At Happy Days Nurseries & Pre-Schools, we understand that the first months and years of parenthood can be as overwhelming as they are wonderful. Feelings of loneliness, anxiety, or loss of confidence are more common than many realise, with studies showing that around one in ten new mothers experience postnatal depression within a year of giving birth.

That’s why our nurseries go far beyond childcare. We create spaces where families can connect, communicate and feel supported, emotionally, socially and practically, from the very start of their journey.

Building Bonds Through Music & Movement

Across our nurseries, we offer free Parent & Baby sessions, from baby massage and Stay & Play groups to first aid workshops. These sessions are designed to help parents feel part of a caring community, creating opportunities to meet others, share experiences, and build friendships that last.

Music and movement play a powerful role in this. Research shows that singing, rhythm, and coordinated activity can reduce stress hormones, lift mood, and strengthen bonding between parent and child. Through our Boogie Mites and Let’s Move programmes, we see these benefits every day, when parents and babies sing, sway, or tap together, their breathing synchronises, stress levels drop, and confidence grows.

This approach aligns beautifully with our Where Children Shine curriculum, particularly our focus on nurturing Strong & Confident Communicators and Healthy, Independent Explorers. Early musical experiences support emotional expression, language development, and social confidence, the very foundations of lifelong wellbeing.

A Connected Start to Nursery Life

We know that starting nursery is a huge milestone, for both children and parents. That’s why our settling-in process is completely tailored to each family. We start sessions around six to eight weeks before your child’s start date, taking the time to build familiarity and trust at your child’s own pace.

Every child is also introduced to their Key Person, a dedicated practitioner who provides consistency, comfort, and a secure base from which your child can explore and learn. This relationship helps both children and parents feel confident and reassured during transitions.

And communication doesn’t stop at the nursery door. Our famly app acts as a secure digital hub, keeping parents up to date with their child’s daily activities, meals, naps, and milestones. Parents can receive photos, videos, and developmental observations in real time, while also sharing their own updates from home. It’s an easy, two-way partnership that ensures families remain connected, supported, and informed every step of the way.

The app also features a Parent Hub, a space full of practical guidance, early learning ideas, and wellbeing resources designed to help families continue their child’s development at home.

Community, Connection & Wellbeing

At Happy Days, our nurseries act as true community hubs. We know that parenting can sometimes feel isolating, so we work hard to create networks of support and friendship. From New Mums & Dads Facebook groups in Bristol and Cornwall to family events, open days, and coffee mornings, we offer plenty of opportunities for parents to connect, share advice, and find reassurance.

Many of our nurseries also host charity events, food bank collections, and clothing swaps, helping families support one another and give back to the local community. This sense of belonging benefits everyone, families, children, and the communities around them.

Helping Families Shine Together

At Happy Days, we believe every family deserves to feel supported, seen, and heard. Whether it’s through our parent app, music sessions, community events, or tailored settling-in support, everything we do is designed to help families feel confident and connected and to help children truly shine.

👉 Find your local Happy Days nursery by clicking here and explore our free Parent & Baby sessions today.

Fresh New Look for Happy Days Pre-School, Saltford!

We’re delighted to share that our Happy Days branding is now proudly displayed at our Pre-School setting in Saltford, following our recent rebrand!

The new signage reflects the next exciting chapter for our nursery, bringing our two Saltford settings, the Day Nursery on Bath Road and the Pre-School at Saltford Primary School, together under the same Happy Days identity.

Happy Days Nursery, Saltford provides high-quality childcare across two dedicated buildings, each designed to support children through every stage of their early years journey. Our Day Nursery offers a nurturing environment for babies and toddlers, while our Pre-School helps older children prepare for their next steps into school life. We also provide before and after school care for children attending Saltford Primary School, ensuring families have the flexibility and consistency they need.

Manager Katie Dursley, who has been part of the Saltford team for over 21 years, said: “It’s wonderful to see our new Happy Days signage up at the Pre-School. We’re so proud to now visually reflect the values and warmth that have always been at the heart of our provision. The rebrand brings both our Saltford sites together and highlights the incredible work our team does to support children and families every day.”

Each Saltford setting offers calm, engaging spaces that spark curiosity, encourage independence, and support children’s development through meaningful play. With an experienced, passionate team and a strong community spirit, Happy Days Saltford continues to provide the very best start for every child.

You can now spot our new Happy Days signage at Saltford Primary School, be sure to give us a wave if you’re passing!

As we prepare for the new academic year, Happy Days Nursery Saltford is proud to announce that our bespoke Early Years Curriculum, “Where Children Shine,” will be fully embedded across both our nursery and pre-school settings — with all educational programmes in place and being delivered by our experienced and passionate teams. This marks an exciting milestone in our continuous commitment to delivering high-quality early years education that prepares children not only for school, but for life.

A Curriculum Designed for Every Step of the Journey

Developed by Happy Days Nurseries & Pre-Schools, “Where Children Shine” is an ambitious, broad, and balanced curriculum that reflects our ethos of nurturing confident, curious, and resilient learners.

In England, the curriculum supports all seven educational programmes outlined in the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). These include:
Communication and Language
Physical Development
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Literacy
Mathematics
Understanding the World
Expressive Arts and Design

At Happy Days Saltford, this curriculum is now being delivered in full across both of our dedicated sites — supporting children at every stage of their early years journey.
Two Settings, One Consistent Vision

Happy Days Saltford offers high-quality childcare across two specialist buildings:
Our Day Nursery on Bath Road provides a nurturing and engaging environment for babies and toddlers, supporting the earliest stages of development.
Our Pre-School, located on the grounds of Saltford Primary School, prepares older children for their transition to school and offers wraparound care for children attending Saltford Primary.

Across both sites, “Where Children Shine” ensures a consistent and carefully tailored approach to learning, underpinned by four key developmental aspects:
✨ Strong & Confident Communicator
Focused on language, listening, and self-expression through storytelling, phonics, and meaningful interactions.
✨ Inquisitive & Ambitious Thinker
Embedding STEM concepts and environmental awareness through hands-on discovery and curiosity-led learning.
✨ Healthy, Independent Explorer
Promoting physical activity, oral health, nutrition, and sun safety to build lifelong healthy habits.
✨ Resilient & Motivated Individual

Supporting emotional wellbeing through mindfulness, yoga, and activities that foster self-confidence and a positive sense of self.
Preparing for a Positive Transition to School

Our curriculum plays a vital role in helping children gain the confidence, independence, and foundational skills they need for a successful start to school. Being located within the grounds of Saltford Primary School, our pre-school children benefit from an environment that naturally supports this transition — both in routine and familiarity.

As we enter September, we’re proud to offer families a fully embedded, inspiring curriculum that truly reflects the values of Happy Days: to Support, be Honest, Inspire, Nurture, and Empower every child.

📅 We welcome enquiries and visits. If you’d like to learn more or book a tour, please get in touch — we’d love to show you how your child can shine with us.

Happy Days Nursery & Pre-School in Saltford is proud to be building stronger community connections while supporting families with simple, sustainable initiatives.

Alongside the much-loved Food Swap Shop, the nursery has now introduced two exciting new additions:
📚 Lending Library – Families can borrow a book to enjoy at home together, before returning it for another family to share.
👕 Clothes Swap Shop – A brand-new eco-friendly space where families can give children’s clothes a second life, helping reduce waste and save money.
🥕 Food Swap Shop – Continuing to go strong, supporting families to share surplus items while reducing food waste.

One parent who recently visited the nursery was delighted to see the initiatives in place, commenting:
“I am so pleased to see this, it is important to us that we are sustainable.”

Jay Sparkle, Senior Nursery Manager at Happy Days Saltford, explained the nursery’s motivation behind these new additions:
“We introduced this into our setting because we want to limit the amount of wasted food and clothes. There’s still plenty of life left in the clothes – sharing is caring. Our lending library will hopefully ignite a love of reading in our children. With the recent publication of the National Literacy Trust survey, showing fewer than 18.7% of children aged 8–18 read daily in their free time, our mission is to get books into the hands of every child. Our lending library will allow children to take a book home to enjoy with their families.”

The team at Happy Days Saltford are proud to see families already embracing these new community spaces, which encourage sustainability, sharing, and a love of reading. Families are warmly invited to explore the swap shops and lending library on their next visit to the nursery.

Happy Days Saltford Launches Community Food Swap Shop

Happy Days Nursery Saltford has launched a brand-new Food Swap Shop — a simple but powerful idea to help reduce food waste and support families and staff.
The concept is straightforward: if you have any unopened, in-date food items at home that you no longer need, you can pop them on the Food Swap shelf at the nursery. Likewise, if you spot something on the shelf that you’d like, you’re welcome to take it — no questions asked.

Nursery Manager Jay explains:
“Let’s prevent good food going to waste and share what we have. The shelf is open for everyone to use.”

The initiative reflects the nursery’s community spirit and commitment to sustainability. It’s not only about reducing food waste, but also about creating a supportive environment where families can help one another in small, meaningful ways.

The Food Swap Shop is now open and ready to use — just inside the nursery entrance. Whether you’re dropping off something or picking up a little something extra, every small act helps make a difference.