We are based in a beautiful log cabin and garden for your child to explore, create, and play. Our space has three distinct areas, the Art room, Library and Garden which offer your child a wide range of activities and enchanting experiences. It is a place that helps kindle their naturally inquisitive nature, where they can socialise and develop consistent friendships in a safe and cosy setting with acceptance, trust, and support.
Children are by nature creators and the Art Room serves as a treasure trove to inspire and resource children's innate need to experiment, make and play. We want your child to be inspired and comfortable exploring, experimenting, and making mistakes. Our weekly rhythm includes opportunities to try baking, cooking, woodcraft, sewing, weaving, and more.
The art room is set up with an assortment of table top and floor activities, a large rug area and open ended art area. During their time in the Art Room, children can do arts and crafts, develop pre-writing skills, get immersed in imaginative role play, and join in with music and singing.
Our cosy library is a a safe cocoon for children to get lost in stories, rest, relax, and play till their heart's content. It is a quiet space for undisturbed play and is fully stocked with a range of children's literature and open-ended toys.
It is a calm space away from the main room where children have the opportunity to explore books independently, as well as having a story read to them in a small group.
In the garden your child can make dens, have picnics, swing in the hammock and stay connected to nature. We like to be outdoors as much as possible, whatever the weather, as outside is where children thrive, are naturally soothed and stimulated and get to move their bodies in the way they need.
Down on the allotment your child can discover nature and build an understanding and respect for our natural environment and their place in it. Immersing themselves in our natural world inspires their mind, body and spirit. They will help tend to the plants throughout the seasons and can pick and harvest the food for our meals.
Our local area offers an abundance of wonderful outdoor adventures for your child. Every day the group will choose an outing to a range of local spaces including ancient woodlands, community orchards, a chalk stream, playing fields, children's parks, an astroturf football pitch, and the village library.
No two days are the same, but we know that children thrive with consistency and routine. Below is an example of how our days is mapped out.
Children arrive from 8am and join us for nutritious start to their day.
We begin the day by catching up with our friends and making plans for the day ahead. Children have time to share their news and their ideas with the group.
We are blessed to have the beautiful Wheathampsted countryside on our doorstep. We have our allotment, ancient woodlands, and the River Lea within walking distance from our setting. We also embrace our village community with weekly trips to the library and several local parks.
Morning snack includes a delicious mix of seasonal produce (often from our allotment).
We offer a balance of activities and play which are open ended and child lead and initiated, allowing the children to develop their own ideas, be creative and use their imagination. These activities help children to develop their social skills, learn to share, compromise and take turns with their peers . We also take part in group projects, involving everyone who wishes to take part to collaborate and bring their ideas to the table.
The children eat a freshly cooked and balanced two course meal, following the Early Years Guidelines approved by the Department of Education and Public Health England. We collaborate with families to provide options for allergies, intolerances, and cultural preferences.
Our younger children will nap in the cosy library. Older children will take part in quiet activities in the art room including tabletop team games, arts and crafts, and reading and can spill out to play in the garden as they please.
Afternoon snack includes a delicious mix of seasonal produce (often from our allotment).
We offer our children the choice for what they wish to do in the afternoon. It could be an outing to the allotment, baking in the kitchen, working together building dens in the garden or continuing on a Lego build they had begun earlier in the week. We place great importance on allowing children to develop and pursue their interests and directing their own learning.
Shared meals are an important time for your child to gather together and share their ideas and experiences with their peers, whilst enjoying freshly prepared nutritious food.
Children share the stories of their day with their parents.
Ofsted Registered Childminder Roberto Federici.
Ofsted registration number: 2765268
team@kinderling.co.uk