Helaina's Happy Hedgehogs Childminding

Helaina's Happy Hedgehogs Childminding Please see 'Additional Information'. Helaina lives in Guisborough with her husband. Helaina caters for the needs and interests of all the children she cares for.

Her home is detached with a front and enclosed back garden, which is situated in a quiet cul-de-sac. Helaina has had the pleasure of supporting many families through childminding over the past several years. Prior to becoming a Childminder, she thoroughly enjoyed working as an Early Years Teacher for 11 years. Helaina has had a positive effect on the lives of many children and their families whom

she has worked with. Although Helaina felt that her job as an experienced Early Years Teacher was extremely rewarding, she decided to start childminding because she wished to work with children in a calm home environment with a lower ratio of children. Doing so enables Helaina to provide children with an outstanding quality of care and education, which is Helaina's desire. Helaina feels her strengths are demonstrated best by caring for young children who demonstrate emotional difficulties. She also considers herself to be a valuable asset to families who have decided to defer school attendance and support children leading up to the start of school. Helaina has a wealth of experience caring for newborns up to teenagers and she loves working with children. Her enthusiasm and excitement are apparent to the children she is in contact with, which encourages children to feel happy to 'have a go' and thus learn and develop. She does so by providing the best possible learning experiences, both indoor and out. Based on children's interests, Helaina plans activities for children to learn through play, since she believes that play is essential to all aspects of children's development and learning. She cooks healthy organic meals with the children and enjoys baking with them too, as she sees how much enjoyment and learning the children gain from such activities. Helaina also has much experience working along with parents and other professionals. She is keen to offer any help that she can to such ones, in order to support the children and their families. Helaina holds a Paediatric First Aid and a food hygiene certificate. She keeps her Continued Professional Development up to date including the renewal of 'Safeguarding Children' training. Helaina is also qualified as an Advanced Swimming Instructor, enabling her to teach the fundamentals of swimming to all ages and abilities. With parental permission, she teaches her childminded children to swim whenever the opportunity arises. Helaina was thrilled to have been appointed as an Area Lead and Mentor for the Department for Education Early Years COVID-19 Recovery Programme. The training she has received prior to starting in this role and the knowledge and experience she gains through working with other childminders, enhances her outstanding practice as an Early Years Professional.

My Happy 🦔s are a big fans of Jannine and she has a childcare space for an immediate start and more availability from Se...
24/04/2026

My Happy 🦔s are a big fans of Jannine and she has a childcare space for an immediate start and more availability from September!
Do you know a family who Jannine could help out?

I absolutely love how my Happy 🦔s emotionally rely on and support each other when they’re not feeling such a ‘happy’ 🦔 💛...
24/04/2026

I absolutely love how my Happy 🦔s emotionally rely on and support each other when they’re not feeling such a ‘happy’ 🦔 💛

This little boy broke away from his fishing game as soon as he heard his friend was sad and asking for a cuddle. Not only did she get that cuddle, but a big welcome straight into his play too 🥰🫶🏻

Their empathy for each other is really special to see, shown here so naturally without any prompting. 💙🩷

Never underestimate the power of dice 🎲🧠Our big wooden dice are a permanent part of our continuous provision, and they’r...
20/04/2026

Never underestimate the power of dice 🎲🧠

Our big wooden dice are a permanent part of our continuous provision, and they’re used in all sorts of ways. Through play, the children are developing early maths skills without even realising.

They might start by counting the dots, using both sight 👀 and touch ✋ as they feel the indented patterns, but quickly begin to recognise quantities at a glance. This key skill is called subitising.

Alongside this, they’re learning to game play, take turns, build patience, and manage the unpredictability of not always getting the number they hoped for.

🎣 A little warning ⚠️ This post is a little fishy… feel free to skip if that’s not your thing 😄A spontaneous 'fish' back...
18/04/2026

🎣 A little warning ⚠️ This post is a little fishy… feel free to skip if that’s not your thing 😄

A spontaneous 'fish' back during our winter wonderland set up sparked a whole new interest for my Happy 🦔s ✨

Out came the summer resources 🌊 🐠, and real-life connections brought it to life. The children loved my family fishing photos (especially my niece with her prawn 🦐!) and were amazed by my brother free diving 10 metres to catch his fish 🤿🐠

As their knowledge grew, so did their play. Some dipped bare feet in the “sea” 🦶🌊, while others stayed safely on the “pier” to avoid any cheeky nibbles 🐟

We’ve explored this interest for months, through tasting seafood 🍤, outings, and learning more about fish 📚. With fantastic support from parents too, from seaside trips 🏖️ to meeting a fisherman 🎣 and even visiting The Deep 🐠

17/04/2026

Our awesome adventure to round off the Easter holidays

We explored all through Gripps Farm and wandered right down to the stunning seaside 🌊 and all the way back again. There was so much to see and chat about along the way.

Naturally, the highlights for the boys included cow poo 💩, a dead rabbit 🐰, a pig enjoying the ultimate mud bath 🐷, and a hammer the same size as our toddlers 🔨.

The boys also spent time carefully observing and carrying out their own risk assessments ⚠️ as they tackled some tricky steps down to the beach with impressive awareness. 👀🪜

We had some lovely chats with people we met along the way too, including the workmen busy improving the steps 👷‍♂️

I clocked up 12,000 steps… so I think it’s safe to say these little legs probably doubled that 👣💪

✨ The Importance of Schematic Play 🧠 Have you noticed children repeating the same type of play again and again... fillin...
29/03/2026

✨ The Importance of Schematic Play 🧠

Have you noticed children repeating the same type of play again and again... filling and emptying, lining things up, transporting objects, spinning, climbing or wrapping things up?

This is often called schematic play (or play schemas) and it’s a really important part of child development. 🌱

Schemas are repeated patterns of play that help children explore how the world works. Through these strong urges and fascinations, children are developing problem-solving, physical skills, critical thinking, early maths and science understanding, and so much more. 💡

The more we understand children’s schemas, the better we can support their interests, extend their learning, and support meaningful play that truly engage them. ❤️

Here's a few photos of our determined little transporter in action. 🥰🤩😆

Our tiny spring lambs got themselves stuck in the ice after one very cold night and an awesome hail storm! 🌨️🐑One little...
28/03/2026

Our tiny spring lambs got themselves stuck in the ice after one very cold night and an awesome hail storm! 🌨️🐑

One little Happy 🦔 quickly noticed they needed “a bit of help” when their little feet were frozen in the icy. The children took the lead in coming to the rescue, and it really got their brains working. 🧊💡

A Happy 🦔, who shines with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) learning, came up with lots of brilliant ideas. They soon recalled how our snowman had melted a few months ago and compared the sunny side of the garden to the shady side, deciding we should move the table into the sunshine. ☀️

While we enjoyed a related story and our morning snack, the warm sun did most of the work… and soon enough our little lambs were free.

I feel that this is a really important read. Starting safer sleep routines at home before your little one begins with a ...
27/03/2026

I feel that this is a really important read.
Starting safer sleep routines at home before your little one begins with a childcare provider can make a huge difference. As children become ready, gently encouraging independent settling can also really support an easier transition.

I also highly recommend Victoria Freer Nurtured Sleep 💤 She has supported both myself and a number of my Happy 🦔 families over the years, and her advice has been so valuable!

💤 Safer Sleep in childcare - how you can help your child to have an easier transition.

All early years settings have to meet the guidance on safer sleep. If your child is due to start childcare in the next few months it would be super helpful if you could start practicing the skills below at home.

🌞Children are placed down on their back in their own separate sleep space on a firm flat surface such as a cot, bed or mattress on the floor. Babies aged 1 year and under must only be placed to sleep in a cot.

🌞Sleep spaces should only contain a firm, flat, waterproof mattress and lightweight bedding which is firmly tucked in around the child below their shoulders to prevent head covering. Alternatively, a well fitted baby sleep bag may be used. Check the manufacturer
recommendations before using a baby sleep bag.

🌞Cots must not contain extra items such as toys, pillows, extra blankets, bumpers, wedges or straps. So unfortunately they will need to practice sleeping WITHOUT comfort items such as soft toys and muslin cloths.

We understand that it isn't always easy to get babies to self settle in a cot but safety must always be our priority. We have undertaken external training from Victoria Freer Nurtured Sleep to help us better support children who are not used to cot naps. Take a look at her page for lots of hints and tips or to book a consultation.

Today, the children enjoyed observational daffodil painting at the Priory 🌼 and were delighted to receive lovely complim...
25/03/2026

Today, the children enjoyed observational daffodil painting at the Priory 🌼 and were delighted to receive lovely compliments from kind passers-by 😊

Both I and the parents of my Happy 🦔s have loved seeing the children work towards this week’s Physical Development focus: forming lines from top to bottom and anticlockwise circles through play and meaningful, hands-on experiences 🎨✍️

A lovely example of how play, nature and purposeful learning come together so naturally 💛

A big shout out to Theatre Rat! 🏴‍☠️🦈We had the privilege of enjoying their pirate show, and it was absolutely brilliant...
24/03/2026

A big shout out to Theatre Rat! 🏴‍☠️🦈

We had the privilege of enjoying their pirate show, and it was absolutely brilliant. At first, my Happy 🦔s were feeling a little unsure, but it wasn’t long before they were up on their feet, dancing along and joining in.

Despite performing all day, these lovely guys still took extra time afterwards to play with my Happy 🦔s, which was so appreciated. They (and their cheeky shark, who kept trying to eat the apples on one of the children’s jumpers 😂) had the children in absolute hysterics!

Such a fun, engaging event, and such a kind team too. Thank you, Theatre Rat!

23/03/2026

It’s a good job I love my job, because my ‘days off’ can look remarkably similar to my ‘days on’… and I wouldn’t have it any other way. 🥰

Spending unhurried, quality time with my gorgeous grandson is super special. Join us on our little duck adventure.🦆

I can’t say I love listening to myself on videos 🤦🏻‍♀️, but capturing interactions with children is such a valuable way to reflect and grow in practice.

Note to self: pause a little longer to give children the time and space to think, respond, and lead the moment. 💭✨

Improving our practice is an ongoing and important part of what we do as Early Years Educators.

22/03/2026

❄️ Winter at home with my Happy 🦔s… still too special not to share 😍

While spring is well underway 🌱, I’m catching up on some of our beautiful winter moments at home…
cosy play, outdoor exploring, invitations to discover, sensory fun, stories and so much child-led learning in our indoor and outdoor learning landscape ✨

Sometimes the everyday moments really are the best ones 🫶🏻

Address

Guisborough
TS146

Telephone

07984467017

Website

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Helaina lives in Guisborough with her husband and step daughter. Her home is detached with a front and enclosed back garden, which is situated in a quiet cul-de-sac. Helaina strives to provide outstanding quality of care to all children whom she childminds and is thrilled to receive positive feedback from parents. In her previous employment Helaina has thoroughly enjoyed working as an Early Years Teacher for 11 years.

She has had a positive affect on the lives of many children and their families whom she has worked with, including children with additional needs. Although Helaina feels that her job as a Teacher was extremely rewarding, she decided to start child minding because she wishes to work with children in an environment which has a lower ratio of children. Doing so will enable Helaina to provide children with the best quality of care and education, which is Helaina's desire. Helaina feels her strengths are demonstrated best by caring for young children who demonstrate challenging emotional/behavioural difficulties. Helaina loves working with children. Her enthusiasm and excitement is apparent to the children she is in contact with, which encourages children to feel happy to 'have a go' and thus learn and develop. Helaina caters for the needs and interests of all the children she cares for. She does so by providing the best possible learning experiences, both indoor and out. Helaina plans activities for children to learn through play, since she believes that play is essential to all aspects of children's development and learning. She often cooks healthy meals with children and enjoys baking treats with them too, as she sees how much enjoyment and learning the children gain from such activities. Helaina has a wealth of experience caring for babies and young children and would be happy to continue to provide this care, even overnight when this is required. Helaina also has much experience working along with parents and other professionals. She is keen to offer any help/support that she can to such ones, especially when doing so benefits children. Helaina holds a Paediatric First Aid and a food hygiene certificate. She has attended many training courses such as Safeguarding Children. Helaina is also qualified as an Advanced Swimming Instructor, enabling her to teach the fundamentals of swimming to all ages and abilities, including children with additional needs.