How to handle Temper Tantrums from your Toddler

Do you find yourself struggling to control your toddler’s temper tantrums?

Tantrums are a common occurrence in young children between the ages of 1 and 3.

They are a way for your child to express their frustration and communicate their needs. However, temper tantrums can be overwhelming for both the child and the parent.

Here I will provide you with effective strategies to help you control your toddler’s temper tantrums.

The first step in controlling a toddler’s temper tantrum is to understand why they are happening.

Tantrums can be triggered by hunger, fatigue, boredom, or frustration mainly.

By identifying the cause of the tantrum, you can take steps to prevent them from occurring in the future.

It is also important to recognise that tantrums are a normal part of your child’s development and not a reflection of your parenting skills.

Once you have identified the cause of the tantrum, you can take steps to address it. For example, if your child is hungry, offer them a healthy snack. If they are tired, put them down for a nap. If they are bored, engage them in an activity.

By addressing the root cause of the tantrum, you can prevent it from escalating.

Next, I will provide you with additional strategies to help you control your toddler’s temper tantrums.

Understanding Toddler Tantrums

As a parent, it can be frustrating and overwhelming when your toddler throws a temper tantrum. However, understanding the reasons behind these outbursts can help you manage them more effectively.

Common Triggers and Causes

Tantrums can be triggered by a variety of factors, including tiredness, hunger, and a need for attention. Toddlers may also become angry or frustrated when they are unable to communicate their needs effectively. Additionally, stress or feeling frustrated can contribute to emotional outbursts.

It’s important to note that tantrums are a normal part of child development and do not necessarily indicate a problem with your child’s behaviour. However, if tantrums are frequent or particularly severe, it may be worth seeking advice from a healthcare professional.

Developmental Aspects of Tantrums

Tantrums are a common occurrence in toddlers between the ages of 1 and 3. This is due, in part, to the fact that the frontal cortex (the part of the brain responsible for impulse control and emotional regulation) is still developing during this time.

Toddlers may also engage in power struggles with their parents as they begin to assert their independence. This can lead to tantrums as they attempt to assert their will and control their environment.

By understanding the common triggers and developmental aspects of tantrums, you can better manage your toddler’s outbursts and help them develop healthy emotional regulation skills.

Preventing Tantrums

As a parent, you can prevent tantrums by establishing routines, promoting good behaviour and creating a supportive environment for your toddler. Here are some tips to help you prevent tantrums:

Establishing Routines

Toddlers thrive on routine, so one of the best things you can do is establish a regular schedule for meals, naps, playtime and bedtime. This will help your toddler feel more secure and in control, and reduce the likelihood of tantrums. Make sure to stick to the routine as much as possible, but also be flexible when necessary.

Promoting Good Behavior

Positive reinforcement is key to promoting good behaviour in toddlers. Praise your child when they exhibit positive behaviour, such as sharing or being kind to others. Use rewards, such as stickers or a favourite snack, to encourage positive behaviour. Set clear limits and consequences for negative behaviour, but also be consistent and fair in your discipline.

Creating a Supportive Environment

Create a supportive environment for your toddler by providing them with plenty of opportunities for play and exploration. Encourage your child to express themselves through art, music or play. Provide a calm and quiet space for your child to rest or have quiet time when needed. Make sure your child gets enough sleep, as tiredness can contribute to tantrums.

Following these tips should result in fewer tantrums from your toddler and create a positive and supportive environment for them to thrive in.

father reading bedtime story for his daughter while lying down on the bed

Responding to Tantrums

When your toddler throws a tantrum, it can be difficult to know how to respond. However, by staying calm and collected, providing safe and effective discipline, and offering comfort and reassurance, you can help your child learn to control their own emotions and behaviour.

Staying Calm and Collected

The first step in responding to a tantrum is to stay calm and collected yourself. This can be challenging, but it is important to avoid getting angry or frustrated, as this can escalate the situation. Take a couple of deep breaths, count to ten, and remind yourself that tantrums are a normal part of toddler development.

Safe and Effective Discipline

Discipline is an important part of responding to tantrums, but it is important to use safe and effective methods. Avoid physical punishment or shouting, as these can be dangerous and ineffective. Instead, ensure you maintain eye contact and try using time-outs or removing privileges as consequences for bad behaviour.

Comfort and Reassurance

Finally, it is important to provide comfort and reassurance to your toddler during and after a tantrum. It might be the last thing you want to do but its a good idea to offer a big hug and words of support, help your child understand their emotions and behaviour. Providing unconditional love will help them feel more secure and confident, and may reduce the frequency and intensity of future tantrums.

By responding to tantrums with calm, safe, and supportive methods, you can help your toddler learn to control their emotions and behaviour, and build a strong and positive relationship with them in the long run.

Special Considerations

Dealing with Public Tantrums

Dealing with a toddler’s temper tantrum in a public place can be a challenging and embarrassing experience for parents. It is important to remember that tantrums are a normal part of a child’s development and it is not a reflection of your parenting skills. Here are some tips to help you deal with public tantrums the best way:

Stay calm and composed: It is important to stay calm and composed during a tantrum. Take a deep breath and try to remain patient. Remember that your child is not trying to embarrass you intentionally.
Distract your child: Try to distract your child with something that can capture their attention. You can try to offer a toy, a book or a snack to divert their attention from the situation.
Leave the situation: If the tantrum is getting out of control, it may be best to remove your child from the situation. You can take them to a quiet area or to the car until they calm down.

When to Seek Professional Help

Temper tantrums are a normal part of a child’s development, but if they become frequent and intense, it may be a sign of an underlying problem. Here are some signs that you may need to seek professional help:

Your child’s tantrums are becoming more frequent and intense.
Your child is hurting themselves or others during a tantrum.
Your child’s tantrums are lasting longer than 15 minutes.
Your child’s tantrums are affecting their daily life, such as their sleep or eating habits.

If you are concerned about your child’s tantrums, you can talk to your doctor, health visitor, GP, or a paediatrician. They can help you identify any underlying issues such as anxiety or stress and provide you with appropriate support and guidance.

Fostering Independence and Emotional Skills

As a parent, it is important to foster your toddler’s independence and emotional skills. By doing so, you can help them develop self-regulation and better cope with strong emotions, reducing the likelihood of temper tantrums. Here are a few tips to get you started:

Encouraging Self-Regulation

Encouraging your toddler to develop a sense of control can help them regulate their emotions and reduce the likelihood of a temper tantrum. One way to do this is by giving them choices. For example, you could ask them if they would like to wear the red shirt or the blue shirt, or if they would like to play with blocks or dolls. This gives them a sense of control and helps them feel more independent.

Another way to encourage self-regulation is by giving your toddler space. When they are feeling overwhelmed or upset, it can be helpful to give them some time alone to calm down. This can help them learn to regulate their emotions and reduce the likelihood of a temper tantrum next time a similar situation occurs.

Developing Language and Expression

Language skills are an important part of emotional development. By helping your toddler develop their language skills, you can help them better express their emotions and reduce the likelihood of a temper tantrum. One way to do this is by encouraging your toddler to use words to express their emotions. For example, you could ask them how they are feeling or what is bothering them.

It is also important to validate your toddler’s emotions. When they are upset, it can be tempting to dismiss their feelings or tell them to stop crying. However, this can make them feel like their emotions are not important. Instead, try to acknowledge their feelings and let them know that you understand why they are upset.

Help them identify and label their feelings, using emotion based activities could like this one Childrens emotions Playdough Cards activity game

photo of a man raising baby under blue sky

Good Luck

Frequently Asked Questions

What strategies can effectively manage a two-year-old’s severe tantrums?

There are several strategies that can be effective in managing severe tantrums in two-year-old’s. One approach is to remain calm and patient while acknowledging your child’s feelings. You can also try distraction techniques or redirecting your child’s attention to another activity. Consistency in discipline and setting clear boundaries can also be helpful.

When should one become concerned about the frequency and intensity of a toddler’s tantrums?

If your toddler’s tantrums are frequent, intense, and interfere with their daily functioning or social interactions, it may be a cause for concern. It is important to consult with your child’s healthcare provider if you have any concerns about their behaviour.

What are the recommended approaches for handling tantrums in 18-month-old toddlers?

For 18-month-old toddlers, distraction techniques and redirection can be effective in managing tantrums. It is also important to establish a consistent routine and to be patient and calm when dealing with tantrums.

What techniques are advised for managing a three-year-old’s extreme temper outbursts?

For three-year-old’s, it is important to acknowledge their feelings and provide them with a safe space to express their emotions. Setting clear boundaries and consistent discipline can also be effective in managing extreme temper outbursts. Positive reinforcement and praise for good behaviour can also be helpful.

How can parents address their toddler’s aggressive behaviour, such as hitting, during a tantrum?

It is important to remain calm and firm when addressing aggressive behaviour during a tantrum. It may be helpful to remove your child from the situation and provide them with a safe space to calm down. Consistent discipline and setting clear boundaries can also be effective in addressing aggressive behaviour.

At what developmental stage do children typically outgrow the tendency to have temper tantrums?

Children typically outgrow the tendency to have temper tantrums by the age of four. Older children should have far fewer toddler temper tantrums, especially if you’ve followed the advise above and have identified tantrum triggers, helped your child learn to communicate and express themselves and discussed your child’s emotions with them so that they know how to deal with those big feelings.

Childminding, Parenting

The best home treatment for head lice (nits) 2024

Samantha keddy

As a parent or childcare provider your bound to come across these little guys at least once in your life!! There is nothing to be ashamed of, they exist and are very common among children 3-11 years, it’s just part of life, now if you’re on this page I’m guessing you’re not really interested in the anatomy of a louse, nor its life cycle, and that the reality is you just want me to get the the point and advise you of the best way to be rid? So over the years I have tried lots of both over the counter treatments and home remedies, but I’m just going to jump in and tell you the 2 methods I would recommend.

Over the counter treatments

I’ve tried many over the counter treatments and I can’t begin to remember all the names, but I do remember that this is my favourite………………Reasons why include:

It kills the eggs as well as the lice
It works in as little as 15 minutes
It doesn’t smell
It doesn’t require endless combing through
It washes out easily
And most importantly, it works!!!

https://keddykiddycare.com/headlicetreatment

Home Remedy

If you’r not a big fan of chemicals and costly treatments then, wet combing also works. The best way of doing this is using your favourite conditioner and totally covering the hair, then section off the hair and use a special nit comb like the one below to go through the hair a bit at a time, the conditioner allows the eggs to easily slide down the hair and the special design of the comb ensures that nothing is left behind.

There is obviously a cost involved in buying a comb like this but unlike the treatments once you have the comb you can use it again and again. There are also cheaper versions available but I own the original Nitty Gritty comb and wouldn’t want to recommend something I haven’t actually tried.

https://keddykiddycare.com/NittyGritty

Don’t Forget

Whichever method you choose also wash the person’s pillowcase and soak their hairbrush in hot water for at least 10 minutes. Live lice can only survive away from the scalp for around 24 hours so please don’t over complicate it but the hairbrush and pillowcases are a must (and if the person in question happens to be hat wearer then pop the hat in a hot wash too).

Its also a good idea to notify people that have been in contact too, it may seem a little embarrassing but the last thing you want is for someone else to have them and end up passing them back to you or your family.

Prevention is better than the cure

I know this whole article may seem backwards, leaving this till last instead of the starting here, but I’ve been there, found a crawler and needed answers, then preventing into the future comes later! If your lucky enough to be reading this before finding an investation then I’m sorry for making you wait to get to the bit you need!!

To try and prevent your child bringing nits home in the first place start by trying to ensure that hair is always tied up for school, nursery or their childcare setting. This doesn’t have to be boring, play around with different styles, plaits, twists, buns, piggy tails etc, there’s lots of tutorials on youtube you could attempt.

Try to teach your child to avoid sharing items such as hats, bobbles, hairbands and earmuffs.

Headlice also don’t like the smell of teatree, so a simple way to repell them is to add 3-5 drops of teatree essential oil to your child’s shampoo when washing their hair.

Personally I really liked Voscene products, past tense as my daughters are now teens so we don’t use it anymore, but this one is the kind liked, you can use it daily as a de-tangler whilst the smell repels lice without being too prominent that friends notice a funny aroma!

https://keddykiddycare.com/headlicerepellent

Good luck

Finally, try not to worry, I have found myself obsessed, in tears and totally overwhelmed in the past but the methods above work. You will get rid and it will be over soon!

a child playing a xylophone with mallets

Activities

Children’s favourite nursery rhymes and songs

Samantha keddy

We absolutely love song time at Keddy Kiddy Care, children learn so much from a good singing session. Not only does it improve the obvious………..their communication skills, it also improves their memory, social skills and emotional skills plus ITS FUN! Here are our favourite songs and rhymes………….

Number Songs

portrait of a girl in a yellow dress in a bedroom showing her hand

5 little ducks went swimming one day
5 little men in a flying saucer
1, 2 buckle my shoe
5 little monkeys jumping on the bed
1,2,3,4,5 once i caught a fish alive
5 enormous dinosaurs
5 currant buns in a bakers shop
5 little speckled frogs

Action Songs

Sleeping bunnies
Dingle Dangle Scarecrow
If your happy and you know it
Teddy bear, Teddy bear
Head, shoulders, knees and toes
I’m a little teapot
The grand old duke of york
Roly Poly

Other Songs

Incy Wincy
Old McDonald
Wind a bobbin up
Twinkle, twinkle
Twinkle, twinkle chocolate bar
London Bridge
Row, row row your boat.
Baa baa black sheep
Baa, baa pink sheep
Miss Poly
A sailor went to sea, sea, sea
Wheels on the bus
BINGO
Humpty dumpty
Hey diddle diddle
Hickory Dickory dock
Jack and Jill
Animal fair
The alphabet song
Tiny Tim……………………We sing 3 verses of this, I don’t know if the last 2 are common knowledge so i’m adding them below as my children really enjoy them

“I had a little sister, her name was Laura Lie,

she went up in the chimney to see if she could fly,

she flew across the rooftops,

she scared off all the crows,

now my little sister has a feather in he nose,

ah, AH, ACHOOO”

“I had a little brother,

his name was Charlie Brown,

I took him to the circus,

he dressed up as a clown,

he ate up all the jelly,

he ate up all the cake

now my little brother has a rumble tummy ache

Rumble, RUMBLE, BLEURGH”

I’m sure there are many more songs out there but these are the ones I use most.

Magic Bag

What we do is have a bag with song cards in, we call this our magic bag, we sing

“Whats inside the magic bag?

EIEIO,

Who will look in the magic bag?

EIEIO.”

We play around with this tune, singing in quiet voices, loud voices, no voices, squeaky voices, fast and slow voices. Each time we sing this a child is chosen to pick a card from the bag to see which rhyme or song we sing next.

Once the song is sung it moves into a second bag so that it isn’t chosen again until all the songs have been sung, we sing around 7 songs a day so that by the end of the week children have joined in with 35 different songs!

NURSERY RHYME
CARDS

If there’s any extras you have as favourites please let me know, or if there’s any of the above that you don’t know the words to and would like me to add, again just drop me a comment. Thanks for reading, i hope someone finds this useful xx

Childminding

Childminding and your own children

Samantha keddy

A lot of new childminders or those in the pre reg state want to know how childminding may affect their own children, so here I’m going to hand the keyboard over to my 11 year old daughter, having a childminder as a mum is all she remembers since I begun when she was just 2 years old, everything you read from here on are all her own thoughts and words, hope you enjoy xx

Hi, I’m Caitlyn

I’m 11 years old and I have just left primary school, I’m about to start secondary school. Ever since I can remember my house has always been full of children but I don’t mind as I have made lots of friends that way that I still keep in touch with to this day.

Joining In:

During the holidays, I love to join in with the activities that my mum and dad put on for the other children. One of my favourite activities to do is Slime making.

I enjoy doing painting which sometimes turns into a competition. I have once painted a unicorn which is now on display on our craft room wall.

When we do baking its always very fun because sometimes I get to help out and be in charge and we also make lots and lots of different foods that sometimes fail but always taste really yummy!!

We often run weekly talent shows on the Fridays of each holiday week. All children that want to participate showcase their favourite talents, this can be singing, dancing, telling jokes, magic and even ventriloquist acts! All participants receive a prize at the end. I love to join in and think of something different to do each time.

Mum has to ensure that the children get plenty of outdoor play. So sometimes we run races and get to have a fun time running around outside. We have done obstical courses, water fights, silly races, egg and spoon races, treasure hunts and lots of other fun games.

Sometimes we go out places for example we have been to: Parks, Play areas, feeding the ducks, soft plays and Rotherham by the sea.

Teaching

I sometimes help my parents by teaching the children different things. Like for example I have often read books to the children and they have read to me.

I also enjoy doing the singing sessions by myself, singing nursery rhymes with the children.

I have run games outside like tig, crocodile swamp and sometimes I have even created my own games that younger children and older children enjoy to play.

Helping out:

On Thursdays in the holidays My mum and dad take the children to a playgroup and when we’re there I play with some of the little children and let them invent games that I will join in with. I also supervise children going in and out of the toilet and help my mum dish out the children’s breakfasts and clear away their pots afterwards.

I also enjoy helping out at home at lunch times by dishing out meals and feeding the babies. I also dish out the children’s desserts.

Sometimes in the mornings when the children are only just arriving, I ask them what they would like for their meals that day and note it down ready for my mum and dad.

Conclusion

My house is always busy and noisy but I wouldn’t want it any other way, I love knowing my mum and dad are always at home when I need them, through primary school they were always able to take me and pick me up and attend my shows and assemblies and most of the time we have lots of fun!

How will becoming a childminder affect my own children?

Childminding

Recommended Childminding Resources

Samantha keddy

One of the first things pre registered childminders ask is what things they will need, there is no quick answer to this as there are many things you may find useful over the years, so here we will go through some of the childminding resources I have and would recommend;

Safety equipment

The only thing OFSTED advised me personally that I needed to have was a safety blanket, and this has to be attached to your wall in your kitchen, so this would definitely be a priority.

OFSTED also expect all childminders to have a fully equipped first aid kit.

Plug safety caps are no longer recommended there is new evidence that these can be more dangerous than an open socket, so don’t waste your time with these.

I use baby gates, I don’t have doors downstairs and use gates instead to keep the children out of the kitchen and my dogs where I want them, you don’t have to use baby gates this is definitely personal choice, though I would recommend door stoppers for your doors if you have them to prevent trapped fingers.

If children will be spending any time in your kitchen then you should invest in some cupboard catches, you can pick these up on amazon fairly cheap and they are easy to fit, it’s always better to be safe than sorry!

Travel equipment

If you don’t drive, please don’t worry, I know plenty of childminders that get on great without driving, but I do drive so here I’m going to cover some of the stuff I have for travel.

Car seats, buy these as and when you need them but you will more than likely end up needing a variety, hand held ones for younger babies, fixed rear facing ones and high back booster seats, the regulations on car seats has changed many times over the years so make sure you stay upto date with current requirements using the government website https://www.gov.uk/child-car-seats-the-rules, it’s also useful to weigh and measure the children often to ensure they’re still in the correct seats.

Pushchairs, I have 2 singles, a double, and a triple, again this is a very personal choice, I experimented and found I preferred a tandem double to a side by side. But then my triple is side by side and is a breeze to push………this is a baby jogger which I highly recommend! You also want to make sure you have rain covers and cosy toes for any pram you chose as you’ll be out and about in all weather.

Again you’ll want a first aid kit, these can be mini travel ones, I have one in my car and another under my pushchair.

Mealtime/drink equipment

Water bottles, children need to have access to drinking water at all times, so I find that sports cap type water bottles are the best for a busy environment………this way you don’t have to worry about cups being knocked over, you can ask parents to send these but I prefer everyone to have the same so no-one gets upset and you don’t risk parents sending juice.

I use one of these label makers to personalise our water bottles, you can use different colours and add little images along with the child’s name to make it easy for them to spot which is theirs, I also use it to make matching stickers for the children’s coat pegs and draws too.

You can get yours here https://keddykiddycare.com/labelmaker

Plastic cups, although you may have bottles children need to learn how to drink from a proper cup so we use plastic cups at meals and snack times.

Plates, knifes, forks, spoons etc. What I do, but you’ll find your own way is colour co-ordinate everything so each child has an apron, bought in bulk from amazon – https://keddykiddycare.com/kiddyaprons , plastic plate and cutlery (IKEA) in their colour, I find this helps them feel part of our home, and it’s very useful to me when dishing up meals.

Booster chairs/high chairs. I’m not a massive fan of highchairs but it’s useful to have one especially if you end up with a under one year old. Once they hit one I like them to join in at the table, so I’ve always been a fan of booster chairs for the table, they are easy to fit into your home without taking over and they add hight and security where needed. You can find the ones i like here https://keddykiddycare.com/boosterhighchair

Toys

I’ll try not to go on forever here as obviously there’s sooooooo many to choose from, I’ll start with my most recommended and work my way down, well I like them all but tried to rank them a little,

Books,

Fancy dress,

Play kitchen with foods, pots and pans,

Construction area,

Building blocks,

Small world play (peppa pigs, weebles, little people, barbies, dinosaurs, etc)

Ride ons,

Climbing equipment (inc swings and slide if possible)

Sand and water play,

Craft equipment (paints, pens, pencils, chalk,gliiter, glue, etc)

Puzzles,

Educational supplies (alphabet cards, number games, dominos etc)

Dolls and prams,

Transport play,

Hamma beads,

Loom bands,

Cuddlies and puppets,

Lego,

Tabet’s,

Camera’s,

Car tyres and wooden planks,

Musical instruments,

Magnifying glasses,

Play dough (including: cutters, knifes and rollers etc)

Other

Random items you may also need would be a printer, many parents need letters printing for proof of payment, I also print termly reports, and children like to have colouring pages printed off regularly, i use a HP Envy which has an instant ink option so you never run out of ink, this has been a game changer for me! Take a look here https://keddykiddycare.com/printer

Smartphone/camera……..I’m mainly internet based so these are a priority

Travel cots and baby monitor if you don’t have space available for children to sleep in sight

Outdoor clothing for children, I provide wellies and coats (normally gifted from local parents) and have a collection of waterproof trousers……..these are all for if the garden is muddy. children still attend in their own coats and shoes!

Wet wipes, changing mat, nappy sacks,

Spare everything…………….pants, trousers, tights, skirts, dresses, tops, sun hats, sun cream, gloves, woolly hats, scarves

Patience

and finally lots and lots of wine!!!!! For after working hours obviously.

Finally

Remember to keep receipts for EVERYTHING you purchase over £10, they can all be put through your accounts as expenses to reduce your tax bill.

I hope I’ve covered everything but I’m sure there will be something I have forgotten so please comment below if there is anything you would like to add or ask

Samantha x

Childminding

A little about childminding

Samantha keddy

So, here I’m hoping to give you an insight into my life as a UK childminder, so anyone considering a career in home based childcare please read on and I really hope you find this useful.

Be a full time mum and your own boss

My main reason to become a childminder was to enable me to stay with my own children, whilst earning money, so if you are a mum (or dad) desperately looking for a way to earn money whilst being around for your children then this might be the perfect job for you………… It also helps to quite like children!

I take my own children to and from school each day,

I manage to make most school assemblies and shows,

I never work a late night or a weekend,

My children have never been short of someone to play with,

I have freedom to spend the days as I choose (within reason, I can’t exactly have a glass of wine with lunch!)

Childminding ratios…… Who am I allowed to care for?

Once your fully registered there are 2 OFSTED registers: the Early Years Register and the Childcare Register as long as you join both of these you can provide care for;

A total of six children under 8 years,

Of which only three children under 5 years,

Only one of which can be under 1 years.

You can also provide care for children over 8 years old providing it doesn’t affect the care you are giving the younger children, your insurance will determine the maximum amount you can have and for a single childminder it’s normally around 12.

Childminding fees

Your fees need to be in line with others in your area, so do your research, don’t undercut people but don’t price yourself out of the market, parents will choose you as their provider when they like what they see, there’s more important aspects than just your price.

I found that just taking on one child full time provided me with the same income as my part-time call centre job, the child I had was the same age as my eldest daughter and they got on great, we had so much fun visiting parks, farms and much more just me, my 2 daughters and this one additional child.

If you were to fill all of your spaces, for example 3 children full time, and 3 older children before and after school each day you’d easily be making a decent income, where I am based here in Yorkshire that would equate to £750 a week (costs in 2022), but like I mentioned before fees vary a lot over the country and I’m led to believe here in Yorkshire is one of the lowest rates there are.

A typical day in the life of a childminder

I chose my working hours to be 7am – 6pm but this is your choice I know lots of childminders that don’t start till gone 8am, and some that close at 5pm, there’s even a few that just offer similar to school hours 9-3.

So I’m always up around an hour before, enjoy a coffee in peace, write out my register for the day, have a quick tidy round and gather my thoughts for the day ahead.

I wake my children around 6.45 so they’re dressed and downstairs for 7am

Children start arriving from 7am and I serve breakfast until 7.30.

Then they relax with TV in the living room or toys in the playroom

At 8 we get ready for school and set off on our school run at 8.15

I get home around 9am, I’m a big believer in freeplay and outdoor play so we tend to head out to the garden till 11, fruit is available when the children are hungry, we have

Water play,

Sand,

Playdough,

Musical instruments,

Books,

A climbing frame, with swings, slide, trapeze bar & ladder,

Mud kitchen,

Ride ons,

Trampoline,

Tyres and planks

Constuction area,

Chalk board and chalk,

Barbie house and toys

All available in the garden, the playroom is still open with too many toys to list, plus we have a craft room where we do painting, drawing, puzzles and games etc.

I normally manage a coffee in this time………. We watch the children playing, extending their play and supporting their language but without interfering.

At 11am I bring the children indoors, we have a tidy, I check nappies and change them if needed then I read a story before lunch, the benefit of working alongside my hubby is that he now makes lunch, but as a sole childminder I never found it a problem.

After Lunch everyone tries the toilet then we sing songs before I open the garden back up around 1pm.

Younger children tend to nap at this time.

The children then go back to their own play, using their imaginations and learning the whole time, we are always aware of our children’s capabilities and provide opportunities for them to progress further continuously.

A few of our under 5 year children leave around 3pm

We set off to school just before 3pm and walk there and back, I tend to work to my maximum numbers so normally collect around 6 children including a couple of over 8s.

When we get home they have some snack around 4.15pm then play till home time, the latest children leave at 6pm but we’re normally fairly quite by 5pm.

During the day we keep a register as children come and go, we record daily info for parents ie sleep, nappy changes, bottles etc. We observe and note any new learning or developments we see from the children. We take photos to share with parents. We keep the children safe and offer plenty of opportunities for learning following the same framework as nurseries.

This is an average day, we also enjoy going to our local playgroup every Thursday, we visit parks, farms, soft play, we walk our puppy, we go to feed the ducks, we even nip to tesco sometimes!

How to become a childminder in the UK…….

If you think this maybe the career for you, the first thing to do is get in touch with you local authority and they will support you through the registration process, which goes like this:

Complete an introduction course (around 20hrs)
Complete a 2-day paediatric first aid certificate
Be Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checked.
Have a health check completed by your doctor.
Have appropriate insurance cover, including Public Liability Insurance.
Apply to OFSTED who will come out and do a pre reg check, like an interview for you and a safety check of your home.
Ensure you are in the eyfs and compulsory childcare registers.

There’s lots of information out there on the legal requirements etc but what I wanted to do today was share a more personal insight as I can’t see much of that around (I guess most childminders are just too busy!) I hope you’ve found it useful and feel free to leave any questions and comments and I will get back to you.

There’s lots more I want to talk about….. How I track learning and development, advertising, communicating with parents, OFSTED and inspections, required paperwork and probably much more please let me know anything you’d like to know more on,

Samantha x