02 — Froebelian Crèche
Not across the city. Not with strangers you haven't met. A qualified, play-based early years environment developed in partnership with the University of Edinburgh — right next to your desk.
The heart of our mission
The crèche is not an add-on. It is the whole point. Work+Play Hub exists because the two hardest parts of early parenthood — keeping your professional life alive and keeping your child close — should not have to be solved separately.
Your child is supervised by qualified Early Childhood Educators trained in Froebelian methodology, in a purpose-built play environment a few steps from your desk. You can see them if you need to. You can focus because you know they're thriving.
That proximity is not an afterthought. It is embedded in our ethos.
Children aged 0–5 welcomeOur environment is designed for babies through to pre-school age.
Sessions up to 4 hoursEnough time to do meaningful, focused work alongside genuine childcare.
Qualified practitionersAll staff are qualified Early Childhood Educators, PVG-checked and trained in Froebelian methodology.
University of Edinburgh partnershipOur practitioners attend CPDs developed by the Moray House School of Education.
A few steps from your deskThe crèche is not across the building. It is next door.
From £5 per sessionBook alongside your coworking desk. Subsidised access available.
Our approach
Not all early years provision is equal. The Froebelian approach is one of the most evidence-backed methodologies in early childhood education — and it is the foundation of everything we do in our crèche.
"Play is the highest expression of human development in childhood, for it alone is the free expression of what is in a child's soul."
— Friedrich Froebel, founder of the kindergarten movementCompared to traditional crèche environments that may focus on structured routines, Froebelian play areas prioritise child-led exploration, natural materials, holistic development, and cognitive growth through open-ended play. Central to a Froebelian approach is a recognition of the integrity of childhood in its own right — and a focus on the child as part of the community.
Children direct their own learning through curiosity, not instruction. The practitioner's role is to observe, support, and extend — not to dictate.
Real, tactile, open-ended resources — wood, water, sand, plants — that support imagination, sensory development, and genuine discovery.
Social, emotional, physical, and cognitive growth are treated as inseparable. We develop the whole child, not isolated skills.
The child is understood as part of a wider community — not just a unit in a room. Relationships, connection, and shared experience are central.
Creative expression through art, music, movement, and storytelling is treated as fundamental to development, not an optional extra.
Childhood is recognised as having integrity in its own right — not merely as preparation for adulthood. The child's experience matters now.
Our academic partnership
Our partnership with the Moray House School of Education at the University of Edinburgh means our practitioners are trained to the highest standard in Froebelian methodology.
This is not a badge. It is a living relationship — one that shapes how our crèche operates, how our practitioners are trained, and how we continue to develop our early years provision over time.
Practitioner trainingOur Early Years Practitioners are trained in Froebelian methodologies.
Evidence-based practiceOur crèche methodology is grounded in current research in early childhood education and development.
Ongoing collaborationWe work with the University to develop CPD for practitioners and to contribute to the wider early years research community.
Care Inspectorate compliantOur crèche operation meets all Scottish regulatory requirements for early years provision.