Homebased Childcare at Megan's

This afternoon, our playroom was filled with music, dancing, and plenty of smiles!

The girls have developed a real love for Kaylee Bell after hearing her new song Once in a Lifetime. One song quickly turned into several, and it's safe to say we've got some new little fans! 💕

Out came the dress-up cowboy hat, and before long they were practising their own line dancing, taking turns with the hat and singing along. The imaginative play continued when Macey carefully dressed a Barbie in what she proudly declared were "Kaylee clothes"... although I've now been informed that I need to find a tiny cowboy hat for Barbie too! 🤭👢

They were absolutely amazed to learn that someone they know had been to Kaylee's concert at One NZ Stadium. That made it all feel even more real, and they enthusiastically decided that Kaylee should come and sing at our playgroup! If only it were that easy! ❤️

I love watching children's interests grow and seeing where their curiosity takes them. Something as simple as one song sparked music appreciation, movement, imaginative role play, conversations, confidence, sharing, and lots of laughter.

Today's play supported:
⭐ Gross motor development through dancing and line dancing.
⭐ Creativity and imaginative role play.
⭐ Turn-taking and sharing.
⭐ Language development through singing, conversation, and storytelling.
⭐ Confidence in expressing ideas and following their own interests.
⭐ Social connections as they danced, laughed, and created together.

These spontaneous moments are often where the richest learning happens, and I love being able to follow the children's lead. 💕

With the next few days looking cold, wet, and miserable, we made the most of the lovely weather this morning and headed off to our local park for an adventure!

The children had a brilliant time exploring the new equipment, challenging themselves in different ways, and enjoying lots of active outdoor play. From climbing and balancing to swinging, running, and sliding, each child was able to move at their own pace while building confidence and developing their gross motor skills.

Outdoor play gives so many great learning opportunities. Today the children were working on their coordination, balance, spatial awareness, and problem-solving skills as they figured out how to use the different equipment. They were also practising turn-taking, cheering each other on, and celebrating everyone’s achievements.

Most importantly, they had lots of fun, enjoyed the fresh air, and made the most of a beautiful winter morning together before the weather changes!

Our car ramp has provided lots of entertainment this morning as the children explored how different cars travel down the ramp from varying heights and speeds.

It has been wonderful to watch children of different ages learning alongside one another, each engaging with the activity in their own unique way. The younger children have been developing their hand-eye coordination, cause-and-effect understanding, and early problem-solving skills, while the older children have been experimenting with concepts such as speed, gravity, prediction, and comparison.

These simple play experiences provide so many valuable learning opportunities while encouraging curiosity, exploration, and cooperative play. 🚗💨

Limited space available for 18 month olds and up. Please get in touch if I can be of assistance and to discuss your needs.

Weve got our tickets booked to this. A great opportunity to visit tiny town. https://facebook.com/events/s/tiny-town-live-at-the-palms/1924384884800319/

This morning I've set up something a little different on our main learning table for Macey and Grace.

Magnetic blocks are a firm favourite, so today I've incorporated some name recognition into our play. I've hidden magnetic blocks with the letters from each of their names around the room for them to find and bring back to the table, where they can match the letters to their name cards.

This simple activity encourages and supports:

🌟 Name recognition
🌟 Early literacy skills
🌟 Letter identification
🌟 Problem-solving
🌟 Concentration and focus
🌟 Memory skills
🌟 Visual matching and discrimination
🌟 Confidence and independence
🌟 Physical movement as they search for the hidden letters

I'm looking forward to seeing how Macey and Grace approach the challenge and watching their excitement as they discover the letters and build their names. Learning through play creates the best opportunities for children to explore, discover, and develop new skills while having fun. 💕

🐾 Space Available! 🐾

We're looking for an animal-loving, fun-loving, adventure-seeking little one aged 2 years or older (or nearly 2) to come and join our small home-based daycare whānau.

Our days are filled with outdoor adventures, community outings, imaginative play, messy fun, and plenty of cuddles with our friendly furry friends. I believe in creating a nurturing, family-like environment where children can learn, grow, explore, and feel right at home.

✨ WINZ Childcare Subsidy available
✨ 20 Hours ECE available
✨ FamilyBoost eligible

If you're looking for a caring, small-group setting where your child can thrive, we'd love to hear from you!

📩 Send us a message for more information or to arrange a visit.