Cylch Meithrin y Bont Faen

Cylch Meithrin y Bont Faen supports children aged 2–7 with flexible sessions and wrap-around care from local primary schools. The team is passionate about creating opportunities for children to explore the outdoors.

After an inspection recommended improving an underused outdoor area, the team at Cylch Meithrin y Bont Faen transformed it into a thriving garden that is now central to daily learning. The Cylch Meithrin staff led the project and involved the children in turning the space into a hands-on outdoor classroom. 

Children now play an active role in maintaining the garden. They water the plants each day, plant seeds, and follow the full growth cycle from seed to produce. They help harvest fruit and vegetables such as carrots and strawberries, which are the prepared and served as part of snacks and meals.

The team also found practical solutions to challenges along the way. Staff take turns watering the plants over the weekend, netting protects crops from wildlife, and children have learned to recognise the difference between weeds and plants through hands-on learning. These approaches have helped maintain the garden while building children’s confidence and helping them understand how plants grow and how to care for them.

• Children develop a clear understanding of how food grows and how to care for plants
• Growing and harvesting their own produce builds confidence, pride, and a sense of achievement
• Gardening together supports teamwork, practical skills, and early problem-solving
• Flower beds play gardens spaces encourage creativity and imaginative play
• The outdoor area has become a vibrant, everyday learning space embedded in the Cylch’s daily practice

"The children are so proud of the fruit and vegetables they grow! Being involved in caring for the garden has really helped build their confidence and enthusiasm for learning."