Thursday, 30 December 2010

January 2011 Edition out saturday!

The Weather - Issue 7


Packed full of planning resources, information and all things Childminding & EYFS related.
Purchase here for only £2.50


2011

Hi Everyone & Happy New Year!!

We thoroughly enjoyed putting the magazine together last year and are looking forward to some exciting opportunities to make it bigger and better than before in 2011!

What would you like to see in the magazine this year? Or what would you like to see done differently? Let us know....

Monday, 27 December 2010

New Years Activities

I don't know about you but I am back to work on Wednesday. How 4 days off flies!

With Christmas only just behind us, it is now time to think about New Years. There are some fantastic activities and printables in The Arctic edition of The Essential ChildMinder magazine, which you can check out here.

Follow this blog to keep updated with weekly themed and festive activities, information, news and all things childminding.

Wednesday, 22 December 2010

Our Christmas Song Today

Little Donkey

Little Donkey, little donkey,
On the dusty road,
Got to keep on plodding onwards,
With your precious load.
Been a long time, little donkey,
Through the winters night,
Don't give up now, little donkey,
Bethlehem's in sight.

Ring out those bells tonight,
Bethlehem, Bethlehem,
Follow that star to night,
Bethlehem, Bethlehem.

Little donkey, little donkey,
Had a heavy day,
Little donkey, carry Mary safely,
On her way.

Tuesday, 21 December 2010

Christmas Decorations

These are a very simple craft for little ones. Provide them with templates of a christmas tree or angel along with craft decorations such as stickers, tinsel, glitter etc...

Punch a hole in the top and fix a glittery pipe cleaner to the top.

Another way of making tree decorations is by creating festive shapes using salt dough.
salt dough is very simple to make;

2 cups of plain flour
1 cup of salt
1 cup of water.

once you have made the dough and shaped it into your creation, not forgetting a hole to hang it with, bake it in the oven on Gas mark 1/2 or 250F (120C).

Add paint, glitter & glue for some christmas sparkle and hang from the tree.

Monday, 20 December 2010

Christmas Pompoms

The school children today are making their own christmas pom poms - these can be added to scarves, hung from the tree, used as decorations on presents and many other festive things.
Pom poms can be made in different sizes depending on what you want them for.
To make a pom pom cut a circle shape in two pieces of card. Cut another circle inside both pieces leaving you with two cardboard rings.

Place them together, then start wrapping coloured wool lengths around and around the pom pom until the middle hole has been filled.

Cut the wool around the outside rim and gently pull the two cardboard rings slightly apart.

Tie a length of wool in the middle of the cardboard rings to fix the middle of the pom pom together.

Cut the cardboard out of the pom pom and there you have it! You can use as many colours as you wish and you can make different sized pom poms by using different sized cardboard rings.

Wednesday, 15 December 2010

Our Christmas song today;

Picking up presents, picking up presents
How many present have you got?
One great big one,
One middle sized one
One tiny little one
And that's your lot!

Picking up crackers, picking up crackers
How many crackers have you got?
One great big one
One middle sized one
One tiny little one
And that's your lot!

Picking up tinsel, picking up tinsel
How much tinsel have you got?
One great big one
One middle sized one
One tiny little one
And that's your lot!


Sunday, 12 December 2010

Christmas Treats

Check out our Activity Sheet to make these delicious Christmas Treats - Perfect as a present for teachers, nursery key workers or parents presents for your mindee's




Wednesday, 8 December 2010

Twinkle Twinkle Christmas Star

Our Christmas song today;

Twinkle Twinkle, Christmas star,
How I wonder what you are,
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky,
Twinkle Twinkle, Christmas star,
How I wonder what you are.


Tuesday, 7 December 2010

Single parents are being told to leave their children at home alone to accept jobs, by the job centre plus. Read the full article here.

Thursday, 2 December 2010

The Arctic

The Arctic edition out now! Packed full of snow and ice activities, printables and many other features. Click here to get your copy emailed to you today for only £2.50!