Providing excellent quality care for children is at the heart of everything we do at Monkey Puzzle; only when a child feels truly safe and secure will they explore and conquer their environment to their fullest.

We have adopted the Pickler Approach at Monkey Puzzle Cambridge. Dr. Emmi Pikler (1902–1984) was a paediatrician from Budapest, Hungary. Her goal was to ensure the physical and psychological well-being of infants and young children. She believed that secure attachments were key to achieving this and emphasised the importance of respectful care.

At Monkey Puzzle, we teach our practitioners to provide respectful care and plan for children’s development based on their interests. We encourage self-initiated activities to enhance their self-image and self-control. One example of this approach is during intimate care routines like nappy changing. We always inform the child in advance and allow them to choose another carer or delay the change if they are engaged in play. We consider this time as an opportunity to build trust and a strong relationship. We believe in obtaining the child’s consent, even for the youngest babies. Nappy changing is carried out calmly and attentively, with the carer fully present and focused on the child. This approach is also extended to mealtimes, preparing for nap time, and after nap time. We prioritise the child’s interests in all interactions. The child receives emotional fulfilment through these special moments with the carer and gradually internalises the care and attention they receive. Instead of rushing through care moments, we encourage rich one-on-one relationships to foster secure attachment and self-initiated exploration and play.

As a team we continue this care with continuous observation, self-reflection, and support.

• To give every child we care for a positive and lasting memory of a fulfilling childhood
• To provide completeness of care to every child as if they were our own
• To know and understand the hopes and wishes of every parent for their child
• To use all our resources and professional training to develop the whole personality of every child

Babies and children need to know that there is someone who cares greatly for them and will keep them warm and dry, safe and that will feed them when they are hungry. Someone who can help them when they are scared, upset or uncomfortable. Somewhere they can have the security of some routine and predictability.

At our nurseries, your child will benefit from a whole team of caring passionate staff with the benefit of their very own Key Person who works closely with you to provide the very best care for your child just as you’d provide yourself. Your child’s key person will keep a Learning Journey up to date with all the great things your child has achieved both great and small.

Safety, security and trust are the fundamentals of happiness which is why we go to great lengths to make sure your child feels safe and secure at our nurseries. Helping them to form bonds with our caring staff and creating a space with features they recognise and find comfort in.

Hugs and cuddles help children to feel safe and provides them with great comfort when they are first settling into the nursery. As their confidence grows and they explore more they rely less on hugs and cuddles but still enjoy special time on our laps reading books, sitting and talking, and playing.

My children have attended Marleigh Monkey Puzzle for 10 months now and I cannot recommend this nursery highly enough. Both my children have come on leaps and bounds and their vocabulary, numeracy and communication has improved dramatically since attending this setting. The staff are extremely caring and nurturing, focusing on individual needs. Both children absolutely love their nursery days and it’s hard to drag them away at the end of the day.

Children love to please us and letting them know just how well they have done is key to building a confident capable child. This helps them to learn, builds a desire to achieve, make friends more easily, and feel happier and more secure in all aspects of life. Our staff have many wonderful ways to let a child know they have done something fantastic.

We all love seeing a smile and we created well over 1,000,000 child smiles last year for good reason. A smile can tell the world that you are happy, are pleased to be here, you are engaged, and that you are having fun. They are seriously infectious. What better way to measure just how happy your child is at our nurseries?

For babies a gentle voice helps your child to feel relaxed, it helps them to get to know you and feel safe in your care. As your child grows, talking is a great way of showing that we are interested in your child and helps them to feel valued at nursery.

As your child grows and develops to use words and very importantly begins to question the world around them they must be surrounded by people who will make the effort to listen. Allowing a child to talk can make the world of difference to their confidence and gives you a wonderful insight into their unique view of the world.

Our nurseries are fantastic learning environments that are full of learning opportunities and children are brilliant at exploring these and really enjoy the sense of discovery. Being challenged in a variety of ways in an environment in which a child feels safe and secure will boost your child’s confidence and can shape their attitude to learning in the future.

Every day our daughter leaves nursery happy and energised. She moved from another nursery, aged 15 months, and she settled really well. The meals are nutritious and varied and the sleeping environment is spacious and comfortable, so we have peace of mind that she is eating well and getting good rest. Every week the staff plan interesting, engaging activities and the open inside/outside layout is fantastic. We could not be happier with the nursery.

In their early years, children sometimes find it difficult to find the right words or feelings to explain how they feel and to share whether they are happy, worried, frightened or sad. Our staff are experts in spotting the subtle signs when a child is anxious or unsure about their feelings. They will always help the child to explore and understand what they are feeling and provide reassurance to the child.

Children love to be recognised for the things they do well (and so do our staff) and our nurseries have many ways that they make sure achievements are recognised. From taking the time to praise, to displaying children’s work on the walls, windows and ceilings, to our special achievement trees. Best of all is taking a moment to show and share the wonderful things that your child has done with you the parents.