Summer only childcare options – any ideas?

[TMarieClara]

My kids will be 2 and 4 this summer. They're currently in a gorgeous (but expensive) nursery full time, which is just down the road from where we live in Surrey. We've been struggling a bit financially, and we're hoping to move to Devon this summer, initially in with family then we'll find our own place. We'll probably move in early July, as that's when our tenancy is up, and we can't extend. But we won't have any childcare lined up and I'm not sure what to do!

My eldest will start school in September, and my youngest has a nursery place at a fab nursery from then too. But what do we do for July and August? We can get a bit of help from grandparents, but I'll be working full time in a new job (at home, thankfully); my husband has offered to quit or take unpaid leave as he's contracting, but it seems crazy to risk losing a job at the moment, and he's the main breadwinner. We'd have few outgoings, so could maybe get an au pair, but I'm not sure that's an option if you can't house them/it's just the summer?

Creative ideas very welcome! TIA

Look for a temporary childminder on childcare co.uk you may find some have spaces waiting for September starters. You may even find you like them better than a nursery.

Can the nursery take the 2 year old any sooner?

For the 4 year old there are plenty of camps that you can enroll them in for example laser is one that my stepson loved in the early primary years
www.lasercamp.co.uk/book?clean=true

Mine go to a holiday club attached to a term time only preschool that takes 2-11 year olds.
Try giving the council early years dept a call

To find out what’s available

Can you find a childminder in your new area which will do the school holidays then both kids can go there until Sept then they can drop off/pick up your older child (if required) whilst they have your younger one during the day? Or start the younger one earlier at the nursery then see if they have space for the older one on a full time basis until he starts school then wrap around care from that point if required? Given you're moving a distance I'd prefer to start them asap in their new "usual" setting rather than have an ad hoc thing for a few weeks as that will unsettle them even more.

Childminder or nanny/babysitter.
Some holiday clubs might take 2-4 year olds though most start from school age.
You won't be able to get an au pair if you can't provide accommodation and a visa, and they only work up to about 25 hours a week anyway.

I was able to find a childminder to cover the summer. They don't have their normal wraparound care kids, so several had spaces during the school holidays.