EST
2018
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PHILOSOPHY
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I’m Helen from little puddle people. I live in Sheffield with my family, Calum, my husband, Ajay who is thirteen and Harvey who is six. After having Harvey who has a genetic disorder I felt a new approach to work was needed so I could spend more time with him… Little Puddle People was born!
I believe a gentle, caring and nurturing approach to children’s care and development is key. Children need love and secure responsive relationships to support early brain development that will shape their lives forever. The early years are so important. I have worked in a range of different nursery settings taking on various roles over the last 15 years gaining knowledge and my own style along the way. We will be basing our experiences around child led learning in nature. I have been a qualified forest schools practitioner since 2013 and a Skogsmulle leader (Swedish nature teacher) since 2015. I have experience in running various outdoor groups including a fully outdoors Kindergarten. The great outdoors has a huge influence on the way I teach and the opportunities for learning I provide. Influences from nature, the world, weather and seasons are integral to my setting with trips out to local woodland, parks and the peaks planned daily as well as time out in the garden.
forest schools
take me to the woods
I have been trained as a Forest School Practitioner since 2013 when I trained with Archimedes (now FSE) the Forest Schools ethos and approach influence my teaching style and equips me with the knowledge to keep children and families safe in outdoors when accessing my groups and joining in with accessing variety of experiences such as fire lighting, nature based crafts, foraging, mindfulness, bug hunting, learning to identify plants growing onsite and tool work.
Sessions always have the environment and our impact at the forefront, using resources that are natural, found, donated, upcycled, collected, sourced from a scrapstore, if purchased I try my hardest to buy consciously from small independent eco friendly brands and retailers. I try and be has low waste as possible and bring minimal plastic/resources onsite. We will only have campfires if it plays a part in our session for a learning purpose, to cook or heat water, there won’t always be a campfire at every forest school session. (if there isn’t hot water is provided in flasks for hot drinks and hygiene.)
I am based at a site called Nature’s Nest in Fulwood, Sheffield. This is a new site that is in it’s very early stages of development. It is beautiful, peaceful and clam. A place where we can lean into nature together in a safe and secure environment. During sessions there are hammocks in the trees, gutters for rolling pinecones, acorns and hunks of earth, there’s silverware for mud kitchen creativity, a huge pile of rotting logs perfect for bug hunting, wildflowers and tall grasses swaying in the breeze, storybooks on blankets nestled in the dappled shade, a collection of branches just perfect for den building. And I’ll be there getting stuck into play, telling stories, scaffolding learning, sharing my knowledge and passion.
As we work towards developing the site including installing a new gate, a compost toilet and gaining a ‘change of use’ I am Crowdfunding to help make this space have the essentials I need to get going! Please do check it out, share with friends, collegues, businesses and family, even just a pound will help!
https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-little-puddle-peoples-new-forest-school
The land at Nature’s Nest is owned by Sheffield Hospitals Charity, a percentage of my income is donated to them in return for use of the site, in coming to my sessions know that you are helping them do great things. Find out more about their work here:
https://sheffieldhospitalscharity.org.uk/
For more information on family/parent and child/childminder sessions please see the ‘shop’ section of the website.
I am available to work with your setting or group delivering forest school sessions, Skogsmulle sessions and anything in between. We don’t need a forest for forest school - I love a challenge and can apply the forest school principles to different outdoor spaces. I can create bespoke workshops and training sessions to staff. Nurture groups, school groups, after school clubs and more! Please get in touch to see how Forest Schools can work for your setting.
After School Care
open all hours
I provide childminding care for children who attend greystones primary school on Thursday’s and Friday’s. With the added bonus of being able to book in full adventure days during the school holidays if you wish.
I understand the importance of healthy food feeding brains! Children need a good breakfast to engage and concentrate in class until lunch time. I know all too well how ravenous children are when they come out of school, I don’t want a house full of hangry children. That’s why I include food in all of my wrap around care. There will be plenty of options to cater for even the fussiest of eaters.
Afterschool club - £13.25 per child includes a homemade tea and afterschool snack
Childminding
a home from home
I childmind from 9 am until 5.30 pm Thursday and Friday. If you require a slightly different option of days and times please do get in touch as I can be flexible.
I charge £6 per hour, per child.
I charge a £1.50 per day snack supplement to all early years children. This includes varied and healthy homemade snacks throughout the day.
I provide a cooked tea for anyone staying past 5pm for £1.50 per meal as an additional option. Again all meals are homemade and healthy, they are baby led weaning friendly.
We will spend time with other childminders to ensure the children have a broad range of experiences and social opportunities.
We will follow the early years foundation stage curriculum to progress our learning following the children’s current interests using the floorbook planning approach.
We will spend time outside, every day, what ever the weather. Children will need to come prepared with warm weather clothing and waterproofs to ensure they can enjoy our adventures to the maximum. Accessing local parks, woodland, the peak district and our little garden will become part of our daily adventures. Your child may come home mucky but they will have had real life experiences and hands on learning to help them grow into well rounded human beings.
Individual needs and routines are always taken into consideration when planning our day to ensure that the child’s health and well being is paramount as well as the wishes of the parent met.
Children will have opportunities to rest when needed, I have a buggy with buggy board, a cosy area set up in the living room. I am also confident in using slings to carry children of all ages.
Be Prepared
A few years ago I was lucky enough to train as a Skogsmulle Leader (Swedish nature teacher) and they let me in on their clothing secrets and now I’m going to share them with you! This technique applies to parents and carers too! So many times I’ve had shivering grown-ups soggy and wet as they bundled up their precious little one in the best waterproofs money could buy and forgot about themselves! Happy parents, happy kids so dress yourself well too! And don’t forget ‘There’s no such thing as bad weather only bad clothing!’
The 3 layer system
Base layer – thermal base (brushed or merino being extra warm) in colder months, cotton/technical cooling base in warmer months
Mid layer – knitted jumper/fleece/Sherpa fleece when very cold and a thinner jumper or hoody as it gets warmer.
Outer layer – this is your coat so when it’s cold it may be a big thick ski jacket or down jacket, in spring or autumn a lined waterproof and summer just a waterproof.
This system applies to top and bottom layers!
The Skogsmulle Leaders top tip!
Cover your glands – this means if you’re feeling cold instead of adding a layer all over add a layer to your glands. Wrists, necks and ankles lose the most heat – not your head! Trust me this works! I have suffered for years from cold feet and if I wear some funky knitted leg warmers on top of my socks my toes are warm!! Avoid cotton next to the skin when it is cold as it has cooling effects.
My favourite brands are Muddy Puddles, Toastie Kids, Decathlon, Acai, Buffalo, Didricksons, Kozi Kidz…ooh and quite a few more! You tend not to go wrong with Swedish brands and there are some pretty fab environmentally conscious UK brands too! Second hand is fab too!
Take care of your outdoor gear, don’t wash too often and when you do use a Tech Wash to retain it’s waterproof qualities. Usually twice a year I reproof all of our gear too! At the end of a muddy day I either let everything dry and sweep off the loose mud or rinse off under our outdoor tap then hang to dry. Normal washing detergents break down the waterproof qualities on outdoor clothing so it is best to avoid.
So, now you know! You are all guaranteed to enjoy your outdoor time so much more if you are kitted out well, happy exploring!
