Kids Ahoy
Kids Ahoy is our original nursery, proudly based in Dumfries since 2002. Located on St Michael Street, our cosy setting provides high-quality care and supports the early development of babies and toddlers aged 3 months – 3 years. Our experienced and professional team supports each child’s unique journey in a warm, welcoming and safe environment.
Our setting prioritises child-centred learning. Children are encouraged to explore their environment, growing and building confidence every day. Guided by skilled practitioners, children learn through play which is underpinned by GIRFEC and SHANARRI to ensure wellbeing, safety and inclusion are always our top priorities.
Our Rooms
We offer engaging and welcoming spaces designed specifically for different age groups:
Baby Room - A calm and cosy space for babies from 5 months, where our caring team supports early milestones in a secure and loving environment.
Toddler Room - An interactive, stimulating area for toddlers developing confidence, independence and curiosity through play.
Dedicated Sleeping Room - A calm, dedicated sleep room designed to provide children with a safe, peaceful environment for rest and sleep throughout the day. The space is carefully created to feel quiet, cosy and nurturing, helping children settle comfortably while being closely monitored by our caring team.
Outdoor sleeping space — Outdoor sleeping is a valued part of our daily routine and reflects our strong belief in the benefits of spending time in nature. We provide children with the opportunity to rest and nap outdoors in a safe, calm and comfortable environment, helping to promote a more restful sleep and support overall wellbeing. Our experienced team carefully follows national guidance to ensure all outdoor sleep routines are carried out safely, with children’s comfort, warmth and wellbeing always at the heart of our practice. Each child has an individual care plan to support their sleep routine, helping us to follow their preferred methods of falling off to sleep.
Outdoor Play
Our newly renovated garden space offers a safe and exciting environment for children to enjoy fresh air, explore nature and develop physical skills through outdoor play every day. We have 2 separate spaces for our babies and toddlers to provide age appropriate outdoor environments to make the most of their outdoor learning.
Our toddlers enjoy an outdoor landscape akin to our outdoor space at Land Ahoy, our indoor/outdoor forest nursery. We have intentionally made this similar to help our toddlers experience a more nature-based environment which will aid them in their transition to preschool.
Meals and Nutrition
All meals are freshly prepared by our in-house cook at our Land Ahoy kitchen and brought over to Kids Ahoy daily. We provide a healthy and well balanced diet, consisting of lunch, dinner and snacks. We ensure children are offered nutritious, child-friendly meals that fuel their growth and learning.
All our meals and meal-time practice strictly follow the government guidance, Setting the Table.
Check out our menus here.
Why Choose Us?
We understand that choosing the right nursery is an important decision. At Kids Ahoy, we offer:
A Well-Established Nursery - Proudly supporting families in the Dumfries community since 2002.
Experienced, Caring Staff - Our qualified team brings a wealth of knowledge, passion and commitment to early years care.
Newly Renovated Rooms and Garden - Modern, welcoming spaces designed to inspire and nurture young children.
A Playful Learning Environment - We believe children learn best through play. Our approach encourages creativity and confidence from the earliest stages.
National guidance based learning - We are guided by Realising the Ambition: Being Me, supporting all areas of your child’s development in a fun and engaging way.
Daily Updates for Parents - We use the Famly app to keep you connected to your child's day. We provide real-time updates on sleep, meals, activities and more.
We’re passionate about creating a setting where every child feels safe, valued and supported in their learning and development. We ensure our parents can be confident knowing we will always provide this.
Since opening our indoor / outdoor forest nursery, Land Ahoy, children aged 3–5 now continue their journey with us at our Mossend site - allowing Kids Ahoy to focus entirely on babies and toddlers.
Next Steps
We would love to welcome you and your child/children to Kids Ahoy! If you are interested to find out more, you can:
Email us now at info@kidsahoy.co.uk
Arrange a visit to tour our nursery and meet our friendly team through our enquiry form.
Call us on 01387 279300 for more information.
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Healthy, balanced nutrition is an important part of children’s wellbeing and development. At Kids Ahoy and Land Ahoy, all snacks, lunches and light teas are freshly prepared by our nursery cook, following the Scottish Government’s Setting the Table guidance. We also take inspiration from trusted healthy food approaches, including Annabel Karmel, when creating nutritious and child-friendly meals.
We work closely with families to support individual dietary requirements and can provide alternatives for children who require dairy-free, gluten-free or other specific dietary needs.
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No, our staff will support you with potty training your child when they are ready. We have access to size appropriate toilets for the children and changing facilities for those in nappies.
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We believe that strong relationships with families are at the heart of providing the best possible care and learning experiences for children. We use the Famly app to keep parents regularly updated throughout the day, including information about sleep, meals, nappy changes and daily activities. Famly is also used to share observations, photographs and learning updates linked to the relevant curriculums. Each child is allocated a Key Person who is responsible for supporting their learning and wellbeing, maintaining regular updates and building strong relationships with both children and families. Parents are invited into the nursery each term to discuss their child’s progress and individual next steps in learning and development.
Find us
We’re based in the heart of Dumfries, making us easy to find for local families. We are within walking distance to the Town Centre, located on St Michael Street.
Use the map to see where Kids Ahoy is located and plan your visit - we look forward to welcoming you!
Click here for our Land Ahoy site.
