Childminding Blog by Leonie Brolly
When I think about childminding in summer, I always remember the mixture of excitement and anticipation I felt coming into the summer months. How different the days would be once the school holidays arrived. Excitement for the pace to slow down, the children being able to get outside more often and the option to do things that there was never enough time for during school term. My anticipation was always for how I would fill in the longer days and the lack of routine.
The usual day to day structure disappeared for a couple of months, and the days became a little more relaxed. There were no school runs to rush to and no homework to fit in after school. Instead, the focus was on keeping children happy, busy, and making the most of the brighter days.
Most mornings started with the children arriving full of energy ready to start their day. After a bit of free play, we would usually head outside. Simply playing in the garden and being outdoors was a big part of summer childminding.
The nice weather gave us lots of opportunities for different activities. Water play was always popular. It didn’t need to be anything fancy, a paddling pool, some buckets, and a few toys were enough to keep everyone entertained. There was usually plenty of laughter and a few wet sleeves along the way!
I was lucky enough to live near the beach. We would spend entire days making sandcastles, splashing in the water and collecting shells and stones. By mid-July I would have the pack up of towels, snacks, drinks and suncream down to a fine art and we would be out the door within 20 minutes of everyone arriving!
We also spent time doing arts and crafts, collecting things from nature on our walks, and having little picnics when the weather allowed. Sometimes I would plan activities for the day, but more often than not the children came up with their own ideas, and those were usually the activities they enjoyed the most.
One thing I always noticed during the summer was how much children enjoyed the simple things. Looking for insects in the garden, watching birds, or spotting interesting flowers on a walk could keep them occupied far longer than expected.
Of course, summer also meant remembering the practical things. Sun cream, hats, water bottles, and finding a shady spot were all part of the daily routine. Applying sun cream to a group of excited children was often an activity in itself. By the time everyone was covered, one child had usually rubbed theirs off, another had misplaced their hat, and someone was already asking for a snack!
Looking back, summer was always one of my favourite times of the year as a childminder. The days didn’t always go to plan, but they were filled with fun, laughter, and lots of memories. For me, that is what summer childminding was all about.