Sure Start – Child Care Link

For National and Local Childcare Information Sure Start Childcare Link

Colourful Cooking Sets For Kids

Hi been surfing today and found this great cooking site for kids

Kids Cooking Co.

They have a great range of bakeware especially for children with easy to hold bowls called Betty & Bertie and untensils, all with faces and names. They come in a beautiful blue and pink and have funny faces on them. Also to keep the children clean whilst they are baking they also have matching aprons called Aggie and Archie and just to finish of the outfit a chef’s hat.

This is a great way to spend time with your mindies or own children and if your are stuck for what to bake there is also a recipe of the week section so why not go and have a look

Kids Activities Site – Directory

Found this site whilst looking for something else. It is a comprehensive directory including educational sites, fun sites and sites for grown ups

It has some great activities for children from Educational to Playing.

Kids Sites Directory

Mind The Kids

Childminders advertise free just post your details. Mind the Kids

Mums N Dads Unite

Found this great site today. If you are living in Thanet then I suggest you bookmark this site, It has so much information on it about play groups, toddler groups, and other information that a mum or dad might want to know.

As well as childcare help it has ideas for activities and family support. In fact if its going on in Thanet its going on here.

If you have an event of know of a toddler group not on the list then please contact them and have it put on the list.

Contracts, Records, & Forms

All parents must by law sign a contract; I use the National Childminding Association contract. This needs to be signed before the childminding begins.

I also keep:

Child Record Forms. This includes full details of the child and parents, emergency contacts, child’s doctor and health issues, any other preferences and additional information about the child.

Accident/Incident and Medication record forms

Daily diary for preschool children.

Parental permission form for transport in my vehicle, outings etc.

Complaints Policy and Procedure

Childcare Tax Credit Disclaimer

Childcare Providers protecting children

Daily Plan & Activities

PLANNING: Although I am not a preschool with a curriculum to follow, I use the Birth to three matters framework and The Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage to help with planning activities and outings for the children. I do not follow a set plan as I allow the children to choose what they would like to do, however, I try to pick a weekly theme and plan the activities around this theme.ACTIVITIES:

I offer a wide range of activities for the children I look after to promote their development.

Some of these include:

painting

drawing

baking

cooking

play-dough

reading stories

playing board games

sticky pictures/collages

beads/jewellery making

watching videos/TV programmes (age dependant)

using the computer for games, learning or homework

singing and playing instruments

music and movement

dressing up/role play

sewing (supervised)

ball games

candle making

glass painting

marbling

I also have various toys available for the children to play with such as jigsaws, construction bricks and blocks, cars and mat, dressing up clothes, doctors and vets set, dolls, action figures and a tea-set.

Outdoors, I have a variety of equipment such as balls, skittles, skipping ropes, a cricket set, slides, a sand pit and a play house.

OUTINGS: I regularly take the children (in full day care) on outings, either by car (seat spaces permitting) or by walking to places such as:

picnics

the library

local parks

soft play gyms

local toddler groups

the shops/post office

feed the ducks and horses

Occasionally, when I have a small number of older children (usually school holidays), I may take them to places like the cinema or the bowling alley.

DAY PLAN:

This is a plan of an average day in my setting during term time.

Obviously, each day is different and changes according to the weather, how many children I am looking after and their ages, what they want to do, etc.

7.00 am: Children arrive, play with toys, read books or do drawing/colouring in.

8:30 – 9:15am: School run with buggy for younger children. I escort the children into the correct classrooms if required

9:15 – 11:30am: Visit the local Play Group or Play Gym.

9:15 – 11:30am: If we don’t go to one of the above we will do another activity at home

11:30am – 12:30pm: Lunch time for all.

12:40 – 1:00pm: School run for afternoon nursery session.

1:00 – 2:00pm: Quiet time. Naps for babies and toddlers. Reading books, drawing or watching TV to relax and be calm.

2:00 – 3:00pm: Dressing up, singing or playing games.Playing out in garden with slides and balls if possible.

3:00 – 4:00pm: – School run (with buggy if needed) -collect older children from their classrooms and younger children from nursery.

4:00 – Home time: – Free activity time, children choose

During school holidays this plan will change and we will have days out etc.

Menu Plans

Menu Plans

FOOD AND DRINK: My fees include snacks and drinks and lunch. Snacks include items such as fruit, biscuits, ice cream and orange juice.

I will provide Breakfast, or Dinner for £1 per meal.

Alternatively, you can provide a packed dinner or something for me to heat up

I aim to provide children with a healthy, balanced diet. I do allow the children some treats but only in moderation. If I am required to provide meals for a child, an example of a day’s menu is:

Breakfast

Weetabix or Cheerios

Raisins or Grapes

Wholemilk Yoghurt

Fresh Apple or Orange Juice

Lunch time:

wholemeal ham sandwich,

a whole milk yoghurt,

an apple or banana,

a packet of crisps,

a drink of water, milk or reduced sugar juice.

Tea time:

Shepherds pie (made with lean beef mince, potatoes, carrots, onions, peas, sweet corn and stock cubes) and baked beans,
fresh fruit and ice-cream or angel delight
a drink of water, milk or reduced sugar juice

Fresh drinking water and juice is available to drink all day. I provide a morning and afternoon snack every day, usually a piece fruit in the morning, such as raisins, an apple or grapes, and a biscuit, bun or a small packet of sweets in the afternoon. I will sit with the children at meal times to eat and will encourage them to develop good table manners and eating habits.

Working with Parents

Partnership with Parents

Being a registered childminder is a responsible role that involves sharing responsibilities with parents and their families and recognising the prime role that they play in their children’s upbringing. I will observe the children’s development and progress and this will be shared with parents to ensure continuity of care between the family’s home and the childminding setting. Respect will be shown for the family’s traditions and childcare practices, and my childcare practice will be in harmony with the values, practices and wishes of parents, as far as possible in the context of caring for children from several different families.

Communication is very important. When I accept a new family into my setting, I like to be sure that we can share openly any concerns or questions that may arise. I welcome questions, feedback or discussions of any kind that affect a positive outcome for the child.

Sensitive issues will be discussed outside of regular hours either by phone or conference. If you call during the day, please be aware that I may be busy with the children and may not be able to answer the phone. If you leave a message, I will call you back as soon as possible.

Hours

Normal hours are 7:30 am to 6:00 pm Monday to Friday.

Before school session 7:30am to 9:00am.

After school session, 3:10pm to 6:00pm

Care outside these hours may be provided by special arrangement.

I am also available for overnight care but 48hrs notice is required.

Fees

I have a basic fee schedule, which is supplied separately. Your individual charges will be shown on your contract according to the hours booked.

My fees are calculated to cover expenses such as food, drinks, heating, electricity, toys, petrol and car insurance, safety equipment, arts and crafts activities, cleaning materials, Public Liability Insurance, First Aid Supplies, Registration Fees and my training.

My Home

As a childminder, I am inspected by OFSTED (office for standards in education) regularly, usually every three years, from which I receive an inspection report. This is given to parents so they can be assured of the high standard of my childminding. At an inspection, I am judged on how well I meet 14 national standards for childminding set by OFSTED and I need to demonstrate how I achieve each of the standards.

I use the whole of my downstairs for childminding. We use the kitchen for eating, drinking and messy activities. The living room is used for sensible play or for quiet time, for example, watching a video or having a nap. I have a downstairs toilet so the children do not need to go upstairs.

Keeping Children Healthy:
Smoking- I have a no smoking policy in my home. Neither myself nor my husband smoke and I will not allow anyone visiting my home to smoke either, with or without children present.

Safety and Security:
My home is safe and secure for children both inside and outside.
Inside:
The following precautions are in place: safety gate at bottom of stairs, cupboard and drawer locks in the kitchen ,safety glass on doors, radiator temperatures are controlled by thermostats, socket covers on plug sockets, all medicines and hazardous substances are stored out of reach.

Outside:
My garden has fencing all around and access is only available from the house.The children are under my supervision when playing out in the garden to ensure their safety. When going out, I ensure young children are in a pushchair with fastened straps.
Toddlers will be on secure reins and other children (age dependant) will either hold on the pram with me (or hold my hand if no pram) or walk sensibly in front.
Registration: I comply with all the conditions of my registration as set out by Ofsted. My registration does allow me to care for children overnight

Ratios:
I am registered to care for 6 children under 8 years of age. Of these 6, no more than 3 may be under 5 years of age and of these 3, only 1 child may be under 1 year of age.. Children over 8 years of age are not included in these ratios.