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Welcome to Monkey Puzzle Colchester

Welcome to Monkey Puzzle Colchester Nursery, conveniently located at 1 Villa Road, Colchester, CO3 0RH. Here at Monkey Puzzle we provide full time childcare in our light and spacious day nursery. Children aged 3 months to 5 years are cared for by our wonderful team of practitioners, carefully hand-picked to offer the highest level of care.

Our vision at Monkey Puzzle Colchester is ‘Working Together with Families, Staff and Children to Provide and Enabling, Safe and Healthy Environment where Children can Learn, Laugh and Grow with Us’.

It is owned by mother and father of two, Manjit & Sandy Sandhu and offers a home from home environment, where children are able to prosper and learn. We are part of an award-winning nursery group, offering high-quality childcare in our specially equipped nursery for children aged three months to five years old.

We have dedicated nursery spaces for the different age ranges, including mobile and non-mobile babies. We tailor our care to suit your child’s age. We achieve this by placing children into the following age categories: babies aged 3 to 18 months, tweenies aged 18 months to 2 years old, toddlers ages 2 to 3 years old and lastly preschool aged 3 to school age.

Babies

The very youngest children at Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery Colchester spend their time in our specially designed Babies’ room, welcoming children from the age of three months to eighteen months.


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Tweenies

From the age of 18 months, children spend their time in our Tweenies room, a space designed to build their independence and curiosity, with perfectly sized furnishings and learning resources to explore.


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Toddlers

Welcomed from the age of 24 months, children enjoy a space in Toddlers that matches their inquisitiveness and energy, with well-considered furnishings and learning resources accessible at all times.


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Preschool

Your child will embark on their preschool journey with us at around three years old, enjoying an enriching learning environment that fully supports their individual needs as well as the group activities and play.


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Babies

The very youngest children at Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery Stratford-upon-Avon spend their time in our specially designed Babies’ room, welcoming children from the age of three months to eighteen months.


Find out more

Tweenies

From the age of 18 months, children spend their time in our Tweenies room, a space designed to build their independence and curiosity, with perfectly sized furnishings and learning resources to explore.


Find out more

Toddlers

Welcomed from the age of 24 months, children enjoy a space in Toddlers that matches their inquisitiveness and energy, with well-considered furnishings and learning resources accessible at all times.


Find out more

Preschool

Your child will embark on their preschool journey with us at around 3 years old, enjoying an enriching learning environment that fully supports their individual needs as well as the group activities and play.


Find out more

We’re just around the corner, with lots for you to discover…

  • Part of an award winning nursery group with over 30 years experience in childcare
  • Open Mon-Fri 51 weeks a year
  • Closed for Bank Holidays and during Christmas week
  • Full day sessions from 7.30 am to 6.30 pm
  • Morning sessions from 7.30 am to 1 pm
  • Afternoon sessions 1 pm to 6.30 pm
  • All main meals and snacks prepared on site
  • Branded Nappies and wipes included in the price
  • 10% off nursery fees for NHS staff, Police, Fire Brigade, Teachers and, the Forces
  • Modern security systems, including CCTV cameras
  • We offer Spanish, Yoga, Music and Movement, and Tennis
  • Amazing outside play area with impact absorbing safety surfacing
  • Car Parking
  • Limited 15 and 30 hour funded spaces available for wrap around care

Plus so much more. Get in touch today.

For more information on how to register with Monkey Puzzle Colchester find out more below.

Jo Jingles
Day Nurseries Top 20 Awards - 2021
iConnect

Monkey Puzzle Colchester – Facebook

We love to share insight into nursery life through our social media pages and accounts. Take a look below to see some of our posts, click to go through to view them in full and leave us a comment or a like.

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The babies have thoroughly enjoyed celebrating the Lunar New Year. We have celebrated by carrying out activities such as exploring the textures of noodles and exploring play-dough scaly snakes. During our noodle play we used bowls and forks to scoop the noodles and make role play dishes for our peers and staff, we all explored in a variety of ways such as squeezing the noodles in our hands, moving them around the tray, picking up noodles between our fingers using a pincer grip and using our mouth to taste them. During our play-dough scaly snakes tray we were squeezing the playdough between our palms and pushing down on the snakes using just our fingers, we touched the glitter that gave a feeling of scales and were using facial expressions throughout. All the babies were very interested in both activities and showed interest by babbling, smiling and watching peers, throughout we have had such a fun time celebrating and can’t wait for more activities!

To Celebrate Lunar New Year, the Rainbow Dolphins have been using lolly sticks as makeshift chopsticks trying to pick up the noodles with the sticks. We have also made firework pictures using forks to make marks, we have been talking about the colours we used to create our craft, the children even used cotton wool and flour to make pretend dumplings.

We have had so much fun celebrating Lunar New Year in Dolphin room! We read a story about Lunar New Year and learned about what people do in the New Year, such as tidying and getting new clothes. The children and teachers talked about how we keep our rooms tidy too and the importance of tidying. We also made our own snakes as it is year of the snake! The children took part in sticking various materials to develop our fine motor skills.

Preschool have been celebrating the year of the snake, and the nursery has been filled with beautiful vibrant colours that the children have been exploring through different crafts and tuff trays. Celebrating different cultures has helped the children foster a sense of respect, understanding and develop a positive attitude towards people from diverse backgrounds and cultures. We made a huge chain snake together and we made our own colourful snake with bright coloured paper. We hope you have as much fun celebrating it as we did!
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The babies have thoroughly enjoyed celebrating the Lunar New Year. We have celebrated by carrying out activities such as exploring the textures of noodles and exploring play-dough scaly snakes. During our noodle play we used bowls and forks to scoop the noodles and make role play dishes for our peers and staff, we all explored in a variety of ways such as squeezing the noodles in our hands, moving them around the tray, picking up noodles between our fingers using a pincer grip and using our mouth to taste them. During our play-dough scaly snakes tray we were squeezing the playdough between our palms and pushing down on the snakes using just our fingers, we touched the glitter that gave a feeling of scales and were using facial expressions throughout. All the babies were very interested in both activities and showed interest by babbling, smiling and watching peers, throughout we have had such a fun time celebrating and can’t wait for more activities!

To Celebrate Lunar New Year, the Rainbow Dolphins have been using lolly sticks as makeshift chopsticks trying to pick up the noodles with the sticks. We have also made firework pictures using forks to make marks, we have been talking about the colours we used to create our craft, the children even used cotton wool and flour to make pretend dumplings.

We have had so much fun celebrating Lunar New Year in Dolphin room! We read a story about Lunar New Year and learned about what people do in the New Year, such as tidying and getting new clothes. The children and teachers talked about how we keep our rooms tidy too and the importance of tidying. We also made our own snakes as it is year of the snake! The children took part in sticking various materials to develop our fine motor skills.

Preschool have been celebrating the year of the snake, and the nursery has been filled with beautiful vibrant colours that the children have been exploring through different crafts and tuff trays. Celebrating different cultures has helped the children foster a sense of respect, understanding and develop a positive attitude towards people from diverse backgrounds and cultures. We made a huge chain snake together and we made our own colourful snake with bright coloured paper. We hope you have as much fun celebrating it as we did!Image attachmentImage attachment+Image attachment

Monkey Puzzle Colchester were proud to complete their official training today in launching their brand new curriculum. Very inspirational and exciting day led by our Early Years Director, Clare.
Well done to the fantastic team for engaging and embracing the launch, ensuring we are consistently delivering the best outcomes for our children.
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Monkey Puzzle Colchester were proud to complete their official training today in launching their brand new curriculum. Very inspirational and exciting day led by our Early Years Director, Clare. 
Well done to the fantastic team for engaging and embracing the launch, ensuring we are consistently delivering the best outcomes for our children.Image attachmentImage attachment+Image attachment

Look who’s returned to Monkey Puzzle. Looking forward to having you back with us Danni Rose! ... See MoreSee Less

Look who’s returned to Monkey Puzzle. Looking forward to having you back with us Danni Rose!

2 CommentsComment on Facebook

Fantastic news!!

We have been looking at our emotions in Rainbow Dolphins, we have read the story of the Colour Monster and we looked at the different emotions that the colour monster was feeling and showing, such as red for anger, yellow for happy and blue for sad. We followed this story up with other activities, such as coloured sensory bottles and the coloured scarves to match, the children also looked at themselves and their emotions in our mirrors. ... See MoreSee Less

We have been looking at our emotions in Rainbow Dolphins, we have read the story of the Colour Monster and we looked at the different emotions that the colour monster was feeling and showing, such as red for anger, yellow for happy and blue for sad. We followed this story up with other activities, such as coloured sensory bottles and the coloured scarves to match, the children also looked at themselves and their emotions in our mirrors.Image attachmentImage attachment+Image attachment

At Monkey Puzzle Colchester all our children are lucky enough to participate in a wide range of extra curricular activities which include Yoga, the children really enjoy this activity where they can either chill out on the mat to some soft easy listening music and do some stretching or for the more active child they can mirror our lovely instructor and learn how to balance like a tree or gently warm up and attempt some poses.
We also have tennis time, where the children can practice their throwing and catching skills along with learning to take turns, sharing the equipment, working on their hand to eye coordination which they have great fun doing and truly enjoy themselves.
Our Spanish teacher comes in every week and helps our pre-school children to experience and understand a different language and culture other than their own, they avidly listen and act out all the new words they are learning and attempt to copy and pronounce this new and exciting language.
All the children love it when Jo Jingles visits us at Monkey puzzle with her music and movement games, where we learn many new and stimulating activities such as Communication & Language, Listening skills, Numeracy skills, Physical capability, Creativity & imagination, Memory, Personal social & emotional development, every day is an opportunity to explore our imagination and learn through play.
... See MoreSee Less

At Monkey Puzzle Colchester all our children are lucky enough to participate in a wide range of extra curricular activities which include Yoga, the children really enjoy this activity where they can either chill out on the mat to some soft easy listening music and do some stretching or for the more active child they can mirror our lovely instructor and learn how to balance like a tree or gently warm up and attempt some poses.
We also have tennis time, where the children can practice their throwing and catching skills along with learning to take turns, sharing the equipment, working on their hand  to eye coordination which they have great fun doing and truly enjoy themselves.
Our Spanish teacher comes in every week and helps our pre-school children to experience and understand a different language and culture other than their own, they avidly listen and act out all the new words they are learning and attempt to copy and pronounce this new and exciting language.
All the children love it when Jo Jingles visits us at Monkey puzzle with her music and movement games, where we learn many new and stimulating activities such as Communication & Language, Listening skills, Numeracy skills, Physical capability, Creativity & imagination, Memory, Personal social & emotional development, every day is an opportunity to explore our imagination and learn through play.Image attachmentImage attachment+5Image attachment

1 CommentComment on Facebook

We love coming to Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery Colchester 😍

Happy New Year to all our families, children and staff at Monkey Puzzle Colchester.

Wishing you all an amazing 2025!
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Happy New Year to all our families, children and staff at Monkey Puzzle Colchester. 

Wishing you all an amazing 2025!

Merry Christmas everyone! At monkey puzzle, we have been very excited preparing for the most wonderful time of the year. All through the festive month we have had some amazing Christmas learning opportunities. Every room has been decorated beautifully by all the children and staff! In starfish, the children have been exploring lots of different Christmas tuff trays learning through their different senses. The children enjoyed making a melting snowman with gloop, mixing the cornflour and water together and experiencing the changes of state with their hands. Preparing for Christmas, the babies have been decorating their own personalised stockings. The babies especially loved an orange and cinnamon tray, enjoying the different Christmas smells. In Rainbow Dolphins, the children became reindeer and elves using Christmas hats and headbands. To celebrate Christmas jumper day, the children decorated their own Christmas jumper with their choosing of different resources and lots of glitter of course! Rainbow Dolphins made their own snow using crazy foam, which they enjoyed feeling between their fingers. Some of the teachers used the foam to become Santa with his beard, to which the children copied. In Dolphins, the children have been doing some junk modelling using cardboard boxes to form their own Christmas tree for them to decorate. Using the shaving foam, the dolphin children made their own snowmen by shaping the snowman body and finding different loose parts to create the snowman face! Lots of Christmas singing and dancing was done by the Dolphin children, allowing them to move freely in their own way. In Preschool, lots of different Christmas discussions have been held. One activity the children enjoyed was making their own Christmas dinner plate. The children practised their cutting skills by cutting each side of their Christmas dinner and used the glue stick to stick what they would want on their dinner. The children became bakers and made their own mince pies, taking turns rolling & cutting the pastry and scooping the filling into the pies. Using real leaves, the children cut them up and made their own Christmas tree. To work on the children’s gross motor skills and hand eye coordination they made reindeer soup, attempting to cut different fruits and vegetables using knife safety. The children then transported these to the water tray to mix all together for the reindeer. We have had such a fun filled month, we would like to wish everyone a merry Christmas and happy new year from all of us at Monkey Puzzle. ... See MoreSee Less

Merry Christmas everyone! At monkey puzzle, we have been very excited preparing for the most wonderful time of the year. All through the festive month we have had some amazing Christmas learning opportunities. Every room has been decorated beautifully by all the children and staff! In starfish, the children have been exploring lots of different Christmas tuff trays learning through their different senses. The children enjoyed making a melting snowman with gloop, mixing the cornflour and water together and experiencing the changes of state with their hands. Preparing for Christmas, the babies have been decorating their own personalised stockings. The babies especially loved an orange and cinnamon tray, enjoying the different Christmas smells. In Rainbow Dolphins, the children became reindeer and elves using Christmas hats and headbands. To celebrate Christmas jumper day, the children decorated their own Christmas jumper with their choosing of different resources and lots of glitter of course! Rainbow Dolphins made their own snow using crazy foam, which they enjoyed feeling between their fingers. Some of the teachers used the foam to become Santa with his beard, to which the children copied. In Dolphins, the children have been doing some junk modelling using cardboard boxes to form their own Christmas tree for them to decorate. Using the shaving foam, the dolphin children made their own snowmen by shaping the snowman body and finding different loose parts to create the snowman face! Lots of Christmas singing and dancing was done by the Dolphin children, allowing them to move freely in their own way. In Preschool, lots of different Christmas discussions have been held. One activity the children enjoyed was making their own Christmas dinner plate. The children practised their cutting skills by cutting each side of their Christmas dinner and used the glue stick to stick what they would want on their dinner. The children became bakers and made their own mince pies, taking turns rolling & cutting the pastry and scooping the filling into the pies. Using real leaves, the children cut them up and made their own Christmas tree. To work on the children’s gross motor skills and hand eye coordination they made reindeer soup, attempting to cut different fruits and vegetables using knife safety. The children then transported these to the water tray to mix all together for the reindeer. We have had such a fun filled month, we would like to wish everyone a merry Christmas and happy new year from all of us at Monkey Puzzle.Image attachmentImage attachment+Image attachment

1 CommentComment on Facebook

Wishing everyone a very happy Christmas and hope Santa left you lots of presents xxxxx

Happy 5 year anniversary to Lauren and Amy!
Congratulations to you both marking your 5 year anniversary with Monkey Puzzle Colchester. You’re both superstars and wishing you many more happy years ahead! 🥳 🎉
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Happy 5 year anniversary to Lauren and Amy! 
Congratulations to you both marking your 5 year anniversary with Monkey Puzzle Colchester. You’re both superstars and wishing you many more happy years ahead! 🥳 🎉

EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR FOR 2024

Superbly well deserved, loved by staff, loved by children and loved by parents. A wonderful person at the nursery who we adore and respect very much. We feel privileged to work alongside you and you are a constant beacon of positivity. Your love for children and passion for early years never goes unrecognised and you are an ambassador for the early years as well as Monkey Puzzle Colchester.
Congratulations to Amy! 🏆 🥇
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EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR FOR 2024

Superbly well deserved, loved by staff, loved by children and loved by parents. A wonderful person at the nursery who we adore and respect very much. We feel privileged to work alongside you and you are a constant beacon of positivity. Your love for children and passion for early years never goes unrecognised and you are an ambassador for the early years as well as Monkey Puzzle Colchester.
Congratulations to Amy! 🏆 🥇

3 CommentsComment on Facebook

Congrats Amy x

Congratulations Amy 👏

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