Hi all, had the call yesterday, she's coming tomorrow or Friday. I will have my 18mo and a very nearly 5 yo with me at the time she comes. At the moment we have a 'people who help us' theme (I do very loose themes that I just thread through a fortnight - it helps me come up with activity ideas that cover all 7 ares!). I want her to see me interacting with the children, but am also aware they need to be doing an activity that frees me up a little to chat to her ans sell myself. I am thinking of laying out happy land and my trains track etc to build a little town setting, and talk to the lo about the people hwo may help us in this - crossing the orad, the school children, shop keepers etc..... and having the dress up out for role play, and my people misfits game I downloaded from Sparklebox. Plus have busy bage in the sidelines if they are needed. I have done similar with this LO before and it keeps her fairly well engaged. Do you think this is a good plan? Any other ideas? Experienced Ofsteders advice appreciated - this is my first!

Is there anyway you can have the nearly 5 year old helping you design and laying out the track as sometimes they want to see how the child is involved in the decision making - also this would show problem solving, communication. Make sure the activities you have are suitable for both age groups as you have quite a big gap between them. My little ones (nearly 2) just wreck our happy street track as soon as we have made it - so is there anyway you can make a smaller shape of track just for them, while the nearly 5 year old designs their town and train track?

Is there anyway you can have the nearly 5 year old helping you design and laying out the track as sometimes they want to see how the child is involved in the decision making - also this would show problem solving, communication. Make sure the activities you have are suitable for both age groups as you have quite a big gap between them. My little ones (nearly 2) just wreck our happy street track as soon as we have made it - so is there anyway you can make a smaller shape of track just for them, while the nearly 5 year old designs their town and train track?

OOh good plan - she's not so great at designing it herself, but maybe if I started laying it out and left it very obviously half done she could finish with some encouragement and joint working - and yes, she can have the wooden railway, and I'll have the happy land track out for LO. Thanks.