There was a time when nursery would most likely have meant spending time in a stuffy church hall, closed off from the outside world with its unpredictability and risks. But children in South Queensferry, to the west of Edinburgh, are swapping old-school toys for something more natural as they take their first steps in learning. Every week, youngsters from Queensferry nursery – some aged only one – walk for an hour to get to the local beach at Longcraig Pier where they are let loose to clamber and explore against a backdrop of open skies, coastline and the iconic Forth bridges. And while it might be expected that supervising toddlers and pre-school children in our fickle weather would be a recipe for disaster, the sessions have proved a big success, as clear signs emerge that they are reducing difficult or challenging behaviour and encouraging shy participants to become more talkative.