40 Years of Busy Bees

WELCOME TO KIDS 1ST

Nursery in
Darlington

Rated Outstanding by Ofsted

6 Reviews

READY TO TAKE YOUR FIRST STEPS?

Book your visit today Use our funding calculator

New parent? Call 0330 333 8133

Existing parent? Call 01325 380 199
Busy Bees

READY TO TAKE YOUR FIRST STEPS?

Book your visit today Use our funding calculator

New parent? Call 0330 333 8133

Existing parent? Call 01325 380 199

Opening Times:

From 07:30 to 18:00 Mon - Fri

If you're looking for day nurseries in Darlington, Busy Bees could be the perfect setting for your child to learn and thrive. Kids 1st Darlington offers a secure and spacious environment with access to lots of amazing facilities - all aimed at supporting children during an important developmental time in their lives.

With multiple large rooms, toddlers and pre-schoolers can develop, form friendships, and have fun with children of similar ages.

There's always plenty to keep them engaged too. We have water tables to encourage them to engage their sensory skills, role-play toys to help them form their understanding of the world, soft mats where they can simply play, and lots more.

We believe it's just as important for children to get outdoors too. The nursery has a big outdoor area that provides plenty of space for children to explore.  With climbing frames, rope bridges, and other balance challenges, there’s lots to encourage children to take safe risks under supervision.

To support your child to the next stage of their education, our nursery follows the EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage) framework. Through our foundation class and interactive smart board, we provide preschoolers with an early introduction to school education - to help them get the very best start in life. It's something we take great pride in - and we recently received an 'Outstanding' rating from Ofsted.

Come and see everything we can offer your child for yourself. Book your visit to our Kids 1st nursery in Darlington today.

Pebble flexible childcare at Kids 1st - Darlington

We understand that parents and carers lead busy lives, and we want to do everything possible to help. That’s why Kids 1st - Darlington offers the flexibility of booking additional sessions for when you need them.​ Find out more about our nursery session booking app, Pebble.

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Busy Bees

Kids 1st - Darlington

Alderman Leach Drive

Darlington

DL2 2GF

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Leanne Bowron - Centre Director

Leanne Bowron

Centre Director

Meet the team Ofsted Report
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Nursery Facilities at Kids 1st - Darlington

Here's a snapshot of just some of the wonderful facilities we offer at our Day Nursery in Darlington. Click on each facility to find out more.

Buggy Store

Meals and snacks

Funded Childcare

Outdoor Facilities

Foundation class

UP

Parent Zone

Parent Room

Smart Board

Secure Access

Parking

Pebble

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Car Parking
We offer ample parking on-site for your safety and convenience.

Buggy store
A safe place to store your pram while visiting the nursery.

CCTV
Our nursery is fitted with CCTV for the safety and security of our team and the children in our care.

Secure Access
Our entrance ways are fitted with an intercom system and all access points are safe and secure.

Nappies and Wipes inclusive
Fees are all-inclusive to include nappies and wipes.

Formula Milk provided
Fees are inclusive to include formula milk if required.

Meals and Snacks Provided
All meals, drinks and snacks are prepared on-site by our chef and NHS accredited.

Outdoor Facilities
Our outdoor environment offers space to explore and take safe risks with the support of our team, aiding child development.

Sensory Room
Our Sensory Room is a relaxing space providing a unique sensory experience with activities and equipment to explore, engaging and stimulating children’s senses.

Parent Room
Our parent room is a dedicated safe space for us to get to know your family and you to speak in confidence with our nursery team about your child's nursery life.

Smart Board
Our Interactive Smart Board is used daily to bring learning to life and provides children with a hands-on approach with technology.

Funded Childcare
We offer government funded places for children aged 3 to 4 years, please speak to the Centre Director for more information.

Teacher
We have a fully qualified Teacher in our pre-school room who delivers exciting learning opportunities, whilst ensuring statutory and legal welfare requirements are met for every child.

Foundation Class
The foundation class nurtures each child's natural curiosity within a structured framework providing pre-school children with an early introduction to school life.

ParentZone
We keep families informed through ParentZone, an online learning journal platform, which can be accessed via a smartphone app.

UP
Exclusive to Busy Bees, UP is a learning and development app used by educators in our nursery and parents at home. Search ‘UP by Busy Bees’ on the app store to find out more.

Book Extra Sessions Online
We offer online booking for extra ad-hoc sessions at this nursery with Pebble.

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Food at Kids 1st - Darlington

Here, at Kids 1st, we believe it's hugely important for the children to eat well and get all the nutrients they need as they grow. As part of your nursery fees, your child will get to enjoy delicious meals, snacks, and drinks from our NHS-accredited menu.

The menu changes seasonally too, so kids can try lots of different foods across the term, meaning they can enjoy a varied diet while at nursery. The food is prepared on-site by our nursery chef using fresh, local ingredients and produce.

You don't have to worry if your child has a specific dietary need - simply speak to your Centre Director about medical or dietary requirements.

On a typical day at our Darlington preschool nursery, your child might enjoy:

Breakfast

Fresh fruit with a selection of cereal or porridge.

Morning Snack

Fresh fruit with wholemeal toast or baked goods, served with a cup of milk or water.

Lunch

Vegetable spring roll with plum sauce to start. Chinese style orange chicken served with egg noodles and broccoli as a main. Served with a cup of water.

Afternoon Snack

Fresh fruit or vegetable sticks served with a cup of milk or water.

Early Evening Snack

Turkey sandwiches or hummus and tomato sandwiches served with cucumber sticks, and a banana for dessert. Served with a cup of water.

See food menu
5* Food Hygiene
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Our Fees

We believe in an open and transparent approach to nursery fees. Click the button below for weekly, daily, and session rates for our exceptional childcare.

Did you know Busy Bees also offers government-funded childcare? If eligible, you could be entitled to up to 570 or 1140 hours of funded childcare, depending on your child's age, each year for your child. Find out more on our 'Funding Options' page. Or alternatively, speak to your Centre Director to learn more.

Download fee sheet

Preparing for School

In order to best prepare the children for the next big chapter of their lives, Busy Bees do all that they can to support and celebrate the transition. All of the planned activities and experiences which take place within our Kids 1st Nursery in Darlington are designed to provide a foundation of skills that will help them grow in becoming confident and capable learners.

Learn more about how we support the journey from nursery to school by taking a look at our "My Journey to School Tracker". To read more and learn about the other ways our expert team supports the transition to school level, take a look at our Starting School page.

Kids 1st Nursery Darlington Location

You'll find our nursery on Alderman Leach Drive - we're located in West Park, on the outskirts of town.

Coming to us by bus? The nearest stop is just a five-minute walk away - on John Fowler Way. It sits on the 1 Sapphire, X1 MAX, X26 and X27 MAX routes. There's the Holderness Drive bus stop, which is served by 16, 19, X26 and X27 MAX buses.

When you arrive, you'll find plenty of parking space. So, you can safely and conveniently drop off and pick up your little ones - away from any busy roads. We have a buggy store too, where you can securely store any prams and pushchairs while you're with us.

Find the exact location of Kids 1st - Darlington by using our What3Words:

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Book a Tour

Our friendly, expert team of staff are always happy to welcome you and your child for a tour of the facilities on offer at our nursery in Darlington. Book a visit today to arrange a personal tour to see Kids 1st Nursery Darlington for yourself.

Reviews

Lindsey P.

02/02/2024

"The staff are so welcoming and friendly nothing is to much trouble. My child absolutely loves it."

Kate B.

06/07/2023

"Great nursery. Very friendly, helpful and supportive staff"

Zara C.

06/06/2023

"My little girl loves going to this nursery. She is engaged and the activities are well planned and changed daily. The staff are very supportive and lovely, friendly and warm with my little girl. She has no issues going in and asks to go. "

Rachel H.

02/05/2023

"Feels like we are part of a family and love the staff and how they are with both us as parents, older siblings when in tow and also our little ones attending. Also love how considerate and they’re understanding with allergies. Every single one of them are definitely in the right job. Always feel safe handing my little one over, as much as it hurts me saying goodbye, I know they are in good hands. "

Caitlin-rose H.

03/03/2023

"The girls and nursery management team always provide the best care for my little girl! I wouldn’t send her anywhere else, she has been thriving since 8 months old and I really do believe they have played a HUGE part of the little girl she is today! Always engaged and provide amazing activities! Communication is always strong and my little girl loves attending nursery! "