Ofsted Good
Open 7.30am - 6.00pm
Outdoor learning
Open 51 weeks
At The Old Station Nursery Canterbury, formerly Choochoos Day Nursery Canterbury, children aged 0-5 years old are welcomed into a bright, purpose-built nursery where they can play, explore, and grow in confidence.
You’ll find us at 50 Mill Lane in Harbledown, on the outskirts of Canterbury. We’re close to the city centre, around five minutes from the A2 and the nearest train station, with on-site parking to make drop-off and pick-up easier.
Canterbury is a purpose-built nursery with dedicated spaces for babies, toddlers, and pre-school children. The rooms are arranged to support each stage of development, with age-appropriate resources, open-ended play, and direct access to outdoor areas.
Learning extends beyond the nursery too. The children enjoy regular local outings, which may include visits to Canterbury Library, Westgate Gardens, and nearby parks. These experiences help them understand their community, practise new language, and discover more about the world around them.
The nursery operates all year round, giving local families dependable childcare while creating a consistent routine for the children. We’d love to show you around, introduce you to the team, and help you decide whether Canterbury feels right for your family.
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The All Aboard Approach is unique to The Old Station Nursery Group and is our advanced approach to the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum and core pedagogy. It differs from traditional nursery teaching methods by providing real-life opportunities to enhance children’s natural curiosity, with emphasis on hands-on experiences, child-led learning, and whole development.
The six core areas promote active engagement and critical thinking whilst encouraging exploration, creativity, and collaboration. Each child learns at their own pace and is challenged and extended at appropriate times.
The best place to see the All Aboard Approach in action is via our local nursery Facebook page, where each post explains which part of the curriculum the children are working on. Our parents also receive updates on the Parent App too.
Our Canterbury nursery offers a broad mix of activities that complement the All Aboard Approach. Experiences flow between the nursery rooms and gardens, giving the children different ways to explore their interests, practise new skills, and enjoy learning with others.
Activities may vary across the year, but can include cookery, gardening, dance and movement, science, art, music, Rugby Tots, and Little Kickers.
Cookery
Gardening
Physical Activities
Science
Art
Music
Rugby Tots
Mini Kixx
Using a ‘cool touch’ oven, child-safe equipment, chef’s hats, and aprons, the children explore the joys of cooking. They learn practical skills such as measuring, counting, mixing, following instructions, and talking about ingredients.
Cookery also creates opportunities to build independence, try new foods, and feel proud of something they have made.
Come rain or shine, the children help care for the nursery’s vegetable plots. They discover how plants grow, observe seasonal changes, and explore the tastes and textures of fresh produce.
These hands-on experiences encourage patience, responsibility, curiosity, and an early understanding of caring for the environment.
Movement is woven into nursery life through outdoor play and organised activities. The children may enjoy Boogie Beats, where music, dance, and carefully structured movement help develop co-ordination, confidence, and body awareness.
Active play supports physical health while giving the children an enjoyable way to express themselves and take part with others.
The children explore science through everyday discovery. They investigate materials, solve puzzles, notice changes, ask questions, and test their ideas through hands-on play indoors and outside.
The team encourages the children to be curious and to think about how and why things happen, building early problem-solving skills without taking away the joy of discovery.
Drawing, painting, modelling, and crafting give the children space to express ideas and experiment with colour, shape, texture, and materials.
Creative experiences support imagination, confidence, fine motor development, and the understanding that there can be many different ways to approach an idea.
Through songs, instruments, rhythm, and movement, the children discover different sounds and ways to make music together.
Musical play supports listening, language, memory, co-ordination, emotional expression, and the confidence to join in.
Rugby Tots provides an energetic and positive introduction to rugby for toddlers and pre-school children. Through age-appropriate games, the children practise passing, kicking, catching, listening, and playing as part of a team.
The focus is on enjoyment, movement, confidence, and taking part rather than competition.
Little Kickers offers a friendly, pressure-free introduction to football for children aged from 18 months to five years. Coaches use age-appropriate activities to develop skills such as kicking, dribbling, balance, and basic co-ordination.
Sessions are designed to be simple, active, and fun, helping the children grow in confidence while enjoying sport with others.
Click here to view the nursery Fee Schedule and Funding Guide. Please contact the nursery manager to discuss availability and nursery fees that are correct for your individual circumstances.
Our baby room is a calm, sensory-rich space on the ground floor for children under two. Open-plan play areas give babies and younger toddlers room to move, explore, rest, and follow their natural curiosity.
The room has direct access to a specially designed garden, so outdoor experiences can become part of the day from the earliest stage. The team works closely with each family to understand sleep, feeding, comfort, and care routines, helping babies feel safe, known, and settled.
The toddler room is filled with natural light and offers free-flow access between indoor and outdoor play. As the children become more mobile and independent, they have space to make choices, investigate resources, and build confidence through movement.
The team supports early communication, friendships, emotional development, and everyday self-care. Activities follow the children’s interests while introducing new ideas through stories, music, role play, creative experiences, and active play.
In the pre-school room, child-led play is balanced with thoughtful adult guidance and experiences that help children prepare for school. The children practise listening, speaking, problem-solving, early maths, early literacy, independence, and working with others.
Our Next Stop School programme helps make the move to primary school feel positive and familiar. We work with families and local schools, building the confidence, curiosity, and everyday skills that support each child’s next chapter.
Outdoor learning is part of everyday life at our Canterbury nursery. The children can move between indoor and outdoor spaces, giving them time to be active, investigate nature, and continue their play in different ways.
Our gardens support physical development, imaginative play, gardening, and hands-on discovery. Beyond the nursery, local walks and visits help the children become familiar with Canterbury and feel connected to the community around them.
Whether they are caring for vegetables, noticing changes in the seasons, or exploring movement through sport and dance, the children are supported to take safe, age-appropriate risks and grow in confidence.
"Every child learns individually. At Canterbury, we adapt to their needs at every stage of development, while helping them build confidence and understand responsible boundaries."
Meg Knight, Nursery Manager, The Old Station Nursery Canterbury
Yes. Canterbury provides nutritious meals and snacks, including hot meals prepared on-site by the nursery chef. Menus rotate regularly and can be adapted for allergies, intolerances, and other dietary requirements. The nursery has a five-star Food Hygiene Rating.
The Old Station Nursery Canterbury provides full-time and part-time childcare for children aged 0-5 years old, with dedicated spaces for babies, toddlers, and pre-school children.
The Old Station Nursery Canterbury is open from 7.30am to 6.00pm, Monday to Friday, for 51 weeks of the year.
The nursery is at 50 Mill Lane, Harbledown, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 8NE. It is close to Canterbury city centre, around five minutes from the A2 and the nearest train station, with parking available for drop-off and pick-up.
Yes. Canterbury offers government-funded childcare for eligible families, alongside private and part-funded sessions. Funding rules and availability can vary, so please speak with the nursery team about the options for your child.
Settling is planned around each child. Your child’s key person will spend time getting to know them, and settling sessions help them become familiar with the room, routines, and team at a comfortable pace. Parents and carers are kept closely involved throughout.
Yes. The nursery has dedicated outdoor areas, including direct garden access for younger children. Indoor and outdoor play can flow together, giving the children regular opportunities for fresh air, movement, gardening, imaginative play, and discovery.
Our Next Stop School programme supports the move to primary school by building confidence, communication, independence, curiosity, and social skills. The children take part in age-appropriate school-readiness experiences, and we work with families and local schools to make the transition feel familiar and positive.
Yes. You can book a personal tour to meet the team, explore the rooms and gardens, and talk through your child’s needs, sessions, fees, and funded childcare options.
Alongside the All Aboard Approach, activities may include cookery, gardening, Boogie Beats, science, art, music, Rugby Tots, and Little Kickers. Activities are chosen to suit the children, the season, and the nursery environment.
Yes. Choochoos Day Nursery Canterbury has been refurbished and rebranded as The Old Station Nursery Canterbury. The new name reflects the nursery’s place within The Old Station Nursery community, while the setting continues to care for families from Canterbury and the surrounding area.
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Please note that this is not a confirmation of your tour. One of our nursery team will endeavour to get back to you ASAP to confirm your date and time. Thank you.
If you are looking to arrange a tour within the next 48 hours, we recommend calling the nursery directly.