CHILDREN celebrated the royal wedding at an outdoor party with a difference.

Nine boys and six girls who are looked after by Halton childminders enjoyed a fun-filled picnic in the Town park.

Excited youngsters decorated their own crowns, waved flags and tucked into a feast of food.

Runcorn childminder Lynsey Sutherland, from Runcorn, said: "We had a fabulous time.

"The children danced to wedding music and had a bubble machine, face painting, tea and scones.

"Earlier in the week we had a craft activity where the children made a royal wedding keepsake."

Childminders are early years practitioners who are registered and inspected by Ofsted.

They have to follow the same curriculum as nurseries, pre-schools and reception classes in primary schools.

In Halton there are around 100 childminders who care for more than 600 children.

Lynsey added: "We offer a personal home from home care and can allow children to experience lots of things which aren't available within a nursery or pre-school setting.

"We are very flexible, unique and proud of what we can offer in terms of the early years foundation stage curriculum.

"We offer affordable childcare and funded places for two, three and four year old eligible children in Halton.

"We condiser British values in every day practice by celebrating our own culture and heritage as well as others, learn about history, celebrate special occasions and festivals, traditional foods, community spirit, respect, to be kind, fair and caring, have good manners and help children to understand the world from birth onwards and use positive language and communication about all cultures, abilities and genders."

A group of childminders recently attended a Forest School, an innovative educational approach to outdoor play for six weeks provided by Halton Council.