Heather's Child Care

Over the last few weeks we have introduced a 'colour square' in one of the units in the living room. This week we are up to green!!
We talk with the older ones about the different shades but they are all still green and introducing a new colour of 'turquoise' asking them when they feel it's more green or more blue.
With the little ones we have tried to learn the baby sign for the colour and as it is such an interesting variety of shapes and toys on the shelf it is proving very popular in our day to day play!

Today's task - summer holidays craft supplies shop!!
Poundland, Hobbycraft, B&M and Baker Ross have each done quite well today from me!!!

So we have crafting, some new garden games and a list of local parks and places to visit....bring on Summer Holidays 2023!!!

Heather's Child Care on location at Mudeford Quay !!

This is why we leave so much of our lawn un-mowed! Look at all those different grasses, found in a 2 minute wonder around the garden 🥰

Big kids only park trip!

This week we are exploring 'wind'!
We have blown bubbles and watched them fly away. The kids wanted to try a kite too, so we had some great conversations waiting and feeling for the wind and talking about why it wasn't working very well.

We made some no sew bunting for the garden to watch it flutter around, and had some paddles in the pool. Not a lot of photos there though as the kids insist on taking all their clothes off 🤣

As our house was still a little upside down at the beginning of the week we took ourselves off to the local soft play centre for the morning!
It's a bit of a treat as we don't go often, but it was a lovely few hours 💓

Last weekend we finally took the plunge and ripped up the carpet in the living room!!
Turned out there was actually some lovely wooden flooring underneath the old carpet but it would be far too cold in winter so the laminate had to go down.

With a bit of help from a parent (I do love our childminding family!) to get us started, Georgia and I then spent the weekend measuring, cutting and jigsawing around all the little corners and wonky walls.

So much cleaner and fresher now, all the amazed little faces on Tuesday we're so funny!

Wednesday took us along to our local 'Bounce and Rhyme' group and the children each picked two books to bring back home with us. My son continues his home education journey as we move on to Angelo Saxons. And I picked up brochures for Art Weeks and open gardens, I will be making some notes in my diary soon!!
We then went straight on to a local garden centre for a quick play at the little park they have there and a picnic lunch. We wondered through the plants looking at the herbs, giving them each a good sniff, talking about our favourite colours, trying all the benches we could find and brought home a Thyme plant which the children bravely paid for. Really lovely to see some no-mow spaces around the lawns!
When we got home and got the little ones in bed the older children were fascinated to see yesterday's rose petals, left in water overnight, and how they had turned translucent in some places and we could see the veins through the petals

Tuesday this week had us out on a lovely walk around our village seeing how many different colour rose petals we could spot! We very carefully took just the outside petals of flowers that were past their best, or found some on the floor to collect.

We have made some delicious elderflower cordial and that evening our family made elderflower fritters!! I'll make these again soon for the kids to try but I wanted to practice with the hot oil first!!

This weekend Georgia, Jasper and I have had a short week and gone away to enjoy our favourite festival!!
We'll be back next week with bees, wildflowers and more ducky bath times!!

THE PARK IS FINISHED!!!
What an exciting day. We have left the little ones at home with Georgia for their sleeps while the big kids and I give the new park a good test out!

Ducky bathtime!!!

Our baby ducks are growing strong, the village park is finally open, and things are sort of getting up to speed in the greenhouse. What an odd slow spring we have been having!

This morning we're enjoying a Coronation picnic at the park with friends! 20 children, 6 adults, tea, cake, bubbles and games!!

We enjoyed a couple of extra days off this week to celebrate Georgia's birthday! A short trip to Weymouth to paddle in the sea and waste a bit of money in the arcades 🤣

We came back to hatched butterflies! So they had to be released without the kids unfortunately, but we showed them a video and agreed to go on a walk (when the rain lays off a bit) to see what butterflies we can spot!! But in the meantime, the next project has landed......Duck Eggs!!!

These were found abandoned in someone's garden so made their way into our care as we have an empty run in the garden and love lots of animals around! Due to hatch around the king's coronation....so we need some names!!

The anticipation of poo sticks!!

Happy spring equinox!! And it has brought some better weather with it!!
This week we have had picnics outside, been in the garden for hours, played games and puzzles all about planting seeds and thinking about what we all want to grow this year.

We had a special arrival at the end of last week; this year's caterpillars arrived in the post!
It has prompted lots of discussion about life cycles and changes. We looked at ladybirds too and had a good think about other animals which come from eggs and which are 'live born'.
They have already grown so much in the 6 days they have been here

Installation has begun!! The track is down, adult equipment is taking place, and the park is starting to look like a park!
Should be ready in time for the Easter holidays!

Today has been a St Patrick's day, muddy walk, splash in puddles kind of day!

The new park equipment has been delivered!
It's so very exciting watching the changes with the kids. We spotted the old equipment in a skip ready to go off for recycling then looked at the plans in the window of the pavillion to see if we could spot which bit of equipment is which!

Looking forward to a day of inspiration.
..coffee first!

Through February we have managed to clock up 38 hours outside. Not too bad for winter but I'm sure we can do better!
Now there are signs of spring, the garden is drying out a bit, we look forward to warmer days, picnics, park days and more adventures

We pass our local park multiple times a week on walks and school runs but it was very exciting this afternoon to play 'spot what's been taken down'.
Many hours have been spent with my guys at our local park and we are very excited for the new equipment and the one mile track.
So much fun watching this progress!!

We visited some very special new friends today! They need some socialising and we were more than happy to oblige! Lots of smiles all round 🥰

Last week we really enjoyed our visit to Thomley for their preschool day!
A wonderful place to visit, with so much for the kids to do, they have already been asking when we can go again!

The next couple of weeks are going to be spent learning about our bodies!
We have been having some great conversations about our hair and eye colour. Who's are the same and who is different. I have a great jigsaw which shows the bones, organs, muscles and skin on our bodies.
This afternoon we have been using my microscope camera to have a really close look at our skin and places we have scratches, how our magic body makes us better!!

We all know time outside is important! It's great for everyone's health, mental well being and connection with nature.
This year we are undertaking although this will be across my family and work time but I am asking all my mindee families to keep up the effort at the weekends too!!
From trips to the park, walks in the woods or just a splash in a puddle on the school run; being outside promotes physical development, problem solving, co-operative play, imagination and so much more!

Through January I have noted we have clocked 27 hours outside, not the most amazing start but it is January!! Roll on February, let's smash it!!! 🎖️

This week we are learning about Chinese new year! New starters are settling in, dressing up, jigsaws, frosty walks and fun in the garden.

It's been a short working week this week as we took a couple of days to enjoy my son's birthday.

We welcomed back one child who went away for Christmas so we haven't seen for almost a month!! A trip to the pet shop resulted in some more animals for us to watch and learn about.
Snowy stories and play in an igloo, we watched some videos about a whole hotel made of ice!! Even the 'cups' were made from ice.
We had a couple of settling in sessions for new starters and enjoyed a lovely muddy walk visiting some of the animals who live around the village

My assistant and I attended First aid today. Refresher for me, first time Georgia has done a paediatric course so some new bits for her. All done for another 3 years!

A lovely start back after Christmas this week! We had a Lego day with the big ones, started our new theme all about Winter, animals and people who live in cold climates, made a start on our challenge, found a sprouting conker in the garden and planted it in the kitchen to watch over the following months. Found a very impressive superworm although my son is certain he has found bigger ones before.
This morning we had a trip to the supermarket for ingredients, and now have chocolate orange buns rising on the radiator!
A lovely few days to start the new year!!

Weve had an extra special delivery in the post today!! Looking forward to watching these over the next 4-6 weeks

Today we are looking at letters from our name, decorating the shapes, working on fine motor control and talking all about colours!

Were having such a lovely autumn so far!!
I do love this time of year; mushrooms to look at, conkers and acorns to collect.
We took our pears to be juiced last week, can't wait to pick them up tomorrow!

As its the holiday season we're exploring the seaside this week! 🐠

☔️

Via Wilder Child

Coronavirus Explained! (for kids)

This is a fab video linked through from Pacey, definitely worth a watch!

Coronavirus Explained! (for kids) Lots of parents have asked me for help in explaining coronavirus COVID-19 to their children. Here is a quick video that I hope will help explain what we curr...