EASTER fun came slightly early for the youngsters at Busy Bees, which is based at The Hive in Ledbury.

There was plenty to keep the pre-school children interested and occupied during the countdown to the holiday.

Manager Emma Davis said: "The children at Busy Bees have enjoyed a wonderful few weeks of learning with a focus on spring.

"Our learning has been influenced by frog spawn which the children observed transition into tadpoles. There has been much fascination as the changes have happened so rapidly."

And during the holiday, staff will make sure the cycle is complete when the amphibians are released back into the wild.

Miss Davis added: "Children have used magnifying glasses to observe the features of the tadpoles, noticing their gills appear and then disappear and their back legs begin to grow.

"We've used books to learn facts about tadpoles and frogs and understand that they should be released back into the pond where they came from.

"This is what will be happening over the Easter break."

Some of the activities the children have enjoyed have included making frog biscuits, "using lots of different materials to create a giant frog collage, making bubble wrap frog spawn and counting frogs in the jelly swamp".

But what would Easter be without more traditional fun?

Miss Davis said: "With Easter approaching, the children have also enjoyed an Easter egg hunt on the park, baked Easter biscuits and visited the library to borrow some spring and Easter related books."