Dreams childminding

September is fast approaching… and we need your help! 💛

As we get ready for the new EYFS changes coming into place, there’s one change in particular that will have a big impact on small childcare settings like ours.

🛌 From September, children will no longer be able to sleep in prams. EYFS changes

This means children who currently have a pram sleep will need to move to a cot/travel cot, or eventually onto sleep-safe mats when they are developmentally ready.

For under-1s, we’re sure many settings, like us, will continue using a cot/travel cot until children are ready to safely transition to a mat.

But this is another significant expense for small settings. We have used our sleep mats from day one, and they have been perfectly suitable for our children — but unfortunately, they no longer meet the updated requirements, meaning another unexpected outlay for small childcare providers. 😔

So, parents, we need your help! 🙏

If your little one currently has a sleep in their pram at home or at childcare, please start helping them to get used to sleeping in a cot/travel cot or on a suitable sleep mat, depending on their age and stage.

The more familiar they are with the change before September, the easier the transition will hopefully be for everyone. ❤️

These changes are important for children's safety, but they also come with real financial and practical pressures for small settings.

Please help us to get our little ones ready for September and make the transition as smooth as possible. 💕

Has anyone got 8 to 10 spare paving slabs for a shed base please

🎓❤️ A VERY special day at Dreams ❤️🎓

Today, one of our very first Early Years Dreamers collected his GCSE results and we honestly couldn't be prouder!

We've had some of our older school-age Dreamers leave Dreams and go on to get their GCSE results over the last few years, but today marks a very special first for Dreams…

He is our FIRST EVER Early Years Dreamer to have started his journey with us as a little one and now reach GCSE results day!🥹❤️

And what a way to make history, he has absolutely smashed it out of the water!🎉👏

It feels incredibly special to think back to those early days at Dreams, watching him learn, grow, play, explore, loose his baby teeth in the playroom! and become the young man he is today. To now see him celebrating such a huge milestone is something we are both incredibly proud of.

Today isn't just about GCSE results, it's about the journey that got him here. ❤️

Now it's time for the next chapter of his story… and we can't wait to see where it takes him! 📖✨

Strong Early Years = shaping the future. 🌟

Once a Dreamer, always a Dreamer. ❤️🎓

Good luck everyone x

We have some exciting news to share! 💙✨

While attending some Leeds City Council childminder training, a pot of funding for children with SEND was mentioned. The funding is designed to enhance provision not only for the child receiving it, but for all of their friends too.

As soon as we got back, we were straight on the case! We contacted the team to see if one of our Dreamers met the criteria and, to our complete surprise... they did! 🎉

Working closely with their family, we completed the application and were absolutely delighted to be awarded the highest level of funding.

This has allowed us to order resources that we have only ever dreamed of having at Dreams. Our first delivery arrived today, and we are absolutely blown away! 🤩 There are so many incredible light-up and sensory resources, with even more still to come.

These resources will not only support one of our Dreamers but will enhance the play environment for every child who attends Dreams. Better still, the funding will continue with termly orders, allowing us to work closely with the child's interests to keep developing and enriching our provision for everyone.

We truly are amazed and incredibly grateful for this opportunity. These resources will benefit the children at Dreams for many years to come, and we can't wait to share more of our exciting new additions with you over the coming weeks and months 💙✨

Today we hopped on the bus and headed to Wakefield to explore the charity shops. Unfortunately, we came home empty-handed on the toy front, but every adventure has a silver lining! 📚💛

We popped into the bookshop instead and each Dreamer chose a brand-new happiness themed book to take home. This fits perfectly with Happiness Happens Month in August, a month that encourages us to notice the little things that make us smile and spread joy to others. It also links beautifully with our Year of Reading Challenge, giving every child another wonderful story to enjoy at home.

No Dreams adventure would be complete without a little kindness too. We handed out some of our random acts of kindness, and seeing the Dreamers' excitement as they secretly spread smiles to others was so heartwarming. They absolutely love making someone else's day a little brighter, and it's a lovely reminder that the smallest gestures can have the biggest impact. 💛😊

Sometimes the best adventures aren't about what you buy, but the memories you make, the books you discover, and the kindness you share.

Today we headed into Rothwell for a fun-packed morning! ☀️📚

Our first stop was the library as part of our Year of Reading. We had a lovely time exploring the books, sharing stories and encouraging a love of reading.

Did you know that Leeds Libraries are running their Summer Reading Challenge? It's a fantastic way to keep children reading over the summer holidays, and best of all, it's completely free to take part. We've attached the posters with all the information if anyone would like to sign up.

https://libraries.leeds.gov.uk/newsroom/2026/summer-reading-challenge-2026

Next up, we headed to the park for a play before handing out some of our Random Acts of Kindness. 💛 One of our Dreamers remembered that today was Gray's Coffee Shop's 7th birthday, so we made sure to pop in and surprise them with one too. Happy 7th Birthday, Grays of Rothwell! ☕🎉 please comment if you found a bee 🐝

Afterwards, we enjoyed a browse around the local charity shops in search of some new treasures. We absolutely love giving pre-loved toys a second lease of life, and today we found two huge dinosaurs, The Tiger Who Came to Tea teddy, and lots of other exciting bits ready for new adventures in our playroom.

Buying second-hand is something we're passionate about. It helps our Dreamers understand that toys have value and are something we save and pay for, while also showing them that choosing pre-loved items helps reduce landfill, supports local charities, and plays an important part in our sustainability journey. It's a wonderful way to teach children that one person's unwanted toy can become another child's favourite treasure. 🌍♻️💚

Safe to say, with 10,000+ steps today on top of the adventures from the last two days, we've got some very tired (and perhaps just a little grumpy!) Dreamers this afternoon. We think a calm afternoon and plenty of rest are definitely deserved! ❤️

Summer Reading Challenge 2026 | Leeds Library Turn up the volume on reading this summer!

This week marked one of our Dreamer's final weeks with us in the playroom, and as always, we tailor their last days around something they truly love.

This week's theme was transport. Sadly, our little Dreamer was poorly and missed out on his special adventure, but we know he'll be making lots of new adventures as he begins his next chapter.

His friends still embraced Transport Week, making memories along the way. On Monday, everyone brought in their own scooters, balance bikes and prams for a walk to the park. Today, we set off on a huge adventure, travelling by bus, water taxi and train, bringing all forms of transport to life.

Although we were sad that our little Dreamer couldn't join us for his special week, we wish him all the very best as he moves on. We hope he always remembers the fun, friendships and adventures we shared. 💙

"Good luck on your next adventure, we'll miss you!"

Xx