CHILDCARE providers in Preston have given the thumbs up to a new project that makes child's play easy for people who look after tiny tots.

Lancashire Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership, based at the Business and Enterprise Business Park, Centurion Way, Leyland, has launched a share and borrow learning service for childcare providers to help pre-school aged children get the best start in life.

With training facilities, meeting rooms, loans of equipment, project boxes and ideas on how to use different materials the Children First project is set to put childcare providers on the road to success.

Children can enjoy many science-based projects such as egg incubators, butterfly pavilions and containers for hatching frog spawn so children can watch creatures grow.

Alan Jefferson, chairman of Children First, said: "This initiative will be a great benefit to the children of Lancashire as it will allow them to use equipment that they may otherwise not be able to get hold of normally."

Joanne Farnworth, manager of Wonderland Kindergarten in Waterloo Road, Preston, said: "I think it's a brilliant idea. Although we're very well equipped here we will definitely be using the new centre.

"It will be nice for the children to have a change and we will be taking advantage of the teacher meetings to talk about what is used in education.

"What will be really useful are the science projects which are quite expensive to buy and we can only do that once a year."

For details about the centre call centre co-ordinator Marion Bamford on 452022.

Pictured is deputy leader of Lancashire County Council Frank McKenna with Early Years Partnership chairman Alan Jefferson, Anna Gatrell, three, county councillor and partnership member Margaret Livesey (sub).