The social enterprise is running holiday clubs from two of its nurseries. The club at one setting, Angel Pre-school in Westminster, ends today (7 August), however its club at Eastbury Nursery & Pre-school in Dagenham will run until 28 August.
The aim of the free clubs is to help young children who missed out on nursery education during lockdown and beyond. It is also hoped that the provision will help reassure children who are displaying high levels of anxiety and finding it difficult to separate from their parents.
According to LEYF, many children in London were isolating in high rise flats with no access to outside safe spaces to play and meet other children and families during lockdown. The social enterprise says there is growing concern that this can have a fundamental effect on their social and emotional development as well as their metabolic health.
There are also concerns that children could fall behind in their learning having missed months of nursery education.
LEYF’s holiday clubs have been designed to boost activity levels among young children and decrease sedentary time. Children that attend will be able to take part in activities such as football coaching, dance, hoop ball, yoga & meditation, speech and language sessions, music and reading.
Children will also be taught how to cook healthy meals along with their parents and then given a special Meal Deal, which will include simple recipe cards and all the ingredients to take home. It is hoped this will encourage a healthier approach to eating among families – many of whom rely on cheaper junk food or foods high in salt, sugar and fat, says LEYF.
June O’Sullivan, chief executive of London Early Years Foundation, said, ‘It is well known that children born into poverty are more likely to have significantly different life chances, and these differences take hold early. Disadvantaged children face an educational gap right from the start and it widens quickly unless tackled. This is why funding holiday clubs such as these are crucial to a child’s learning and development – especially given the current pandemic and how it has impacted negatively on so many lives.’