Among The Leaves

New episode is out!

Ep 16: Music to a Childminder's ears! In this episode, your host and colleague Charlotte will be chatting...

What a half term!

*Coloured water play with rose petals and containers
*Ice play with watercolour paints and brushes
*Painting with Alliums
*Item collections - large lids and metal objects
*Gardening- Picking Pea Pods, planting out cucumbers and tomato plants
*Observing Mullien Moth caterpillars
*Painting with water on the ground and with pebbles
*Chalk coding
*Writing in diaries
*Action rhymes
*Chasing bubbles
*Obstacle courses
*Playdough

And so much more!

Why do so many childminders reject the phrase Just a childminder?

Because if you have a look at our week you might spot the many many things we do!

I didn't get a chance to take many photos this week, activities missing from these photos are:
Floating and sinking experiment
Weeding and caring for our plants
Guitar and singing time
Large movement skills
Reading
Toddler group
Craft
observing creatures in the garden
And a birthday snack!

That's on top of all of the usual free play, chatter and life skills that happen every day, plus caring for our Little Library.

The last two weeks have bought some unexpected home situations for children to deal with and next week there will be a family celebration too. Families supported through the good times and the harder ones

'Just' another week.

Thank you to everyone who nominated me in the local village for the Gay Bulleid award. I’m feeling very proud and surprised!

It is very special to have been awarded our local award in memory of Mrs Gay Bulleid who died in 1998 but sounded like one committed village champion and community builder.

I will have to find somewhere very lovely to hang this beautiful painting for the year it is with me before it passed onto the next winner!

Community is so important and I’m very grateful to people noticing the ways in which I am trying to contribute to our little village and I hope we can continue to make it an enjoyable inclusive place to live, and that the children in my care get to be involved in a real and empowering way!

A blog post for parents about what school readiness probably looks like for your child attending my setting.

amongtheleaves.co.uk

I remember all the families I have cared for over the last 15 years or so.
I love to get the updates from ones long since left my setting, there are many times I think of them as each year passes!

Hands up Childminders who have cared for one family for a long time. 👋

Multiple siblings over the years can often mean we are actively involved in a family's life for 6 or more years.

I am sure there are even childminders out there who have cared for children of children they have childminded!

I want to hear the stories!

The ones about attendance at special occasions way after their time with you has officially ended.
The ones about how many children of the same family you have cared for.
The ones about how children in their now teens or even adulthood still can't walk by without a hug or special chat.

Such a busy week!
We have also done lots of planting, garden play and reading.

Suncream season is well and truly here, even though on Tuesday we were in wooly hats and suits 😆

Happy bank holiday weekend everyone!

Want to know what the last 7 months have looked like behind the scenes?

These are updates since Sept 2025 for childminders in England.

*Early years foundation stage welfare requirements changes(safer eating, safeguarding every 2 years, DSL requirement, personal care requirements and more) Sept 2025

*Funding expansion Sept 2025

*Statutory nutrition guidance -Sept 2025

*Voluntary charges for consumables for funded childcare change - Jan 2026

*Ofsted Inspection Framework November 2025

*Climate action Plans-December 2025

*Screen time guidance-March 2026

*Working together to safeguard children document update March -2026

*minimum wage update for those who employ assistants -April 2026

*Ofsted inspection cycle change- -April 2026

*Making Tax Digital - April 2026

*Wear and tear allowance removed in line with MTD -April 2026

*CAF funding ended (for those with SEND holiday care) and replaced with SACIF- April 2026

*School transition guidance -April 2026

*Safer Sleep email and then clarifying guidance a couple of weeks later -April 2026

These have not been passive updates.
They have required policy changes, updated training, admin system changes, parent updating and support, purchasing of new equipment and much more.

If you know a childminder, tell them they are amazing for surviving over 15 big updates in 7 months.

(Plus all of this is outside of the hours of caring for and educating children!)

Easter egg boxes are great for junk modelling.

Not only do they provide a box you can use for structures but they usually have cool pictures to cut out and add to designs.

Toddler spent lots of time ripping paper and putting into containers as well as wrapping up and covering boxes with patterned paper. They also spent a long time asking me to cut out pieces of 'chocolate' which they happily stuck onto a toilet roll tube.

The 4 year old on the other hand, who already loves every kind of construction toy was very happy once I explained that this kind of craft was to make 3D art rather than a flat picture. They made a pretty wonderful house with a chimney and also a surprise for their daddy.

It took all morning!
Perfection.

Back to my busy full numbers for a couple of days from tomorrow!

Parent using a childminder?
You can share your experience as part of the magic of childminding campaign

Magic of Childminding - Parent forums - Coram PACEY Parents are invited to join our online parent forum: The Magic of Childminding to discuss the ways your childminder supports your family.