Wellies and Wildflowers Childminding

Our study topic this week was bees and we got very creative with it 🐝

On Monday our home education meet was cancelled due to the rain, so instead I hosted the activities at home for a couple of close friends from the group. The children painted wood slices and put their hammering skills to the test, carefully attaching pressed flower wings to their bees. We then did some “nectar tasting”, trying different fruit juices and pretending to be bees flying from flower to flower, rating each nectar out of 10. We talked about how bees return to the hive to tell their friends where to find the best nectar and how they help pollinate flowers as they travel. We finished by making pine cone bees, wrapping wool and pipe cleaners around pine cones to create our own little pollinators.

On Tuesday we headed out on our annual strawberry picking trip with our larger childminder group. I worked hard filling my basket while the children followed closely behind, helping themselves to the strawberries I’d already picked 🤣. Somehow we managed to dodge all of the heavy rain showers and enjoyed a lovely lunch in the café afterwards.

Wednesday was our regular allotment day with our childminder trio. This week our friends treated us to some wonderful activities and even homemade cake. The children painted their own wind chimes and enjoyed experimenting with the sounds they made. They also decorated bunting featuring their dads’ favourite things, ready to gift for Father’s Day.

Thursday was a much needed slower day at home after such a busy week. My EYFS children enjoyed making the pine cone bees and wood slice bees that the home education group had created earlier in the week, and it was lovely to see them put their own spin on the activities.

A very rainy week for June, but plenty of fun memories made all the same. Signing off now for a well deserved week off ❤️

This week was our museum and gallery visiting week, and we really made the most of not being able to travel out every day by creating our own museums at home.

On Monday we met with our home education group for a show and tell. There were bugs, animal skins, plants, fossils and old coins on display, with lots of facts shared and discussed. The children then became archaeologists, using a metal detector to search for hidden historical treasures. There were a few delightful squeals when they dug up an old super glue tube!

Monday evening our garden turned into a “car museum” with the exciting arrival of a work car. The children were very keen to explore it, which quickly led to them viewing and sitting in every car on the drive (including our neighbours’ 🤣)

Tuesday was a big day out all the way to Clifton Park by train. We took time to talk about one of our little ones’ family history, sharing memories of a loved one who worked as a train driver. At the park we enjoyed the playground and the huge sand pit, then headed into the museum for a quick look around before dashing back for our train home.

Wednesday our usual allotment meet was cancelled due to rain, so we made the most of a cosy day at home by turning the house into an art gallery. We created beautiful gratitude sticker art, talked about the things we are thankful for, and finished off some butterfly artwork from the previous week. The children took real pride in displaying their work on the wall for parents to see at pick-up (something I think we will definitely continue).

Thursday we hosted our own “science museum”. We invited friends over and each brought a science experiment to demonstrate. We had everything from inflating balloons and bubbling colour predictions to spiralling dandelions and even an exploding candle-in-water experiment. The children also got hands-on with mixing, making and serving their own ice creams, which was a huge hit!

Thursday evening we headed to a marching band club where the children got to try out lots of instruments and learn how to march like soldiers.

This week we have also welcomed 5 baby cygnets and one little duckling to our local canal and the the children have been loving going to visit them daily to feed them. A beautiful week full of curiosity, exploration and hands-on learning ❤️

I am beyond excited and proud to be sharing the results of our first ofsted inspection. It’s such a good feeling to have all the hard work recognised and have such an amazing report ❤️

A rare childcare space has become available in my small, home-from-home childminding setting from September, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursdays.
We spend lots of time outdoors exploring nature, growing food at the allotment, baking, creating and learning through play in a calm mixed-age environment.
Ideal for families looking for a gentle, child-led approach.
Based in Stainforth Doncaster. Funded places accepted. Please message for more information or to arrange a visit.

This week our study topic was butterflies, and perfectly timed, our chrysalis finally emerged into beautiful butterflies for the children to observe and release 🦋

Monday was bank holiday so I wasn’t officially working, but I hosted our home education group and some of my minded children came along too. The children wove nature into butterfly weaving wands that I had specially made for each of them, painted butterfly feeders and helped release our butterflies. One of them even stopped for some lunch on a child’s feeder which was so special to watch.

Tuesday we adapted our plans because of the hot weather and instead enjoyed a paddling pool day at home. We revisited the butterfly activities from the day before with the children who hadn’t had chance to do them yet and spent most of the day happily splashing, cooling down and playing together in the garden.

Wednesday we travelled “all around the world” at Doncaster College for their Remake Festival event. Each stall represented a different country with activities to explore and flag stickers to collect in their little passports. The children loved collecting stamps and learning about different places and cultures through play.

Today we attended “Gruffalo in the Garden” as part of the Remake Festival. The children listened to a reading of the story, made “Gruffalo crumble” on the fire pit, explored “owl ice cream” and “scrambled snake” and spent lots of time playing in the wooden play house.

A much appreciated early finish today for some one to one time with my own little one after such a busy but lovely week 💛

This week our nature curriculum study topic was ants, alongside a little side topic of “all about me”.

On Monday we met with our home education group at a local park where the children took part in an ant fact treasure hunt, using clues to find pictures showing the ant life cycle. They also explored a sensory grass tray hunting for toy bugs and ended the session with a teamwork themed ant obstacle course.

Tuesday we met with our large childminder group for a trip to soft play followed by a lovely walk around the ponds and into the woods to explore the play equipment. The children loved feeding the ducks and really pushed their gross motor skills and confidence on the apparatus.

Wednesday was our allotment day with our childminder trio where we spent time learning all about ourselves. Through play, conversation and creativity the children explored who lives in their families, where they live, measured themselves and painted life sized self portraits. We also talked about our different dietary beliefs, traditions and cultural customs. To celebrate the heritage of one of our children, we enjoyed a piñata activity, and we also tried a traditional Polish drink and learned how to cheer in Polish to celebrate another child’s culture.

Thursday turned into a last minute bus adventure to the park where the children painted their own bird houses to take home before challenging themselves climbing higher and trying new things in the playground.

A tiring week, but one that’s left me feeling so grateful for my little gang and all the amazing adventures we get to share together ❤️

This week has been full of adventure and community. The rain has poured and the sun has shone, but nothing has stopped us from getting out and making memories together.

Our focus topic this week was caterpillars and the children have loved watching our very own caterpillars grow and turn into chrysalis.

On Monday we met with our home education group at the park where the children played and used real tools to make their own wooden caterpillars. We did this same activity last year and it was amazing to see just how much their confidence, coordination and tool skills have developed since then.

Tuesday was a big adventure day to Conisbrough Castle with our large childminder group. The children explored the grounds, testing out their climbing skills before heading all the way to the top of the grand tower. We talked about who may once have lived there, what life might have been like and how people may have dressed in the past. The views from the top were incredible and we were even lucky enough to spot the nesting kestrel and her eggs ❤️

Wednesday was our regular meet with our childminder trio where we made the wooden caterpillars again with our younger friends. The children really impressed us with how confidently and carefully they used the tools. One of our lovely friends also brought along an amazing fruit caterpillar for the children to share together.

Today was a much slower day at home with some caterpillar crafts and lots of building and imaginative play with the soft play cushions. Just what we all needed after such a busy week 🌿

This week we have been learning all about our Earth, the continents, the creatures that live on it, where our friends originate from and, most importantly, how we can protect and care for the world around us 🌍

On Tuesday we completed our sponsored litter pick for our allotment fundraiser and raised an amazing £161.50 for our community area. The children were so enthusiastic and determined, cleaning the entire children’s park and then continuing on around a large part of the allotment roads too. It was lovely to see them taking such pride in caring for their environment.

Wednesday was our regular meet with our childminder trio. The children used balloons to paint a huge world atlas canvas, explored continents through books and talked about where some of our children’s different heritages and family roots originate from. They also created their own growing Earth art to take home and care for.

Later on we planted new trees in the community area. Digging through the rubble definitely tested our perseverance, but the children kept going and we were kindly helped by another allotment member, a lovely reminder of how important this space will be for bringing people together.

Thursday was a much slower day at home. The children revisited the world atlas canvas from the day before and we explored where different animals live around the world. We fed our worms some fruit scraps and walked to feed the ducks and nesting swans at the canal.

After school pick up we headed to our weekly dance class where the children impressed me so much with their enthusiasm, motivation and ability to learn a whole new dance routine ❤️

What an incredible ending to our week.

I am so pleased to say that our Ofsted inspection went beyond expectations and the feedback has been incredible. I cannot wait to share more with you once everything is fully finalised.

Our study theme this week was grasses. I did have a little laugh with the inspector about what a seemingly uninspiring topic it sounded like, but it turned out to be a rich theme to explore in lots of different ways.

On Monday we met with our home education group to explore creatures that live in grass and the children made ladybird houses using real hand drills and power tools. They were so proud to take these home to hopefully observe ladybirds moving in.

Tuesday was a calmer day at home. Following recent NDCS training, we explored a sensory book activity based on We’re Going on a Bear Hunt. With each page, a sensory tray was introduced for the children to explore. The engagement and recall from this was brilliant and the children asked to repeat the story and activity throughout the week.

Wednesday was our regular childminder allotment meet, just the two of us this time. The children made grass heads using lemon grass for an extra sensory layer and decorated funny face pots ready to grow clover.

Thursday was the big day. My inspector had requested an activity showing the curriculum and how we celebrate cultural difference within the setting. The children learned that corn grows from a type of grass and explored how important corn is in Mexican culture. I told the story of a boy named Tigre who grows corn with his family. The children then planted corn seeds together before we moved inside to continue the story, where Tigre mills the corn and makes tortillas for his family. The children mixed ingredients, formed dough balls and used the tortilla press themselves. We ended the day with well deserved celebration cookies and then attended a dance class with my after school children.

Such an incredible week, filled with pride and happiness in this wonderful little world we have created with my little team, the amazing families I get to work with and our community of friends who make every day a joy.

This week has been absolutely crammed full of joy, hard work, adventure and a real sense of reflection and pride following my Ofsted call. It’s been a week that’s felt both testing and grounding, and I’m so grateful for the kind words and support from parents, colleagues and friends approaching our inspection next week. The focus this week was wildflowers.

On Monday I hosted our home education meet. The children painted large wildflower canvases that I had prepared for them, each one personalised with their names. Having free access to the paints allowed for some really creative colour mixing and self expression. We then decorated cotton tote bags using a mix of hapa zome (flower pounding) and making our own paints using petals, water and cornflour with a pestle and mortar. The children learned so much about how colours transfer from petals and began to understand how natural materials can be used to create things we use in everyday life.

Tuesday was a big adventure to Potteric Carr Nature Reserve, and our first time getting the bus there, which was a learning experience in itself. The children searched for bugs, explored the long grasses, worked together in their play, visited the hides and spent time in the mud kitchen. It was lovely to see new friendships really beginning to form and grow.

Wednesday was a much needed, slower and soulful day at the allotment with our childminder trio. We revisited the large canvases and hapa zome, and it was so interesting to see how the same activities unfolded so differently depending on the day and atmosphere. Our friends also brought along a beautiful dandelion rubbing activity and spent time working one to one with the children, something we don’t often do, but it felt really special and valuable for each child.

Thursday was a gentle wind down day at home. We took a short walk to the canal on our doorstep to collect dandelions and feed the swan who is nesting there, before heading back for dandelion playdough and stories.

A week full of learning, new vocabulary around wildflowers, big creative movements with the large scale painting, growing friendships and so many meaningful moments ❤️