Blog

I don't know about you but I just love the snow! Waking up and seeing the snow flakes falling brings so much excitement. I also love the softness that we experience when it snows and the way everywhere seems to quiet. Taking a walk and hearing the crunch underfoot, perhaps hearing the tweet of the birds in a nearby tree and noticing the snow sitting carefully on the branches. 

I have been very fortunate to go on some wonderful adventures to Northern Finland and Canada and even as an adult the snow has truly fascinated me. Like the way it sticks to the trees in the -10 temperatures! I loved how in Finland the streets were given a cosy glow in the middle of winter with candles dotted in the snow lighting the way.  So when it was snowing here in Bradford today I just couldn't wait to bring in some of that joy of snow into our day. 

In today's blog I wanted to share three ways you can embrace some open ended snow play this winter. 

Set up a snow kitchen

Here we take the good old ...

What is a tinker tray?

Tinker trays are filled with open ended loose part materials that will spark curiosity, problem solving, critical thinking and imaginative play. The objects in the tray can be used in any way the child chooses and there is no set way that they should be used.  It is commonly used in the Reggio Emilia Approach to learning and can be adapted for a range of different ages and stages of development. 

Materials for a tinker tray

Any tray with compartments can be used to display and store the loose parts to be used in play. I quite like using trays made out of natural materials like wood and seagrass as i always think we can display our materials in a beautiful way in these. Here are some ideas of what you could use or re-use:

• A cutlery tray insert
• A chocolate box or biscuit box insert
• Bun trays
• Tie box
• Jewellery tray insert
• Desk drawer dividers
• Tool boxes
• Crafting boxes
• Ice cube trays
• A tea bag caddy

Items ideas for your tinker tray:

We can creat...

Give Claire a follow at https://www.instagram.com/clairewilsonchildminder/

Let me show you my shed, my ‘Aladdin’s cave’ of Childminding treasures. That’s how I would describe my Childminding Shed. It was my first purchase when I moved into our house, before I kept everything in drawers. Surrounding me in my house morning noon and night, piled up so high even I couldn’t find anything. Now after 4 years of rearranging, collecting, rooting through car boot sales and Charity shops, sourcing through friends, family, parents of mindees, various websites and social platforms. I finally have it the way I want it.

I can stand and survey my kingdom and wait for inspiration to grab me. Or, with the children to guide me through there eyes gather the objects in a basket like I was choosing pick and mix at a sweet shop. Everything is arranged in sections. Two shelves of loose parts:

Natural - Pinecones, bamboo pieces, shells, wooden pieces, glass nuggets.

Recycled – Plastic bottle tops, bottle t...