat through. You can let it simmer for a while longer if you have the time, or blend straight away until smooth. 4. We have chosen to add herb crumb, so blend the oil, basil, chives and feta cheese together in a food processor to create a herb cheesy crumb. For the Focaccia Bread: 1. Pour the flour into a large mixing bowl. Mix the yeast into one side of the flour, and the fine salt into the other side. 2. Then mix everything together; this initial separation prevents the salt from killing the yeast. 3. Make a well in the middle of the flour and add 2 tbsp oil and 350-400ml lukewarm water, adding it gradually until you have a slightly sticky dough (you may not need all the water). 4. Sprinkle the work surface with flour and tip the dough onto it, scraping around the sides of the bowl. Knead for 5-10 minutes until your dough is soft and less sticky. Put the dough into a clean bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave to prove for 1 hour until doubled in size. 5. Oil a rectangle, shallow tin (25 x 35cm). Tip the dough onto the work surface, then stretch it to fill the tin. Cover with a tea towel and leave to prove for another 35-45 minutes. 6. Heat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7. Press your fingers into the dough to make dimples. 7. Mix together 1½ tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp water and the flaky salt and drizzle over the bread. Push sprigs of rosemary into the dimples in the dough. 8. Bake for 20 minutes until golden. Whilst the bread is still hot, drizzle over 1-2 tbsp olive oil. Cut into squares and serve warm or cold with extra olive oil, if you like.

December Newsletter

Chicklets Room News

November has been another brilliant month in the Chicklets Room! We have now welcomed in lots of new Chicklets who have all settled in really well. Throughout November, we have celebrated Bonfire Night where the children played with lots of colour to represent fireworks and tried new tastes such as parkin loaf. We also celebrated Children in Need, where they explored different themed activities, such as a Pudsey Bear tuff tray, where the Chicklets used their transporting skills to explore and move lots of textures to different areas of the tray. The Chicklets have also been loving messy play at the moment and have been enjoying exploring lots of new and exciting textures through activities such as using paintbrushes to paint our winter themed masterpieces! We have recently discovered that the Chicklets all enjoy reading stories in our cosy book corner, especially storybooks with flaps, textures and exciting pictures to explore. Because of the Chicklets’ interest, we have created ‘Chicklets Lending Library’ to allow the parents to borrow some of the children’s favourite books and take them home to share together! We can’t wait to see all the children’s pictures on Tapestry. We are so excited to head into the month of December, where we will start our Christmas crafts, explore the new season and help decorate the room with things the children have made to create a festive environment for the Chicklets to explore. We look forward to meeting Santa and his reindeers soon and hopefully we will get to experience a white Christmas with some snow!

CHICKLETS ROOM

December Newsletter

Ducklings Room News

What a lovely November we have had in the Ducklings Room! We started our month off by celebrating Bonfire Night. The Ducklings did such a great job at creating their own pictures with red, orange and yellow paint to make fireworks to take home. They also had so much fun exploring the firework themed tuff tray as we spoke about what colour fireworks we could see and what sounds they make! Well done, Ducklings! This month, we also celebrated ‘World Nursery Rhyme Week’, which was a big hit with our Ducklings as they love nursery rhymes. We created themed tuff trays for the children, such as an Incy, Wincy Spider web tray, which was filled with spiders to count, an Old MacDonald had a farm messy tray with dyed green rice as grass and mud, a five little ducks water tray and a twinkle, twinkle little star flour tray with paint brushes. We, of course, did many group times where we sang our core nursery rhymes and did lots of dancing! At the end of our month, we explored Children in Need. We set out a Pudsey Bear cereal tray for the Ducklings to explore. The children then used the spoons to transfer the cereal around the tray before heading over to our multicoloured spot tray. The children had so much fun guessing the colours of the spots and mixing the colours together! What a lovely end to our month, we can’t wait for Christmas time, where we will be doing lots of Christmas crafts, seeing the reindeers and waiting for Santa to come.

DUCKLINGS ROOM

December Newsletter

Goslings Room News

What a wonderful November we have had in the Goslings Room. During Nursery Rhyme Week, we explored lots of different activities and tuff trays based on our favourite songs – the one the children loved the most was Hickory, Dickory Dock! We celebrated World Kindness Day by creating cards for each room and handing them out with some flowers. We then ended the month by celebrating Children in Need and Thanksgiving. Discussing all the things we are thankful for, as well as looking closely at our families and the people who help and support us. The Goslings enjoyed doing some planting with Oli this month. We helped him in his allotment area. Oli spoke to us through the planting activity and supported us with the onion bulbs. The children then enjoyed looking for onions in their meals and talking about other vegetables that we plant in the soil We have had lots of outings during November too! We’ve enjoyed getting wrapped up warm and going in the pushchairs to the local park. We have observed the swans in the lake and met lots of dogs and people on our adventures. The children have enjoyed looking in the fairy houses and racing across the fields as we enjoy some outdoor play. We are so excited to head into the month of December, where we welcome all things Christmassy and festive. Frostier mornings and maybe even some snow! We will be learning all about Santa and the season of giving.

GOSLINGS ROOM

December Newsletter

Cygnets Room News

What an exciting and busy month we have had in the Cygnets Room! We began the month by celebrating Bonfire Night, and the children absolutely loved taking part in firework-themed crafts. They explored bright colours and different textures to recreate the magic of the fireworks. During Road Safety Week, the children were busy engaging in hands-on activities designed to teach them how to stay safe near roads. From role-play crossings to creating their own traffic lights, the children showed fantastic enthusiasm and awareness. Children in Need was another wonderful highlight. The nursery was full of colour during our non uniform day, and the children took part in plenty of Pudsey-themed activities to mark the occasion. It was fantastic to see everyone get involved to support such an important cause. Throughout the month, the children have also been practising their Christmas carols. Their voices are growing stronger and more confident each day as they prepare for their special performance next month, which we are all eagerly anticipating. As we look ahead to December, the excitement continues. We are getting ready for a month filled with festive celebrations, including our carol performance, a visit from Santa’s reindeer, Christmas Dinner Day and Christmas Jumper Day. We cannot wait to share these magical moments with the children.

CYGNETS ROOM

December Newsletter

Swans Room News

The children in the Swans Room have been super busy throughout November! We’ve had so much fun getting involved in lots of different celebrations and activities! To start the month off, we focused on Bonfire Night, where the children loved creating beautiful firework pictures as well as having discussions about fire safety. In November, we had the best time celebrating National Nursery Rhyme Week, where we focused on our Swans’ core nursery rhymes. We enjoyed singing our favourites as well as having lots of fun exploring a wide range of activities, from creating a Hickory Dickory Dock clock, to exploring a farm tuff tray linking to Old McDonald had a farm. This month, we have been very busy in our woodwork session. The children have been learning all about using a saw safely as well as having ago at sewing some wood, which we are going to use as part of our Christmas crafts! Next month in Swans, we are all very excited to perform our nativity for all our families at the local church! The children have been practising so hard to learn all the songs, Makaton and dances. We can’t wait for the big day! As we approach Christmas, we will also be looking forward to making some lovely Christmas crafts to take home, as well as lots of fun Christmas activities for the children to take part in! We also can’t wait to see if we get some special visitors coming into the nursery.

SWANS ROOM

December Newsletter

2025/26 Events Calendar *Dates subject to change - Please check the website for the latest calendar

W/C Monday 1st

Christmas Stay and Play Sessions

Thursday 11th

Christmas Jumper Day

Friday 12th

Chanukah Celebrations

Monday 15th

Cygnets’ Christmas Carols

December

W/C Monday 15th

Christmas Party Week

Tuesday 16th

Swans Christmas Nativity

Wednesday 17th

22SLN Christmas Dinner Day

Christmas Eve, Nursery Closes at 12pm

Wednesday 24th

Friday 2nd

Nursery Reopens for New Year

January

Friday 23rd

Burns Night Celebrations

W/C Monday 2nd

National Storytelling Week

W/C Monday 9th

Children’s Mental Health Week

Friday 13th

Valentine’s Day Celebrations

W/C Monday 16th

Lunar New Year Celebrations

February

Tuesday 17th

Random Acts of Kindness Day

Tuesday 17th

Shrove Tuesday

Tues 17th Feb - Weds 18th March

Ramadan

Friday 27th

St David’s Day Celebrations

December Newsletter

2026 Events Calendar *Dates subject to change - Please check the website for the latest calendar

Tuesday 3rd

World Wildlife Day

Wednesday 4th

Holi Colour Festival

Thursday 5th

World Book Day

Friday 6th

International Women’s Day

W/C Monday 9th

Mother’s Day Stay & Plays

March

Tuesday 17th

St Patrick's Day

Wednesday 18th

Global Recycling Day

Friday 20th

Red Nose Day

Friday 20th

World Down Syndrome Day

Friday 20th

Eid Al Fitr

Saturday 21st

World Poetry Day

Weds 1st - Thurs 9th

Passover Celebrations

Thursday 2nd

Easter Bonnet and Egg Hunt

Good Friday, Nursery Closed

Friday 3rd

April

Easter Monday, Nursery Closed

Monday 6th

Tuesday 14th

Vaisakhi Festival Celebrations

Wednesday 22nd

Earth Day

Thursday 23rd

St George's Day

December Newsletter

2026 Events Calendar *Dates subject to change - Please check the website for the latest calendar

Early Bank Holiday, Nursery Closed

Monday 4th

W/C Monday 4th

National Walking Month

W/C Monday 11th

Mental Health Awareness Week

W/C Monday 18th

Grandparents Stay & Play

May

W/C Monday 18th

National 'Share a Story' Month

Wednesday 20th

World Bee Day

Spring Bank Holiday, Nursery Closed

Monday 25th

Wednesday 27th

Eid Al Adha

W/C Monday 1st

National Children’s Gardening Week

Friday 5th

Team Training Day, Nursery Closed

W/C Monday 8th

Healthy Eating & G reat Big Green Week

Tuesday 9th

Bicycle Day - Bring your bike to Nursery Day!

June

W/C Monday 15th

Father’s Day Stay & Play

Monday 15th

Parents Evening - Chicklets, Goslings, Swans

W/C Monday 15th

National Picnic Week

Wednesday 24th

Parents Evening - Ducklings & Cygnets

W/C Monday 29th (TBC)

Beach Party Week

December Newsletter

2026 Events Calendar *Dates subject to change - Please check the website for the latest calendar

Thursday 9th (TBC)

Swans Graduation

July

Friday 31st

Yorkshire Day Celebrations

WC Monday 24th

Carnival Week

August

Summer Bank Holiday, Nursery Closed

Monday 31st

W/C Monday 7th

Rosh Hashanah

September

Friday 25th

Mid-Autumn Festival

Friday 25th

Macmillan Bake Sale

W/C Monday 5th

Black History Month

Friday 9th

World Mental Health Day

W/C Monday 19th & Monday 26th

October

Halloween Stay & Play

Team Training Day, Nursery Closed

Tuesday 27th

Friday 30th

Halloween Fancy Dress Day

December Newsletter

2026 Events Calendar *Dates subject to change - Please check the website for the latest calendar

W/C Monday 2nd

Diwali Celebrations

Thursday 5th

Bonfire Celebrations

Friday 6th

Remembrance Sunday

Monday 9th

Parents Evening - Chicklets, Goslings, Swans

Friday 13th

World Kindness Day

November

W/C Monday 16th

Road Safety Week

TBC

World Nursery Rhymes Week

Wednesday 18th

Parents Evening - Ducklings & Cygnets

Friday 20th

Children in Need

Thursday 26th

Thanksgiving

W/C Monday 7th

Chanukah

Thursday 10th

Christmas Jumper Day

TBC

Swans Christmas Nativity

December

W/C Monday 14th

Christmas Party Week

Tuesday 15th

22SLN Christmas Dinner Day

Christmas Eve, Nursery Closes at 12pm

Thursday 24th

December Newsletter

*ATTENTION* Important Information - Please Read Notice: Glass Door We would like to remind parents to close the glass door behind them for the safety of the children. Please make sure that you do not let anyone in behind you. Thank you for your support. Birthdays Unfortunately, we do not allow parents to bring in birthday cakes treats to celebrate birthdays. If you would like to bring something in, we can suggest stickers, bubbles and other party bag fillers. If it is your child’s birthday, please tell us so that we can celebrate with a class disco! Labels in Clothing To avoid items being lost, please can you ensure that your child’s uniform is clearly labelled including their coats, hats, scarves and wellies. If your child brings gloves to nursery, we strongly advise for these to be attached and threaded through their coat to avoid any gloves going missing.

December Newsletter

*ATTENTION* Important Information - Please Read Drop Off and Collection Please remember that we open at 7.30am and close at 6.00pm, and anyone who picks up after this will be charged a late fee. Absence Please note that we are unable to swap days or offer an alternative day if your child is absent from nursery. We are now extremely busy, and it is impossible for us to do this for all children. This is stated in our terms and conditions. Thank you for your cooperation. Car Park Please can we kindly ask that parents ensure they are only parking in a single car parking bay. As you are aware, we have very limited space, and it is very busy a peak times. Weather Appropriate Clothing With the cooler months upon us, please can you ensure that your child has appropriate clothing for colder and wetter weather, including coats, hats, scarves, gloves and wellies when appropriate.

CONTACT US 0333 043 22 22

www.22streetlanenursery.co.uk info@22streetlanenursery.co.uk