22 Street Lane Nursery - January 2026 Newsletter

Nursery Newsletter January 2026 Play • Discovery • Growth

January Newsletter

Dear Parents and Carers, We hope you have all had the most magical Christmas, and we would like to wish you a very happy, healthy and peaceful New Year. On behalf of all the staff, we’d like to take this opportunity to thank you for all the lovely cards, gifts and kind words that we received before the Christmas holidays, we were all very touched by the generosity of our children and families. As always, we extend a very warm welcome to our new families joining us throughout January. To find out more, please read on...

January Newsletter STAFF NEWS

Cygnets Room Staff Update We would like to share an update with you. Holly has decided to step down from her role as Deputy Room Leader in Cygnets, and from the end of January, will be joining our Bank Staff Team working across all rooms. Holly thoroughly enjoys working with the children and is keen to pursue a career supporting children with additional needs, while continuing to work with us as part of the team.

We would like to extend a huge congratulations to Emmy, who will be moving to the Cygnets Room from 2nd January 2026 and will be stepping up as Deputy Room Leader from the end of January. Although Emmy will miss the Ducklings’ children very much, she is really looking forward to the new challenge and to getting to know all of the Cygnets!

Other Room Staffing Changes Amy C, who currently works as a member of our Bank Staff Team, will be moving to the Ducklings Team on a permanent basis from January. Having worked with the team previously, Amy is really looking forward to spending more time getting to know the Ducklings’ children. At the same time, Hannah will be moving from the Swans Room to the Cygnets Room from 2nd January 2026. Having already

spent some time in Cygnets, she is excited to get to know the children even better. Although she will miss the Swans’ children, she will still have the chance to see them around the nursery and in the garden.

January Newsletter STAFF NEWS

Goodbye Sarah and Zarah! Sadly, we said goodbye to both Sarah and Zarah in December. Sarah has decided to have a career change and start a position in a different sector, while Zarah has relocated to Cornwall to live with family. We wish them both the best of luck for the future!

A Festive ‘Thank You’ From The Team! We would like to say a huge thank you to all of the parents who gave us presents and cards, we were overwhelmed by your generosity.

Holiday Updates on Tapestry We would love to see what your family got up to over this festive period, and are asking if parents could post some pictures along with a few comments so that we can share these with the children. Please note that we always welcome weekend pictures or anything special that your child has done at home.

January Newsletter

NEWS

Country of the Month, January 2026: Scotland In December, the children explored how countries all around the world celebrate Christmas. The children learnt how to say ‘Merry Christmas’ in different languages and designed some traditional Christmas cards to hand out around the community! We also celebrated Jolabokaflod - which is a beloved Icelandic tradition meaning the ‘Christmas Book Flood’, where people exchange books on Christmas Eve and spend time reading them, often with hot chocolate and treats. The children all enjoyed coming into Nursery in their cosy pyjamas on Christmas Eve, sharing their favourite stories with their friends and enjoying a yummy hot chocolate and festive biscuit made by Chef Oli!

In January, we will be learning all about Scotland, linked to Burns Night on 23rd January. Burns Night marks the birthday of the Scottish Poet ‘Robert Burns’. The children will be sampling a traditional Burns night supper of Cock-A-Leekie soup, Neeps and Tatties, Trifle and Oatcakes and cheese. We will also be exploring other Scottish traditions and creating our own tartan patterns too.

January Newsletter NEWS

A Visit from Santa, His Reindeer and a Very Special Elf! The children were delighted to welcome a very special visitor - Santa himself! Alongside two of his reindeer and Moggins the Special Elf, Santa took time out of his very busy schedule to visit all the children at 22 Street Nursery. The excitement was magical, and some of the children even had the chance to sit in Santa’s sleigh and enjoy some lovely photos with their friends. Later in the day, Santa visited all of the children’s classrooms and enjoyed reading a festive story, along with some singing and dancing too! It was a truly memorable visit, and everyone had a wonderful time!

Christmas Present Collection: Leeds Hospital Charity A huge thank you to all our children, parents, and families for your generous donations to this year’s Christmas collection for Leeds Hospital Charity! The charity was absolutely delighted and overwhelmed by the number of gifts donated. Your kindness will bring joy to children spending the festive period in hospital, making their Christmas a little brighter. Thank you again for your amazing support and generosity!

January Newsletter NEWS

Christmas Stay and Play Events A huge thank you to all the parents and carers from Chicklets, Ducklings and Goslings, who came along to our Christmas Stay & Play sessions! It was so lovely to see everyone getting into the festive spirit, having fun with the children, and sharing in all the Christmas excitement. From messy play to festive crafts, the laughter and smiles were everywhere - you all helped make it a magical time! We hope you enjoyed it as much as the little ones did

January Newsletter NEWS

Christmas Festivities Throughout December, the children had lots of fun celebrating Christmas! They took part in lots of Christmas crafts and messy play, all while learning about the true meaning of Christmas. We enjoyed a visit from some very cheeky elves every day in Cygnets and Swans, Santa’s reindeer, a festive lunch, lots of Christmas parties, Jolabokaflod, and a visit from the big man himself. We took part in Christmas Jumper Day, and the Swans children performed a beautiful rendition of the Christmas story.

January Newsletter NEWS

The Swans Took The Stage In Our Christmas Nativity! On Tuesday 16th December, the Swans children performed their special Christmas Nativity at St. Andrew’s Church. The children had been so excited about the performance and had been learning and practising lots of new songs to tell the story of the Nativity to their parents. We had also been reading the Nativity storybook during these times, and the children recognised the different characters and related the pictures to their own parts in the performance. Everyone had a different part to play in the Nativity and learned when it was their turn to stand up and sing their song. The Swans did an incredible job with their dramatic roles, taking the parts seriously and showcasing their fantastic work, adorable smiles, waves and sweet dance moves. We are so very proud of all the hard work that has gone into our Nativity and of the children showing such enthusiasm, determination and resilience. Well done, Swans!

January Newsletter NEWS

Cygnets Christmas Carols Performance Thank you to all the parents and carers who came along to our Cygnets Christmas Carols and helped create such a lovely, festive atmosphere. It was wonderful to see so many smiling faces! A big well done to all the children for their fantastic singing, confidence and enthusiasm - they truly shone and made us very proud. Please take a look on Tapestry to see some videos and photos captured on the day!

Wrapping Up Warm for Christmas Jumper Day The children enjoyed dressing up in their festive jumpers and outfits for Christmas Jumper Day. It was a wonderful day filled with many festive activities too. Some decorated their own Christmas trees using baubles, ribbons, and natural objects, while others enjoyed creating lots of Christmas crafts and even designed their very own Christmas jumpers, using a range of materials!

Hanukkah Celebrations The children enjoyed celebrating Hanukkah from 15th December, exploring themed activities, creating the Star of David, and discovering the story of the menorah. They had lots of fun taking part in crafts, games, and singing songs to celebrate the Festival of Lights!

January Newsletter NEWS

Closing Out The Year With Our Christmas Party Week and Christmas Dinner Day The children enjoyed a fun-filled festive week at the Nursery, enjoying a lovely Christmas dinner, as well as having lots of Christmas discos and themed activities! For our annual festive lunch, the children were treated to a lovely spread of traditional food, consisting of roasted chicken with all the trimmings, herbed roasted potatoes, honey-roasted carrots and parsnips, stuffing balls, sweetcorn, garden peas with an added extra Yorkshire pudding, all topped off with a cranberry gravy - delicious!

Tax-Free Childcare Tax-free childcare accounts are also available and can lead to savings of up to £2000 per child per year. These accounts can also be used alongside funding.

For more information, please visit: https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

January Newsletter

Burns Night Festivities: Friday 23rd January

On Friday 23rd January, we will be celebrating Burns Night, which marks the birthday of the Scottish Poet ‘Robert Burns’. The children will be sampling a traditional Burns night supper of Cock-A-Leekie soup, Neeps and Tatties, Sherry Trifle and Oatcakes and cheese. We also will be exploring other Scottish traditions and creating our own tartan patterns too.

January Newsletter Lunar New Year Celebrations: W/C Monday 16th February 2025 is the ‘Year of the Horse’. The children will get the opportunity to look at beautiful Chinese lanterns, learn about why ‘little red envelopes’ are given to children and get to taste some sweet dumplings. Red is the main colour of the festival, so our rooms will feature plenty of red decorations.

January Newsletter

Dish of the Month

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

Ingredients • 200g butter, plus extra for greasing

• 1 large egg • 4 tbsp milk • 200g golden syrup • 85g treacle • 85g light soft brown sugar • 100g medium oatmeal • 250g self-raising flour • 1 tbsp ground ginger

Method 1. Heat the oven to 160C/140C Fan/Gas Mark 3. Butter a deep 22cm square cake tin and line with baking parchment. Beat the egg and milk together with a fork. 2. Gently melt the syrup, treacle, sugar and butter together in a large pan until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat. Mix together the oatmeal, flour and ginger and stir into the syrup mixture, followed by the egg and milk. 3. Pour the mixture into the tin and bake for 50 minutes to one hour, until the cake feels firm and a little crusty on top. Cool in the tin then wrap in more parchment and foil. 4. Keep for up to five days before eating if you can - it’ll become softer and stickier the longer you leave it, up to two weeks.

January Newsletter

Chicklets Room News

We kicked off December with lots of festive, Christmas-themed activities! We began with a very special visit from Santa and his reindeer. The Chicklets enjoyed gently stroking the reindeer and feeding them yummy apples. We also enjoyed spending time with Santa and his cheeky elf, sharing what we would like for Christmas. Following this visit, we set up a reindeer food–themed tuff tray, where the Chicklets used their fine motor skills to explore oats with their fingers, creating marks as they played. The Chicklets also enjoyed baking festive biscuits and did so well helping Chloe mix all the ingredients together, developing their fine motor skills. Each child had their own spoon and enjoyed taking turns to mix! In the New Year, we have lots of exciting plans to kick-start 2026. Keep your eyes peeled for our room mascot, Chico the Chicklet, who will be joining the children on their adventures in the coming months! We will also be planning more trips outside of the nursery when the weather gets warmer, including visits to the bakery, library and Roundhay Park. We love getting out into our local community and exploring the wonderful places right on our doorstep.We will continue focusing on basic Makaton signs that we use throughout the nursery. Makaton helps to encourage communication, speech and understanding, and is something we use regularly in the Chicklets Room. We have already started to see some of our babies using signs back to us, which has been lovely to see!

CHICKLETS ROOM

January Newsletter

Ducklings Room News

Our Christmas Stay and Play was so much fun; the Ducklings joined in with creating their own Christmas shapes out of playdough when using the shape cutters, scooping around the red and white rice in the shape of a candy cane and using the trains to race on the tracks in our Ducklings express train station set up. Thank you to all the parents who attended - the children had a wonderful time! We also had lots of Christmas-themed activities, such as a Christmas tree decorating tray where the Ducklings stuck the ‘baubles’ on the tree, a Frosty the Snowman powder paint tray, and singing Christmas songs using lots of bells… So much festive fun! The children have enjoyed lots of festive-themed classes, featuring festive Boogie Bear and a Christmas-themed Baby Bloom session. The Ducklings learnt the songs ‘When Santa Got Stuck Up The Chimney’, ‘Jingle Bells’ and ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’. Towards the end of the month, the children had an amazing morning seeing Santa, the elf and reindeer! The Ducklings loved stroking the reindeer, getting in Santa’s sleigh and meeting Santa & the elf. What a magical morning! Christmas dinner day was another amazing day in our Ducklings Room; our Ducklings ate all of their yummy dinner and wore their party hats! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all our families from all of the Ducklings staff, we’ll see you all in the New Year and can’t wait for lots more fun!

DUCKLINGS ROOM

January Newsletter

Goslings Room News

Throughout December, the Goslings have enjoyed creating lots of Christmas crafts to take home and share with their families. The children painted festive baubles, decorated our room and Christmas tree, explored creative activities such as making Mrs Claus cookies, and decorated a Christmas tree by printing baubles with paint. They also wrote Christmas letters to Santa and enjoyed posting them, adding to the excitement of the season. The Goslings were thrilled to have a magical visit from Santa Claus and his elf, as well as meeting real-life reindeer. The children loved feeding them apples and seeing their big antlers up close. Alongside our crafts, the Goslings took part in a range of festive learning and play experiences. They explored a Christmas village, learned about winter animals, and enjoyed sharing many Christmas stories. In our Shake, Rattle and Boogie and Baby Bloom classes, the children have loved dancing, singing and signing, growing in confidence and becoming more independent with using Makaton. The children practised Christmas Makaton signs such as Santa, reindeer and Christmas tree. As we look ahead to January, we can’t wait to welcome the Goslings back for more fun and learning. We have exciting plans including New Year activities such as firework pictures, sharing photos from the Christmas break, winter walks, baking, following the children’s interests and celebrating Burns Night. We’re excited for a wonderful start to the year ahead!

GOSLINGS ROOM

January Newsletter

Cygnets Room News

We have enjoyed a wide range of festive activities throughout the month. A very special highlight was a visit from Santa! He shared a magical story, danced with the children and filled the room with bubbles that brought so much laughter. We were also so excited to welcome his reindeer, which made the experience even more magical! The children enjoyed a lovely Christmas dinner together, sharing the experience with their friends, and we held several Christmas parties where there was plenty of dancing and the chance to wear our best festive outfits. One of the biggest highlights of the month was performing our very first Cygnets Christmas Carols concert. The children were absolutely amazing, and we are so proud of how confidently and enthusiastically they took part. They worked so hard to learn all of the words and actions! Alongside our Christmas celebrations, we have also been learning about other celebrations, including Hanukkah, exploring the traditions and understanding how different families celebrate at this time of year. Looking ahead to January, we are looking forward to talking lots about the seasons and exploring the weather changes that come with winter. We would like to wish all our families a very happy Christmas and a wonderful New Year. We can’t wait to hear all about your celebrations when we welcome everyone back in the New Year!

CYGNETS ROOM

January Newsletter

Swans Room News

December has been filled with lots of festive magic in the Swans Room as we enjoyed the lead up to Christmas. We had a very special visitor join us in Swans this month, a magical elf, who we named Ginger. The children loved looking for Ginger each day around the room and discovering what he’d been up to, which was usually something a little cheeky! Throughout the month, the children have loved joining in with lots of fun Christmas crafts and activities. The children made lots of lovely bits to take home and share with their families, including a Santa stop here sign which everyone made in woodwork. Since November, the children have been very busy with practicing for their nativity, where we have been learning lots of songs, actions, dances and Makaton signs. The children then did a fantastic job when it came to performing their nativity to all their families at St. Andrew’s Church. The children were fantastic and wowed all the whole audience with how amazing they all were – well done Swans! In January, we look forward to welcoming the children back from their break and hearing all about their Christmas adventures. Also, in January, we will be starting Phase Two phonics with the children, where we will be introducing a different sound each week. We will be learning the jolly phonics song as well as playing some games, linking to the sound of the week.

SWANS ROOM

January Newsletter

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

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

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

January Newsletter

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

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

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

January Newsletter

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

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

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

January Newsletter

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

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

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

January 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! Weather Appropriate Clothing With the cold months ahead, please can you ensure that your child has appropriate clothing labelled with their name to play outside. Children can play out and explore in all weathers, but a warm coat, waterproof trousers, hats, gloves and scarves would be most suitable for Winter. Could we please suggest that your child have 2-piece outdoor waterproofs if they are toilet trained, as it can be tricky for them to get them on and off?

January 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. 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.

CONTACT US 0333 043 22 22

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