Happy Monday again!

[loocyloo]

Afternoon!

Don't these mondays come round quickly? !!!!

Hope everyone has been having a good day ... I'm gearing up for a week of Christmas activities, but not too much! we're going to see friends 2 mornings, then out to the zoo, and then a party, so a nice week! My schoolies have lots of activities planned for afterschool ... but from experience, half of them will not actually come!!! plus lots of sickness at school

I was just looking at playdough recipes ...no idea why, i have a recipe that works!, however, found a recipe called 'moon dough' that uses 2 cups of BAKING POWDER and then a bit of water. Says it can be too wet, or too dry and crumbly! ... i've never used baking powder on its own to make playdough ... plus, i usually buy it in little tubs ... going to take several to make 2 cups worth! Has anyone made it? what do you think? will it be a bit like cornflour and water?

Has anyone got any 'calming' Christmas activities other than just some simple colouring/watching a Christmas film? I've got Christmas coloured/scented playdough, with Christmassy bits to 'decorate', but was wondering about anything else?!

I've got a load of Christmas DVDs ... wiggles and the like, which we love to watch ... but DH has bought a new tv and i have no idea how to play a dvd now !!!! might have to watch them on the laptop!!!

have fun everyone xxx

[Pixie dust]

Happy Monday!

Sounds like a lovely week loocyloo, we had a cornflour/gloop sensory tray out today but I had forgotten how tricky it is to clean up afterwards.

I don't know if it's calming but we bake biscuits and we have been on a scavenger type walk around our village looking at Christmas decorations. I normally make a little spotter chart for them to tick off but that's more for when it's the holidays .

We have a lot of sickness at our school plus a few cases of the dreaded Covid

DH has put our DVD player up in the spare bedroom as we hardly used it which is a bit annoying as sometimes I really want to watch a certain film, as far as childminding goes we don't have TV in the playroom we just use the laptop to watch something every now and then.

[Mouse]

Good evening everyone!

We had a lovely day today. On the whole the children were surprisingly calm, although they did have moments when they suddenly became very excited and loud! I think they're all quite tired at the moment and one of them is definitely under the weather. We did some craft and got the playdough out, then lots of free play with the Christmas resources.

We're off to visit a childminding friend tomorrow, then we're having a Christmas party on Wednesday. Thursday will be spent finishing off any crafts that haven't been completed, then winding down ready for the weekend. Next week is going to be a chilling week until I finish on Wednesday.

[loocyloo]

We don't watch much TV either when I'm working, as TV in sitting room, and we don't use that room much, but sometimes it's nice to snuggle up under a blanket!

Sounds like you've both had lovely days. I made some biscuits earlier which we might decorate tomorrow!

[Dragonfly]

Decorating gingerbread men, snow play ( shaving foam and bicarbonate) Christmas decorations to decorate, . Out around the village spying trees ,wreaths etc, colouring/ painting.usual different toys, playdough scented etc. No parties this year due to me being ultra careful and no visiting others which is very sad ☹️ one day things maybe ‘ normal’ again.

[Ellisha]

You all sound like you're being very festive. I had my booster jab on Sunday so was feeling under the weather on Monday. I did finally get around to making salt dough though!

We are supposed to be going to a toddler group Christmas party tomorrow. I'm wondering if that's a good idea with Covid spreading and Christmas coming up. I'll see how I feel tomorrow.

[Pixie dust]

We are supposed to be going to a toddler group Christmas party tomorrow. I'm wondering if that's a good idea with Covid spreading and Christmas coming up. I'll see how I feel tomorrow.

I know how you feel as we are supposed to be going to a group on Thursday and wondering if we should go, the last time we went it was very small as they do limit the numbers.

[loocyloo]

I know how you feel as we are supposed to be going to a group on Thursday and wondering if we should go, the last time we went it was very small as they do limit the numbers.

I am a bit eeek about toddlers party, but everyone has been asked to take a lateral flow that morning before attending, and we'll wear masks/windows open etc and numbers are limited ( we had to prepay our session fee to book a place )

[Dragonfly]

I’m a bit eek about everything still Loocyloo. There was an outbreak at the local children’s group a couple of weeks ago. I’m trying to stay covid free so I can have my family for Christmas. I had my booster some time ago but your only 75% covered.
it’s everyone to there own . If people are comfortable going to parties go for it.But for me I’m not comfortable in large groups at the moment.

[Ellisha]

I did go to the toddler group party. As I only have one child at the moment, I need to get out and see some people sometimes as does the child I look after. Obviously completely unable to socially distance. It was nice to be there and see some people. I also spoke to a childminder who had Ofsted last week so it was good to see how that went.

[Dragonfly]

Actually do you think I’ll ever be back to normal meeting with other child minders etc in a hall/ own house? Been two years now since I done that! I can count on one had how many times I’ve been to a park in that time also.

Lateral flows are better than nothing but often give out negative results when you’re positive (sons a BMS at hospital) I do between 2-4 a week.

I’m such a scaredy-cat mixing especially with children, even with my mindees it’s at the back of my mind.

On a happier note I finish on Thursday yippee. Wednesday I only have one! Looking forward to a better Christmas fingers crossed restrictions aren’t put in place before then. I just want my sons to come for the Christmas few days like everyone else.

Going on my annual mistletoe hunt with another ex Childminder, obviously outside, we do it every year .its just for decoration passed standing under it lol.

[loocyloo]

Aw, hugs Dragonfly.

Hope your mistletoe hunt went well. I don't think I've ever seen it growing 'wild'... where do you even start looking?... I know tops of trees ... but which type?

I'm sure a time passes you'll start meeting up again. I'm cautious about meeting up, and there has to be an element of trust that everyone you are meeting has lateral flow'd and not displaying symptoms. I was starting to go stir crazy on my own, and was meeting others outside, and as the weather changed we met inside.