EASTER eggs will take on a rather different meaning for youngsters at Busy Bees pre-school in Ledbury.

They have had the pleasure this year of learning how to incubate and hatch eggs, as part of a special Easter project.

Busy Bees manager, Emma Davis said: "On Monday March 31, we received delivery of the resources required to begin our project – this included an incubator, brooder box and ten very precious eggs. "Prior to this, we had prepared the children for the project by thinking about how to keep an egg safe, conducting egg experiments and even visiting Tesco to buy eggs."

She added: "Once the incubator was set up, the children’s excitement grew as we thought about when the eggs might hatch, and we didn’t have to wait long as the first chick greeted us on arrival at Breakfast Club the following morning."

After this promising start, several eggs hatched on Tuesday and Wednesday, some of which the children witnessed.

The children even videoed one chick hatching and posted it on YouTube.

Emma said: "The whole experience has been amazing. It has been a completely unique learning opportunity which the children of all ages as well as the staff have been able to engage with. We have witnessed the beginning of life, learned what the chicks need to stay alive, how they grow in their egg as well as expanded our vocabulary with lots of new words. We have wholeheartedly embraced the experience.

"The children have shown how sensible and considerate they can be in caring for and handling living things. It has been an absolute delight to see the children run in to see the chicks every morning!"

Now plans are already being laid for another Busy Bees big hatch, next year, so a tradition may well have started.