Happy Hive Childminding

Hello families. Just a polite reminder the setting will be closed tomorrow (Tuesday 19th May) while I attend a funeral. I will respond to any calls, messages and emails on Wednesday morning. Thank you, Marie.

This week has been a week for getting out and about, despite the ever changing weather!
☂️We started the week out by visiting the sculpture park and exploring the little wild woods, the children explored sculptures and fascinating structures (bridges, tunnels, wooden houses, dens, and climbing ramps).
We watched a sheepdog herding the sheep, and saw a pheasant as well.
☂️ We visited the play cafe this week for some more playtime, the children enjoyed playing with a variety of toys, but the ones they enjoyed the most were the ones that tested their knowledge of day to day activities (sweeping brushes, cars, prams, kitchen toys, tools etc).
☂️Some of the children took a trip to our local fruit market to purchase their own fruits for snack time which they later cut themselves, (again practicing their real life skills, motor skills, and independence skills).
We also stopped by our local play hub for some more playtime.
We even managed to stop and watch the trains and buses from the bridge.
☂️Exciting things are happening with our caterpillars, all 5 are now in their cocoons ready to transform. The children are eagerly waiting for them to emerge. 🐛🦋

Happy 100th Birthday to Sir David Attenborough! A true National Treasure! 🎉🎂

This week we sneaked a peek at Bees!🐝
🐝Some of the children went on a trip to see a working Beehive and looked at them working together to make bees wax and honey.
We bought a special treat, and enjoyed a bee biscuit in the cafe along with some honey to taste later.
🐝The children have decorated their own bee themed biscuits to take home this week.
🐝We sang ‘here is the beehive’ & ‘ the bees came buzzing 1 by 1’
🐝Some of the children enjoyed a honey tasting session during snack time and everyone really enjoyed it.
🐝We’ve explored Bees through our messy tuft tray and through play dough play this week, looking at colours, textures, honeycomb, and stamps.
🐝We teamed up with Busy Bee's Childminding and got crafty as we coloured in bee pictures and practiced peeling and sticking stickers.
🐝We even used yellow water in the water area to explore making ‘honey tea for the bees’ using tea pots and cups to practice pouring and filling.
🐝 Some of the children have enjoyed dressing up as a bee, practicing their buzzing and flapping during game time.
We also visited our local playgroup and met the tortoise, rabbit and ducks.
Next week we’re looking at Ladybirds!🐞

This week we read The Very Hungry Caterpillar and tailored our learning around this!
🐛We read the story together and practiced counting the items of food together.
🐛 We looked at the lifecycle of the Butterfly and sorted the items into order.
🐛The children made butterfly masks and pictures using butterfly stickers, working of their motor skills.
🐛We did a group activity where the children used a word mat to find play food items that matched the food eaten in the story. This tested their memory and listening skills as there were some red herrings in there.
🐛We also had fun in the water tray and mud kitchen making ‘leaf soup’ for the caterpillar.
🐛 We’ve painted wooden butterflies this week.
🐛 We have also made butterfly buns as well.
We visited our local playgroup, and the school playgroup where we hand fed the ducks and petted the rabbit.
🥰We also joined forces withBusy Bee's Childminding to collaborate on our learning and socialisation skills. What a busy week! 😮‍💨
As it stands I’m covered in paint, icing sugar and glitter, my hair is crazy wild but that’s how you know you had a good week right? 🤣🤣
🥰 This week we also welcomed our newest busy bee to the Hive. Welcome aboard 🐝
Next week we will be looking at my favourite…….Bees!!! 🐝 🍯

Happening at Royston Library.
Don't forget to book your place!

https://portal.cookstars.franscape.io/class-overview/3805

This week we have explored ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ through our play.
🫘 We started the week by sharing the story and exploring the story basket complete with puppets and a beanstalk!
🫘 We decorated Jack and beanstalk cupcakes to take home this week with children exploring their favourite characters in the story and recalling parts of the story.
🫘Our messy tray activity this week was using our motor skills and hand, eye coordination to scoop and tip ‘magic beans into small organza bags’ and exploring our knowledge of colours and language.
🫘We visited our local playgroup and we also visited our primary school for a wild wood toddler session. We did some outdoor painting, cheerleading, played with vehicles, and met a tortoise, rabbit and the ducks! 🥰
🫘Today we visited the play cafe where we had a visit from Peppa pig for singing time! 🎶
🫘The children have really enjoyed tending to our vegetables on the garden, carefully watering and moving them outside. Looking at growth and changes!
🫘There has also been plenty of water play in the mud kitchen this week, exploring colour mixing, and using natural resources to make spring soup!
🐛 Next week we are looking at the hungry Caterpillar!

Hello families.
We have some clarity around the new safer sleep rules coming into force in September 2026. See below.
Marie.

SAFE SLEEP - updated information from the DfE published today the 20th of April 2026.

This guidance supports planned updates to the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework, which should be made in September 2026.

The article establishes why safe sleep is important.

Details are given about 'providing a safer sleep space for babies and children under two years of age' which should be followed by early years providers and which will become a legislative requirement in a new and revised EYFS later in the year.

Here's some of the article headlines:

Providers must ensure that:

👶babies aged 12 months and under must only be placed to sleep in a cot - this includes carrycots, moses baskets and travel cots (you may find it useful to check whether products meet the British Safety Standards listed in the article)

👶children are placed down on their back in their own separate sleep space on a clear, flat, firm surface such as a cot, bed or suitable mattress on the floor.

👶sleep spaces should only contain a firm, flat, waterproof mattress and lightweight bedding which is firmly tucked in around the child no higher than their shoulders to prevent head covering - alternatively, a well fitted baby sleep bag may be used (check the manufacturer recommendations before using a baby sleep bag)
where blankets are used, the baby should be placed feet-to-foot at the bottom of the cot, with blankets tucked in.

👶cots must not contain extra items such as toys, pillows, loose bedding, bumpers, wedges or straps
children should not get too hot or cold - the recommended room temperature for babies (those aged 12 months and under) is 16 – 20˚C.

👶children’s heads are not covered.

👶babies under six months of age must always have an adult with them in the same room for every sleep - all children must be frequently checked when they are sleeping.

👶children are always within sight and hearing of staff when sleeping.

😴A baby monitor can be used for children over six months of age, and you must ensure it allows children to be seen and heard at all times.

😴Evidence suggests that babies (those aged 12 months and under) are at a higher risk of SIDS if they have their heads covered. Some items added to their sleep space may increase the risk of SIDS and unnecessary items, such as cot bumpers and toys, can also increase the risk of accidents. Sleep comforters may be used for babies and children aged over 12 months only.

😴To check if a baby or child is too hot or cold, feel their chest or the back of their neck (hands and feet will usually be cooler, which is normal). If their skin feels clammy or sweaty, remove one or more layers of clothing or bedding. You should use your professional judgement during extreme temperatures.

😴Once babies can move from their back to their front and back again by themselves, they can find their own sleeping position. However, continue to place them on their back to sleep.

⚠️The article states that 'providers may find it useful to check whether products meet the relevant British Safety Standards' and gives further details of these.

Advice on sleeping whilst travelling goes into details for EY practitioners and parents too.

Links to the NHS and the Lullaby Trust can be found at the end of the article.

Please read the full article published by the DfE in collaboration with the The Lullaby Trust

Link here: 👇👇

https://help-for-early-years-providers.education.gov.uk/health-and-wellbeing/safer-sleep

Image: uabmedicine.org.