Muddy Footprints Childminding

06/08/2026

Here's my somewhat unpopular opinion about caring for kids during the summer months: they need as much time as possible to be unhurried and gloriously unstructured.

Those slightly boring, self-directed hours, the ones that can feel almost lazy, are where so much real development happens. Kids are using their imaginations, problem-solving, learning resilience, and finding ways to be calm. In fact, researchers are now linking the loss of this kind of free time to rising anxiety in children.

Our kids need days that are unscheduled. They need to lose track of time.

So this summer, whatever yours looks like, give them, and yourself, permission to simply be. ❤️

Check out the article for my full thoughts: https://tinyurl.com/33ucjpn

06/08/2026

03/08/2026

Last Day at Muddy Footprints 🧡🌿🥺

Goodbye L !! You’ve been incredible and we will miss you lots!!

Hands down the hardest part of the job is saying goodbye! .. children move on for various reasons and it’s never easy, but having them up until the last weeks before starting school is super special!!

02/08/2026

Come with me to reset the garden before a new week ..

A very rare child free evening here and I promised Ste I’d be done by 7pm so we could head out for an evening walk .. 7:35pm and I gave up and will finish setting up in the morning… we never made it out for a walk 😴

Our garden is used A LOT through the week and even more so for the holidays!!

There’s so much work that goes into childminding behind closed doors and out of paid hours (as if August isn’t enough of a hit with no funding and reduced children).

30/07/2026

“So come on down to Shannon’s house , we’re all too messy to wear a blouse!!!” 💖

“Her house is filled with laughter and fun”

Absolutely love my poems written by one of our amazing school holiday footprints today 👣 🧡

30/07/2026

What do you want your child’s early years to look like ?
🐞🌻💦🌿🧡

29/07/2026

We went to the zoo with yesterday!

The children had lots of fun marching , drumming and jumping ! 🐒🐘🦘🐯

23/07/2026

Oh Mabel 🥹💛🌻

📸 Baby's 1st Studio

14/07/2026

A trip to Nottingham Castle 🏰

Yesterday we went to Nottingham Castle , after a conversation with the kids last week about Robin Hood and it was also some of the children’s first time on a bus too!

We were so proud of them , we had a gorgeous day and the children loved it ! 🥰

Some of our Monday crew are leaving for big school soon so it’s nice to make special memories with them ! 🥹🧡