What does your childminder do with 1 & 2yr olds all day?

[TheRookieMum]

Just that really as we will need to send DS to a childminder from about the age of 1. Wondering what a good childminder might do all day, every day with him.

I’m not a childminder but when I’m out with my young kids I see a lot of childminders at soft play, toddler clubs etc

Ours did reasonably similar to what we did - parks most days, toddler groups, sometimes visiting childminder friends and their children, naps, feeding, when older recognition of words. Big garden is lovely - was something we looked for. He had a sandpit and paddling pool there in the summer with his mindee friends. Some do farms/softplay, ours wasn't a driver so was mostly things in the local area. Oh and went with to pickups of other children from school.

Also some baking/crafts etc. again similar to if he was at home all a bit ad hoc depending on the day/week but the regulars were the toddler groups

I did notice the local ones whilst LO was before age of needing who were at the park and at the toddler groups and picked one of those as I could see how they were with the children :) if that helps!

My twins have been with a childminder since 20 weeks old

But she runs the setting like a mini nursery as she has other people work with her and a range of ages Up to 4

Lots of singing, dancing, stories, trips to the library, walks to the local woods, sensory play she has a massive outdoor garden which is full of slides and forts better than most adventure playgrounds

It's a montissori type setting and rated outstanding and honestly it shows compared to where my eldest went where I think she was sat in the lounge Infront or the tv most of the day 😳

Ours does lots of creative and messy play. There’s often a theme for the week, eg The Gruffalo, with activities built round it. There’s indoor and outdoor time - might be walking to and from activities at the moment but when it’s dry, they go to the park and play in the garden. She often teams up with another childminder for activities and a change of scene, and for outings. They do an afternoon school run some days. They go to playgroups and sometimes into town/to a cafe if she has the odd errand to run.

We really like the balance - there’s structured activity but also a home from home environment.

Ours is also ran like a mini nursery. She has 2 other people working with her, with 2 dedicated rooms. One is a play room and one is a soft play room , which they also use for nap time. My son goes in 3 days a week. They have Jo jingles and a piano teacher come in once a week (we pay extra for both of these).

They always have different activities set up , lots of tuff trays , arts and crafts etc. There is a wonderful outdoor space with lots of toys wendy house , sand pit , cars etc. They also go out to the park etc quite a bit.

Our childminder is brilliant. Lots of garden play (she has a great garden with a mud kitchen and toys) and they go out almost every day - local farm, big parks/national trust, playgroups, library, play meets with other childminders. She plans each week a bit like school so they’ll do different activities or crafts with what’s going on in the world, St Patrick’s Day and Red Nose Day last week for example. They do song and rhyme times. She sets up different play tables and really gets to know the children and their interests.

I've never forgotten the loveliest childminder who came to the one oclock club that I went to .
One of her charges was a pale wee thing that felt the cold and she'd get a little hot water (warm only obviously) bottle filled up before she left for the walk home .
And when another child took his first steps she said she wasn;t going to tell the parents as she wanted them to have the pleasure of experiencing his "first" steps .

Thanks all, it's good to hear they don't all just sit kids in front of the TV all day, but having no experience of 1 year olds or of childcare providers my mind was just a bit blank as to what to ask prospective childminders. So thanks, lots of food for thought & things to look for when selecting a good one.

All registered settings nursery of childminder work to the EYFS and provide the same learning experience. My TV isn't on until 5 for the last after school who's tired by them. Baby's do messy play...painting in bags for tiny ones but one year olds do painting, drip glue, play with cornflour gloop, posting, collecting and sorting, play tea sets as well as go to groups. I use groups as a chance to allow separation from me and to observe interests as they have lots of one to one for the other 6 to 8 hours ....but obviously with 1 year olds your staying near and ready to support.

@jannier thank you. We've not yet got to the stage with any particular childminder to be able to ask what they do so it's good to hear that most seem similar to yourself, so far at least. Gives me some pointers to ask though for when I do find someone with availability.

Ours does lots of messy play and crafts. She has a set up with a mini 'home corner' where our child pretends to cook.

Lots of reading and singing action songs. Toys and role play (eg 'tea parties').

Learning about animals, shapes, numbers, etc.

On sunny days she takes the children to the park. Since my child turned one, they've been going to a playgroup twice a week.

Sometimes they bake cakes.

Childminders are inspected by Ofsted, so being dumped in front of the TV tends not to happen these days.

I see a lot of childminders bring them to toddler group and Just go for the chat. They are just plonked in front of the toys and left to it. I wouldn’t want this for my child, it’s why I would avoid. at the end of the day, they don’t have a manager watching them, so who knows what they do all day

@Jenn500 stop scaremongering and speculating

Thanks @Jenn500. Unfortunately, I have no option. It's either a childminder or I don't return to work. And I need to work. Hence looking to know what a "good" childminder does. Your post though, is useful in a backwards kind of way 😀

Childminders are with their charges typically 9 to 11 hours a day 5 days a week. A 2 hour toddler group once or twice a week is a chance for each child to separate from their main carer and for the carer to observe how the child reacts with others and how they choose to play not to be guided in their play like the remaining 50 hours a week. Obviously like you they chat....and it will be the only break they have in that day to talk to another adult ....it's perfectly possible to chat and watch. Lots of research has gone into helicopter parenting

That happens in lots of nurseries too!

My CM takes all her day mindees aged under 1 to 4 out every day for a walk in a local park/green space unless it is really hot or really wet. Those who can't walk there will be put in the buggy and depending on their age/walking ability will be allowed to run around a little or a lot. Sometimes these walks are done with another childminder.

If it is too hot, like it was last summer, they will play in the garden instead with water.

And like PPs said they do a variety of singing, dancing, crafts, playing games, reading and baking. My DD actually painted her first picture as a 1 year old.

They can also be taken out on a separate trip the same day to a local shop to buy one item.

I've noticed that my CM can do slightly different things depending on the age/number of children she has. So my DD will get to watch about 20 minutes of TV in the afternoon but only when the "babies" aren't there/asleep.

Oh and if your CM works alone but goes to groups/goes out with other CMs then the smaller ones should always have someone who will pick them up.

My sister is a childminder and they usually go out in the mornings to toddler groups or a music class. Home for lunch and nap time. Then in the afternoons they'd go to the park or woods and do activities like painting or baking.

My son gets to go to parks, for walks, to the play farm, soft play, the garden centre... loads of places :)

At the child minder's house they do singing and crafts or imaginative play, or play outside with the sand and water toys if it's hot.

He loves it :)

He has a backup childminder too when his main one is ill or on holiday. She's based on a farm so he gets to help feed the animals 😬

Two things I can only dream of: toddling about all day round a farm & a backup childminder!

As CMs are the only option round here for under 3s, competition to find 1 is high, nevermind 2!

Mine does -

Breakfast
Walk to the school to take the older ones
Either a toddler group, park, feed the ducks, visit the little farm nearby, maybe a soft play
Lunch then nap
Activities like craft, baking, tuff tray sensory stuff, puzzles, playing with toys either indoor or in the garden, they have music/ singing time and story time.

They do other outings sometimes like to Chinatown for Chinese new year, to pets at home for a meet the animals session, to the post office to send cards home, the aquarium once.

Often she partners up with another childminder and their mindees. They’ve done stuff like a mini sports day in the park or a Christmas party, I know they’ve got an Easter egg hunt planned.

I’m really really happy with our childminder. I think there are good and bad ones like with anything - try to get personal recommendations if you can. Was very much my preference over nursery when DD was still little, but everyone has their own criteria for what will work best for their family/ child. Read the ofsted report and definitely visit a few to get a feel for them in person.

@TheRookieMum It doesn't always work out as sometimes Backup is on holiday or at full capacity when Main is ill so it is a bit of a gamble (and we have no other family to help nearby) but the setting is really cool. Benefits of living in the Sussex countryside 😅 I hope you find a good childminder soon :D

@TheRookieMum my advice to you would be to ask to see pictures of outings and speak to parents about the experiences their children have. Also, do they go to the same places all the time or do they get to have outings further afield?

@HaveSomeIntrospect, thanks, that's a good idea. I suppose the follow up question is how they travel as we are quite rural so most things are a drive away, or irregular public transport.