When my son was around 18 months I took him to a toddler group session, one December Santa came for a visit all the parents sat waiting with their children on their laps, we kept telling them, “Santa will be here soon.” expecting our children to be as excited as we all were. As Santa…
Sarah Knight has suggested that I write about how to survive Christmas with children, thanks, Sarah. The first thing that comes to mind is how wonderful Christmas is when spent with children. My best Christmases. were when my children were still believers in Santa, there is something magical about that! I recall, one year, my…
Larger settings, such as nurseries and pre-schools will usually put on a Christmas party for their children: So does this mean that registered child minders should do the same? When I was working as a registered child minder Christmas was my favourite time of year. I started providing Christmas themed activities and crafts from the…
In my opinion, Christmas is best when you have children who believe in the magic of Santa: I want to share some of my precious memories of these times: My youngest son called Santa father Cripman and when we took him to see the big man, Adam was at the stage of making up his…
Children everywhere will be over excited now that we are finally into December; but keeping them entertained for the next 24 days can be a challange for some parents. These are my ideas based on my experience of being both a parent and a registered child minder:- Baking is something that children always enjoy, so…
I have my friend. Sarah, to thank for this topic suggestion. Whereas some parents would be horrified by the very thought of Christmas shopping in September; I would say, no, it’s never too early to start. For one, I love Christmas and I shop for it all year round as this helps to spread the…
Sarah has suggested this post, thanks, Sarah. There is nothing as special as having children who believe in the magic of Father Christmas, in my opinion. But as children get older , usually around the age of 8 or 9 upwards, they start to wonder if he is real. I remember asking our parents if…
Busy parents will find it helpful if their children go to sleep early on Christmas eve. giving them time to prepare for the following big day. When I was a girl, my mother always told my sisters and I that if we went to bed early on Christmas eve Christmas day would come quicker, I…
When I was a registered child minder I was always on the lookout for activities for the children; Christmas was my favourite time for providing crafts for them to do:- There are some new downloads available from ichild: The star gives children a chance to practice their cutting skills. It is beautiful as it is…
This is just a selection of the children’s Christmas crafts which can be downloaded from ichild; FATHER CHRISTMAS PAPER CHAIN: A simple take on the tradition paper chains. The Santa’s can be coloured by children using pens, paints and even cotton wool for beards and hats and then hang them up as a…
Recently I attended a Christmas craft evening where I discovered the following crafts, which I feel children would manage with a little help from an adult. I feel sure that many parents and child minders will enjoy and benefit from this. All the items needed can be purchased reasonably from arts and crafts suppliers and…
This is the third book in the Greta the happy maker series of children’s books based on the adventures of a real life pug. Greta wakes up to be told by her Mama that today is a special day. Why? Greta thinks, Is it Easter, Greta’s birthday, Valentines day , Christmas or Halloween? Eventually after…
This book has a lovely bright, colourful front cover, enticing readers to want to look inside. What would happen if Santa was ill? This delightful children’s book explains with fun, rhyming text how everyone in Santa’s grotto coped when the big man was unwell with flu. Children will love hearing and seeing the illustrations showing…
As soon I saw this children’s book it made me feel all Christmassy. The book is about the magical world in Snowy Hollow and how a family of Polar bears work together to make it a sparkling Christmas. The book is written and illustrated by Stephanie Rose It retails for £9 and is aimed at…
I know from experience that money burns a hole in most children’s pockets ( meaning that they feel the need to spend whatever money they have as soon as possible!). So encouraging them to save rather than spend has to be a positive: Ask children if they want something that is worth saving up for….
I was sent the following books: The Christmas present dilemma! This delightful book teaches children that Christmas is an expensive time . Marsh doesn’t want to offend his friends by asking for presents that they can’t afford, so the friends come up with their own ideas and choose the perfect gifts for him. Doing the…
Due to the recent postal strikes, the following children’s books were late arring:- GOD’S PROMISE: Once again the book is dedicated to a child, with a personal message. The tale in this book which is written by Bill Graham is based on the bible story of Noah’s ark. There are refences to the child’s home…
when a review was agreed this company asked a number of questions to personalise the books Child’s first and last name. Gender Child’s age. Child’s home town Up to 3 names of friends or family members A personalised message. A few days later I was sent the following books: SANTA’S SECRET HRLPER: The first page…
Most of us are spent out now after the cost of Christmas and maybe buying more in the sales, Finding things to keep the children entertained which doesn’t cost a lot can be a challenge; so my homespun activities could be the solution:- Flower pressing: I used to do this with the children when I…
As usual ichild have come up with a range of Christmas crafts and activities to keep children entertained. These are my favorites from this year’s selection: ANGEL/FAIRY WAND: Children can make their own wand from a drinking straw, card and a piece of ribbon. It doesn’t get much simplier! PINE CONE CHRISTMAS TREE: This is…
With Christmas just around the corner, now is a good time for any co- parenting parents to talk about what is going to happen at Christmas reguarding the children. My biggest piece of advice is that as Christmas is mostly for children (in my opinion) trying to stay civil about it, is the best way…
A 1o year old girl in Australia has asked Santa for an expensive watch, designer clothes and £50 worth of skincare products, her mum has reported this week. So is it time to ditch the Christmas wish list to prevent children from becoming greedy and asking for too much? My thoughts are that Christmas is…
I – was sent the following to review:- The great thing about the cards are that they are beautifully made; each card is laser cut and assembled by hand, which means that they are far too good to throw away after 12th night along with cheaper cards that have been sent. My favourite is the…
This is a question that came up on social media recently: As the majority of child minders work in their own homes, having the children on their furniture comes with the territory. When I was a registered child minder I was lucky enough to have a house large enough to turn my dining room into…
Most families will make their own Christmas traditions. When I was a girl living at home with my parents and 2 sisters we didn’t put the tree or other decorations up until a few days before Christmas: Now I am living in my own home the tree goes up on December 1st, usually, however, this…
SNOWMAN PAPER CHAIN: : A simple way to make a lovely Christmas decoration. There is a snowman template complete with accessories ( facial features and clothes) to download a or if they are creative children can draw their own snowman then it’s just a case of folding a concertina and cutting out- a good opportunity…
This is a question that was asked on a social media site: My thought was no, we shouldn’t always let them win, as children need to learn that life can be hard and they can’t always be a winner. Loosing sometimes is something that is going to happen. I have been told by a friend…
When my children were young and when I was working as a registered child minder, I was always looking for simple, cheap activity ideas that the children could do. Now that the corona virus is forcing some people to self isolate having things to entertain children is even more important:- One of the most popular…
This was the topic brought up on a daytime television programme just before Christmas. I have never been a smoker, but must point out that I am NOT having a go at anyone who does. I am not against smoking; it is a personal choice: I am against smoking in front of children, though. As…
With Christmas virtually just around the corner, I wanted to share my thoughts and experiences of children with Santa. I used taking my second son to see Santa as a chance to get him to give up his dummy, I told him that Santa would give it to ‘baby Rudolph’ so that he could settle…
Earlier this week I went into a well known High street store; the first aisle that I came across was full of Halloween costumes, the next one was overflowing with Christmas decorations, cards and paper. It is only the middle of September! This got me thinking about any children who were taken into the store;…
I can clearly remember driving in my car in the 1990’s on the way to collect my children from school, the news reporter on the radio said that by the year 2010 more school age children would have mobile phones than wrist watches; what a load of rubbish I thought to myself, why would school…
This subject was a recent discussion on a daytime television programme; it got me thinking: Teachers get paid for the amazing work that they do, so do they really need to be given presents at Christmas too? I don’t remember giving presents to my teachers when I was a child, I don’t think it was…
A schema is a thought or pattern of behaviours which allow children to explore and express developing ideas. I had never heard of a schema until I attended a workshop when I was a child minder which explained about schema. Looking back my eldest showed signs of being a schema; he like to line up…
Just before Christmas I was watching a television programme where a 4 year old child told a joke to an elderly person. “What wobbles in the sky?” “A jellycopter.” This took me back to when my sons were young and would tell jokes to adults, (so to cheer everyone up now that the Christmas festivities…
Woolly dolls are something I learned to make, as a child ( a school friend taught me) and I used to make, with my older child minded children. To make a woolly doll, you will need: wool, thick wool works best, a hardback book ( a ladybird book, is ideal) and scissors.. After choosing your…
This craft could be undertaken by both adults and older children under some supervision I made mine some years ago at a family workshop group. All that is required is a picture of a Christmas theme (I used a candle) there are many free downloadable images available on google imagines (check for copyright). A…
This paperback is written by Katy Segrove and illustrated by K aterina Vykhodtseva, it basically tells the tale of animal friends who want to put up a Christmas tree together, at first they can’t agree on what to have but it has a moral that if they stay positive and work together they will find…
Hamsters are often thought of as an ideal first pet for a child; they can make wonderful pets but beware that they can and may well bite. Hamsters are delicate little creatures, so as with all animals; children should always be supervised by an adult when around them to ensure the children are handling them…
Anyone caring for a child under the age of 8 years who is not related to them and for any kind of reward, must become registered by Ofsted Early Years. Many people will think that by becoming a child minder their own children will suffer, however because child minders are self employed they can…
Another child minder (also called Karen!) has asked me for ideas that are suitable for the older children. She also child minds after school; however most of her activities and games are aimed at younger children. The older children that I looked after liked arts and crafts (especially the girls) Making dolls out of wool was a…
Cooking with children is an activity that I have done with both my own children, and the ones I used to child mind. You can simply let the children help with baking, my own children used to like to stand on a chair beside me so that they could reach the kitchen worktop and help…
One of my favourite times of year is Christmas and the school nativity play was something that myself and my husband looked forward to. My youngest son attended a small village school where almost everyone felt like family. One year we took along an 18 month old child who I was child minding, she sat…
I saw a question on Facebook this week were a registered child minder was asking how caring for ‘a looked after child’ worked. When I was working as a child minder I went on a training day that qualified me to work with Social services and other agencies. There was a designated social worker (…
There has been talk about shortening the long summer school break for many years as a way to save heating costs during the winter months; the idea being making the summer holiday 2 weeks shorter and adding that to the Christmas break ( so parents would have to find the extra heating money!). But the…
What is circle time? I hear you ask. Circle time gives children in schools and early years setting the opportunity to sit together ( usually in a circle) and take time to talk, listen and interact with each other and their practitioners. During circle, or group time, as it is sometimes called, children can sing…
As a stroke survivor, I have only one working hand( my right). With the winter months approaching, I was keen to find a hobby to fill my time. Many years ago, before stroke, I made a Christmas plate decoration by glass painting here This got me thinking, if I could attempt glass painting again:- I…
I think that most of us start the new year with good intensions, but most don’t stick to our resolutions: As a young girl I came up with a plan at the beginning of a new year that I thought would help me to get rich: If I saved a penny every day by the…
I was delighted to discover this children’s book that is set at Watermouth castle, where I have visited several times. Watermouth castle is a tourist attraction in Watermouth cove, North Devon. This wonderful book is the first to be written by Hazel Stuart. Her daughter Georgie Beable has drawn the colourful illustrations. The book is…
When I was a registered child minder I was always keen to get my name ‘out there’ as word of mouth is the best form of advertising. I had my people carrier vehicle sign written ( the cost can go against tax as an expense) it just had my name, the fact that I was…
I was sent the Carmella apple candy locks doll to review. The first thing that struck me was how tiny she is, Carmella apple is wearing pink roller boots, she can move from the waist and has flexible arms. What Carmella apple and the other candy locks dolls lack in size make up for by…
5 Tips for Surviving Family Vacation I remember the chaotic days of our family’s seasonal vacations just like they were yesterday. Between my parents arguing over directions, my siblings crying and bickering over not sharing the electronic devices enough, or my granddad bringing up uncomfortable, and often times inappropriate, conversations about a distant relative…
My son, Leigh and his family went on a pre-Christmas break to Finlake holiday resort. Finlake is in Newton Abbot on the edge of Dartmoor situated in 130 acres of stunning Devon shire countryside and not far from the sea. On arrival Leigh said that the park looked neat and tidy, with some seasonal decorations…
Snow in the garden is written and illustrated by the wonderfully talented Shirley Hughes. Shirley Hughes has always been one of my favourite children’s authors, I read her books to my own sons and to the children that I used to child mind. Snow in the garden is her latest publication, it is a hardback…
This children’s book is written by Tanya Preminger and the illustrations are by Elettra Cudignotto. It tells the story of an 8 year old boy who lives for football, especially Lionel Messi, his favourite player. When he struggles with school work and self confidence , his belief in the sport helps him to work things…
Walker books sent this beautiful hardback children’s picture book. Little (and some not so little boys) everywhere will love this book. Inside the front cover is a diagram of the little digger pointing out the different parts. Little digger feels left out when a bigger digger arrives on the building site, until big digger gets…
Bangon books got in touch to ask if I would like to review one of their personalised children’s adventure books. As I am passionate about children’s literature after years of working as a registered child minder I agreed. I chose unicorn Oo (as a Christmas present for my granddaughter, Katlyn) who is 9….
My 6 year old granddaughter, Sophia loves unicorns so much that she asked if instead of having presents for her last birthday, could she have her hair coloured rainbow colours so she could be a unicorn. When “In The Book” asked if I was interested in reviewing one of their personalised children’s books and I…
Walker books sent this delightful children’s picture book. A first book of the sea is written by Nicola Davies. It is a hardback book full of heartwarming poems about the sea; from blue whales to plankton, there is something for everyone, I love this book because children will be delighted as they recall holidays…
For anyone who doesn’t know about this, the elf on the shelf is a relatively new concept which has come from America. Parents tell their children that Santa has sent a special elf from the north pole to watch them and report back to him as to whether they have been good, or not. Commercial…
When I was a registered child minder I heard about a drop-in for child minders, I went along and discovered that it wasn’t well attended, which I thought was a shame. Later when I also became employed as a support child minder I took over the running of the drop-in, we were extremely lucky, in…
This wonderful book was sent to me by Walker books. Pick a pine tree is written by Patricia Toht and Jarvis has illustrated it for her. The book is just perfect for this time of year, as it describes the excitement we all feel when putting up our Christmas decorations, it begins with choosing a…
Stranger danger is a difficult subject to administer. We all tell our children never to speak to or approach a stranger, and then we take them to meet Santa and encourage them to not only tell him what they would like for Christmas, but also sometimes to sit on his lap! We also forget sometimes…
For as long as I can remember; I have always wanted my own Horse. I wished for one every time I blew the candles out on birthday cakes and asked Santa for one each Christmas. I even came up with an idea that if I married a rich farmer when I grew up then I would…
You don’t need to spend a fortune to keep children amused doing art and craft activities. When I was childminding; I used to use the back of junk mail (which is often blank on the reverse) as drawing paper. The inside cardboard of cereal boxes is great to use for painting. Put an old adult…
Nowadays, keeping children entertained on long car journeys is relatively easy thanks to things like laptops, electronic games and tablets such as iPads. They can now watch a movie or play a game whilst they travel. When my own children were young, there were no such luxuries. I once made a booklet for each of…
Thanks to Terry who suggested that I write a blog about Child Led Play. It is too easy to hover over our children while they are playing. It is much better take a step back and et them use their imagination. When I was child minding, I sometimes laid out the tea set on a…
During my time as a childminder I was asked; on a few occasions (usually by first time parents) what were my feelings towards using a dummy. When I was in my early twenties and expecting my first baby I was under the mind set that no child of mine would ever be seen with a dummy in…