Little Rascals 

Crèche

Welcome to Little Rascals 

Crèche – Montessori – Afterschool

Established in 1997, Little Rascals is a day care, crèche and Montessori providing high quality childcare and early education in Knocknacarra, Co Galway.

At Little Rascals we are dedicated to providing childcare in an encouraging and supportive environment and committed to encouraging the holistic development of the child. Every child is treated as a unique individual and we encourage the development of their own personality, creativity and imagination, as well as their educational, emotional and social development. 

We provide a range of childcare services for children between 1 and 12 years of age. The quality of care your child will receive here at Little Rascals is second to none.

About Us

Little Rascals follows the Aistear and Siolta Curriculum Framework. Introduced in 2009, Aistear is the curriculum framework for children from birth to six years. 

Our curriculum is well planned out, from daily to weekly and monthly to yearly, and is regularly inspected by the Department of Education. Our curriculum focuses on learning through imagination, creativity and play. We also place an emphasis on the Irish language and children speak and are spoken to in Irish every day. Fitness and physical education are also of great importance here at Little Rascals and our children take part in a weekly fitness programme to encourage a healthy lifestyle.

We have produced our own workbooks for each child which are used to develop and improve hand and eye coordination, concentration, writing and colouring skills, independent skills and problem-solving.

At Little Rascals we put a development checklist in place for each child and this is reviewed and updated yearly. It is important to us that parents and guardians are involved in their child's development and care, that is why we hold parent/child meetings so parents can discuss their child's progress in our crèche.


Little Rascals is a member of Early Childhood Ireland and is registered with the HSE and the Environmental Health Office.

For more information please contact Our Team

Crèche and Day Care

Little Rascals’s crèche and day care programmes are designed with
your child's emotional and physical care in mind and are provided in a
safe, caring, and encouraging environment. We provide day care services
for children between 1 and 5 years of age. Depending on your child’s
age they will partake in various activities designed to stimulate their
brains and encourage development in a fun and playful environment.

Crèche and Day Care

  • Caterpillars: 1.5 - 2 yrs

  • Bumblebees: 1 - 1.5 yrs

  • Ladybirds: 2 years – 3 years

  • Butterflies: 3 years – 5 years

  • Montessori - 3 - 5 yrs- Sessional - 9-12 pm

  • Rainbows 5 -12 yrs

No matter your child’s age or abilities you can be sure that they will receive the appropriate care and education. We encourage your child’s natural development by creating a stimulating and friendly environment that fosters participation and inclusion. At Little Rascals you will your child’s independence, individuality, creativity and curiosity blossom alongside learning and growth.

We keep class sizes small so our teachers can provide dedicated time, care, and support to each child.

Montessori

Little Rascals our Montessori classroom and curriculum are designed with all Montessori principals in mind. The Montessori practice involves introducing children to a range of prescribed activities and allowing them to choose the activity that appeals most to them.

The structure involves free play wherein children choose their own activities from a prescribed selection. This freedom of movement within the classroom environment is vital for the natural physical, mental and social development of the child. The variety and stimulating nature of the activities helps children to develop skills such as problem-solving, speaking in front of peers, identifying emotions, fine motor skills etc.

Our Montessori qualified teacher gently guides children to interact with the environment in a highly supervised setting. The concept of free movement and independence is the cornerstone of the Montessori Philosophy. Educational lessons and fun activities are designed to set your child up for their school days and encourage personal growth. Our teachers and classes are here to further develop your child's individuality and creativity and to meet their learning, social, physical, and emotional needs. 


We have a number of ECCE places still available in our Montessori class for the upcoming year.

Afterschool

Little Rascals provides an afterschool programme with a pick-up service from all local schools around Knocknacarra. 

Our comprehensive afterschool service involves a homework club, indoor and outdoor activities and a hot meal for dinner. The children are provided a space in which they can do their homework, helped by our wonderful teachers.

Once homework is finished your child is free to, and is encouraged to, participate in a variety of playtime activities. We always advocate for group activities and socialising, However, if any child would rather play individually then they are more than welcome to, and we have lots of fun stuff for them to do.


Our after school program is available for children aged between 5 and 12.

Summer Camp

At Little Rascals we provide a summer camp that runs for 8 weeks between July and August every year. Days at the Little Rascals summer camp run from 8am – 5.30pm and involve every kind of fun activity your child can possibly think of. From music and painting to sports and reading, there is something for everyone and your child will have tonnes of summer fun. Little Rascals's summer camp is a great way to your child entertained for the summer months all while fostering friendships and continuing to explore their personality, and interests. 

Our summer camp programme encompasses the same values and goals we strive towards during term time. Your child is encouraged to be their authentic selves and develop their imagination, personality and creativity in a supporting and fun environment. Indoor and outdoor free play, board games, drama, cooking lessons and music are just a few of the activities on our schedule. All meals are provided for and cooked on site daily by our chefs.

For more information on any of our programmes or to enquire about Availability contact Little Rascals

Activities and Facilities

At Little Rascals your child will get involved in all kinds of activities. Children learn through playing and our fun and stimulating activities will not only forward your child’s development but also encourage creativity and curiosity.

Activities

  • Music

  • Drama

  • Board Games

  • Painting

  • Drawing

  • Singing

  • Dancing

  • Sports

  • Reading

  • Arts and Crafts

  • Sand Play

  • Water Play

  • Outdoor Games

  • Group Activities

  • Story Telling

Classrooms

Little Rascals’s classrooms have been designed and furnished with everything your child need’s for a happy and safe childcare environment. We have ample games and equipment for arts and crafts, drama performances and all other kinds of activities. We constantly decorate our classrooms with all the art your children will make throughout the year. Our classrooms are an encouraging space where your child will feel supported and cared for.

Facilities

The facilities here at Little Rascals were purpose built in order for our team to provide the high quality of care that we have become known for. In addition to our classrooms, we also have sleeping rooms, changing rooms, a dining room and a kitchen. We believe that we would not be able to provide the level of service we do if we were located anywhere else. Our outdoor play area has been recently renovated. A new safety surface has been put in and new climbing frames and other equipment. All children are encouraged to play outside as much as possible.

Nutrition

Healthy living and fostering a healthy lifestyle at a young age is very important to all at Little Rascals and this is reflected in the food we provide. We provide well balanced and nutritious hot dinners to all the children in our care. All dietary requirements are catered for. Our menu varies from week to week and has been planned to take into account the food pyramid which is vital for a healthy diet of each child. We follow the HSE’s menu which was created in conjunction with nutritionists and dieticians. All meals are cooked on-site each day by our very own chef.

Our Staff

Little Rascals is owned and managed by Colette Murphy. Colette has over 25 years of experience in childcare and early childhood education. She has a whole host of degrees, diplomas and certificates relating to childcare and she is passionate about the work she does.

All staff members at Little Rascals are qualified childcare practitioners with years of experience behind them. We believe that you can never have enough training and our staff regularly participate in courses and training to upskill and improve our knowledge. Learning and improving our skills has a massive impact on the quality of care we provide to the children here at Little Rascals. 


Staff members have at minimum a level 5 Fetac in early childhood education with many going on to achieve a level 8 BA. In order to ensure the absolute safety of your child, we require everyone to complete manual handling and first aid training courses.

Speak to a Member of Our Team Today for More Information

Contact

Little Rascals are more than happy to answer any questions you may have. If you would like more information on any of our services or programmes then please do not hesitate to get in touch. Our spaces fill up fast, contact our team to enquire about availability.

Little Rascals Are Closed ALL BANK HOLIDAYS AND ALSO 31ST JULY TILL 4TH AUGUST