Your Munchkin’s Day

By Tom Dobinson on March 30, 2013 in with No Comments

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Easing the transition into Little Munchkin Patch and ensuring your child’s needs are always met are paramount for us. We therefore ask parents, before your child starts, about your child’s general routine at home, what settles them, what makes them happy, which songs & books they like, what their favourite foods are, where they are at in their weaning and/or toileting journey, the place you like to go with them and what their favourite play and toys are, etc. This allows us to plan for and meet their needs right from the very first day they attend. Established routines at Little Munchkin Patch are in place with your agreement and will be discussed regularly as your child grows. We also let the children take part in establishing daily routines as we understand how included and valued children will feel in day to day activities. It allows them to have choices, grow independence and build self-esteem.

Here is an average of our daily routine:

08.00 – 09.00
Children arrive, have breakfast and free play and school run to Winsley Primary School

09.00 – 09.30
Circle time with saying hello to one another, talking about the day ahead, looking at the weather, singing, musical toys, books & rhymes, Boogy Woogy (LMP’s dance time), yoga & general connecting chats about how we are feeling (developing children’s emotional literacy)

09.30 – 12.00
We usually head outside for either playground or park play, garden play, messy play, weekly sessions in the forest, walks across the fields, exploring National Trust locations, Hartley Farm, Southwick Country Park, neighbourhood walks, special outings to the aquarium in Bristol, or a museum in Bath, etc. We try and go outside every day even when it’s wet and cold. ‘There’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing’ we live by that! A healthy snack will be provided during this time.

12.00 – 13.00
Healthy lunch for all of us followed by a short story time before naps

13.00 – 14.30
Baby/toddler nap time and quiet time for pre-schoolers and rising fives like reading books, doing puzzles, mark making, helping to prepare dinner, a wee bit of TV so we can set up for the afternoon.

15.00 – 16.30
School pick up followed by healthy afternoon snack and child-led play indoors or outdoors like dress up, role play, building & constructing etc.

16.30 – 17.00
Free play for all children, (homework for school children) whilst one of us sets up tea time, pre-schoolers & rising fives help with this

17.00 – 17.30
Healthy tea for all of us, children help clear and tidy away toys

17.30 – 18.00
Home time for all children, collection by parents & carers

Our daily routine will take into consideration all the children’s individual needs, care for a young baby who needs to be bottle fed every three to four hours for example would alter the routine slightly. Their routine may need a little tweak, with your agreement, so that neither the baby goes hungry nor that we turn up late to collect children from school for example.

We will also adjust and change routines as and when the children grow and develop in our care. For example, a child’s sleep patterns will change as they grow from being a baby into a toddler and the need for frequent toilet routines will be necessary when a child is beginning to start toileting. Any changes to the usual routines will be chatted through and agreed with you so we can adapt our times to fit in with you and the children we care for. Caring for several children of different ages will require a certain element of flexibility to be introduced which we will chat through with you also.

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