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Original poster

Mixing childcare and nursery

28 replies

AleaEim · 29/11/2025 06:35

Hi,

just wondering if anyone has experience in this. I originally wanted a childminder for my dd who is almost 1, however I couldn’t find one so put a deposit down for a nursery. The nursery is amazing, outstanding rating has a forest school and lots of extras like baby ballet, baby sign etc and although I’m not keen on nurseries, I like this one. Recently a childminder with a good rating got back to me as she has space. Now I’m confused as I liked the childminder and think it would be better for a baby this age but the nursery is so hard to get into given the waiting lists so I’m not sure I want to let that go either. I’m thinking of mixing both and using the nursery two days and childminder 3 days. Has anyone done this? DH thinks it will be more admin and more faff having two rather than one setting but I think it’s better to think of dd’s wellbeing rather than our own. Saying that, we are time poor, demanding careers, no family support at all so extra admin isn’t ideal. Has anyone mixed the two before? Is it a headache? Dd is very social so I’m hoping she’ll settle in ok to both, she’s never really had separation anxiety but I know she could change.

For context, we need full time 8-6 ish so you can see my worry about sending her to full time nursery.

Also the childminder takes 4 weeks holidays a year during school breaks which isn’t ideal but I’m hoping we will just manage. It is a slight worry for us though.

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Mulledjuice · 29/11/2025 06:45

Why not just send her to the nursery full time?

SchoolDilemma17 · 29/11/2025 06:42

I have done it twice but not with such a young child. I think she is too young for mixing, it’s confusing to have to settle in to two very different places and different routines. Two days a week for a 1 year old is not a lot and she will get confused which day she is doing what. It’s not even the extra faff of admin, it’s a lot for a child to be in FT care in two different places!

I’ve done childminder till age 2.5 and 3 for second child and then started mixing. My 4 year old currently does 2.5 days childminder and 3 days preschool and will move to preschool FT for summer term to help prep for school.

at this small age I would stick with childminder. It’s a lot for a 1 year old to be in nursery FT (noise, social interaction, care but also she will get sick more).

between 2 parents you should be able to manage 4 weeks holidays or did you plan to take leave when your child is in nursery?

Mumof1andacat · 29/11/2025 06:40

I would just stick with nursery. Sounds a good one. My ds was in nursery at 6 months and it was fine. We never had to worry about holiday's to cover (make the most of the nursery years in that you can holiday during term time and not the school holiday's) or the childminder going sick and us being stuck for child care

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