The Honey Pot

In the Hunny pot we understand the impact we make as key workers in the first year of the children’s lives. We strive to create special bonds by mirroring home routines and providing a warm and welcoming room, children are loved and well cared for, the child’s experience is always central to our thinking. We know what a vital time it is to support the children in managing big feelings and emotions which in turn will help them regulate and self soothe. To promote this, we try to be on a low level with the children as much as possible and try to create a happy and calm atmosphere, staff are responsive to babies and respond with pleasure. We practise self-regulation and executive function skills as part of our everyday routine. We show the babies techniques that help regulate emotions such as cuddles and comfort objects. Activities that we provide help to encourage children’s independence and growing confidence.

In the Hunny pot babies begin to express themselves through babbling and single words. We know that communication is key for children to develop in all 7 areas of learning, so this is a huge focus. We watch for queues and eye contact to initiate conversations, we mirror babbling, sounds and words. We use commenting throughout the day, we read lots and lots of stories and sing lots of action rhymes. We encourage babies to use gestures and communicate their needs and interests.

We encourage early Maths skills by providing stacking blocks and cups, emptying and filing.  We use available opportunities such as feeding and changing times for finger rhymes with number.

Whilst in the Hunny pot we watch babies as they begin to make little movements to taking first steps. We understand babies change and grow rapidly. We provide lots of opportunities for babies to acquire the skills they need towards strengthening core muscles. We provide tummy time and activity mats which encourage core strength and hand eye co-ordination and low-level furniture, so they are able when ready to pull themselves up.

By the time babies are ready to leave the Hunny pot we hope we have built solid foundations for babies to be confident to make new relationships, explore new environments and build upon communication skills!