My childminding website can be viewed on the link below


https://ringmerchildminderesthercowan.business.site/?utm_source=gmb&utm_medium=referral

vacancies for under fives available
please contact me directly through my website or email.
thanks
Esther Cowan

Every new road is an opportunity for something new.

My website can be viewed on this link
http://www.estherchildminderinringmer.co.uk/

For many years I have known that I would like to care for young children in the comfort and love of my own home, It has finally happened last week. Below are a few pics of how my dream to build a 'haven' for our learning and adventures with 

'Esther's Little Learners' became a reality.

I have always believed 'if you are looking for a happy ending and can't seem to find one, maybe it's time to start looking for a new beginning instead'

My story begins... January 2017- 

We meet with Bryan, the architect from Waterside Architects in Lewes, and Joe and Danny the master builder owners of  St James Builders in Lewes. There will be a large team of artisans in site over the next 6 months as the different stages of the build take form.

 Chapter One- As you can see, the foundations took a long time to put in due to the boggy ground which was just a clay base. Thick, messy clay that stuck to boots, hands, legs and was impossible to get off a spade. This was followed by a slab of concrete which became the base of the room, this took weeks to dry. (January 2017 was a wet, cold month)

'I am Handsome Bob, and old English bulldog and I am very  much a part of this site as I sit in Steve's van when I am not overseeing the brick work... or digging up the Cowan's garden'

Chapter Two- the brickwork is plotted and brick layer Steve works his magic... He is a skilled artisan who takes pride with every brick. His  cute dog called'Handsome Bob' is on site every day and he watches on... (that is his name!😄) 

Steve's aim to make the new brick work blend with the original house has been a success and makes the house seem in proportion and appear rather large! 

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Chapter Three- The walls are in, the steel structures in place and the lead roof is being crafted by Wayne, a local roofer. Everyone who looks at the finished product agrees he has done a Stirling job and the result is perfect and links in with the roofing on the rest of the house.

Chapter Four- the walls are up, the bespoke windows and doors are secure and electrics in place, and now the plastering. It takes days to dry. 

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Chapter Five- Walls are painted and now the underfloor heating. Roof light is in and remote controls wired in.

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Chapter Six- The room is ready. I have put finishing touches in to transform it into a haven of peace for play and learning. Soft music starts each day as children arrive. It is a tranquil room and the light engulfs each corner as children choose where to start their day.

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Comfy sofa and chair for story time or cuddles at different times of the day.
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The cot is ready for sleep time, in a quiet part of the down stairs lounge. So far, the little learner that sleeps in there has loved it and gives big smiles when I pick him up.

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Changing/ personal hygiene area with everything ready at my fingertips for all situations. 

The outdoors- A perfectly sized play house with a few chairs and learning experiences in boxes and spaces for children to discover.

The mud kitchen, which is a work in progress, as I am planning to add a few pots and pans etc, and  my next project is to build a stick structured tee pee with logs I found in the garden create a secret space for me with the Little learners as we enjoy hours of playful learning as we explore, dig and share experiences.

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I have decided to go for 'old fashioned' assessments as all of my parents prefer to have a journal with their child's learning journey to share with wider family and siblings. It means the children can get involved and make it their own, and watch themselves grow. I have time each day and week to add to their learning journeys and together we can decide what to put in it. This gives each child a say and gives them a voice. I will plot each learning mile stone using the 7 areas of learning in the Early years foundation stage (EYFS) to share with parents. Each child will have a next step when I feel it is time to move on with learning and together we will achieve that step. Parents will have opportunities to extend learning at home and add to their child's learning journey so that is a partnership between us.


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I share the days play and learning with the  parents as they arrive to pick their child up at the end of the day. There are photos of their child's day for parents to see each day - friendships being nurtured with friends, sharing healthy meals, or just exploring/ painting/ creating/ building or just simply playing and having fun.

This way little learners can see themselves in the photos and share experiences there and then with their parents and we can also use this to plan for the next day's adventures and I can ask children what they would like to do so that I can plan for their interests on a daily basis.