Blue

We're piloting in Autumn 2026 (London boroughs only) 
Register your interest here  or  read more below

Children’s early STEM learning grows from their natural curiosity and engagement in real-world experiences and play. These are enhanced through interaction with adults who share the child’s interest, and can be extended with relevant knowledge, vocabulary, and ideas.

Peep Exploring Together is a programme which aims to improve practitioners’ and parents’ confidence, knowledge and skills in supporting early STEM learning. The intervention has two elements: Exploring Together Training for practitioners, and the Exploring Together Programme for parents.

“I think it helped him a lot. The nursery were saying that he's changed so much, speaking more, coming in with ideas...”
Exploring Together Parent

The programme and training are being developed and piloted over two phases:

Phase 1 (2021-24): Development, piloting and independent evaluation

• Peeple developed and piloted the programme, in partnership with Sheringham Nursery School and Children’s Centre and the University of Oxford. The project was funded by the Charity of Sir Richard Whittington, for which the Mercers’ Company is corporate trustee, as part of their Early Years Special Initiative.
• We developed training and resources, which could be delivered and access online, to enable practitioners in early years settings to use the programme with families.
• The Institute of Employment Studies (IES) and the University of Oxford evaluated Exploring Together in six early years settings in the London boroughs of Newham and Redbridge. The IES Evaluation report ‘Peep Exploring Together: Supporting the foundations of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM)’ was published in November 2024. With promising outcomes from this independent evaluation (see below), we secured four years’ additional funding to develop the programme further and extend its evidence base.

Phase 2 (2024-27): Refining and scaling the programme and training

We are delighted that a continuation of the project is being funded by the Early Years Special Initiative Phase Two.  During this time, we are:

• refining content and materials for the Peep Exploring Together programme and training for practitioners
• exploiting the benefits of digital platforms to share the Programme with families and to support their interactions with settings (e.g. using established home/ school platforms)
• scaling the delivery of the Programme across London, including 90 nursery settings and Family Hubs, 50 childminders and 1,000 families
• extending the evidence base, including the Programme’s impact on parents’ interactions with their children and their Home Learning Environment, and on children’s outcomes relating to language, numeracy, confidence and curiosity.

Impact of the Exploring Together STEM programme on parents and their young children

The evaluation found that parents:

• reported undertaking both maths and science-based activities with their children at home at a significantly higher frequency immediately post-Programme compared to pre-Programme
• were overwhelmingly positive about the impact of the Exploring Together Programme on their child, reporting developments in their confidence (including self-belief and confidence in STEM), curiosity, and a greater interest in STEM concepts or topics such as space, or the natural world
• reported maths skills improvements around counting and simple sums such as addition/ subtraction, as well an improved knowledge of shapes and weights
• reported improvements in children’s language and communication skills including more verbal communication, increased vocabulary, and improvements in listening
• noted the benefits of increased parent-child time
• felt more confident in their ability to support their child with improving their STEM skills at home through play and in daily activities such as cooking, and said that the Programme had made STEM more relatable.

Practitioners universally reported enjoying and learning from the Programme. They often felt that the Programme changed their perspectives on their own practice as early years professionals and helped them to feel more confident in their interactions with parents. You can see more parent and practitioner comments below.

We hope that STEM will become something that more practitioners and parents are excited rather than anxious about. Together we will help very young children from all walks of life embrace their inborn curiosity and fulfil their potential to become the scientists, engineers, mathematicians, programmers and inventors of the future.

With thanks to our Peep Exploring Together funders, partners and the families that took part.

Early Years STEM Pilot (London): open for expressions of interest

Peeple is seeking early years settings, groups, childminders and Family Hubs in London boroughs to take part in the Peep Exploring Together STEM pilot, from Autumn 2026.

This pilot offers a structured, evidence-informed approach to early STEM learning that strengthens home engagement. 

Barriers to engagement for both staff and families were at the heart of the design process when we were developing both the training for practitioners and  the programme for families.  

Why get involved:

• Enhances parental engagement and strengthens home-setting partnerships
• Low time-commitment, free training (approx. 5 hours, flexibly delivered over 3 - 5 weeks) and implementation support
• A clear focus on quality interactions (using the ShREC approach) in everyday practice
• Delivery designed to integrate with your existing provision - 8 sessions available online (via Padlet or existing school-home platform) or face-to-face
• Direct support for learning at home, through free weekly resource packs for families

>  Register your interest here 

Our Peep partnership organisation in Australia is Playgroup Victoria. They have an exclusive licence with us to train practitioners to use Peep Programmes in Australia. 

 >  Click here to see their next training dates, find out more or to book places via the Peep team at Playgroup Victoria

Playgroups, both universal and targeted, are a key service for families with babies and young children in Australia. They promote play as central to children’s development and help parents to develop individual strengths, parenting skills and to integrate with their community.

Playgroup Victoria*, based in Melbourne, is a not-for-profit organisation committed to helping all Victorian families discover the benefits of playgroup. They advocate for the benefits of play for young children and provide support for communities and families wanting to start and run a playgroup. They gather evidence to influence policy makers of the vital role that playgroups play in creating and sustaining cohesive, supportive communities and in giving children the best possible start in life. 

In 2022-23 a hundred more Peep practitioners were trained. The Peep programme is now being used in every state and territory in Australia.

Claire Georgiou is Peep National Manager for Playgroup Victoria. Claire has several years’ experience in delivering the Learning Together Programme with families, and delivering Peep training to practitioners.

Danny Schwarz, CEO of Playgroup Victoria: "Playgroup Victoria welcomes the opportunity to become the Australian Licensee for the Peep Learning Together Programme. The values and purpose of Playgroup Victoria focus on the benefits derived by children's and parents’ participation in play-based experiential opportunities and learning. Our partnership with Peeple will have significant and positive impacts for the lives of Australian children and their families."

Dr Sally Smith, CEO of Peeple:  "Playgroup Victoria is the ideal custodian for the Peep Learning Together Programme in Australia. We have enjoyed a positive working relationship with them over the past three years, and established that the principles behind our organisations are beautifully aligned. We look forward to contributing to their development of Peep in Australia – and learning a great deal together in the process."

To find out more or to book Peep training in Australia, please contact: Claire Georgiou, Australia's Peep National Manager – email [email protected]  or  tel  0488 600 190  

nursery opening hours

We are open from 8am - 5pm Monday to Friday. There are various session options within those times, plus an additional session option until 5.30pm.

Little Peeple Nursery is open for 48 weeks a year, closing for a week at Christmas and Easter, and two weeks in the summer. Children can either attend for 48 weeks or for school term-time dates.

nursery term dates

Sept 2025 - Aug 2026 term dates:

> 2025-26 term dates for term-time only children

> 2025-26 term dates for 48-week children

funded childcare

Funded early education and childcare is available. To find out if you are eligible check the gov.uk website: www.gov.uk/get-childcare

requesting a place

Please complete and return our Application form below, or get in touch with any questions.

> Little Peeple Nursery Application form

In Peep groups, parents find out why the little things they do with their baby or child make a big difference. Families discover and share ideas and activities that cost nothing, but support their child's learning in the earliest years, making a lifelong difference. 

Created with families and practitioners across the UK, this two-minute film captures the heart of Peeple’s work - the everyday interactions within and between families that make a lasting difference to learning, relationships and wellbeing:

> Donate online - a single donation or regular gift:  Donate now  

>  Donate by text:  Text  peep 3  or  peep 5  or  peep 10  to 70085  
    (to donate £3, £5 or £10)​

"In the past I would not so much talk or read to my daughter because I thought she was too young to understand, but after seeing her response to everything at Peep it has improved my help towards her talking and listening."

Many thanks for all your support, it means a lot. 

At Peeple and Growing Minds we have a local Dolly Parton Imagination Library, which sends a free book to every child from birth to five in the Leys, Littlemore and Berinsfield areas of south Oxford.

> Click here to read more about our Imagination Library and how you can help, or you can: 

 Donate to our local Imagination Library   

Terms & Conditions:
Text costs the donation amount plus one standard network rate message.
Text PeepNoInfo after you've donated if you don’t  want to receive further information from Peeple.​

We've been asked what is permitted regarding sharing Peeple songs or stories, so here's an overview:

If you’re making a social media post

...using a book or song copyrighted to Peeple  we’d appreciate it if you acknowledge:

‘This is the Peep book ‘Peep paints his room’ by Lisse Honeyman & Katherine Groves’   
and /or
‘This [X] song/rhyme is a Peep song from their Singing Together songbook/CD’

The Peeple copyrighted songs, all by Alison Street, are:  A little mouse sat on my chair  ~   Alphabet song  ~   Baby band (words only)  ~   Bed for baby  ~   Bicycle song  ~   Engine song  ~   Eyes to see  ~   Goodnight  ~   Here comes a spider  ~  I’m floating  ~  I’ve got one nose  ~  Little red bus (words only)  ~  Look what I can do  ~  One little finger  ~  Peep-o  ~  Popping on your vest (words only)  ~  Pull up pull up the turnip  ~  Roll the dough  ~  Sit down here  ~  Stroking baby’s cheek  ~  We are going to the seaside in a train (words only)  ~  What shall we do baby?  ~  Who’s that?

If you're using non-Peeple-copyright audio-recordings  from a Peeple CD please acknowledge:

• ‘Recordings of [e.g. Incy Wincy spider] are reproduced from the Singing Together 1 CD by permission of Peeple.’

If you're using non-Peeple-copyright lyrics  from a Peeple songbook/CD:

• Peeple has obtained copyright permission for some of the songs as listed in the acknowledgements page in the back of the Singing Together books. If you want to reproduce these lyrics you will need to approach the rights holder to obtain permission.
• The words to the songs not  listed on the acknowledgements page are to the best of our knowledge in the public domain, and can be reproduced freely.
• Permission to use recordings  needs to be obtained from the Mechanical Copyright Protection Society for which there is usually a small fee if they are not in the public domain. (Peeple songs are not registered with MCPS.)

If you are producing a CD/MP3 or equivalent

...and want to use songs (audio and/or lyrics) from any of Peeple’s Singing Together Songbooks/CD/MP3 that are copyrighted to Peeple (see list above) – please contact us at [email protected] with the following information, and we will email you back to confirm permission and acknowledgement wording:

• Your name and/or Organisation name
• Name/s of the tracks/lyrics/story you would like to reproduce
• Your target audience/customers – e.g. local families that you work with or for sale on the open market.

We hope that this helps. Please get in touch with any other questions: [email protected].

K is a mum in a Peep Mini Explorers group at a Children's Centre, led by Sophie from the Foundation Years Trust in Birkenhead. Her feedback is a great example of the value of sharing ideas about children's development, but also the importance of supportive relationships - between parent and child, practitioner and other parents:

"I’ve been attending Peep sessions since my little boy L was 10 weeks, now he’s 16 months!

I knew absolutely nothing about Peep beforehand. Hand on heart, I believe that attending these Peep sessions has made me the parent I am today.

They taught me that certain behaviours weren’t ‘naughty’ but actually developmental. That everyday things are an adventure for him, no matter how little! And that everything can be fun, and how he can learn through fun!

L has made some little friends for life, as have I. The Peep sessions have supported me and taught me the importance of supporting him, praising him, providing him with opportunities and how to encourage his learning and development. They’ve shown me that L doesn’t need ‘expensive’ experiences to learn, but actually low cost or free opportunities are just as useful, like a trip to the free fun day at the local urban farm where we can sing nursery rhymes and practise animal noises with the animals!

I find being a parent the most amazing and rewarding experience of my life, but I also have ‘hard’ days as does every parent. In group, it’s so nice to talk about those hard days with other parents and Sophie, with no judgement just support. I was so hesitant initially about going to a baby group - what if L got upset, or I needed to breastfeed and wasn’t comfortable, or I was judged -  but this group was the first I attended and it’s changed my parenting experience. Sometimes, life as a mum can be hard or lonely, but this group really does make a difference."

This case study demonstrates how Peep can be used in a joined-up way to work in partnership with families across education, health and family support. The information below is from the Tomorrow Today Foundation, Benalla, Victoria - the first people in Australia to do Peep training. 

improvements in Benalla’s early development results

The Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) is a nationwide data collection that shows how young children are developing as they start their first year of full-time school. The AEDC measures five areas or domains of early childhood development: - physical health and wellbeing; social competence; emotional maturity; language and cognitive skills; communication skills and general knowledge.

Benalla is a small city, one of 79 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the state of Victoria. In 2015, Benalla had the highest proportion (33%) of any LGA for children developmentally vulnerable on one or more of the AEDC domains. By 2018 the proportion had reduced significantly, by almost a third, to 23.5%. Benalla’s results are now better than State and National averages in the domains of physical health and wellbeing; and communication skills and general knowledge.

how has the improvement been achieved?

The strong improvement in Benalla’s results can largely be attributed to two factors: –

1. The introduction of the Peep program in 2012

For parents and carers, Peep provides ongoing relevant and useful information that increases their knowledge of child development and gives them helpful and effective strategies that improve their parenting skills. For children, Peep supplies fun learning activities that develop pre-literacy and numeracy skills, and a social setting that fosters positive interaction, independence, resilience and emotional maturity. Over 200 Benalla families with children aged 0 to 5 attend Peep annually. Peep is open to all families but we focus staff time on attracting and retaining the most vulnerable families.

2. The strong collaborative effort across Benalla generated by the 2016 AEDC Forum convened by the Dept of Education and Training (DET), the Tomorrow Today Foundation and Benalla Rural City Council. 53 early years professionals attended the forum resulting in a high-energy commitment to focused action to reduce childhood vulnerability across Benalla. A steering group was formed to develop a cross‑institutional strategic plan based on information and discussion from the forum.

The stated purpose of the plan is to work collaboratively to improve learning and development for Benalla children aged 0 to 8. Here's a summary of the activity undertaken so far, under each of the 5 objectives.

objective 1:  improved service co-ordination, collaboration and information sharing

• Revitalisation of the Benalla Early Years Network, bringing together early years professionals from different disciplines
• Establishment of an Early Years Facebook page
• Work to improve the transition process between preschool and school
• ‘Tip sheets’ developed and circulated to network members for use with families. 

objective 2:  parents and carers are supported and resourced as their child’s first and most important educator

• Peep program supporting over 200 families each year, including discussions on school readiness for families with older child
• Benalla Health supports Peep delivery, releasing a trained community health nurse to co-facilitate a group each fortnight
• Maternal and Child Health team provide a referral form for Peep to parents of every child born in Benalla
• Strong links established between Family Services, Family Liaison workers, and Peep staff to ensure parents and carers can access the support they need.
• Peep home visit program established offering visits to families (geographically isolated or child /parent illness)
• Parents encouraged to volunteer in Peep groups to support staff
• Families provided with transport assistance to get to Peep and/or kinder
• Other courses provided including New Parents groups, Great Start to School Program (supporting parent's and child’s transition to school), Young Parents group, Triple P Parenting, Tuning Into Kids, Real Men Make Great Dads, Bringing Up Great Kids
• Unique Breastfeeding SMS support program for new mothers developed by Benalla working group involving Tomorrow Today, Benalla Health and Benalla Rural City
• Presentations by Good Shepherd Microfinance and Berry Street Saver Plus to two of the most vulnerable Peep groups.

objective 3: children aged 0 to 8 are supported to be resilient, socially competent and emotionally mature

• Information on secure attachment provided and importance stressed to new and prospective parents through Maternal and Child Health, Benalla Health, new parents groups, and constantly reinforced at Peep
• Emphasis at Peep on listening, taking turns, sharing, and fostering of independence
• Introduction of Art based activities for Benalla pre-schoolers at Benalla Art Gallery
• Peep families make regular visits to a local nursing home to visit the elderly (inter-generational)
• Psychologist visit to Peep to speak to parents on dealing with anxiety in children
• All Peep staff trained in delivery of Tuning into Kids and many elements of the program incorporated into Peep sessions

objective 4:  children aged 0 to 8 are confident and involved learners and communicators

• Benalla-wide emphasis on the importance of preschool, and two new play groups established in rural communities funded by Tomorrow Today grants
• Speech screening now conducted in all Benalla pre-schools, and funding secured for group therapy for expressive and receptive language difficulties within the preschool setting.
• Several Library-based multi-agency initiatives, including active encouragement of Library membership, introduction of 1,000 Books Before School program, Toddler Tales sessions, and six ‘Little Free Libraries’ across Benalla
• Free books provided to parents of newborns
• Let’s Count training undertaken by four Benalla preschools and two day care providers

objective 5:  children aged 0 to 8 are healthy and physically active

• Peep groups include activities to develop fine and gross motor skills and have outdoor play sessions including excursions to local parks and lake etc
• Benalla Health dietician regularly visits Peep
• Benalla Health Infant Program is offered to all families who have children aged 3, 6, 9 and 12 months, discussing nutrition and physical activity during the first year of a child’s life.
• Food Security Network established providing free fresh food and vegetables for struggling families
• Award-winning wicking bed project established by Benalla Health and Vinnies encouraging disadvantaged families to grow fresh fruit and vegetables in their backyards. Tomorrow Today contributed grant funding.  

what next?

• Widespread dissemination of positive AEDC results to the Benalla community and beyond
• A second AEDC forum to celebrate the results, look at what’s worked and is working, and identify areas where further improvement can be made.

For further information, visit https://tomorrowtoday.com.au/  or contact [email protected] 

Peep Progression Pathway qualifications for fathers (and their partners) - working with Highland Peep, Highland Council, CALA and HMP Inverness

“I gained useful skills through the Peep programme that will help me day-to-day when I’ve been released from prison. It gave me a better understanding of parenting and what can help my child.”

Staff: Two Peep-trained practitioners, Gillian Forbes from Highland Council and Mairianne Nairn from Care & Learning Alliance (CALA); the project built on CALA’s Prison Service work with remand prisoners and their families, and on Highland Council’s Peep delivery in local communities over the past decade.

Project overview (from the practitioners):

‘The course consists of 13 weekly hour-long sessions with the families, followed by an additional 30 minutes for the fathers to work on their portfolios. Each course has been run with two or three dads (who are in custody), their baby or young child and their partner. The first course went really well, and the families were really appreciative. We've now run it a few times at the request of the Prison Governor. We’ve seen all the dads grow in confidence and get really involved within the sessions. There were obviously challenges: the prison is fairly small but over-crowded, with many prisoners being either short-term or moving to another prison, and for some mums it was too far or difficult to bring their baby or child each week.

From the start, we were keen that the fathers would have the opportunity to gain an SCQF-credit-rated unit (level 3, 4 or 5), from the Peep Progression Pathway.  This is based on the parents’ own learning and reflections on an aspect of child development, linked to play and learning activities that they do with their child during the session, then record in a portfolio. The children can be any age from 0-5 years, so the courses have used the mixed-age ‘Early Child Development’ unit.  This includes Learning Together Programme topics such as Helping children feel good about themselves, Play and language, Sharing books with babies/young children, Maths in everyday routines and Food for life.

Completing the qualification unit also guarantees the fathers an interview at the local college when they leave, if they wish to do further training. The dads have all worked really hard on their credit-rated portfolios. For one dad it was his first recognised qualification, and this time one of the mums is completing a portfolio too. The dads have told us that it’s the highlight of their week – and we’ve found that it is for us too.’

Feedback from Dads involved:

• “Peep’s had a massive impact on me and my family – without it I wouldn’t have had that opportunity to bond with my baby.”
• “I’ve really enjoyed the course, it’s made me feel more confident in being a first time dad and I have discovered lots of activities me and my son can do together.”
• “The Peep course has emphasised things, why we do activities and how it helps my child’s development. I didn’t realise the impact reading a story had on my child.”
• “It’s helped me exist, I feel more like a father. Even getting to stand up with my daughter makes a huge difference, in a normal visit session we can’t get off our seats.”

Feedback from a Mum:

“I feel that - although the circumstances in which we attend Peep aren’t the best - it has had such a great impact on us.  Initially I felt it was going to be condescending, but after attending the first session I soon realised the benefit of it.  I’ve seen how much it helps my partner interact with our son.  The activities and tasks that fathers often don’t take part in, like crafts and messy play, he has been able to experience. I’ve also learnt from it, the in‑depth details of children’s learning is really interesting. Most of all it has helped keep a bond between father and son, giving them both time to play, learn and interact, and I feel this will be very beneficial for when he comes home.”

Feedback from Inverness Prison Governor, Stephen Coyle:

“The Peep course has given the fathers in our care the skills and confidence to shape play in a way which is fun yet maximises the benefits to their children, whilst strengthening the bonds in the wider family group. We are delighted this work will be ongoing.”

Feedback from a Prison Officer:

“This Peep project is also about preventing future victims.”

Visit from Maree Todd, former Scottish Minister for Children and Young People:

When Maree Todd visited one of the Peep sessions she was very positive about the encouragement, praise, nurture and strong relationships that she saw. She was also impressed by the emotional literacy displayed in the fathers’ written portfolios, and about the likely lasting benefit for the families.

Sustainability - training Prison staff to deliver the Peep programme:

The prison's recognition of the benefits of the Peep sessions for families is further highlighted by their decision to train some of their own staff to deliver the programme, in autumn 2024. The training will be funded through the Families Learning Together project, part of Scotgov's Whole Family Well-being Funding. Having their own Peep-trained staff will increase their flexibility and sustainability in how they can support family relationships in the future. 

“Really can’t describe how good it’s been to spend time with my family in this learning environment. Having this time has made me feel like a dad, as we can do fun family stuff together.”

Thanks to the Perth and Kinross Peep practitioners for this overview:

A multi-agency approach to providing rolling family learning in Perth Prison 

The project has been running for nine years, since being piloted by Perth and Kinross Council Parenting and Family Learning Team, Fife College and the Scottish Prison Service in 2015. The feedback from the families and Family Contact Officers was very positive. We started by delivering two 6-week blocks per year of family learning activities within the prison's learning centre, targeting Perth and Kinross families. 

After the programme's evaluation it became evident there was a larger need than we could support. Therefore we looked at what local partners could be involved in the delivery of the programme that would enhance the delivery frequency and impact for families. Since 2017 PKC has led a partnership of 4 local authorities (Perth & Kinross, Dundee, Angus and Fife), the Scottish Prison Service, Fife College and third sector organisations, to deliver a rolling programme of family learning in HMP Perth. 

A range of different family learning programmes are delivered through the year. Sometimes it is Peep Learning Together, or it could be a block of cooking sessions or Playing on Pedals, teaching young children to ride a balance bike.  This has enabled some of the most disadvantaged families to improve family bonding and parenting skills.

Peep project overview:

For the last few years we have included blocks of Peep in HMP Perth's family learning delivery schedule, which have targeted different ages of pre-school families. During these sessions, staff support families to take part in the Peep programme including singing, stories and activities that support their child’s development. All families make two keepsake books, one that can be kept by Dad, and one that can be taken home. The Peep staff develop positive relationships with families, and signpost them to support and family learning activities in their local communities.

Staffing:  Each block is supported by two staff from the local authorities, at least one is Peep-trained. The sessions are also supported by staff from the prison's learning centre, which is managed by Fife College.  

Feedback from families:

“It’s made kids be able to get closer to their dad and put that spring back in their steps. I’d like to thank all the staff for letting us be part of it.”

“These bonding sessions have been absolutely brilliant for the prisoners, partners and kids.  We've all really enjoyed them. We have really enjoyed making stuff, decorating stuff and keeping a book of what they have done.”

“It was great having some quality family time, we enjoyed when we met other families and 1:1 family time.”    

“Really can’t describe how good it’s been to spend time with my family in this learning environment. Having this time has made me feel like a dad, as we can do fun family stuff together.”

“Benefits of this group has been truly great as my son has more time to spend with his daddy and he even got to give him his first bath.”

Feedback from staff:

“This partnership assists in my role as family support coordinator for Tayside, including encouraging families to engage in family learning, and being able to feed back to the group directly from families their experiences and how it has benefitted them.” (Families Outside)

“The work of the partnership is a great development which is unlike other prisons in Scotland, working together to feed into the Child and Family agenda.” (HMP Perth)