Welcome to Willow Den
Willow Den Outdoor Nursery is uniquely designed for children.
Our aim is simple, we want parents in Scotland to be able to choose an outdoor nursery experience for their children. That’s why we created Willow Den. Our nursery is safe yet exciting, where children can connect with nature, in green spaces close to home.
We believe outdoor play is a life-enhancing experience, that’s why we want all of Scotland’s children to thrive outdoors.
Our practitioners will skilfully support your child to explore, experiment, research, and master new skills. At Willow Den we will support your child to be healthy, happy, and resilient; to form friendships, to learn vital skills, and to have fun.
Learning outdoors in the natural environment enables children to follow their curiosity and to develop their knowledge and skills across the entire early level curriculum. Research clearly and consistently identifies outdoor play as vital to emotional, physical, and mental health and well-being and critical to all aspects of childhood learning and development.
Together, we are Willow Den.
“Of all the paths in life, make sure a few of them are dirt”
John Muir Naturalist
Willow Den, Spartans, Edinburgh, July 2023. Michael Westcott Films
Why Outdoors?
Willow Den aims to embed outdoor play and learning into the fabric of Scottish life so that all of Scotland’s children can thrive outdoors.
Fees & Funding
At Willow Den, we are committed to ensuring that every child has the opportunity and access to affordable, high-quality learning and education.
Read our Blog
5 reasons being in nature is great for wee ones!
Picture this: a world where children trade their screens and plastic toys for climbing trees and making dens. At Willow…
All our flexible placement options explained
We get lots of questions about the different options for booking in at Willow Den – from using funded hours,…
Unleash the Magic of Nature with Forest Fridays at Willow Den
In the midst of our fast-paced, tech-driven world, there’s a growing recognition of the importance of introducing children to the…
“If we want our children to move mountains, we first have to let them get out of their chairs“
Nicolette Sowder
