Toddler Groups, Messy Play and Libraries?

[EmmaReed84]

I have my inspection tomorrow (first one) and I was talking to two of my CM friends who said they had the same inspector as I am going to have and this inspector is big on getting out to play groups and libraries etc.

I have only been minding for 18 weeks a brother and sister who are sooo shy and timid, they are really quiet also. I am working with the parents to help with the shyness and get them more confident with larger groups, making short/long term friendships etc.

I have been visiting two different cm and their mindees to get my mindees used to some other people and make friends. It took a few weeks but now when I ask do they want to see XXX they are excited and love going there... result as when we first went the never left my side.

Now they have got used to these children and slightly larger groups (2 adults and 8 children) I have just started with the library, baby rhyme time as they love singing. Again when we first went (with other cm and mindees) they were a bit unsure, but they went off a little bit with the other children and not too far from me. I want to continue with the library until they are confident enough before I start introducing toddler groups and messy play with larger groups of people and I dont want to do too much with them too soon and set them back.

Will this work against me as I have not yet taken them to other places? We do go the the park a lot...

[mama2three]

i would put it in a lj as a next step - observation was child exploring further from you at wherever today , building confidence , next step ..continue to support child in new environments , slowly introducing larger groups eg toddlers , rhyme time..

shows you value the learning opportunities they offer and that its from the childs need perspective..

[sarah707]

You are doing absolutely the right things for the children in your care.

As mama2three suggests write it up in the children's individual planning

[EmmaReed84]

Thank you. I have written up what my plan of action has been and will be moving forward and measures I am putting in place to build his confidenece as he is starting playschool in Jan 3 sessions per week. There is just so much to do when you first start and getting your head around it requires lots of wine and chocolate at the weekend

I think now my RAs are in order and I seem to be getting a routine it should get easier lol

[rosebud]

Explain it in exactly the way you did in your post and I doubt anyone would argue that you are meeting these childrens current needs and have clearly evaluated what the "next steps" will be.

[Polly2]

Sounds fab! You are following the needs of the individual child