01
Outdoors, every day
Rain, wind, frost. The day happens outside, and the environment is built for it: shelter, mud, tools, trees.
Newtown Kids Club
Abbeyknockmoy, Co. Galway. Since 2005.Outdoors every day
Anearlyyearssettingthatlivesoutdoors,andpublisheswhatitlearns.
Our settings, from babies to school age, out in the weather every day. A social enterprise, run by educators, sharing its practice and research with all.
In short
A registered social enterprise, on one campus, birth to school age.
Tuslaregistered, both settings, birth*** to school age
102places across The Willows and The Nursery, plus after-school
Social enterprisequality and affordable provision for families in our community
02
Rights and identity
Babies and toddlers are people with rights now, not adults in waiting. Practice starts from there.
03
Aistear
The national curriculum framework through our practice.
04
Quality that is affordable
A social enterprise: what we earn goes back into the setting, the staff and the families here.
From practice
What the educators are noticing this term.
The first practice pieces are being written by the team now. Learning stories, curriculum updates and notes from the floor will appear here as they are published.
Research and projects
Work that other settings and researchers can use.
Publications, conference presentations and action research from the team, with the resources behind them free to download. Ask us anything about any of it.
Babies' and Toddlers' Rights in Practice
Mary Moloney, Sharon Skehill and Jennifer Pope. Launched 2025.
The settings
Two settings, one team, one way of working.
Babies to school age, plus after-school, all on the same grounds and all working the same way.
The Willows
Preschool years, outdoors, ECCE. Newtown, Abbeyknockmoy.
The Nursery
Babies and toddlers, out in the fresh air every day. The Granary, Abbeyknockmoy.
After-school for school-age children, on the same grounds.
The Team
Educators, from Level 5 to doctoral degrees. All of them out in the weather.
Profiles go up one educator at a time, once each person has said yes to their name and their photograph being here.
For families
What parents ask us most.
Places are currently full in both settings. Families can join the list for future years, and we tell you plainly how it looks.
Get in touch
Interested in our work?
We would like to hear from you.
Educators, settings, students, researchers and policy makers: visits, questions and collaboration are all welcome. Enquiries go to Aishling and Sharon.