Little Pickles Childminding

25/02/2025

We’ve taken our camera out to see if we can spot signs of spring and we are so happy to report that spring is springing! We can’t wait for warmer days and longer adventures exploring.

23/12/2024

Despite losing half my crowd in the final week to winter bugs, we had such a magical December. There has been so much cutting and sticking, both of my 2/3 year olds are using scissors one handed, my 3 year old is practicing her beautiful writing in Christmas cards, we have crafted and crafted and crafted, baked, made our letters for Father Christmas, explored the leaves and noticed the changes in nature, and now we have a camera for the children to observe and take photos of the things they notice. In the new term we will take it outside, but for now, rest…

23/12/2024

One of the most magical things we did this season was use the ice to paint Christmas cards for our families with watercolours. The children worked hard to smashed the ice, we watched as it melted throughout the day and utilised the water that came from it.

16/09/2024

Getting my babies out of their shoes and socks is the best feeling in the world.

16/09/2024

We are here for autumn and all of its treasure!

21/06/2024

One of my most favourite things to do with the children every spring is to observe a dandelion changing in real time. We pick an observation dandelion and over the course of the next few weeks we watch it slowly changing, dying, and then as if by magic it comes back to life, full of seeds ready for us to take back outside and give back to the earth. The children love checking in on it daily and making their comments.

20/06/2024

We have a house full of wiggly caterpillars who are now almost all inside their chrysalides working their magic, we can’t wait for them to emerge.

20/06/2024

We made Elderflower cordial since it’s Elderflower season! The children are now able to identify the Elderflowers on the trees and took a bottle of this home to share with their parents.

24/02/2024

The same goes for giant blueberries (cut in half) and sausages (cut length ways). Just because it’s not a grape it doesn’t mean it’s not a choking hazard. If it’s round and as big as a grape it’s dangerous, cut it!

It’s that time of year again when mini eggs are lining the supermarket shelves. But, did you know that, just like grapes, they are the perfect size to block a small child’s airway and choke them? And, their hard shell can make it difficult to dislodge with standard first aid techniques.

With whole grapes we advise cutting them in half lengthways and ideally into quarters to create thin strips. But chopping up mini eggs isn’t as easy. So, what can you do?

1. Hide them from the children and eat them yourself – good luck with that!

2. Put the mini eggs into a sealable plastic bag and smash them into small pieces with a rolling pin. Or, crush them in a pestle and mortar.

3. Opt for a different treat. Larger, hollow eggs are much safer for little ones.

Visit our choking hub to learn more about common choking hazards and what you should do in an emergency: https://capt.org.uk/choking-prevention/

11/02/2024

The best week of the year is upon us ❤️ I love showing the children how special it is to feel loved and to shower their loved ones with love. A special shout out to for the playdough recipe that never fails, is so silky and lasts forever. Happy Valentine’s Day!

08/05/2023

I think these nature eggs were my favourite part of Easter this year.

08/05/2023

When a little friend has their birthday approaching, we like to make them feel extra special by baking a cake together. I like to get some gifts for the child to open, they blow their candles out and we all sing happy birthday. This helps the children to celebrate their friends, and to understand the rituals with birthdays, patience, kindness and gratitude too.