What are good activities to do on inspection day? I was thinking of doing playdough and maybe using the bubble machine in the garden.
Do we have to 'explain' to the inspector why we are doing these activities? :panic:

What would bubbles come under anyway? KUW, PD ?

Read this link, it might help.

Making bubbles and communication (http://www.childmindinghelp.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=33655&highlight=bubbles)

All inspectors are different, no set pattern to each inspection, unfortunately :rolleyes:

I would do an activity that you have done with the children previously so they are familiar with it and there will not be any unexpected outbursts due to something different.

If doing play dough, do you use scissors? This is a good way of introducing them as easy to cut through playdough, maybe try before inspection;)

Good luck

none of my main planned activity even happened. the kidlings took another view of the way their morning was going to go - so i went with the flow. think this actually worked in my favour in the end. If youre making playdough why not try adding either a texture or a scent to it to add a different dimension.
Id be surprised if the inspector asks why youre doing a particular activity - but I would say because x asked me to!

I'm just trying to get myself prepared for any 'catch you out' questions. I keep thinking they are going to ask me to list all the learning outcomes and when a child does an activity, will want me to verbaly list what it covers and how the child can progress.
I just wonder, how in depth the questions are and what if I go blank right in the middle, are they allowed to prompt? :panic:
Are they trying to catch us out all the time?

We started off with free play so I could talk to the inspector and give her the paperwork she wanted to look at.

After that we did some craft, some music & singing, snack time, play in the garden, play with playdough, story sack & back to free play.

Everything was very loosely planned. I made sure I had lots of stuff to hand so that we could just go with the flow.

The inspector saw from my planning that I'd included playing with dough as one of the children needed help with fine motor skills & strengthening his hands & fingers in general. I didn't have to explain why we were doing it as she could see it from my planning. This worked well as she commented on how she could follow through from my observation, next steps, planning etc. and see how I had put it into an activity.

I think inspectors also like to see how you do spur of the moment things, so be prepared to go off on a tangent & show how you can be spontaneous.

We did painting!:laughing: I had a lo who liked to wear it and I did take a photo of him covered over his face in paint. I then texted it to mum! My painting was planned for the day before as she could see from my planning but I told her the truth in that I'd had a cracking headache yesterday and we had a quieter day instead.

Guess what I'm trying to say is that don't over plan, go for things that you do regulary and keep the day as you would normally so kids act in ways you have dealt with before.

You'll be fine, it's never as bad as you think afterwards.

My inspector DID ask why I was doing an activity and I was able to point out the next steps I had planned for previously for the child and was following through.

Keep it simple, follow the children's lead and make sure you have some individual planning in place. :D

so with a baby 7mths you would just do free play? or should i get some other activities together, like musical activities etc?

thanks

treasure box is a good one for young babies and older children.
I remember having the aqua mat out- nice creative activity no mess!

The best thing I did was to get a big cardboard box. We made a car out of it while the inspector was here. We used chunky crayons to colour the wheels then the children spent ages sitting in it. I didn't really need to leave the room then. Good luck xxx