For those of you considering working within the early years sector of childcare, it is a good idea to know what to expect before you take the leap. And for those already working within the area, you may wish to take a moment to remember why it is such a rewarding role. Yes, the hours can be long, and expectations placed on settings from Ofsted can be take up valuable time spent with the kids, but if you see beyond this, it is without doubt a rewarding area to work within. So why is it so enjoyable?    Play, play, play! Using your own initiative in building truly creative play environments for the children is at the centre of everything you will do throughout the day. One moment you may be facilitating a water-based sensory activity with a small group, and the next you may be reading an educational book to the whole class.  Do not expect to be playing with them all day. Instead, the art is to facilitate their play. Know when to interact and to guide them along the way. Choosing age-appropriate child and adult-led activities is where you will see them thriving.  Observing children in full play mode is one of the greatest things you can see.   Seeing them grow as little people If your long-term intention is to work in early years for many years, you will undoubtedly form many bonds with the kids. You will see them progress in the key developmental areas laid down by Ofsted . Seeing the journey of a toddler who enters the setting as a shy, nervous person, and subsequently watching them leave for the big wide world of school full of confidence, is truly rewarding.   Watching children learn and play is an unparalleled experience   Developing yourself as a person Not only are you helping shape the next generation of children, but you find yourself evolving as an adult also. Your natural ability with children will shine; your communication skills will improve by conversing with parents and carers daily.  Children can bring challenges, so your own confidence in dealing with challenging situations will improve – as will your assertiveness.  Your ability to work for a team will increase as you will all need to work from the same page every day. One day you may oversee setting-up play activities, the next you may be in charge of nappies and lunch. Outdoor fun If you are lucky enough to work in a setting with plenty of outdoor space, you will find yourself outside most days – in all weathers. This is where children (and practitioners) can flourish the most. The setting may adopt a ‘Forest School’ approach which means lots of mud and bugs. A woodland walk may be on the agenda one minute, followed by planting flowers.  The outdoors is limitless for an early years practitioner – as well as the creativity of a child.    Knowing you are making a difference At the end of a very long day, you may feel exhausted. This is a good thing. It means you have worked hard in inspiring children. Remember, you are making a difference to children and families’ lives. Some families have no choice but to place their little ones into a nursery full-time - and may be riddled with parent guilt. But showing them the progress their child has made is a priceless duty you are fulfilling, and they (and their child) are truly thankful for. Just seeing a child run up to you at the beginning of the day means you are doing a great job!   Register as a job seeker with Jobs in Childcare to apply for jobs and to receive information on excellent international nanny, governess, tutor and early years vacancies worldwide. If you are an agency then sign up to post on Jobs in Childcare to connect with the best candidates worldwide!

Before embarking on a new career adventure, it is always a good idea to figure out which route or role would be best suited to your skillset and expectations.  You may be seeking a complete change of scenery by entering the world of childcare for the very first time; you may be returning; or you may be already working within the sector but wish to head in a new direction. Either way, there are many possible routes and points to consider when entering the childcare industry.  Here are just a few!   Early Years Fun May Be Your Cup of Tea Although rules on qualifications have tightened up in recent years with Ofsted requirements, not all roles require you to have prior qualifications before applying -- only an obvious interest in children’s development, a caring nature and a childcare provider willing to invest in its workforce.  Early years settings such as nurseries and pre-schools who appoint you as a Trainee Childcare Practitioner or Nursery Assistant may put you through a nationally recognised level 2 or 3 Childcare qualification. These are usually apprenticeships and/or on-the job distance learning qualifications and will mean your salary will reflect this. Alternatively, if you already have a relevant qualification and experience, you may wish to push yourself by becoming a Room Leader or Deputy Room Leader. Expect to work Monday-Friday with a mixture of early-ish starts and later finishes and some providers even offer half days as part of your contract. Bundles of patience, enthusiasm and a willingness to develop children using the Early Years framework are a must.   Residential Childcare Could be an Option  If you are considering contributing to make a difference to the more disadvantaged children within your society then working within a residential children’s home may be the answer for you. Expect to be working for either a Local Authority of privately-run establishment in fun, caring – and challenging environments. You will be working with children and young people who require additional support in their lives. This may be in the form of behaviour or emotional support, and an ability to remain patient and empathetic to their circumstances. Strong resilience is a must for any candidate looking at this area of childcare.  Some children may be in full time care who have severe and complex needs requiring round-the-clock care and support. Some may be having respite care to give their parents a rest.  Expect shift work to be the norm in this area. Early starts, late finishes and weekend working with an expectation for sleep-ins to qualified staff.  A residential environment can be stressful for the residents, so expect to work within a fun culture where putting smiles on the children’s faces is the most important. Days and trips out, as well as everyday activities will happen as the norm.    Teaching Assistant and Term-Time Only Schools are always on the lookout for Teaching Assistants. So, if you have a passion for learning and supporting children within an educational classroom environment this may be your calling.  Relevant childcare experience is usually necessary but not always the case. Expect to provide additional support to children on a 1-1 or small group basis.  And you get school holidays off!    Does Being Your Own Boss and Working for a Family Tick Your Boxes? Becoming a Nanny usually requires you to have at least 2 years’ experience in the field of childcare. But this depends on which route you take. If you go through an agency, this is usually the case, but if you go privately, this will depend on the family in question. Having a personality to match the family’s expectations may be all they require in order to employ you.  And if they do employ you, they are responsible for your payroll. Not you. Whether they do it themselves or they use an outside agency to process it, it is their responsibility. They may also request you become registered with Ofsted. Being a Nanny gives you the unique responsibility of looking after somebody else’s children in their own home. So, expect to be a pro-active type of person. You will be expected to plan everything from table-top activities, mealtimes, to exciting days-out. Access to your own car is usually a must – but some families offer use of theirs.    Something Different Altogether And if you really want to push the boundaries and you already have childcare qualifications, you may consider becoming a travel nanny or an overseas nanny/ governess. These kinds of roles tend to be full-on and intense, possibly including relocating to a different country, which is reflected in the high salaries on offer. You can find out more about working as a governor or governess in Russia here . Happy hunting! Register as a job seeker with Jobs in Childcare to apply for jobs and to receive information on excellent international tutor, nanny and governess vacancies worldwide. If you are an agency then sign up to post on Jobs in Childcare to connect with the best candidates worldwide!  

Many parents send their kids to summer camps during the summer, but there are plenty of families who prefer to hire nannies or childcare workers to watch their children while they are at work. And at the same time, parents want their nannies to do productive activities with the kids; they don't want them sitting at home all day and watching television or them playing on their iPhones or iPads the entire time!  With that said, if you are a nanny or childcarer you will want to be aware of these 10 reliable, failsafe activities to keep your charges over the summer! Let's get started!   1. Spending Refreshing Time Outdoors At The Park If you don’t know already, it is always a good idea to ask the parents where the nearest parks are and to take the children there. The kids can play on the playground, relax outdoors with toys or books, or even plan a picnic for lunch. It is best to not spend more than an hour or two, and if the sun is strong, recommended to stay there for a half hour or so. It is also essential to remember to always make sure that the kids are wearing hats to protect them from UV rays. Additionally, the children will need to have sunscreen applied that is at least 15 SP.  If you are taking infants under 6 months of age to the park, then they need to sit in a shaded area as babies that young cannot wear sunscreen. They must also be clothed comfortably.  2. Arts and Crafts  A great way to keep kids busy in the summertime is by giving them the opportunity to do arts and crafts. They can do colouring, painting, and making art using construction paper and glue.  Hopefully the family will already have the necessary supplies for a fun afternoon doing arts and crafts. However, it is always a good idea for nannies or childcare workers to have their own materials just in case. Arts and crafts help to promote children’s creativity and imagination which helps foster their overall development. They can be done indoors or outdoors; again remember to keep the kids protected from the sun if they are outside.  3. Baking Kids love to bake cookies, cakes and other fun foods; a great activity at any time of the year. If the kids know that they will be baking with their nanny, they will most definitely look forward to it. However, if baking is something you want to do, then it must be presented to the parents first; make sure that you are given permission. Additionally, it is probably best to let the parents be responsible for the ingredients for baking - especially if their kids have any type of food allergy or sensitivity. You can find ideas for baking here . 4. Story Time And Reading A great way to stimulate any child's mind is to read to them or have them read themselves if they are able. You should most definitely bring books to read to the children, and remember to let the kids engage during story time. Take breaks in between the story and talk to the kids about what has happened so far and what they think about it.  5. Playing Games A great way to keep kids busy and engaged is to play indoor or outdoor games with them. You may wish to play tag, hide and seek or board games. You could bring some board games from home or even create your own for an arts and crafts activity.  Ideas for games may include  Candy Land ,  Soggy Doggy ,  Enchanted Forest  or a variety puzzles - crosswords , word searches , join the dots , painting by numbers , mazes and many more. And remember to have fun while playing! If the child that loses the game gets upset, reassure the child that it is okay to lose, and the game was played only to have fun.  6. Sing Songs Children enjoy music and there is nothing more interactive than singing songs with them. If, as a nanny or childcare worker, you have instruments of your own such as guitars, be sure to bring them along and dedicate some time to music and singing.  This can be done indoors or outdoors, and why not get into the spirit of the season by singing songs that are to do with the summertime? You can always ask the kids that they are watching what their favourite songs are - and then sing those songs so that they are having a great time.  7. Create A Summertime Art Project With The Kids This is one idea that is fun for kids as they can go with their nanny hunting outdoors for leaves, branches, and flowers to create a fun art project. For this activity you should come prepared just in case the parents don't have the materials. You will need to get glue and construction paper, and even some markers just in case the parents do not have those as well. Go and let your charges create something that will be a lot of fun and surprise their parents. An idea is to take pieces of construction paper and glue some branches, leaves, and flowers on the sheet to make a summer collage. Your charges could even write their parents messages using markers. 8. Kids Love Scavenger Hunts Nannies and childcare workers will want to be safe with this; it is best to only play these sorts of games in the yard or garden and not at a park, even if the children are familiar with it - you don’t want anybody running off and getting lost! Bring some fun items for kids such as coins, dolls, or figurines, and go and hide them in different places outside. Then, when they are all hidden, it is time for the kids to get to work and start hunting for those items! To see the JIC suggestion for how to create a great treasure hunt, click  here . 9. Sports Playing sports is important for kids’ hand-eye coordination, as well as keeping them in shape and ensuring they are getting proper exercise. Always make sure that the kids are wearing protective clothing and helmets if they are playing games that will involve them throwing balls and running around.  Again, you will need to discuss with the parents before playing sports with their kids just in case one of their kids is not able to do so for medical reasons. Hopefully the parents will not object and will be happy that their kids will be being kept active.  10. Dress-up Or Role Playing Kids love using their imaginations and the best thing to do is to allow them to do so as it is beneficial for their development as well. For nannies and childcare workers, this could perhaps mean bringing some extra clean clothing that can be used for costumes to play a game of dress up. You can even do some role-playing without costumes or clothing. Either way, it is a fun way for kids to tap into their creativity, and to use their imaginations. For any of these activities, remember to ask the parents’ permission beforehand. There may be  medical reasons, religious or cultural reasons to avoid certain activities. Remember to stay on the parents' positive side to develop a good relationship with the children and the family! Do you have your own favourite summertime activities? Let us know in the comments section below! And if you’re looking for more ideas, visit the Jobs in Childcare blog for posts including  base building ,  a recycling experiment  or  a time capsule !   Register as a  job seeker  with Jobs in Childcare to apply for jobs and to receive information on excellent international tutor, nanny and governess vacancies worldwide. If you are an  agency  then sign up to post on Jobs in Childcare to connect with the best candidates worldwide!