does anybody do their garden i.e dig or weed

[honey]

the garden whist they have got minded children. Was thiking about doing my garden and letting the kids play on the grass whilst i do it, but not sure if its the done thing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[The Juggler]

let them help make it an activity. I have a patch where they dig for wiggly worms, they know now not to dig up the flowers and I show them the weeds. Have a very small flower bed though. We also weed the veggie patch togehter. They water and I weed. I don't think I'd weed the whole garden whilst they played more get them involved as an activity.

Go for it

[huggableshelly]

mine do it with me ... its fun in the autumn we spend more time kicking the leaves than actually tidying and bagging but still!

[~Chelle~]

I do and the kids join in with me, they love having a dig around in the garden and helping plant things and they are 2 and 22 months old.

I know what you mean about wondering if you should because it might not be the done thing.

They also help me hang the washing out too, one gives me the clothes and the other the pegs and it is a game to them and they get lots of praise after and always look chuffed with themselves.

x

[Helen79]

I do if it's something that they can hep with. I've got a deep flower bed that we're trying to get rid of so they're all helping dig out the soil into bags or tubs & when we laid some turf they all helped too.

I wouldn't actually plan to go out & do gardening that they weren't involved in though.

[kelzunique]

I Do!! The kids love it! They are so enthusistic... so maybe a few of my fave flowers get putted up by mistake as weeds by the 2 year olds, and the 1 year old tries to eat them! Its all good fun and games! :rolleyes:

Seriously though - every experience is a learning experience. Great activity for your EYFS folders! :-)

[sweets]

Absolutely yes! parents place children with childminders for a home from home enviroment. i'm sure that if parents didn't go to work they wouldn't play with their children all day doing constant activities. I do gardening with them around, they quite often join in and help but if they are happily playing together i leave them to it. wouldn't do ALL day though but the odd hour or half hour of free play is good for them.:)

[Blackhorse]

I recently thought about the same question and other like it. I.e. would I be doing such and such with the minded children and I think I will do it this way:

Would I do it with my own DD? if yes then it is ok to do with mindees too.
After all we are a home from home.
At least that was my conclusion and when I told this to my CCO she was fine with it

so the answer to this one is yes. My dd is 17 months old and she loves to help in the garden. She has her own watering can as well...she also like to hoover and to help wash the floor.... I find they just want to be involved in anything and everything you do (if it is safe of course)...

[little chickee]

i totally agree with blackhorse - i think that if its something i would do with my own children then its ok to do it with mindees.

i am 100% a home from home setting - all my parents choose me because of this and my CCO is more than happy with that - so if its hanging out the washing, doing the garden, getting some hosework done with or without the mindees helping then its all fine - its all about balance - spending time exclusivly with the children and then getting on with chores whist they play happily.

i have 3 schoolage kids of my own and in the evenings i like to have quality time with them not having to do all my housework chores.

[honey]

THANKYOU guys, you have eased my mind immensly:laughing:. Looks like we are going to be spending some time in the garden from now on, I asked as i am sick of looking out of my window and seeing the state of my garden, Before i started childminding i was a stay at home mom and had a beautiful garden and house as i had time to do it LOL now i do the childminding everything goes to pot:panic: as i dont know whats o.k to do with children or not o.k.

Thanks again you are right we must carry on with our lives and get the children involved.

[angeldelight]

THANKYOU guys, you have eased my mind immensly:laughing:. Looks like we are going to be spending some time in the garden from now on, I asked as i am sick of looking out of my window and seeing the state of my garden, Before i started childminding i was a stay at home mom and had a beautiful garden and house as i had time to do it LOL now i do the childminding everything goes to pot:panic: as i dont know whats o.k to do with children or not o.k.

Thanks again you are right we must carry on with our lives and get the children involved.

Have fun

Angel xx

[Blaze]

I recently thought about the same question and other like it. I.e. would I be doing such and such with the minded children and I think I will do it this way:

Would I do it with my own DD? if yes then it is ok to do with mindees too.
After all we are a home from home.
At least that was my conclusion and when I told this to my CCO she was fine with it

so the answer to this one is yes. My dd is 17 months old and she loves to help in the garden. She has her own watering can as well...she also like to hoover and to help wash the floor.... I find they just want to be involved in anything and everything you do (if it is safe of course)...

This is not quite the case...for example as a Mum I will do my ironing (& mine sometimes will fold, hang, sort, put way etc)...wouldn't dream of doing that whilst working ...IYSWIM? Gardening examples though...go for it!:thumbsup: