Kelly's Fun Days Childminding-Accredited Provision

It was a beautiful day at Dartmoor Zoological Society today! Not only did we get to see more animals than usual, but they were all quite vocal too.

It was such a great experience for the children hearing so many different animal sounds. They were quite fascinated.

Their absolute favourite sound had to be the Peccary, they actually barked just like a dog! The children absolutely loved listening to them and found it very funny. 😂

One of my wonderful little mindees is absolutely worm-obsessed right now. To lean into that curiosity, I bought and set up our very own worm farm!
I layered damp soil we collected from an old mole hill from our last visit to a park, and layered coloured sand between them into their new home.
It is a fantastic, hands-on way for our little people to explore nature and practice gentle hands.
She was super excited and loved searching for the worms and adding them into their new home.

Did you know some of these little facts about our new wriggly friends?

⭐️No teeth! Worms cannot chew. They use a muscular throat to slurp up their food like a straw!
⭐️No eyes! They are completely blind. They use their skin to feel vibrations and light.
⭐️Mega muscles! An earthworm is almost all muscle. That is how they push through heavy dirt.
⭐️Five hearts! They don't have just one heart like us. They have five!

We cannot wait to check on them tomorrow and see how they are settling in!

You caught us! We are obsessed with the great outdoors!

We have had a few nice comments recently about just how much time our minded children spend out and about.

Here is why we intentionally choose the fresh air over four walls…

School lasts for years, once children start primary school, they will spend thousands of hours learning inside a traditional classroom. For us it is so important to brace outdoor learning while we can. During these vital early years, we have the unique freedom to make nature our primary teacher.

It supports children’s holistic development by letting them splash in puddles, climb hills, and explore local parks, builds physical skills, confidence, resilience, and immense curiosity.

It supports their little immune systems by being outside in all weathers as well as keeps us moving, breathing fresh air, and staying healthy.

Every muddy puddle is a science lesson testing the splash radius of a wellie boot is serious science. Counting pinecones, climbing and walking is a physical education class, and every fallen tree is a test of problem-solving and confidence building.

We are creating resilient, curious, and wonderfully muddy little humans.

The desk life can wait because today, we explore!

This morning was all about supporting one if my little peoples physical development. We had a beautiful walk in nature but our goal was for him to navigate different terrain.
Walking on uneven grass, bumpy rocks, and squishy mud etc is one of the best ways for our little people to build core strength, balance, and spatial awareness.
The uneven ground forces tiny foot muscles to adapt constantly.
It also helps children boost confidence and aids their ability to navigate tricky paths while naturally teaching themselves to risk assess.

Yesterday we made music with nature!

My little people got to hear what pinecones sound like when rubbed together. They rubbed bark strips with a stick, banged a stick against a tree and more.
The forest became their very own concert hall! Connecting with nature isn't just about what we see, it’s about what we hear, feel, and create.
By gathering natural treasures, the children developed their fine motor skills, compared auditory discrimination by listening to the unique pitches of different woods.
They got to be creative by inventing their own wild, woodland rhythms.

Check out our amazing artwork!

I love introducing creative activities that complement our learning and help cement new concepts.
Not all art opportunities need a specific purpose, but these ones certainly did!
I think they look absolutely fabulous and feel we could definitely set up our own little gallery to showcase these masterpieces! 😜😂

Happy Father’s Day to all the amazing dads, grandads, and father figures! 💙
Thank you for the endless support, the big morning hugs at drop-off, and everything you do to help our little learners grow.
I see how hard you work and how much joy you bring to your children's lives every single day. Whether you are building block towers, reading favourite stories, or wiping away tiny tears, you are the children’s ultimate superheroes. 🦸‍♂️
I hope you all have a wonderful day filled with laughter, relaxation, and lots of love!

This afternoon we dove into the deep blue sea with a simple ocean-themed sensory tray.
It was made up of blue, yellow and green dyed rice, clear jars, scoops, and plastic marine animals. This activity provided lots of rich imaginary play while building essential fine motor skills as the children scooped, poured, and transfered the rice. It is a fantastic way to develop their early language skills and their tactile awareness skills.

Today Gary and I spent the day completing an updated Paediatric First Aid course.
Day 2 of 2!
We refreshed our skills in CPR, choking response, allergic reactions, and managing burns, bleeds and seizures.
As a childminder it is important to have a safe, confident, calm response if an emergency happens.⛑️🤕