Messy Rainbows

14/08/2023

Finished the accreditation, all ready to put into practice 🫶

05/10/2022

" The autumn leaves are falling down, falling down, falling down, .. the autumn leaves are falling down...🍂🍁"
We went on an autumn colour hunt today. Was fantastic to see the children use their thinking skills to match the colours and see if they could spot any in our environment.
The wind was blowing, making conversation, we blew in the wind like trees and leaves and even turned into squirrels burying our nuts and eating berries.

21/09/2022

"To climb for a child, is to discover a new world"

Risky play has so many benefits. We love to get involved in use our intellectual, communication and physical skills to work critically through tricky obstacles.

One child asked for help only when they were certain they needed it, one child asked for help throughout. They clapped each other when they had climbed their way across. This is great confidence building. 👏🥰

13/09/2022

With great sadness, we lost our loving friend Sampson last week.
He was the best friend to play with and alongside.
He loved a game of vets check up, especially loved cuddles and greeting us after a outdoor adventure.
All children who came to the setting loved and adored him, he will be greatly missed.

26/07/2022

Even in the hot weather we have had, we need to take care of our animals.
Some of the children have loved helping to feed and water the chickens, and giving the dogs shade and leaving water for bugs and bees.
🐔 🐝
This teaches the children to care, respect and learn to love animals. They learn compassion and how to respect the animals boundaries, how to be calm and gives them a sense of responsibility.
😺🐞
Not only does this compassion and care for creatures benefit the animals, but it also builds character and helps our children develop and have the ability to approach the world with a concern and respect for others.
🐶🦋
This love for animals actually teaches children how to treat one another, and how to be integral components of society.

18/07/2022

Keep eye out on your little ones 🥰🥵

Here you are again. The most important post of the Summer Season for caretakers of little-ones. (up to the age of 100) 🥰
(FYI: Give small amounts of cool, not cold, water with a teaspoon of salt per quart. (Cold water and salt tablets can actually increase cramping symptoms.) Sports drinks are not for the little ones & especially not for babies, Give Pedialyte on recommendation of your doctor.)
(You need to clarify that these tips apply to babies over 6 months. Infants under 6 months should be rehydrated with breast milk or formula, not water.)
HEAT STROKE IN BABIES & TODDLERS
Heat exhaustion and heat stroke don’t just appear out of the blue. There are signs of heat stress, which, if left untreated, can lead to heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

The initial signs of heat stress include:
• Heat rash that doesn’t go away when the skin is cooled, called “prickly heat”. This rash looks like a red cluster of pimples or small blisters on or around the
NECK - UPPER CHEST – GROIN – ELBOW CREASES.
• Heat cramps happen as muscles and bodily systems deplete their supply of electrolytes, particularly salt and water, and as a reaction to lower blood volumes. These cramps usually occur in the ABDOMEN – LEGS – ARMS and are accompanied by MOODINESS and FUSSINESS. If a baby, toddler or young child starts showing signs of crankiness or fussiness this can be an early indication of heat stress.
• Watch for unusual erratic and repetitive behaviors, such as repeatedly standing and sitting.

If the above symptoms worsen and start to include:
• Intense thirst
• Dizziness or fainting
• Pale skin
• Rapid but weak heart rate
• Headache
• Nausea and vomiting
• Concentrated p*e & decreased output (yellow/orange)
Then your child is becoming dehydrated and likely has heat exhaustion.

TREATMENT:
• IMMEDIATELY STOP ALL ACTIVITY !!!
• Remove clothing
• Move to a cool place
• Give cool water with a teaspoon of salt per quart, or sports drink. (Cold water and salt tablets can actually increase cramping symptoms.) (not for babies - give Pedialyte on recommendation of doctor)
• Gently massage child’s muscles
• Elevate feet on a pillow if they will lie down

Rest and rehydration is usually enough, though some children may need more time to recover than others. Hospitalization is rarely needed.
DO call your family doctor.

15/06/2022

Our journey in Wiltshire at Messy Rainbows has come to an end.. we are moving out of Wiltshire onto our next adventure 😁.
We will miss so many awesome things..
• our huge garden
• our local woods
• our community farm
🐷Stan, 🐮 Timbo & the 🐐
• our local parks
• our local stream
• our local walks taking us on
on so many adventures.
• plus so so many more..
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the children who have given me the pleasure of joining them on all their adventures. It has been an exciting journey and I have loved all of it.
Would also like to thank the parents, thank you for giving me the honour of helping your children learn and grow. Each child has a special place in my heart 🥰.
For now it's goodbye, thank you from the bottom of my heart for everyone's support.
To our next adventure 🤘😆
Rachel 😘

17/03/2022

Today is a sad day for Messy Rainbows, we say goodbye to our twins.
They have been with us since they were 8 months old and leave us for new exciting adventure. 3 years old and they are full of fun 😁🥰.
Watching them grow has been a pleasure and honour ❤.

10/03/2022

A few of the set ups from this week ☺️.

Some small world play, we have had a huge interested in horses, role play of pretending to be horses, playing with horses, using horses to carry supplies to their camps, so set up a meadow with horses and a trailer.

Some dark play with fairy lights of a dinosaur area with different textures for sensory, lights and space shapes, a couple of books along to go along with the play.

We had a Teddy bears picnic with cake and lots of tea. Was lovely watching them hand out cups to everyone and sharing the food, pretend play along with role play as mums or dads and even the youngest who is 18 months has learnt to pretend eat the food rather than putting it in her mouth 😊.

So much fun in the first part of the week 🥰.

08/03/2022

Just a note to let people know.. I am offering opportunities for people to contact me for free childcare whilst women go to their cervical smear test.

Available to local women in my area, please get in touch.

* the care will be for the duration of the appointment and the travel to and from. Any queries please message me 😊

08/03/2022

Is there anything better than digging in the mud and playing with trucks?
Possibly, swinging in a swing was just as fun 😁🥰.

We had a busy fun filled morning digging, scooping, and collecting.
We played pirate ships on the climbing frame which also was a truck assault course 😂.

Simple... but so much fun.