Learning through play
Children learn most when they are absorbed in something they chose. We set the room up carefully, then follow where they go — pouring, building, digging, pretending.
Woolwich · SE18
A small, loving place to grow — in the heart of Woolwich
Home-hearted childcare for children aged 0–5 years, for families in Woolwich, Plumstead, Charlton and across Greenwich.
- DBS checkedEnhanced check in place
- Paediatric first aidCurrent certification
- Funded hours accepted15 and 30 hours
A word from Arinola
I wanted somewhere that felt like a home, not a corridor
Hello. I'm Arinola. I have spent my working life around small children, and the thing I kept coming back to was how much calmer a child is when the room is small, the faces are familiar and nobody is rushing them.
So I started this setting in Woolwich, a few streets from where I live. It is deliberately small. I want to know your child properly — what makes them laugh, which book they ask for, how they like to be comforted when the day is long.
I also know what it is to hand your baby to someone else and walk away. That is not a small thing, and I will never treat it as one. You will always hear the truth about how the day went from me, good bits and hard bits both.
Come and see us. Bring your child, stay as long as you like, and ask me anything at all.
Arinola Aderibigbe, founder
Our approach
Three things we hold on to
Everything we do sits inside the Early Years Foundation Stage framework — but this is what it actually feels like day to day.
Kindness and confidence
Big feelings are welcome here. We name them, sit with them, and help children find the words. Confidence grows out of feeling safe, never out of being pushed.
Every child known individually
Small numbers mean we can hold your child's whole picture in mind — their routine, their favourite people, what they managed for the first time this week.
A day with us
From the morning welcome to home time
A rhythm rather than a timetable — gentle, predictable, and flexible enough for the day your child is actually having.
7:30am
A soft welcome
Coats on the peg, a cuddle if it is needed, and a quiet moment together before anything else. We take handovers slowly so you can leave knowing your child has settled.
9:00am
Free play and discovery
Wooden blocks, treasure baskets, water, dough and paint. Children choose where to go, and an adult is always close by to notice, name and extend what they are doing.
10:15am
Snack around the table
Fruit, milk or water, and lots of talking. Children help to pour and pass, which is maths, language and independence all at once.
11:00am
Outdoors, whatever the weather
The garden, the mud kitchen, or a walk to the park. Fresh air every single day, with waterproofs and spare clothes ready for the days it rains.
12:30pm
Lunch, then rest
A hot, home-cooked lunch together, then a nap or a quiet story corner for those who no longer sleep. Nobody is ever made to lie down if they are not tired.
3:00pm
Stories, songs and making
Books read again and again because they asked, songs with actions, and paint on paper that goes home in a bag with their name on it.
5:00pm
Home time
A proper handover: what they ate, what they loved, what made them laugh. You leave knowing how the day really went, not just that it was fine.
Clear fees, and funded hours taken properly
Meals, snacks, nappies and activities are all included — no surprise extras at the end of the month. We accept 15- and 30-hour funded entitlements and will help you work out what you actually pay.
What families say
Our first families are joining us now — reviews coming soon.
We would rather show you nothing than show you words we wrote ourselves. Come and visit instead, and ask us anything.
Come and see us
Find us in SE18
139 Garland Road, London SE18 2PP
- A short walk from Plumstead station and the 96, 99 and 122 bus routes.
- Woolwich Arsenal (Elizabeth line, DLR and National Rail) is a 10-minute bus ride.
- Street parking outside for drop-off and collection.
139 Garland Road, London SE18 2PP
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Tell us a little about your child and Arinola will be in touch to arrange a time.