Visiting a friend's house during childminded hours?

[primrosecottage]

Just wanted your thoughts on this please..... We go to a toddler group and one of the mums that myself and the mindees are friendly with has a toddler who is 2 1/2 and has invited us over to play. She said she would set up a paddling pool and toys ect. but then it occurred to me SHOULD I be considering visiting their house with the mindees or not? is it something that with parents permission we are allowed to do?


Thoughts please wise ones x

[moggy]

Yes, of course! We are home-from-home, we can visit our friends, our sister's, granny's or anywhere we feel is safe and appropriate.
Going to visit someone is a great learning experience- new toys, sharing(!), learning the manners and etiquette of being guests, etc etc.
RA as you go, ask any questions beforehand if you need to- like where to park, access, stairs etc. You do not need specific permission from parents, I have a general 'permission' for outings to fulfill the EYFS and visiting a friend would fall into that. I would inform the parents at the end of the day just like any other outing.
Have a good time!

[mama2three]

when im considering what I should or shouldnt do with the mindees I try to ask myself who it benefits. So meeting up it this mum and her child benefits the mindees as Moggy has pointed out. But if the reason was for my own social pleasure then I would keep it for outside work hours.

[Maza]

I have done it a couple of times and we all had a great time. The only thing to bear in mind is that just because they have children of their own, doesn't mean that their house and garden will be as safe as you would have yours, and so you will have to be on guard at all times, which I'm sure you would anyway. I once took a mindee to a small birthday party that my DD had been invited to, and whilst the other mums all had a great catch up and let their toddlers play in the playroom just opposite the hallway, I was getting up every two minutes checking up on my mindee - I would have been happy to let my DD (same age as mindee) play without me checking up on her, but obviously when in charge of someone else's child you are always 'on duty' so to speak. The mindee loved it and his mum said he was talking about it all weekend.

If you let your mindee use the bathroom on his/her own at your home you will have to be mindful that someone else might routinely leave bleach/razors within reach etc. My SIL's house is very child friendly in terms of space and toys BUT she ALWAYS places hot drinks on the edge of tables, or low down within easy reach of children. It totally freaks DH and me out.

Go and have fun, but just risk assess as you go along.

[watford wizz]

Agree with all said before would just add make sure you know who else is in the house especially if little one are going to bathroom unaccompanied.

[primrosecottage]

thankyou so much for your replies. I am now confident that I am 'allowed' to do this within the EYFS and Ofsted.