Buttercup Lane Childminders

Archive for the ‘Activities and Education’ Category

Well what a totally strange year 2020 is turning out to be.

We have finally managed to get our entire September School intake attending school.  The School starts dates were carefully spread over September and into October to help with minimising the spread of the Covid Pandemic.

We have introduced some safeguarding measures in place here to help minimise the risk of infection of Covid and other infectious diseases.

2020 has been an ever changing world and we have what seems like new legislations to follow week in week out as the world develops trying to control the spread.

At the forefront of our care is all our children’s health, as the county restrictions are getting tighter, childcare settings with schools at this moment in time are able to remain open as usual. We have  lots of communication methods and strategies in place for regular health updates for everyone that attends.

As we approach Winter we all have to remain focused on the end goal and hopefully over the next few months we are able to have some control over the pandemic and start to get back to some normality, whatever the new normality actually means will be the results of all our actions now and in the next few months.

Our regular seasonal activities have not really been affected and we are trying our hardest to maintain normality on our educational and physical activities, however our playgroup sessions remain off limits at present time although we fulfil the outcomes of the playgroups sessions in our setting and  other outdoors areas.

We created a little bit of normality whilst in the lockdown state, everyone enjoyed the activity, keychildren happy –  Great fun.   Just a little bit of fun we have here !

#covid:19 #lockdown2020 #mcdonaldsreopens

Fall Land Bridge is NOW CLOSED until Christmas – Please will all parents use the alternative route to get to us, if you get stuck please give us a call on the numbers that you have.  Please note that we will probably we walking TO SCHOOL each day, please be prepared. Thanks all xxx

!! Urgent News – Bridge Closure !!

Just in time for return to school.

As some of you may be aware but this is for our wonderful customers that don’t live in the village and travel to us here at  Buttercup Lane Childminders :  the Bridge just before our estate  is closing for essential improvement works. It will only be accessible to pedestrians and cyclists, so if you travel by car/bus/van  you will have to either come down Common Lane ( the road near Country Baskets ) or via Thorpe Lane and across the motorway.  There are also some restrictions on these routes whilst the maintenance is been carried out.

The work is due to start 8^th August and scheduled to be completed 22^nd December 2016, just in time for Christmas  – fingers crossed that the work will run as schedule.

The work itself has to be accessed via the waste land just off Meadowside Road ( the main road into the estate ) so there will also be major disruption here too.

Obviously we have no control over any of this and we are expecting the worst. We have been informed that some of the work has to be carried out when the trains are not running or in other words throughout the night. We just know that this means very loud machinery throughout the night, we experience this about once a year for about a week  or two during the summer and it really takes its toll because if you can sleep is very restless so we are not looking forward to sleepless nights for months on end.

School Collections – We will continue to work as we are doing presently but please be mindful that there will be more travel time between the two schools we serve and our home especially as the whole of the estate will be forced down Moor Knoll Lane and around the back roads.  It may prove to continue to walk from East Ardsley Primary School even when the weather is less favourable.

Your Journeys – Please add more time for yourselves getting to and from us – its sure to be chaos.

If you need directions just ask. xx

Well ………. Schools Out for Summer

We made it and the Summer holiday period is here, we have an action packed Summer planned so please if you want or need any childcare or extra days please just call. 9th July was Kirkstall Festival and we had a blast running a stall to raise funds for our wonderful Radio Aires – Cash for Kids Charity. ( Do you know that we have recently been made Ambassadors  – check us out ) We had prizes, books, bottles, doughnuts and cakes & buscuits on our stall but the star prize that one lucky winner could walk away with was a Helicopter Flight. We raised some much needed money for Cash for Kids but as the Star Prize Ticket was not pulled out so we ran a blind auction, lots of bids came in and one person from Tingley was the lucky winner with a winning bid of £50. We cant publish the name yet as they are on holiday and its a present for a family member.

Check out the Breeze Festivals in the Summer Holidays  where our fellow Ambassadors from Leeds City Councils – Child friendly Leeds will be present at all events. Please note that the East Ardsley Breeze has been MOVED to Blackgates this year – so hopefully it will be larger and attract more people.

We have planned our fun and exciting trips out this year and based the locations on the interests of our Buttercup family, they will not be dissappointed. Flights, Chocolate, Films, Sand, Sea & Mountains, Farmers, Tunnels, Animals and Wildlife & lots and lots of water –  are all included so lets see where our Fun Bus takes us away, but dont forget that our great British weather is really unpredictable so its Wellies and Sun Tan Cream all the way.

Its very exciting here at the moment with New Starters as well as children moving up through the years at school, some moving to reception and nursery, but as always to go with the great there is always some bad news….. One of our Buttercups is leaving due to moving homes. Its a very sad time when we have to say “goodbye” but we know that there will always be places in our home & our hearts for all our Buttercups no matter how old you are ……  and everyone is welcome to come and visit anytime.

Its mega busy with Holidays –  Birthday Parties & Proms, young and old are in their best gear and looking beautiful to party the afternoons, evening and sometimes if we are lucky the night times too. Our very own Lia celebrated her big 40 in June …. Think she is taking the celebrations to the extreme as we have at least things to do in the next 6 months to keep an eye out for her updates.

Stay Safe this summer and think ahead – its only 6 or so weeks until school starts …………. oh yes and its only  21 weeks until CHRISTMAS !

Love to all xx

Tomorrow is SUPER HERO DAY !!

There is something very special happenning tomorrow here at luchtime and we can’t wait for the excitement – We are literally bursting with joy !!

Buttercup Lane Childminders In East Ardsley are going the extra mile to help Cash for Kids – Radio Aire !

Update to follow !!!!

Two new fantastic customers reviews for us here – Thank you so much for your kind words. We already know that we have the most rewarding job in the world and reading your kind letters and words just make us feel ultra special. Karl and Lia xx Dobson 2013 Testimonial Letter Lindsey Testimonial Letter

September update & Summer Holidays
Wow  – That was the month that was – as they say .
We have had an amazing 6 weeks and we have been and seen lots of new and exciting things as well as some old favourites. All pictures are loaded onto your private viewing areas for you to check over. During the 6 weeks we have been to ( in no particular order ) Formby Beach, Liverpool, Scarborough, Mr Copleys Farm, Temple Newsam, Yorkshire Wildlife Park, Whitley Bay,  Stockeld Park Summer Adventure Land, Roundhay Park, Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Brimham Rocks, Knaresborough, Huddersfield, Switherns Farm, Pugneys, Wetherby, Manchester, Yorkshire Railway Museum, The Angel of the North, Newcastle & Middlesborough, Pontefract Park, Rothwell Park, Castleford, MIddlestown, Halifax as well as taking in 3 Leeds Breeze festivals  These are just some of the places we have been to you should see the list of activites that we have done these include Walking, Climbing, Swimming, Diving, Dancing, Crabbing, Fishing, Juggling, Biking, Digging, Painting to name but a few. All in all we have had a terrific time over the last month or so.
Buttercup Babies – New Starters
Well we have been very busy and we have some new starters here at Buttercup Lane Childminders, welcome Morgan and Summer alongside Jake, Alex, Logan. We have also seen some big leaps forward with some of our older children, Some are starting nursery – some are starting junior school and some have taken the giant leap and started High School …. Where does the time go. We wish all the very best of luck to all our Buttercup Babies no matter how big or small.

Happy Birthday to all our little Buttercups. Today we have three birthdays We have Kai, Baby Isla and Antony.
Not forgetting a belated 1st Birthday to LilyMae – Mr Tumble says a big “HELLO”

So a huge fantastic Massive Buttercup Lane Childminders birthday wishes to everyone.

Not forgetting little old me !

Buttercup Lane Childminders wish Kai a very very 1st  Happy Birthday.

Kai, you are one today
And learning so very much,
There is nothing in this house,
That you don’t want to touch!
Your fingerprints are evident,
In every single place,
Along with the mischievous smile,
On your little face!
You have made everyone lives complete,
In each and every way
You always brighten up
Every single day.
You are a special little boy,
We’ll watch your life unfold,
Have a Happy Birthday.
Now you are one year old!

Happy Birthday Kai from all your friends at Buttercup Lane Childminders. !