Rachel’s Home-based Childcare

25/08/2026

The weather has definitely been in our favour so this allows for lots of outdoor fun. The roof over the deck has also been awesome for those times when it is raining. The children enjoyed deconstructing the playhouse house and building their own creations from huts to doctors to car ramps.

24/08/2026

29/07/2026

Imaginative play continues to be a favourite area of play that features in many different themes of play particularly using the Dinosaurs and Mermaids this week.

Imaginative play is how preschoolers learn best — one activity that builds almost everything at once including -

• Language: More talking, negotiating and storytelling, bigger vocabulary
• Social: Learning to share, take turns, assign roles and see another point of view
• Emotional: Acting out big feelings safely and practising empathy and kindness
• Thinking skills: Planning, sequencing, problem-solving and using one object to represent another
• Creativity: Thinking flexibly and inventing their own ideas and stories
• Confidence: Being in charge of the play and feeling capable
• Physical: Fine and gross motor through dressing up, building, moving and making

23/07/2026

The children were so excited when they came out onto the deck and saw the little house. They thanked me over and over for making it for them. They spent the whole afternoon playing in it, then they decided it needed a little more decoration so we got the crayons out and they got to work!

21/07/2026

The patio roof is now complete, it now covers the whole deck which means we will have more space to play even when it’s raining! This afternoon I repurposed the heavy duty boxes that the roof came in into a playhouse on the deck, hopefully the children will enjoy this surprise tomorrow!

13/07/2026

I made a few changes over the long weekend. In preparation for my new patio cover arriving we moved the old one over the sandpit and trimmed a few large branches letting in a lot more light. The children have been enjoying the change and have spent all afternoon playing in the sandpit together!

09/07/2026

The first week of school holidays has been completed, and we were pleased that the weather was more agreeable than initially predicted, facilitating outdoor pursuits, visits with friends at Jeanine’s Childcare at home for Matariki crafts and Kai, and ball skills and bubbles at Ruatawhiri park.

03/07/2026

The children have been engaging in a variety of activities including role play, messy play, construction, science experiments, dance parties, Party Kingdom, playgrounds and more; we even conducted an ice cream making session, demonstrating the endless pursuit of fun.

12/06/2026

In the sandpit kitchen, the children have been enjoying role-playing as cafe patrons and staff, taking turns to play their part. This imaginative play has led us to plan and set up a real cafe, where the children could invite their friends to be customers. The planning process involved several tasks, including baking and preparing refreshments, as well as setting up the cafe area. The children gained valuable experience through this project, which was both fun and educational. This was such a fun experience for the children.