Meet Claire
Hi there, I'm Claire, and I'm happy you're here.
Even as a child, I found younger children to care for. I always knew I was going to be a childcare provider. Since I was a teenager, I have cared for mostly babies and young children for 20 years.
I was born and mostly raised in the UK. I have also lived in the USA, Australia, and Mexico. US spellings tend to trend online, so I intend to follow suit. I try to provide translations of the differences in English when it seems necessary.
What Qualifies Claire to Share Activities for Kids?
I attended community college, earning 3 As in a CACHE diploma in Childcare and Education Level 3 in the UK. I've also participated in various workshops and short courses within the childcare field over the years. The most relevant course here is the Montessori at Home for 3 to 6-year-olds that I took, which was interesting.
Additionally, I've researched many related topics such as Montessori, Steiner, play theories, screen time's developmental effects, and activity ideas.
What Kind of Childcare Experience Does Claire Have?
I started out working in daycares for a few years, during which I picked up many different activity ideas. I chose to do sub/supply/temp work for a year out of curiosity. Once I was in a regular position, I also began trying out my own ideas and was able to observe large groups of young children interacting with them.
The day I told a toddler to "go play" so I could finish my stack of paperwork was the day I decided I wanted to be a nanny in family homes. Being a nanny has become an essential part of my identity. I love being able to wrap care around each child rather than wrapping the children around the care structure in daycare.
I enjoy the flexibility to be creative and spontaneous while working in family homes and taking the children into their community. I have been inspired by many stay-and-play sessions and baby/toddler classes I have attended with the little ones.
What Inspired Practical Playthings?
During my 15 years as a nanny, I have continued creating playthings. I even purchased a laminator and paper cutter to add to my growing collection of learning resources that I use to create activities. I love preparing activities so much that I often use my free time to create new ones.
I am practical, resourceful, and creative in using whatever is available to engage and educate the children I care for. Working for a variety of families in many different places has provided me with a wide range of opportunities to experiment with various activities for children.
I’m mindful of the varying stages of development young children go through. Developing the children’s abilities, creativity, confidence, love of learning, and communication skills are my top priorities of educating them.
I’m passionate about giving children time to play and explore their environments safely. I enjoy providing children with a variety of hands-on opportunities to discover things for themselves.
My activity ideas are often complimented by their parents. I would love to inspire others to share these activities with their children.
Each Activity on Practical Playthings has been Tested
Most of the activities on Practical Playthings have been requested numerous times by the children in my care. All the ideas on this site have been personally supervised by me.
You can see some of the ‘activity testers’ in the photos throughout Practical Playthings. Their identities will always be protected. I have parental permission to use these photos to demonstrate the activities on this site. Many of the photos were originally taken to show their parents what we do throughout the day.
Please take a look around Practical Playthings for 20 years’ worth of activity ideas. I hope you feel inspired to share some of these activities with the little ones in your life. The Home Page is a great way to start exploring the activities.