Jenny's Childminding

I absolutely love these photos.

A beautiful little girl helping Amy build a unit up whilst her friends are busy playing with planned activities.

What more can you ask for than happy children and adults sharing everyday life experiences, not an activity that was planned for children but a happy home is what children need to thrive 🩷🩷

The children enjoyed working alongside an adult to recognise letters and their corresponding sounds. They were supported to identify familiar letters, say the initial sounds in words, and begin linking sounds to objects and pictures. The adult modelled correct pronunciation and encouraged the use of phonics vocabulary, helping to build the children’s confidence and early reading skills.

Today children explored number matching by grouping objects into piles of the same number. They used mathematical vocabulary such as “how many,” “more,” “same,” and positional language including “on top” and “at the side” to describe their actions. The children identified and named colours as they sorted the objects, making connections between colour and quantity. They demonstrated an understanding of number by counting accurately and matching quantities to the correct numeral, showing confidence in recognising numbers and organising items into groups.

Children explored a bath bomb in water, showing curiosity and engagement as they watched it fizz and dissolve. They used their senses to describe the colours, smells, and sounds, developing their language and understanding of changes in materials.

The activity supported sensory exploration, with children observing the bath bomb fizzing and changing the water. They used descriptive language to talk about what they could see, smell, and hear, promoting communication and early scientific thinking.

Reading to children in the EYFS provides valuable opportunities to develop language, communication, and early literacy skills. Through shared stories, children are exposed to new vocabulary, rhythms of language, and storytelling structures, which support their understanding and expression. Reading also fosters imagination, curiosity, and a love of books, while creating a calm and engaging environment where children can listen, respond, and begin to make connections between words and meaning. Adults support this by using expressive voices, asking open-ended questions, and encouraging children to join in with familiar phrases, helping to build confidence and early reading behaviours.

During child-initiated play, the children engaged with Numberblocks to support their early mathematical development. They demonstrated an interest in recognising numbers, counting objects, and making connections between numerals and quantity. The children used Numberblocks characters to explore number sequencing, showing understanding of “one more” and “one less” through practical play.
Some children were able to count with increasing accuracy, using one-to-one correspondence, while others began to identify numerals and match them to the correct number of objects. The use of familiar Numberblocks characters supported engagement and confidence, particularly for those who benefit from visual and concrete representations of number.
Children also began to explore simple problem-solving, such as combining groups and noticing patterns in numbers. Mathematical language such as “more,” “less,” “same,” and “how many” was modelled and used within play.

This activity supports the EYFS Mathematics area of learning, particularly number recognition, counting skills, and developing a secure understanding of quantity in a meaningful and engaging way.

Our EYFS children have been exploring their first letters through colouring activities, carefully tracing and decorating each shape ✏️ This experience supports early mark-making, letter recognition, and fine motor development while building confidence in their emerging writing skills. A lovely way to combine creativity with early literacy learning! 🌈✨

Our babies have been enjoying gentle water play, exploring splashing, pouring, and feeling the movement of water through their hands 💧 This calming sensory experience supports their early development, encouraging curiosity, hand-eye coordination, and an awareness of cause and effect. Lots of smiles, giggles, and wonderful first discoveries! 🫧✨