CM Groups

[Helen Dempster]

Hello everyone

Do many of you attend regular childminding groups - one day or more each week, or do you prefer to do your own thing, when you want, without feeling tied to anything?

I hope this question makes sense (it did when it was in my head!)

Helen x

[It's a small world]

I attend one every Thursday (childminding playgroup) Its great the first half the children play and then in small groups go into another room to do an activity-last week we did cres seeds and this week we are going to make egg and cress sandwiches) then they have a snack whilst the main room gets tidied up. Then the second half we sing songs and do dancing. I lve it and its a chance to meet up with other childminders.

Go to a couple of other playgroups but they are not just childminders- most are but a few mums with thier tots go too.

[Daddy Day Care]

I got to at least 1 play group everyday, I occasionaly go to the childminding ones, will go to these more often when i actualy have a Mindee. The regular groups I go to tend to have more childminders than parents anyway.

gareth
xx

[Mouse]

I go to a cm group once a week. The cm's are all friends of mine now, so it's nice to meet up.

I used to go to a toddler group as well, but stopped going as it was too far to go to once I started nursery runs. Lots of cm's went there as well.

I am thinking of going to a different toddler group, but will probably be the only cm there. What's putting me off is, what happens if I want to nip to the toilet? At the cm group, or when there were lots of cm's at the other group, we would keep an eye on each others children while we nipped to the loo. What do I do if there are no other cm's there?

[HomefromHome]

i go to an informal minders group mondays, tots group tues and a minding group on thursdays. wednesdays tend to get together wi a friend (also a minder - that's how we met!) and we do something jointly, fridays library day. all these are am, as then its lunch n sleep then whichever mindees are left by the afternoon wi do a planned activity or free play before the school run.:)

[PRINCESSDAISYFLOWER]

mon i go to toddler group
tues- softplay/sensory room
wed - cm group
thu - cm group
fri - toddler group

Its all in the morning and myself and the mindees love it, Good time for them to burn up their energy x

[miffy]

Our CM group meets once a month

Miffy xx

[fionamal]

I attend ours every Wednesday Morning. Its great to meet with other childminders and chat over a coffee whilst the kids have free play and also lets the kids all interact with others.

We do loads of messy crafts as well so saves doing them in the house

[Ripeberry]

I've been visiting a group a few months back when I did not have any mindees just to meet everyone and muck in. Then I ended up having to help out at the local pre-school regularly so could not attend.
When I started minding properly over the holidays I was dissapointed that my mindee was not coming to me on the day the CM group met, but by luck the same group of CMs started another group on a day I could attend.
There are only 8-9 of us and I've been made to feel welcome and even if you are on the 'rota' they do understand if your mindee(s) are a bit clingy or need you and they will just get on with the jobs that need doing.
I find it's worth going just to get out of the house and meet some adults!

[Chatterbox Childcare]

I go to

Monday - Pram Club/Toddler Group
Tuesday - Pram Club/Toddler Group
Thursday - Soft Play (different one each week for the month)
2nd Friday of each month Childminding Group

[Angela234]

Our cm group has stopped since July as only 2 of us used to go

I went toddler group last week cost £8.25 for 3 kids :eek:
How much do you all pay?

[mrs c]

Our cm toddler group was held in our local church hall but due to them upping the rent and the number of cmders decreasing we would have had to pay £4 to £5 each so now meet in each others houses. This works really well as each of us can offer something different. There is another church toddler group and they charge £1 for one child and £1.50 for 2 or more. The cm drop in is held in a room in the nursery and charge 50p per cmnder - tend not to go though as the room is quite small and restrictive.

[youarewhatyoueat]

I go to a toddler group every morning and a cm once a month, i'm going to try to find a new cm group I here there is one in bishops cleeve, anyone go? I must admit one of the reasons I go is it makes the day shorter and we come back its lunch and sleep time, i'm not very good with my own company I need to see others, is that a bit selfish, I do wonder if we should stay home more so I could do more obs etc. as they are getting a bit thin on the ground.

[mama2three]

caroline - you can ob while youre out - how they are interacting , communicating , lots of things. either remember or have post its with you , or take photos. Its not being selfish at all - your mindees will get loads out of these experiences too!

[The Juggler]

I go to one on wed. not every week but most. on monday and tuesdays I alternate between going to cm group on monday at children's centre or library songtime on tuesdays. Then I spend either monday or tuesday at home/garden/park as otherwise, I feel children aren't able to take advantage of all the hard work that has gone into my planning if we are never home.

Fridays have different children so alternate being at home/library songtime/park or an outing in car.

[Carol]

I go to a local Children Centre Childminding group on a monday and its great we get all our photocopying done there free, extra help with our paperwork and its only 50p per childminder, kids love it too.
Tuesday morning I run a toddler group, Wednesday at home, Thursday toddlers £2 and Friday mornings toddler group too £1.50. Its great to get out of the house and for the children to mix with others and me to have an adult chat too. I too can do observations there as well.

Carol xxx

[ChocolateChip]

Our cm group has stopped since July as only 2 of us used to go

I went toddler group last week cost £8.25 for 3 kids :eek:
How much do you all pay?

That's extortionate!
Depending where I go I pay 1.50 (but will offer £2 if I have 3 of them), 1.40/2 or 1.60/3, the dearest one is 1.50 plus another £1 for each extra child.
They are mostly church hall groups, so tend to be on the cheaper side, but even soft play would only cost me 5.50 for 3 of them in the term time.

To answer the original post I usually go to a general toddler group on Mon, Thu and Fri but my cm friends go there aswell, and sometimes we meet up to go for walks, parks etc but I don't attend a regular cm group as such.
Also do stay and play cafe once a week, library once a month and whatever else comes along that's appropriate, like baby signing,etc.

[Mickey Mouse Clubhouse]

I go to a cm group on a Wednesday at the local Childrens Centre and it doesn't cost us anything. I help run a toddler group on a Monday and Friday and that is £1.50 per session and then another toddler group costs between £2.00 and £2.50 depending on how many children I have.

I am normally out every morning it would drive me mad staying in I just enjoy the adult company.
xx

[Andrea08]

We as in three of us go to a children's centre a couple times a week we have use of the crech room and its resources.

i like it just the three of us,,, call me clickie but some of the childminders are too IN YOUR FACE and talk about others too much rather than enjoy activities with the mindees,,,

also its Free and the other days we go to each others settings ;) the weeks have flown by and ive enjoyed it

[nic76]

mines every tuesday but havent been yet as dont have mindees on tues. might pop in next week just to meet other cm

[Twinkles]

Most mornings we are out in the fresh air having a walk with two/three other minders and their lo's.

I went to a new cm group at a new childrens centre today. So far so good, but I've read about other peoples experiences on here and will hold back my judgement for a while.

[singlewiththree]

Our cm group has stopped since July as only 2 of us used to go

I went toddler group last week cost £8.25 for 3 kids :eek:
How much do you all pay?

wow thats a lot. We only pay once for however many children you have so I pay between £1.50-£2.50 depending on the group.

[helenlc]

Monday - nothing so usually park/walk/library
Tuesday - TG (£1.50)
Wednesday - soft play (£2.10)
Thursday - TG I run (Free)
Friday - cm drop in at childrens centre (50p contribution)

Each one is in the morning, then its home for lunch and bed for one at the moment (not me though!:laughing: )

At the cm drop in, we take it in turns to provide the craft and snack each week. We do a theme a term - this term is colours. Our local Early Years co-ordinator says we are the best organised group in the Borough and she wishes they all ran the same as us! The 50p contribution reimburses the cost of the snack provided. It works for us.

Caroline - I am the same as you - I prefer to be out and about. I love that the groups are in the morning, then its lunch, then quite/sleep time, then school run and home for most!!!:laughing: I have done obs and taken photos at the groups - I have seen other CMs do this too. Obs dont only have to be done in your home just because you are a home based setting. Dont feel guilty!!