New mindee starting

[suzannad22]

Hi

I have my very first two mindees starting tomorrow ages 1 & 3 we have done the settling in sessions and the parents have filled in the All About Me booklets for me and i have just had a major panic over what I should be doing next!?? Do I just let them settle in for a few weeks and go with the flow whilst they get used to me and my setting or should I be planning/observing etc immediately? I don't have much support with regards to local childminders so I'm looking to you guys on here to give me some and point me in the right direction and possibly give me a step by step breakdown of what i should be doing. I know once ive done it once ill find it a doddle but im just panicking (and waffling! !:-)) been a first timer!!

Any info would be very gratefully appreciated.

Thank you

[Fitrix]

I would definitely just let them settle for a few weeks. Build up their trust and security with you. You will gradually learn what they like, what they enjoy playing with and how they respond/play etc. you can offer different activities like playdoh, painting, baking, outings and see what they do. Then once you know them better you can possibly start tailoring activities to what you know they like and start making notes about their developments etc. Then it all kind of falls into place and becomes self perpetuating. Hope this helps. Loads of great advice on these boards so keep coming on whenever you need support/advice/help! Good luck with your new arrivals!

[Georgiepoo]

Hiya. I am in exactly the same position. I have a 1 year old mindee and a 4 year old starting soon. I have had the 1 year old for a few weeks and she has settled in lovely and is always so happy while in my care which is wonderful. I have been reading through all the 'early years outcomes' and highlighting what I know she can do just from getting to know her. Now I have brain freeze on how to get these into observations and on paper??? If anyone has any forms as examples I would really appreciate it as I really don't know where to start! Many thanks

[blue bear]

I usually take lots of photographs in the early days and make a collage of their settling in time.
Lots of post it notes with what I have seen they can do which builds up a picture in my mind of where they are developmentally and what they are interested in. This slows to maybe one a week, four a month once I feel child has settled and I know where they are developmentally.
Planning -
So on day one one year old enjoys putting toys in boxes, I would then get out the shape sorter, little baskets and spoons, pine cones, people to put in and move around.
I'd put the enjoys boxes in diary and plans for shape sorter etc onto tomorrow's plan.