As the demand for wraparound childcare rises, providing a space where children can enjoy meaningful, fun activities before and after school is essential. Quality wraparound care not only supports working parents but also plays an important role in a child’s day by encouraging social interaction, learning, and play outside regular school hours. Read on to find out how to make your wraparound childcare both engaging and valuable for children and their families. If you don't have enough space on site or your current wraparound childcare facilities are no longer fit for purpose, we will explain what to do!
As more parents work longer or varied hours, demand for before and after-school childcare is increasing. In England, around 60% of primary schools already offer this service, and more are considering offering wraparound care as a way to support families, strengthen community ties, and create an additional revenue stream.
What are the benefits of wraparound childcare?
Wraparound childcare offers numerous benefits for children, families, and schools.
Develop a balanced schedule with enriching activities
Wraparound care can support children’s development by providing opportunities to explore new interests and build friendships. Consider structuring a balanced mix of activities, from quiet time for reading to outdoor play. Crafting sessions, storytelling, music lessons, and physical activities help engage children’s creativity and energy. You can also offer social and emotional learning activities or incorporate team-building games, which create a positive and inclusive atmosphere.
Encourage outdoor learning and play
Children benefit hugely from fresh air and a chance to connect with nature, so providing seamless access to the outdoors is essential. Outdoor learning areas can be designed to support environmental education, sensory play, and even activities like bushcraft or gardening, making the wraparound space both engaging and valuable. Schools can also create zones for physical education, social interaction, or simply enjoying free play.
Whether children are digging into garden beds, engaging in team sports, or observing wildlife, they’re gaining skills and experiences that enhance their development and spark a lasting love for the natural world.
Provide forest school and/or bushcraft opportunities
Incorporating forest school and bushcraft into wraparound childcare can be transformative, offering children hands-on learning experiences that encourage independence, curiosity, and resilience. Developing your wraparound childcare provisions with a log cabin featuring a central BBQ grill creates an ideal setup for forest school activities, bushcraft lessons, and outdoor learning—all within a safe, inviting space.
Opting for a wraparound care log cabin with a central BBQ grill allows you to offer more extracurricular activities and enrichment opportunities at your afterschool or holiday clubs. Teach children outdoor cooking basics, from roasting marshmallows to preparing simple, child-friendly meals. This hands-on learning style feels fun and different from a typical lesson during the school day. You can even offer structured forest school learning activities and follow a forest school programme. Many prospective parents look fondly on forest school, as do the children! With a log cabin designed for forest school and bushcraft, your wraparound childcare offering becomes an adventure children look forward to each day. It’s a unique way to offer valuable, memorable experiences that leave a lasting impact.
Create an inviting space
A dedicated space is the foundation of successful wraparound care. By using adaptable spaces like outdoor classrooms and log cabins, schools and independent care providers can create a fun, welcoming environment tailored to the needs of wraparound childcare. Unlike the traditional classroom or school hall, our wraparound care spaces offer a unique environment which feels fun and allows children to separate their breakfast club or after school club activities from their typical school day.
Log cabins in particular can make wraparound care feel magical for your young students. Our cabins are often nicknamed 'hobbit huts' or 'hobbit houses' due to the unique, almost enchanting environment they provide. They're also very cosy, and with circular bench seating, they emphasise a sense of community for the children. They will be able to sit together in a circle and interact effectively, strengthening social skills and developing friendships too.
Communicate with parents
For your wraparound childcare to thrive, regular communication with parents and carers is important. Keep parents informed about daily activities, upcoming themes, and any new facilities. Open communication allows parents to feel involved, and their feedback will help you adapt and improve the service over time.
Creating or expanding a dedicated space for wraparound care with log cabins or outdoor classrooms offers a cost-effective and timely way to meet rising capacity demands and deliver quality, fun and valuable wraparound childcare year-round. Read about our most recent wraparound care projects:
Wraparound Care Cabin for Brookfields Primary School
We designed, manufactured and installed this log cabin for Kidz Come First Wraparound childcare and holiday club situated at Brookfields Primary School in Birmingham. After discussing their requirements, we agreed on a 17m² cabin with a 3m extension. This is now a fun and exciting base for breakfast club, afterschool club as well as holiday club for 25 key stage 1 children. They opted for a solar dome to allow maximum natural light and interior space. With the side room extension, they have plenty of storage space for crafts and games, as well as for children’s belongings. Many schools and childcare providers we work with also choose to add kitchenette areas to their cabins, which allow for easy snack preparation for breakfast or after-school clubs, creating a home-away-from-home atmosphere.
"This is the result of incredible collaboration and teamwork... say HELLO to our fabulous new After School Club Cabin! I’m so excited to get the children outside and transform this space into a magical cabin where they can have fun and learn in the outdoors. Thank you Cabins for Schools." - Natalie, Kidz Come First
Pops Outdoor Adventure Centre
Pops Outdoor Adventure Centre's mission is to enable their young people to discover the fun and adventure of the outdoors whilst promoting a healthier and more active lifestyle. In order to support this incredible mission, they chose us to design and install additional outdoor buildings at their sites in both Rawmarsh and Maltby, Rotherham. This build for their Maltby site comprises of 2 x 10m² log cabins joined together with a 3m double joined corridor and a 1.5m covered porchway. It provides a unique, inspiring and fun space for young people to access all year round. Getting outdoors has never looked better!
Ogley Hay Nursery
Ogley Hay Nursery in Walsall chose to upgrade their provisions for wraparound childcare with one of our bespoke outdoor classroom-style modular buildings. After discussing their specific requirements, we designed, manufactured and installed a 4.2m x 3.3m building with hybrid cladding, a mix of Canadian cedar and Marley board. The space provides a seamless transition between indoor activities and outdoor activities in their playground area.
Delivering quality, fun wraparound childcare is all about creating a space where children feel excited to learn, play, and relax. Schools and care providers can make a lasting impact by investing in facilities that cater to the needs of their community—transforming wraparound care into a rewarding experience for everyone involved! If you would like to talk to a member of our team about transforming your setting with a log cabin or an outdoor classroom, get in touch.