Children at Bright Horizons Cramond Early Learning and Childcare are enjoying weekly visits to the nearby beach and woodland areas, supporting learning through exploration, conversation and shared experiences outdoors.
The visits give children time to explore their surroundings at their own gentle pace, encouraging curiosity and helping them build confidence beyond the nursery environment. Experiences from their adventures are then revisited back at nursery through discussion, further exploration and play.
The approach comes amid growing national discussion about screen use in the early years. Recent UK research reported by Nursery World has highlighted the increasing role screens play in very young children’s daily routines, prompting renewed focus across the sector on real-world, hands-on experiences.
Yvonne, Nursery Manager at Bright Horizons Cramond, said: “Exploring the local area together supports children’s sense of belonging and helps them make sense of the world around them.
“When they return from visits to the beach and forest, they collect natural materials such as shells, leaves and pinecones, alongside ideas and questions to talk through back at nursery.
“This reflects our Nurture Approach, where emotional wellbeing, strong relationships and shared reflection are at the heart of how children learn.”
Practitioners use children’s observations and conversations from these outings to shape learning back at nursery, supporting communication skills, emotional wellbeing and meaningful connections with the world around them.
By prioritising outdoor exploration, time for talk and shared reflection, the nursery aims to offer young children rich learning experiences rooted in relationships and real environments, rather than digital distractions.
Bright Horizons Cramond Early Learning and Childcare is holding an Open Day on 13 June, giving families the opportunity to visit the setting, meet the team and find out more about early education and childcare.
Registrations are now being taken for 2027. Further details are available via the Bright Horizons website.
Three million UK households are being forced to skip meals and cut family visits according to new research from Which? that reveals the human impact of cost of living pressures and collapsing consumer confidence.
Which?’s latest Consumer Insight Tracker shows that households across the country are having to take more and more drastic measures to mitigate rising costs.
In the month to 10 April, Which? found consumer confidence fell to -62 – the lowest level since the height of the cost of living crisis in 2022 (-70). This decline reflects a widespread pessimism as the vast majority of UK adults (71%) think the UK economy will worsen over the next 12 months, while fewer than one in ten (9%) think it will improve.
Which? found an overwhelming majority of UK adults (85%) are now worried about food prices – up from 83 per cent in February. This concern is forcing lifestyle changes as two thirds (67%) of households have made at least one adjustment to their shopping or eating habits in the last month to reduce how much they spend on food.
The most common adjustments are buying cheaper products (43%), buying more supermarket own budget-range items (37%), and buying extra items when on promotion (31%).
Concerningly, Which? found one in seven (15%) UK households reported going without some foods and one in ten – equivalent to three million households – are now skipping meals to keep the cost of their weekly shop down.
Food is not the only major concern for households, Which? found eight in ten (83%) UK adults are worried about fuel prices – this figure has shot up from 71 per cent in February of this year. Over two thirds (69%) have made adjustments to their driving habits to battle costs, with knock-on effects on their social and family lives.
Most common adjustments include making fewer leisure trips over the last month (33%), and planning journeys more carefully (23%). However, about one in eight said they had visited friends and family less (13%).
This increase in concern over everyday essentials reflects how financial difficulty has risen rapidly throughout 2026. Consumer sentiment was already bad prior to the Middle East conflict, but has fallen sharply in the last two months.
In the month to 10 April, over half (53%), or an estimated 15 million UK households, made adjustments to cover essential spending, such as cutting back on essentials (29%), using savings (25%), selling possessions (9%), or borrowing from friends or family (9%).
Worryingly, 7.7% of UK households missed a house bill, loan, or credit card payment. The average rate of missed payments over the last three months was 7.5%, up significantly from 5.7% at the end of last year. If this trend continues, missed payments will reach levels seen during the peak of the cost-of-living crisis over the next few months.
These findings intensify pressure on the government to find interventions that will ease household costs, improve consumer confidence and restore faith in markets. Businesses must also do everything possible to support their customers and ensure they are offering genuine value for money as millions of households struggle to cover the basics.
With many households now reaching a breaking point, Which? is calling for urgent policy interventions outlined in a manifesto launched in Parliament this week to tackle unfair rip-offs and improve access to essentials.
The manifesto includes a priority call to reform the Healthy Start scheme, a vital nutritional safety net for low-income families during pregnancy and early childhood. Which? is warning that its value has failed to keep pace with food inflation and is urging the government to uprate payments, expand eligibility to all families on Universal Credit, and encourage supermarket support to ensure those struggling most can afford a healthy diet.
As financial difficulty continues to rise, anyone struggling to afford essential payments such as housing, bills or credit cards should speak to their provider immediately for support.
Rocio Concha, Which? Director of Policy and Advocacy, said: “Our latest research highlights the deepening strain not only on household finances, but also on people’s physical and social wellbeing as cost of living pressures bite.
“Many are already making difficult choices, such as skipping meals. Without meaningful interventions the number of people taking drastic measures is likely to increase.
“We need to see urgent action, as set out in our Cost of Living Manifesto, to address these costs and help restore confidence before even more households are pushed into serious financial difficulty.”
Hibernian supporters are invited to submit tributes to friends and family who have sadly passed away ahead of our final home game of the season against Motherwell on Saturday 16 May at Easter Road.
An annual tradition, messages and photographs from supporters will be displayed on the stadium screens before kick-off, allowing fans to remember fellow Hibees who are no longer with us and have passed away in the last year.
Tributes should include the person’s name, a message of no more than 150 letters (including spaces), and one photograph. To be included, please complete the form below by midday on Wednesday 6 May.
The Scottish Coalition On Tobacco (SCOT) is celebrating the UK Government’s landmark Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which was introduced with a four nations approach on 5 November 2024, having received Royal Assent to become law this week (Wednesday 29 April).
The new law means that from 1 January 2027 it will be illegal to sell tobacco products to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009. It will also bring in other major public health driven measures such as a ban on the sale of nicotine pouches to under 18s and outlaw the advertising and sponsorship of vapes and other recreational nicotine products.
The Scottish Coalition On Tobacco, an alliance of 19 health advocacy charities, royal colleges, pharmacy and medical associations convened by ASH Scotland, is welcoming the new law as a major step towards Scotland becoming a tobacco-free nation.
We are delighted that strong measures in the Tobacco & Vapes Act will become reality.
Our CEO said “This is a significant step towards eradicating the damage inflicted by profit-centred corporations on people’s lives & tackling advertisement of heath harming nicotine products” pic.twitter.com/9ngRV8XnTv
Sheila Duffy, Chief Executive of ASH Scotland and Chair of SCOT, said: “With tobacco continuing to be the biggest preventable killer of people in Scotland, causing nearly 9,000 deaths each year, we are delighted that strong measures in the Tobacco and Vapes Act will become reality as they can be truly transformative and must be implemented without delay.
“Everyone should have the right to breathe clean air, and this is a significant step towards eradicating the damage being inflicted by profit-centred multi-national corporations on people’s lives, especially in our poorest communities, and tackling the advertising and promotions of addictive, heath harming recreational nicotine products such as vapes and nicotine pouches.”
Charmaine Griffiths, Chief Executive of the British Heart Foundation, said: “This is a true landmark moment for public health.
“For everyone who has lost someone to a smoking related heart attack or stroke, for every clinician who has seen the toll of tobacco at the bedside, and for every young person who will now grow up free from the harms of smoking – we celebrate this historic achievement that will save lives for generations to come.”
Professor Steve Turner, President of Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), said: “The Tobacco and Vapes Act has the exact type of bold ambition and long‑term thinking that makes meaningful change for children and young people. This will help to improve child health outcomes and narrow the unacceptable health inequalities gap.
“Paediatricians are thrilled to have supported this important piece of legislation, which will reduce the unacceptable burden that tobacco and vaping places on today’s youth, and also protect future generations from the harms of nicotine addiction. I celebrate this landmark moment for child health. This is a clear signal that the wellbeing of children and young people can and should come first.”
Joseph Carter, Head of Asthma + Lung UK Scotland said: “This landmark legislation means a smoke free future across the UK and the tobacco industry will no longer be able to wreak havoc on the lungs of the next generation. The Act also builds on restrictions concerning where vapes, cigarettes, and heated tobacco products can be used which we welcome.
“The next Scottish Government needs to outline how the bill will be implemented. It must also make sure existing smokers aren’t left behind by providing essential smoking cessation support, especially in areas of deprivation where smoking rates are highest. We are looking forward to working with new MSPs to go further to protect public health and hold the tobacco industry to account.”
Adam Osprey, Head of Policy at Community Pharmacy Scotland, said: “Community pharmacy teams contribute to the goal of a smoke-free Scotland by supporting tens of thousands of quit attempts each year, and have done for over 15 years.
“These teams have been sharing in more recent times their concern over the changing patterns in nicotine use, whether that be the rise in popularity of vapes and pouches. On behalf of our members, we are delighted that the Bill has passed and received Royal Assent, as its bold commitments to action provide the preventative measures that are required to complement the well-established cessation offering in Scotland”.
Professor Mark Strachan, President of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, said: “We are extremely pleased that the Tobacco and Vapes Bill which we supported consistently from the beginning of this process – has now received Royal Assent.
“This truly is a historic moment in the UK which offers the opportunity for all future generations of young people to be protected from the harms of smoking as we strive for a smoke-free society. The stricter regulation of vapes, especially in relation to young people, is also important.
“As we celebrate this major milestone in public health policy and the progress that has been made over the last few decades, we also remember that smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death in the UK and we will continue to work with others to ensure that all existing smokers are regularly offered and provided with access to the highest quality cessation support and that this support is backed up with appropriate investment.”
In a fitting tribute to Star Wars Day, Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS) has announced that this year’s Capital Sci-Fi Con raised more than £64,000 to support its vital work across the country.
Held annually at the Edinburgh Corn Exchange, the convention returned in February, welcoming sci-fi fans from across the UK for a weekend packed with celebrity appearances, cosplay, and immersive fan experiences.
This year’s star-studded line-up included Pirates of the Caribbean actor Kevin McNally, Game of Thrones star Murray McArthur, and Peggy — better known to fans as Dogpool, the beloved canine star of Deadpool & Wolverine.
Since its launch in 2016, Capital Sci-Fi Con has raised over £548,000 for CHAS. The event was founded by West Lothian volunteer fundraiser Keith Armour, whose passion and dedication have helped grow the convention into one of Scotland’s most successful fan-led fundraising events.
CHAS now leads the organisation of the convention, with Keith continuing to support in an advisory role alongside a dedicated committee of volunteers.
Laura Campbell, Head of Community Fundraising and Retail at CHAS, said: “On a day when fans across the world celebrate ‘May the 4th be with you’, we’re absolutely delighted to share that this year’s Capital Sci-Fi Con raised an incredible £64,232.53 in net profit.
“We’d like to thank everyone who bought tickets and came along to support the event. Every pound raised helps CHAS continue providing vital care and support to children with life-shortening conditions and their families across Scotland.”
New research finds most children fall short of their five-a-day
The Tesco Free Fruit & Veg for Schools programme hits more Edinburgh schools, as new research finds most children fall short of their five-a-day
Less than 1 in 10 Edinburgh children currently eat their recommended five-a-day, according to new research
Ambition to help one million school children across the UK access free fruit and vegetables through Tesco school and community programmes by July 2029
Tesco invites children to create fun fruit & veg-packed recipes, with winning dish served in over 1,500 schools to mark expansion of its Free Fruit & Veg for Schools programme
To encourage children to be more adventurous with fruit & veg, Tesco is launching the Giant Fruit & Veg Challenge. To find out more and how to enter, visit www.tescoplc.com/fruitandvegchallenge
Less than 1 in 10 Edinburgh children eat their recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables on a typical school day, with 8.70% of parents saying their child only eats one piece of fruit and veg per day, according to new research from Tesco.
But the findings also show what does work when it comes to getting five a day into kids with more than half (73.91%) of Edinburgh parents and carers say their child is more likely to eat fruit and veg when they can choose it themselves, and making food fun or visually creative encourages their children to try more.
So, to help more children get more of their five-a-day and the nutritious food they need to learn, Tesco is doubling its Free Fruit & Veg for Schools programme from September, with the aim of doubling the programme again the following year. And the results to date speak for themselves, with 94% of teachers nationwide reporting improved behaviour among pupils taking part.
The new research further highlights why schemes like Free Fruit & Veg for Schools matter. Children tend to stick to familiar favourites, with fruit far more common than vegetables in their diets, and many parents say repeated refusal shapes what they buy at home. Just over half of Edinburgh parents (56.52%) say they have stopped buying or serving certain fruit or vegetables after their child repeatedly refused them. By contrast, pupils taking part in Free Fruit & Veg for Schools have collectively sampled more than 100 different varieties of fruit and vegetables, helping to broaden tastes and encourage healthier choices.
To encourage and inspire children to be more adventurous with fruit and veg and to celebrate the expansion of its Free Fruit & Veg for Schools programme, Tesco is launching the Giant Fruit & Veg Challenge**.
The competition invites children to dream up their own fruit and veg-packed dish, with the winning recipe shared on menus across the UK and in Tesco’s programme. The challenge is supported and judged by JLS star turned farmer JB Gill, and his son Ace, alongside a panel of experts and nutritionists.
Along with its Fruit & Veg Grants and Free Fruit for Kids in its stores, Tesco aims to support thousands more local children in getting more of the good stuff. Customers will be able to help grow the programme with Tesco donating every time customers buy fruit and veg at Tesco up until 24 May.
LONDON, ENGLAND – APRIL 21: <> during the Tesco Giant Fruit And Veg Challenge on April 21, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Tesco)
Ken Murphy, Tesco Group CEO, said: “We’ve set out an ambition to help one million children get free fruit and veg through our school and community programmes, supporting the development of healthy habits.
“Schools have told us what a positive impact the Tesco Free Fruit & Veg for Schools programme has already made, so we’re delighted to be able to double the number of schools receiving support from September.”
Elaine Hindal, Chief Executive of the British Nutrition Foundation, said: “A significant number of children in the UK are growing up with diets that don’t support their health.
“Early food experiences matter, as they can help to shape children’s confidence, habits and long‑term health outcomes.
“By helping children enjoy and regularly eat fruit and vegetables from a young age, programmes like Tesco Free Fruit & Veg for Schools can help to make a lasting difference to diet and health now and in the future.”
For more information and to enter the Giant Fruit and Veg Challenge, visit:
The power of plants is the topic for Dobbies Little Seedlings Club in May
Photograph: Andy Jones / UNP (United National Photographers)
Dobbies’ free-to-attend children’s gardening workshop is here for the month of May, giving children the chance to discover the ‘Power of Plants’.
The session takes place on Sunday 3 May at the Edinburgh store and will cover everything there is to know about different types of plants, the ways they protect themselves and their healing properties.
May’s Little Seedlings Club at Dobbies’ Edinburgh store will explore the unexpected powers of plants, with a focus on climbing plants, carnivorous plants, healing plants, and will be looking at specific garden powerhouses, such as the Venus flytrap, climbing ivy, chamomile, aloe vera and many more.
Children will have the opportunity to join hands-on activities in a group setting alongside fellow young gardening enthusiasts. In the May workshop, they will explore the soothing qualities of lavender and discover how it attracts essential pollinators to the garden. Afterwards, each child will get to plant their own lavender pot to take home.
Photograph: Andy Jones / UNP (United National Photographers)
Dobbies’ Event Programme Manager, Ayesha Nickson, said: “The Power of Plants is an inspiring and important topic for our Little Seedlings to discover this May.
“Children taking part can get excited to learn about plants with special powers including the ability to climb, protect themselves, and healing properties.
“Dobbies’ Little Seedlings Club is a fantastic way to get children enthusiastic about spending time in their gardens and nature. The free workshops at our Edinburgh store are designed to be engaging and encourage curiosity, and the hands-on activities are always a highlight.”
For those looking to get involved in Dobbies’ Little Seedlings Club and to book a free space at the Edinburgh store, visit www.dobbies.com/events.
As Scotland marks the National Year of Reading, the Edinburgh International Book Festival will launch its 2026 Schools Programme (running Monday 24 – Friday 28 August 2026) with a week of author events, creative activity and classroom resources designed to support teachers, school librarians and home educators at the start of the academic year.
The timing is pointed. New research from the National Literacy Trust (published January 2026, based on a survey of 7,739 children and young people aged 8-18 across 61 Scottish schools) reports that 30.3% of children and young people in Scotland say they enjoy reading in their free time, and only 1 in six read daily – a sharp reminder of how much reading cultures need practical, confidence‑building support.
The 2026 Schools Programme offers multiple routes for participation: schools can visit in person, join selected events via livestream (with on‑demand access afterwards), and draw on a bank of Learning Resources intended for standalone lessons or to expand a Book Festival visit. Digital participation options are explicitly free.
For in‑person visits, pupils will be able to see writers and illustrators live, take part in event Q&As, and, on Wednesday 26 August and Thursday 27 August, explore the Discovery Zone(drop‑in activities 10:00–14:00, located on Level 2) delivered with partner organisations including Edinburgh Libraries, Super Power Agency, and Kids in Cyber.
Across the programme, the Book Festival’s emphasis is on access: every pupil receives a free book, thanks to the support of Claire and Mark Urquhart, and schools can apply for free tickets for pupils who might otherwise miss out, as well as support from a transport fund. Tickets are priced at £4 per pupil, with one free adult ticket per ten pupil tickets (with flexibility where higher ratios are needed for access reasons).
Author highlights (2026)
The programme features a wide range of writers and illustrators for primary and secondary years, including Jacqueline Wilson, Paterson Joseph, Patrick Ness, Katherine Rundell, Manjeet Mann, and others across the week, with themed days including a Primary School Gala Day (Wed 26 Aug) and Secondary School Teen Takeover Day (Thu 27 Aug).
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