Rachel's Childcare

10/09/2026

Our first full week back after the school term started 💚

It’s been lovely getting back into our routines and finding our feet again after the summer break.

We’ve had lots of fresh air and running around in the woods, parks and playgroup 🌳, plenty of exploring and playing, and of course lots of opportunities to burn off some energy!

And then, when it’s time to slow down, we really slow down 📚😴 Dark, cosy room, sleep mats ready, relaxing spa music playing and the aromatherapy diffuser on — creating a calm little space to switch off and recharge before we get back to our afternoon.

It’s been a really lovely first full week back, and I think we’re getting back into our groove nicely! 💚

08/09/2026

Just a little reminder for parents 😊

Sharing this useful Ofsted poster, which explains what Ofsted is responsible for and how parents can contact them if needed. Worth a little read and keeping somewhere handy!

07/09/2026

🟢 Early Years Physical Activity Survey 2026

Today wSouthampton launched the 2026 Early Years Physical Activity Survey. This is the 3rd we have undertaken to find out parent’s and carer’s views on how physically active their early years children are. This is one aspect of the mission to create a healthier Southampton. Nationally, there is very little data to evidence the physical activity of under 5’s and our surveys form the main basis of the current data available. With your help we wish to continue to develop this area.

The survey closes on Sunday 18 October. The web page link can be found here: https://www.southampton.gov.uk/under5s/ If you would like any paper copies of the survey, they can also be downloaded from the link.

02/09/2026

📱 New screen time guidance for under 5s

You may have seen that new guidance has been introduced around screen time for young children, so I thought I’d share a useful, parent-friendly resource.

The guidance encourages families to think about how much screen time children are having, what they’re watching and what they could be doing instead. For children aged 2–5, the recommendation is to aim for no more than 1 hour a day, with less being better, while children under 2 should generally avoid screen time apart from things such as video calls.

It’s not about banning screens completely or making parents feel guilty — it’s about finding a healthy balance alongside sleep, physical activity, play, interaction and time together. ❤️

If you’d like to have a read, this is a really clear explanation of the guidance for parents:

👉 Best Start in Life – Screen time for under 5s:
https://beststartinlife.gov.uk/screen-time-under-5s/

As with everything, it’s about finding what works for your family while keeping those important childhood experiences at the centre. 🌱

Guidance for parents on managing screen time for under 5s. Learn what's recommended and how to build healthy habits from an early age.

01/09/2026

A lovely day, with lots of fun, laughter and adventures, but also a little bit of mixed emotion today 🥰

It was one of my little boy’s last days with me before he heads off on his next adventure. It’s always a strange feeling saying goodbye when you’ve watched them grow and develop and been such a big part of their early years. 🥹❤️

Thankfully, it’s not a proper goodbye as I’ll still get to see him in the school holidays, so we’ve got plenty more fun and adventures to look forward to!

I’m so proud of the little boy you’ve become and I’m going to miss having you here every week (it will be very quiet without you 🤣) ❤️

31/08/2026

🍏 Some great ideas and inspiration for lunch boxes here 🍏 😋

100+ kids’ lunch box ideas!!! The ultimate mix and match guide to making a lunchbox. Link in the comments!!

I am so proud of this guide. We have been working on it all summer to make it the most comprehensive guide to packing children’s lunches that they will love!

This ultimate mix-and-match guide with lists of all the things you can add to pick and choose from. It brings together more than 100 children's lunchbox ideas, including mains, fruit, vegetables, snacks and hot lunches, so you will always have plenty of packed lunch ideas to choose from and there really is something for everyone.

Rather than giving you a handful of set lunches and expecting you to copy them exactly, I have created a huge lunchbox library that you can dip into whenever inspiration disappears. Pick something from one list, add a favourite from another and build a lunch around the foods your child actually enjoys. I really hope you come back to this guide over and over again and we will be continually adding new ideas to it.

It has all my favourite food products, lunch box and cool bag recommendations, storage advice, fussy eating tips, hot lunch ideas, portion tips and what to do when food comes home uneaten, prep-ahead ideas, my opinions on UPFs and even a quick start 5 day lunch box plan.

I hope it helps you in the back to school chaos ❤️❤️

29/08/2026

🔒 Privacy Notice

A quick note for parents and anyone contacting Rachel’s Childcare through this page.

As I may receive personal information through Facebook messages, I have a Privacy Notice explaining how I collect, use, store and protect personal information, including information shared with me through social media.

You can read my full Privacy Notice here:

👉 ** https://drive.google.com/file/d/11Sw84_k0o1cCY78j7RVkpfMnQo5SFObZ/view?usp=sharing **

Please avoid sending sensitive or confidential information through Facebook Messenger where possible. If you need to share personal information relating to your child, please contact me directly and I will let you know the safest way to do this.

Thank you 😊

29/08/2026

📚 Training update!

Yesterday I completed the Lullaby Trust SIDS and Safer Sleep Training for Early Years Professionals.

Safer sleep is something I take really seriously, particularly when caring for babies, so it’s important to keep refreshing my knowledge and making sure my practice reflects the latest guidance.

Lots of useful reminders and information from the training, and another little bit of CPD ticked off ✅

Keeping the little ones in my care safe, happy and well cared for is always the priority. ❤️

28/08/2026

🌿 A week full of adventures, exploring & fun! 🌿

What a lovely week we’ve had! 💛

We’ve made the most of the summer days with lots of opportunities to explore, be active, learn and, of course, have plenty of fun along the way!

🌳 Exploring Royal Victoria Country Park
🍃 Adventures around Southampton Common
🏛️ Discovering Netley Abbey
🌊 Enjoying the fresh air at Weston Shore Park
🫧 Getting messy and exploring textures with gloop
🤸‍♀️ Burning off some energy at soft play

From outdoor adventures and discovering new places to messy sensory play and letting off steam indoors, there’s been a lovely balance of experiences this week.

Lots of little adventures, happy faces, messy hands and plenty of memories made. 🥰🌿

06/05/2026

Recharge time! 🧸💤

We love our post-lunch snooze here. It’s the perfect moment for the children to rest their bodies and minds after a busy morning of learning. By taking this time to reset, we make sure every child has the energy they need for more afternoon adventures! 🌟