June at Raising Little Ones
This month at RLO we have been very busy! We have had one of our busiest months in terms of bookings, so have been welcoming in lots of new friends. It has been lovely to witness the little ones being welcoming, kind and caring towards their new friends!
The staff at RLO have been working hard on creating an even more engaging and interactive environment this month. This has included the garden being developed with lots of new activities! In the room we have been doing lots of arts and crafts, in order to support the little ones with their expressive arts.
We unfortunately had to say goodbye to Tenika this month as she continues her travels. We thank her for all of her hard work over the last few months and wish her all of the best!
A collection of photos we have taken this month of the little ones!
What we have been up to this month…
Arts and Crafts-
This month we have been doing lots of arts and crafts! We made some Dino-handprints and then the little ones painted the spikes on the back and added facial details. We also made some little caterpillars out of wooden pegs, using paint and googly eyes. While carrying out these activities, we encouraged the little ones to make their own decisions, including what colours they wanted to use. For ideas of more arts and crafts to do at home, check out our Instagram!
Garden Development-
Through the course of June, we received lots of exciting new packages! When it was sunny outside, we all went out to the garden to help unpack all of these and explored all of the new toys and activities! We now have a mud kitchen, slide and see-saw, along with lots of other little bits and bobs for lots of fun activities! We are really looking forward to spending more time in the garden over summer playing , learning and discovering the outdoors more!
Building Bonds-
This month we have been welcoming in lots of new friends which has allowed the little ones develop their social skills. Our little ones have been very kind and caring towards one another and have even been learning how to support a friend who is upset, whether this is giving a hug or going to find a toy to give for comfort. It is really important for children to begin developing their social skills from a young age because, as they continue to grow and develop, they will need to be aware of how to interact with others. The staff at RLO have loved to see friendships blossom and bonds being made.
Independence-
Towards the end of the month, we have started to work on independence with the little ones, including; tidying up and learning how to put on shoes and jackets/ zip-up jumpers. At the end of snack time, we have been encouraging the little ones to help by putting their snack box and water bottle back into their bag, put any rubbish in the bin and also helping us sweep up any dropped food. It is important for children to learn that if they make a mess (which is completely okay!), they have to tidy up after themselves. This is the same when playing with toys, it is great fun tipping everything out of a box but after they are finished, these need to be put away.
We have also been teaching the little ones to put on their own jacket and shoes, as being able to do this encourages independence when getting ready to go outside for a walk or getting ready to go home. When putting jackets on, we have been trying to teach the “Dip n’ Flip” Method! Click here to watch a fun little song about how to do this where it shows you how to use this method. When getting shoes on, we encourage the little ones to get the shoe on and then we help with the straps or laces, explaining what we are doing.
“My two year old daughter has been coming to RLO a couple of times a week since it opened last year. We both absolutely love it. Becca and her team are so kind, calm and welcoming and I always know I’m leaving her with people who will take excellent care of her. She has lots of opportunities to play with different and interesting toys, do creative activities and play outside. I can highly recommend RLO!”
Monthly Advice for Parents…
This month, we would like to share some advice on dealing with challenging behaviours…
As a parent, at some point in your child’s life, you will have to deal with some challenging behaviour. It is important to be aware of coping strategies in order for both you and your child to maintain a healthy, strong and loving relationship. When challenging behaviour presents itself, you should;
Understand that your child is showing these behaviours for a reason, for example if your child is showing aggression, they may be frustrated. It is important to talk to your child about how they are feeling and express that you recognise there may be something wrong. Doing this supports your child to feel like they can be open around you.
Be patient- this can be very hard sometimes! But being patient with your child while they are presenting difficult behaviour shows them that you are going to be there all of the time for them as a source of comfort and support.
Be consistent with your response to difficult behaviour- if this changes, your child may become confused. Responding in a calm way is best as setting a calm tone can promote your little one to be calm too.
Try to stay as positive as you can! Recognise the good behaviour your child displays and express this to them. Being praised, your little one will feel good about themselves and will hopefully gain motivation to continue good behaviour.
These are just some ways of dealing with challenging behaviour, there are many resources that can be found online (please see some of these linked below).
NSPCC ‘Positive Parenting’ Resource (2020)
NHS ‘Dealing with Child Behaviour Problems’ (2020)
Children’s 1st Parentline Advice or call 08000282233
Remember, you can always get in touch with us for support, or ask us in person Monday to Thursday 9am-12:30pm and Fridays 9am-2pm.
