Early Years

The Museum is an inspiring setting for early years learning. It offers a range of fun and informative hands-on sessions and online resources. Visits are up to two hours long and include a 30-minute handling workshop and a self-guided trail in the Museum. Please book to arrange your visit.

NURSERY RHYME ANIMALS

Explore the real characters behind Humpty Dumpty and Incy-Wincy Spider, and learn how we classify life around us. Using real Museum specimens and familiar nursery rhymes, we investigate what mammals, amphibians, birds, reptiles and bugs are, and decide what kind of egg Humpty might have been!

BUG BONANZA

After reading The Bugliest Bug by Carol Diggory Shields, we explore the wonderful world of bugs and minibeasts and find out what makes an insect an insect and a spider a spider. Explore some of the Museum's spectacular five million pinned insects and meet some live ones too!

DINOSAUR HUNTERS

You may have been on a ‘bear hunt’ at nursery, but now you can take your children on a ‘dinosaur hunt’ and you’re guaranteed to find a big one!

During your visit, the class will split into two groups and rotate between a self-guided ‘We’re Going on a Dinosaur Hunt’ trail with their own mini dinosaurs, and a handling session in the Museum classroom exploring what dinosaurs were and what we know about them.

FUNNY BONES

Starting with a reading of Funny Bones by Janet and Allan Ahlberg, we explore what a skeleton is and why animals have them. See and touch different skeleton types and handle live bugs to feel their super skeletons!