Toddlers meet animals from Basil & Crew Mobile Farm

Maidenhead and Windsor Childminding Group (MWCG) gave children in their care the opportunity to meet farm animals on Monday last week.

The committee has 12 childminders who meet for a toddler group at Holyport memorial Hall every Monday and Wednesday, and also for monthly meetings.

Each week’s activities have a theme based on a book – on this occasion it was ‘On the Farm’ by Axel Scheffler.

As well as meeting the animals from Basil & Crew Mobile Farm children enjoyed socialising, making sheep pictures using cotton wall and playing in a tray filled with sand, oats, tractors and farm animals.

Committee chair Heather Shillito said feedback from parents about the experience was extremely positive.

“It went really well, everybody said it was such a great day” she said.

“It went really well, everybody said it was such a great day” she said.

In England Childminders must be registered with Ofsted. In total there are 150 childminders in Maidenhead and Windsor.

Last Thursday (July 4) RBWM ran a course with MWCG for 64 childminders about Ofsted’s new childminding framework which will come into effect in September.

Heather explained that sometimes the role of a childminder can be misunderstood.

“We do provide a home from home approach but this includes education opportunities, we monitor the progress and developments of children in our care.”

To join as a childminder email heathershillito@hotmail.co.uk or to find childcare within the group go to maidenheadandwindsorchildmindinggroup.org.uk/