I have worked in childcare for over thirty years. I have been a Foster Care Parent, a Childminding Network Co-Ordinator and now I work as a Registered Childminder and Childminder Mentor for the Department for Education.
All the Seedlings enjoyed making Kindness Rocks over the last term. The older children asked if they could paint some over the summer holidays as they didn’t get a chance because they were at school.
Georgia JackSophie Working Hard
We thought it would be good to extend the activity by using clay to make the shapes to paint.
MasonAlfieJacy
First we had to kneed the clay to make it malleable to roll out. Then they chose a cutter and pressed it into the clay to make the shape. It was then laid out on some card ready to dry.
We had to leave them overnight again as they hadn’t completely dried out.
Painted Rocks
The children worked hard to paint the clay rocks ready to hide.
Painted RocksLook What We FoundLook hardMarthaSpace ManIs This One? Lovely LadybirdsColourful FearneIce Cream
We found just as many as we hid! We ended up going out for three days to hide them all!
We have had a lovely day today playing in the garden and going to Breckside Park.
Sophie Enjoying The Garden
Sophie looked at all the flowers and asked me to take photos of her favourites.
Lovely Blue
Pink Water Lily
Mason wanted to make a snail home using different items from around the garden. Jacy and Jack loved the idea and made their own. They asked me to choose my favourites. I explained they were all lovely and the snail will judge by going on the one it likes best.
Mason and Jack
Mason
Jacy
Mason
After playing in the garden it was time for lunch then off to the park.
Such Good Behaviour
The younger children enjoyed a kick about, quoits and catch the ball in the net. They ran about so much all they wanted was the pram, bottle and sleep. Job well done!
Sophie and Alfie
Mason Practicing
Catch
The bigger children set up the goal posts and had a kick about trying to see who could get the most goals. After about 2 hours and lots of sweat, tears and moans we decided to go back and have a cold drink and ice lolly’s. Four very over heated children!!
We had a lovely day out today at the World Museum Liverpool. The sun was shining and the children were on their best behaviour!
First of all, we caught a bus from outside our setting to the city centre. Not this bus though boys! Think of all the delicious cakes we would have had, we would have never have got off that bus would we boys!!
Large Tank
Where’s Nemo?
Big Fish
Peeping 👀
First stop, we took a dive into the newly updated deep-blue aquarium, the tanks were much bigger, had new species of aquatics, immersive projections and even an octopus called Polpo! He was so cute and wanted to get up close and personal with the children giving them all high fives! (Or is that 8’s)
Hi Guys
Say Cheesy Crabs
High 8
The children then got up close with the hermit crabs, starfish and brightly-coloured wrasse from Liverpool’s Irish Sea coast. Alfie and Jacy popped their heads into the viewing bubbles to see the terrapins immersed in the water who are rescued pets, they love to see a friendly face.
Viewing BubblePoppy Loved The Star Fish
With new projections, we learned about conservation efforts to protect our seas, discover where the sealife live and even what you might find rock-pooling locally and across the UK. Jacy and Poppy talked all about the sea urchins and jellyfish they have seen on Crosby beach.
Rock Pool
Alfie
Alfie and Mason
Alfie and Mason loved watching the Nemo fish (if Tracie didn’t pick Alfie up!), rays, skates and smiling sharks even with lots of teeth!
Jacy and the Sloth
Jacy loved it when he found a Sloth as it is his favourite animal in the “whole universe!”
Poppy Loved the Animals
Next we all went to Egypt where we looked at mummies (probably daddies too!), artefacts and learned all about the ancient Egyptians.
Ancient Egypt
Alfie
Walking The Nile
Jacy and the boys went on a journey around Egypt and walked down the River Nile.
Last stop in our Liverpool World Museum tour was outside using chalks and making pictures of what we had seen for everyone to look at.
Working Together
Jacy’s Sloth
Spongebob By Mason
Poppys Aquarium
Thank you Liverpool World Museum for an amazing day 😁🌏🦑
We have had a ball this week, the sun has been out every day and the children have all been so good!
So Tired!Izzy’s First Day
Alfie was so tired one day he was nearly asleep while playing! Izzy had her first day with us and she was such a little giggler, her favourite play was jumping up and down in the activity centre.
Jack and MasonTarget Practice Aiming SkillsNot Too SureJacy’s Snail HotelMason’s Snail GardenJack And MasonHabitats Football Goal Stroppy Poppy 🤣🤣Disney Cruise ShipAlbert DockPlutoJacy and MasonAll Aboard The Cafe How TallLocksDancing On Everyone’s HeadsStreet ChalkingMuseum Believe In Yourself JacyOops Maybe Not! 😱Jack The SkaterChit ChatAlfie’s GoGo PoppyLittle Skater So ConfidentWait For Me AlfieSkate Park
Tracie is so relieved it’s Friday, we have had an eventful week but now time for a few days rest, then it all starts again!
This is my Dad and Rosie’s garden in Lincolnshire, it is so beautiful and well kept. They both must spend all their time mowing lawns, dead-heading flowers and watering the plants.
Rosie has been working hard to produce a wonderful wildlife garden ready for my dad’s bees to arrive.
The Bee Hives
The garden has grown up so tall and I bet there are 1000’s of different insects thriving, living in the flowers.
Pathway of Wildlife
My dad has mowed a pathway to enable them to get through to the hives and greenhouse. I just want to go and run through, looking at all the different flowers there are.
All Dad and Rosie’s hard work has paid off and here is the evidence Thousands of bees have made it their home. They will be busy bees making lots and lots of delicious honey!
How do you all like your honey? I like mine on a chunk of crusty bread mmmm. Hopefully, later in the year I will be able to post photos of the honey!
This week we have two new starters in the Little Seedlings.
Welcome Edie
Adorable
This is Edie and she is such a cutie, she settled straight in with no problems at all. She loves cuddles and enjoyed all the other Seedlings wanting to play with her.
Hand Print
Funny Faces
Edie’s first activity was to make her daddy a Father’s day card. Emma painted her hands to make prints. Edie loves attention and having her photo taken. Tracie made funny faces and Edie copied.
Jack and Alfie
Jack and Auntie Poppy
Always Smiling
Sleeping in Gran’s Draw
This is our Jack, my grandson. His mummy went beck to work this week so he now comes to join all the fun with the Little Seedlings.
We have been so busy over the last month. Today we were able to harvest our Mangetout. The little seedlings tried them once Tracie had washed them.
Three seedlings wanted to try them and no matter how much we encouraged Sophie she wasnt up for tasting them.
Alfie and Georgia loved the Mangetout and ate loads but Emma and Fearne were not so keen. We loved the faces Fearne made, at least they tried them!
Mangetout
Having a Taste
Alfie
Georgia
Fearne
Thumbs up
Below are our other tasty fruits and vegetables we have growing in the garden.
Cucumber
Tomatoes
Ginger
Leaves
Strawberries
Thats not a vegetable. It’s a massive Lily!
This is a collection of photos of the plants the Rangers and Wanderers wanted me to post.
Allium
Our New Strawberry, we sowed in February
Hosta
Amazing Detail
Flanders Poppy
Fizzy’s Hiding Place
Hot Poker
Peony
Plum
We also had a few whoopsies! We had some visitors come and make holes in our cabbages! Georgia thought it was a hedgehog, Fearne thought it was a snail and Sophie said “I don’t know Tracie!” When I told them all it was a slug they all said yucky!
Slug
Cabbage
Our other problem was the giant Poppies, they have over taken our vegetable patch!
Gemma’s vegetable beds are amazing and full of lush green produce. When the days are sunny Gemma gets Chloe to help water them.
Vegetable Beds
All Growing Lush
Gemma loves Pac Choi and hers have grown really well. Once they start to flower, which is called bolting, the seeds grow for Gemma to collect for sowing next year!
Gemma’s radishes are amazing, they are as big as a large marbles.
Unfortunately my radishes have not turned out so well! Mine are as big as a grape, but not so juicy.
Phyllis has been working very hard in her garden over the last few months and it’s all just starting to pay off. Below are just a few of her amazing flowers, they come in all sizes, shapes and amazing colours.
Rose
Clematis
Pansy
Honeysuckle
Beautiful Blue
Shocking Pink
In the edible part of the garden, Phyllis’s fruit and vegetables are growing strong.
Watch out for your cherries Phyllis, I saw a cheeky blackbird flying around, eyeing them up for lunch!
The tomato vines are growing tall and strong, Phyllis is having to use canes to support the stems and cuts the side shots off to ensure the goodness goes into the growing delicious tomatoes.
Cherries
Tomatoes
Potatoes
Tomatoes and Coffee
First Earlies
Sunday Roast
Cabbage
Phylis has made a delicious Sunday roast using the potatoes and cabbage from her garden. They taste so much better than the ones you buy in the shops. What I want to know is where’s mine!!
This is Phyllis’ Christmas Dinner bed! She has made it in her front garden and all the vegetables will be used on Christmas day! I cant wait to see it all dished up, I had better get an invite!!!
What an amazing week all the children have had for half term! We have been so busy going wild the week went way too quickly and the Wonderers and Rangers are now back in school!
Chloe and Tracie on a Bike Adventure
Tracie took Chloe on a wild bike ride all around Croxteth Park. We saw some amazing cows, ducks, horses and squirrels. We went up and down bridges, over a cattle bridge, through the trees and along the very bumpy winding paths. By the time we got back to the car we had cycled 5 miles! Lets hope Chloe slept well for her mum and dad that night!?
Poppy and the Baby Bird
One morning while Tracie was putting the washing on the line one of the cats had this baby bird in its mouth. Poppy got upset but luckily we were able to take the bird gently from the cat. We very carefully checked over the bird and decided to put it on the bird feeding table so it’s mummy would find him.
Chloe Wanted to see Him
Ruffled Feathers
Singing For His Mummy
The Seedlings and Martha from the Rangers went on another Liverpool Kindness Rock hunt. Tracie also asked them to look out for mini beasts and wildlife.
Swift
When we were all hunting in the rose garden Georgia called out to say she found a bird. Tracie identified it as a Swift as it had a short forked tail, appears black in flight and crescent (like the moon) shaped wings.
On Tuesday, in the park, we saw the gardeners all working hard to make the flower beds pretty. Tracie noticed they were throwing the empty flower trays to one side. We went over to do some investigating. Wonder what they would do with them?
Martha decided to ask the Gardeners if they reuse them? The gardeners said no! Well that’s not good! Tracie asked if we could take them? We can use some for potting on our growing seedlings and recycle the ones we don’t use. The gardeners were happy for us to take them off their hands.
Stanley Park Gardeners
Georgia and Matha Collecting the Trays
The Girls Looking For Items to Recycle
Jack had a wild time playing in the long grass, he giggles away rolling about watching everyone chat and take pictures.
We have had such a fun week, here’s a little gallery of different wild things we have done.
Hugged a Tree
Found a Sycamore Seed
Is This a Liverpool Wellness Rock Children?
Martha Found the First Rock
We Found Mushrooms
Going Through the Bushes
Hiding
Finding Flowers that Tracie has in her Garden
Watching a Yoga Class
Squirrels Running
Looking Through the Tree Trunk
Another Rock Martha!
Tracie Finally Found One!
Alfie had Fun
Emma Got Excited!
Martha Found Clover
Georgia Found One
All Our Treasures
Saved an Egg? Will it Hatch?
Feeding the Birds!
We were not impressed with the amount off rubbish we found in the park! This could harm the wildlife and is not very pleasant to see! This is what we found!
Lots of Empty Bottles
A Trainer!
Coffee and Juice Cartons
No 1 but 3 Different Socks!
A Pair of Pants! Yucky
A Button in a Bag
An Empty Bubble Pot
The children asked if we could pick it up and put it all in the bin. Martha said she was ‘quite upset with what we all found!’
What a first week of our 30 Days Going Wild, we have had a fun-packed time! Wow it’s exhausting writing the blog we’ve done so much! I wonder what exciting Wild days we will have next week?
Tracie's Treasures 