Rosedene Nurseries has expanded its childcare space with an outdoor tipi at its Easterside setting in Middlesbrough.

The tipi, officially opened by the Lord Lieutenant of North Yorkshire, Jo Ropner, was developed in response to increasing demand for early years provision in the area.

The project was partially funded by the Childcare Expansion Capital Grant, distributed by Middlesbrough Council.

Rosedene said the addition of the tipi had enabled the nursery to expand its capacity.

Alice Haslam, managing director at Rosedene Nurseries, said: “Everything we do at Rosedene is grounded in the belief that children thrive in environments that nurture their curiosity and wellbeing.

“This tipi is a perfect example of that, a space where imagination can run wild, and learning happens naturally through play and exploration.”

The tipi features zones including a quiet reading nook, a wellbeing space for mindfulness and yoga, areas for forest school-inspired activities, and creative play corners.

Claire Bracchi, early years development lead at Middlesbrough Council said: “The team at Rosedene Easterside has created the most-wonderful learning environment that seamlessly complements already exceptional indoor and outdoor environments.

“Children clearly thrive in this thoughtfully-planned learning environment through the wealth of beautiful and engaging high quality resources in this most-inviting and exciting space.”