Early Childhood Centres
Our award-winning day care nurseries, known by us at Sleepy Hollow as Early Childhood Centres, cater to children aged 0 to 5 years. With a unique emphasis on a Reggio Emilia-inspired approach, we prioritise play-based learning guided by the playwork principles and the Curiosity Approach. Our engaging environments invite exploration and creativity, allowing children to embark on exciting early learning journeys. We strive for excellence in both curriculum learning and early development. Undertaking the Adventures with Alice programme our staff are focusing on creating an evolving pedagogy which is child focused and linked to current best practice.
Our Early Childhood Centre leaders all take an area of specialism from environments, to curriculum development to beach and forest school development to staff development. We meet regularly to share our practice and idea to enhancing our expertise, ensuring that we provide the highest quality of care and education.
Our innovative methods include using natural resources, minimising plastic toys and replacing with 'real life' resources, mixed age dining in our settings where children come together at meal times, we use proper crockery and table clothes, placing emphasis on our meal times as a social occasion. We also focus on art aterliers, sensory areas, music, reading libraries and getting out an about in our toddler buses.
"My daughter attended the setting of the eager and able programme from Sept 23 - June 24 and the nursery team, especially the manager was absolutely amazing helping us get the ball rolling for an assessment regarding our daughter's special educational needs. I'm full of praise for how quickly we got through the process and how helpful the team were. My son now attends and is so happy there and has settled so well in fact that he loves going and hates leaving! Staff always ask after my daughter too now she's in a sen placement and show interest in how she's doing. The new manager has been excellent and was very helpful with the paperwork I needed for my daughter's transfer. Very welcoming environment and great value for the eager and able programme."
0-2 Year Old Rooms
At Sleepy Hollow, we recognise that the first 1,000 days of a child's life, from conception to their second birthday, represent a unique opportunity to lay the foundation for optimal health, growth, and lifelong learning. Our early years educators are dedicated to supporting the development of early education programs that engage children during these crucial early years. With a focus on high-quality childcare that nurtures a love of learning, we create an environment where curiosity thrives.
Our famly app allows parents to track their child's milestones and next steps, fostering a partnership approach. We prioritise outdoor play and utilise real-life objects in our rooms, minimising plastic toys to provide babies with the right support from the very beginning. Understanding that infants learn through their senses, we help them discover the world around them while building secure relationships that encourage exploration.
Through engaging activities like songs, rhymes, and repetition, we lay the groundwork for early literacy, while open-ended resources promote essential numeracy skills. At Sleepy Hollow, we celebrate each child's unique journey, acknowledging their efforts and fostering communication through actions, movements, and expressions. If you’re curious about how our innovative approach can ignite a passion for learning in your little one, we invite you visit us to learn more about our exceptional provision for children aged 0 to 2!
Staff to child ratio 1:3
Locations
Available at: Aldergrove, Crumlin, Holywood and Lisburn branches
Pricing
Varies depending on location - See Individual centres for more details
How To Apply?
If you wish to apply for places at one of the Early Childhood Centres, please complete the enquiry form below.
0-2 Year Old Rooms
Locations
Available at: Aldergrove, Crumlin, Holywood and Lisburn branches
Pricing
Varies depending on location - See Individual centres for more details
How To Apply?
If you wish to apply for places at one of the Early Childhood Centres, please complete the enquiry form below.
At Sleepy Hollow, we recognise that the first 1,000 days of a child's life, from conception to their second birthday, represent a unique opportunity to lay the foundation for optimal health, growth, and lifelong learning. Our early years educators are dedicated to supporting the development of early education programs that engage children during these crucial early years. With a focus on high-quality childcare that nurtures a love of learning, we create an environment where curiosity thrives.
Our famly app allows parents to track their child's milestones and next steps, fostering a partnership approach. We prioritise outdoor play and utilise real-life objects in our rooms, minimising plastic toys to provide babies with the right support from the very beginning.
Through engaging activities like songs, rhymes, and repetition, we lay the groundwork for early literacy, while open-ended resources promote essential numeracy skills. At Sleepy Hollow, we celebrate each child's unique journey, acknowledging their efforts and fostering communication through actions, movements, and expressions. If you’re curious about how our innovative approach can ignite a passion for learning in your little one, we invite you visit us to learn more about our exceptional provision for children aged 0 to 2!
Staff to child ratio 1:3
Our famly app allows parents to track their child's milestones and next steps, fostering a partnership approach. We prioritise outdoor play and utilise real-life objects in our rooms, minimising plastic toys to provide babies with the right support from the very beginning.
Understanding that infants learn through their senses, we help them discover the world around them while building secure relationships that encourage exploration.
Through engaging activities like songs, rhymes, and repetition, we lay the groundwork for early literacy, while open-ended resources promote essential numeracy skills. At Sleepy Hollow, we celebrate each child's unique journey, acknowledging their efforts and fostering communication through actions, movements, and expressions. If you’re curious about how our innovative approach can ignite a passion for learning in your little one, we invite you visit us to learn more about our exceptional provision for children aged 0 to 2!
Staff to child ratio 1:3
2 - 3 Year Old Rooms
In our 2 to 3-year-old room, all children participate in the Eager and Able to Learn pre-preschool program during the first two hours of their day, usually from 9 AM to 11 AM. Designed by Early Years, the organisation for young children in Northern Ireland, this program focuses on enhancing children's cognitive abilities, physical development, social-emotional skills, and language acquisition.
The program places a strong emphasis on physical movement, recognising that active engagement is essential for young children's growth. It fosters meaningful relationships between practitioners and children, as well as between parents and practitioners, to support development. Through a series of developmental movement and play activities, coupled with home-based elements like home visits and parent workshops, we encourage families to explore and engage in play activities together at home.
Following the pre-preschool program, we continue with our play-based curriculum, building on the foundations established in our 0 to 2-year-old rooms. We usually work with parents introducing potty training as and when requested during this year, and children begin to follow more structured routines such as circle and story time. As we begin to prepare children for pre school we begin to introduce mark making, art, clay, and collages through group activities which encourage sharing, turn taking and appreciation of working together to achieve things. We begin to introduce to introduce light boxes, digital microscopes, overhead projectors, and data projectors in the play environment to enhance play experience and begin to prepare children for their next steps toward preschool education .Outdoor play and games are built into the daily routine.
If you're curious about how our innovative approach can enrich your child's early learning experience, we invite you to discover more about our exciting program!
Staff to child ratio 1:5
Locations
Available at: Aldergrove, Crumlin, Holywood and Lisburn branches
Eager and Able to Learn programmes for 2-3 year olds available at Aldergrove, Holywood Lisburn, St MacNissis PS Newtownabbey from 9am -11am term time
Eager and Able to Learn Programme included in our daily curriculum in Crumlin
Pricing
Varies depending on location - See Individual centres for more details
How To Apply?
If you wish to apply for places at one of the Early Childhood Centres, please complete the enquiry form below.
2 - 3 Year Old Rooms
Locations
Available at: Aldergrove, Crumlin, Holywood and Lisburn branches
Eager and Able to Learn programmes for 2-3 year olds available at Aldergrove, Holywood Lisburn, St MacNissis PS Newtownabbey from 9am -11am term time
Eager and Able to Learn Programme included in our daily curriculum in Crumlin
Pricing
Varies depending on location - See Individual centres for more details
How To Apply?
If you wish to apply for places at one of the Early Childhood Centres, please complete the enquiry form below.
In our 2 to 3-year-old room, all children participate in the Eager and Able to Learn pre-preschool program during the first two hours of their day, usually from 9 AM to 11 AM. Designed by Early Years, the organisation for young children in Northern Ireland, this program focuses on enhancing children's cognitive abilities, physical development, social-emotional skills, and language acquisition.
Following the pre-preschool program, we continue with our play-based curriculum, building on the foundations established in our 0 to 2-year-old rooms. We usually work with parents introducing potty training as and when requested during this year, and children begin to follow more structured routines such as circle and story time. As we begin to prepare children for pre school we begin to introduce mark making, art, clay, and collages through group activities which encourage sharing, turn taking and appreciation of working together to achieve things. We begin to introduce to introduce light boxes, digital microscopes, overhead projectors, and data projectors in the play environment to enhance play experience and begin to prepare children for their next steps toward preschool education .Outdoor play and games are built into the daily routine.
If you're curious about how our innovative approach can enrich your child's early learning experience, we invite you to discover more about our exciting program!
Staff to child ratio 1:5
3 - 5 Year Old Rooms
Our 3-5 year old rooms all offer a varied programme of early education and care. In all of our early childhood settings we offer a drop off and collection to local nursery schools in our vicinity. However in Aldergrove, Holywood and Lisburn we offer our own in house pre school provision funded by Department of Education under the Pre School-Expansion Programme (PSEP). The aim of the PSEP is to provide one year of high quality funded pre-school education, in the year before compulsory education, for every child whose parents want it. The PSEP is funded by the Department of Education (DE) via the EA and is designed as a partnership between the statutory and voluntary/private pre-school sectors. Both sectors are equally valued for their contribution to the education of children, with both following common curriculum guidelines and subject to the same inspection standards.
The curriculum we deliver in all Sleepy Hollow Early Childhood Centres in our 3-5 year old rooms is designed to be comprehensive and well-rounded, incorporating play-based learning and gradually introducing more complex and challenging ideas and experiences. We offer the children the opportunity to learn through quality interactions and independence, where they can apply a trial in error approach. Children are encouraged to own their learning and play where they make decisions as what will happen next, what they will play with and what they will choose. to do it with.
To ensure that children in Sleepy Hollow are making progress across the six areas of learning in our curriculum we carry out assessments through reflection, rigorous evaluation and collaboration with parents. Observations are recorded and shared with parents through the Famly app. Parents that way have direct links to their children’s
learning journey, with the opportunity to comment or discuss they wish. This means that you will have a full learning journey with us right through from the baby room.
Like in our younger rooms we promote a Reggio Inspired ethos and use natural resources in our rooms. We promote healthy eating and offer wholesome breakfast, lunch and high tea in all of our rooms. Whether children are with us for a full day, or on a wraparound basis with a child attending an external nursery, we offer an inclusive and caring provision which is well balanced between education and care. Our aim is to ensure that children leave our pre school rooms ready and confident for starting primary school.
In St MacNissis PS, Newtownabby we offer an Eager and Able to Learn Programme and childcare can attend our wraparound provision when they reach aged three. We also offer wraparound provision for the pre school setting in St MacNissis PS meaning that site is also registered as a full day care provision. We offer holiday camps for this age group at well at that branch.
Staff to child ratio 1:8
Locations
Available at: Aldergrove, Crumlin, Holywood and Lisburn branches
Department of Education funded 12.5 hours pre school provision (22.5 hours from September 2025) provided in Aldergrove, Holywood & Lisburn.
Wraparound pre school and holiday club provision also avialable at St MacNissis PS Newtownabbey
Full time and wraparound pre school provision available at our Crumlin branch - we offer drop offs and pick ups to all neigbhouring nursery schools in all of our early childhood centre branches.
Pricing
Varies depending on location - See Individual centres for more details
How To Apply?
Write text here how parents can register for this service
3 - 5 Year Old Rooms
Locations
Available at: Aldergrove, Crumlin, Holywood and Lisburn branches
Department of Education funded 12.5 hours pre school provision (22.5 hours from September 2025) provided in Aldergrove, Holywood & Lisburn.
Wraparound pre school and holiday club provision also avialable at St MacNissis PS Newtownabbey
Full time and wraparound pre school provision available at our Crumlin branch - we offer drop offs and pick ups to all neigbhouring nursery schools in all of our early childhood centre branches.
Pricing
Varies depending on location - See Individual centres for more details
How To Apply?
Write text here how parents can register for this service
Our 3-5 year old rooms all offer a varied programme of early education and care. In all of our early childhood settings we offer a drop off and collection to local nursery schools in our vicinity. However in Aldergrove, Holywood and Lisburn we offer our own in house pre school provision funded by Department of Education under the Pre School-Expansion Programme (PSEP). The aim of the PSEP is to provide one year of high quality funded pre-school education, in the year before compulsory education, for every child whose parents want it. The PSEP is funded by the Department of Education (DE) via the EA and is designed as a partnership between the statutory and voluntary/private pre-school sectors. Both sectors are equally valued for their contribution to the education of children, with both following common curriculum guidelines and subject to the same inspection standards.
The curriculum we deliver in all Sleepy Hollow Early Childhood Centres in our 3-5 year old rooms is designed to be comprehensive and well-rounded, incorporating play-based learning and gradually introducing more complex and challenging ideas and experiences. We offer the children the opportunity to learn through quality interactions and independence, where they can apply a trial in error approach. Children are encouraged to own their learning and play where they make decisions as what will happen next, what they will play with and what they will choose. to do it with.
To ensure that children in Sleepy Hollow are making progress across the six areas of learning in our curriculum we carry out assessments through reflection, rigorous evaluation and collaboration with parents. Observations are recorded and shared with parents through the Famly app. Parents that way have direct links to their children’s
learning journey, with the opportunity to comment or discuss they wish. This means that you will have a full learning journey with us right through from the baby room.
Like in our younger rooms we promote a Reggio Inspired ethos and use natural resources in our rooms. We promote healthy eating and offer wholesome breakfast, lunch and high tea in all of our rooms. Whether children are with us for a full day, or on a wraparound basis with a child attending an external nursery, we offer an inclusive and caring provision which is well balanced between education and care. Our aim is to ensure that children leave our pre school rooms ready and confident for starting primary school.
In St MacNissis PS, Newtownabby we offer an Eager and Able to Learn Programme and childcare can attend our wraparound provision when they reach aged three. We also offer wraparound provision for the pre school setting in St MacNissis PS meaning that site is also registered as a full day care provision. We offer holiday camps for this age group at well at that branch.
Staff to child ratio 1:8
"The staff are incredibly warm and nurturing, always going above and beyond to make sure each child feels comfortable and happy. It's clear that they genuinely love what they do, and it shows in how engaged and excited my son is when he arrives and when we pick him up. The environment is not only safe and clean but also filled with stimulating activities that foster early development in such a fun and playful way.
What I appreciate most is how accommodating the nursery has been with any changes in our circumstances. Whether it's adjusting schedules or understanding specific needs, they are always flexible and supportive. It gives me great peace of mind knowing that my child is not only in a caring environment but also one that is willing to work with families to ensure everything runs smoothly. I couldn't be happier with the experience, and I'm so grateful for the incredible care they provide my son."
Awards & Recognition
028 9433 9031
Head Office: Suite 1, Fortwilliam House, Edgewater Business Park, Belfast, BT3 9JQ