lovelyrita

Thanks Esme, we're going to start doing Nimble disco parties soon as we've been getting heaps of requests - email us at [email protected] if you'd like to have a chat about it! x

Wise family room people, I wondered if I could pick your brains again - I'm just programming our summer holiday Nimble Tots programme, as we'll still be running classes on a Wednesday at the Ivy House in Nunhead. We'll have our normal cello/story/music classes at 10am and 11am, plus more crafternoon tea workshops for parents/carers with pre-crawlers in the afternoon, *but* I'm wondering about putting another class in at 4pm, but is this a ridiculous time for a session being too close to tea? I can't quite work it out! It'd be either: * Proper storytelling aimed at 4-7 year olds (so longer tales than the morning session, some music more slightly more narrative led - but younger kids/older siblings welcome) * More drama type workshops for 3.5-5 year olds * A baby music class Or none of the above, if 4pm is a foolish time for such things! We'd do these as drop in workshops, with advance sign up available too, and places on the day available if there is room... Thanks! Becky x

Just a wee update - we're going to be offering an initially limited number of extended day spaces at our summer holiday clubs until 6pm! Thanks a lot for your feedback on this.

Thanks for this - we're definitely looking into trying to offer extended hours for the summer, and failing that, for October onwards, as we completely understand it's difficult to finish a working day in time for a 5pm pick up!

Thanks for the nice feedback about Nimble on here... A slightly cheeky hijack (admin - do delete if not appropriate in this thread), but we're looking into whether we can extend our hours to 6pm in the future, and wondered whether this would be useful? It's going to take a bit of convincing of our venues and staff, but if there's demand we're going to look into it properly!

Thanks Zedd - that's helpful! As a parent, I totally agree that drop in often is easier to manage, particularly if we've weekends away (which happens a lot in the summer) but it's a bit of a risk as a provider when booking staff and a venue (when I run weekday toddler/baby classes, which are drop in, I don't worry so much as they've built up gradually, but this is a bit of a step into the unknown!). But sign up classes do also give a consistent group who can grow in skills/confidence together over the term... Still working on it though! x

Hi all, I wondered on your thoughts for a new toddler class I'm thinking of running locally (with Nimble Arts), but I'm really not sure if it's something I'm just dreaming up for my own daughter that wouldn't work for other families! I'm really looking for more sociable weekend activities for my 2.5 year old, and so for us, a Sunday afternoon thing would be perfect. We've got some really brilliant EY drama specialists who work with us on the Nimble Arts holiday clubs we hold in East Dulwich, who I think could offer some fun, creative, movement based participatory drama sessions targeted to this age (maybe a 2.5 - under 4 session and a 4-5 year old class), with a bit of creative free play thrown in. Looking for this being fairly gentle, creative small classes for toddlers to probably attend with a parent/carer (but maybe not the 4-5 year olds). We'd be looking at this being a half term sign-up class rather than drop in, maybe something like 3 - 4 on a Sunday afternoon. Any interest or thoughts? Hoping to get this running after the May half term (obviously subject to venue etc). Thanks! x

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...to update, Nimble Arts is now accepting Childcare vouchers for all our courses! We're at www.nimblearts.co.uk

Should add, any suggestions for things a train or tube away are welcome! But we are still in our pyjamas, gah, taking our first day of holiday too seriously...

Any ideas of fun toddler friendly activities today (Thursday?) I should probably know given I run toddler classes myself most days, but been a bit disorganised and now have a slightly haywire toddler and we're both a bit cold ridden for our plan A of going swimming - it looks like lots of classes have finished already this week!

I run nimble arts holiday clubs (held at heber school in east Dulwich), we are in the verge of being able to accept vouchers, just dotting i's and crossing T's on the paperwork, but we hope to be open for childcare voucher bookings for our February course (and definitely for April onwards). We'll update on here and on our website www.nimblearts.co.uk as soon as voucher booking opens.

Hey, we've a Christmas toddler nimble tots session on Monday and Wednesday, finishing with a singalong of carols round the piano, a there's a few tickets left. There's a bit more detail on the website at http://goo.gl/Vcll2W, but it'll be a Christmas musical story (lots of cello, ukulele, djembe...) followed by carols and craft. X

Hey - we've still spaces at Nimble Arts creative holiday clubs - full details at www.nimblearts.co.uk x

Hi, thanks for the link Lorraine! We've actually got two weeks of Nimble Arts holiday club activities this year (28th July - 1st August and 18th August - 22nd August) plus two creative '3 day musical' courses for slightly older children (5-7th August and 26th - 28th August). Places still available, but would advise booking soon www.nimblearts.co.uk Look in the 'what's on' section for more details, Becky x

Hi LalKJ - at Nimble Arts we can take 4 year olds for 4 hours at a time (it's to do with the terms of early years registration - probably why most clubs operate for 5 upwards!) which we often arrange for younger siblings and friends. If 4 hours is any use, do drop me a PM or email ([email protected]), but appreciate you probably need childcare for the full day. We're hoping to offer this at some point as we're experienced early years practitioners and teachers!

Hi- we've still some spaces for Nimble Arts holiday club in East Dulwich (based at Heber school) if you're still looking. We've got a variety of creative activities, with some great artists and practitioners joining us, all with a bit of an interplanetary/sci-fi theme! Monday: space themed arts and crafts (we're offering half days on this as we know you might have family activities planned some of the day!) Tuesday: Drama - join the mad professor's space lab! Wedenesday: 'Take flight' acrobatics and circus skills Thursday: Sound Lab - weird and wonderful music and sounds Friday: Film Lab - create your own film! All details are at www.nimblearts.co.uk. From experience the mid-week days tend to fill up more quickly, but there's still space on all days for the time being!

Thanks for the feedback on timings - crumbs, it's clearly such a juggle for everyone! In terms of our timings, it's a tricky one when planning courses, particularly, as Rachel points out, there's a lot of setting up and tidying up to bookend the days, but I can see that flexibility is important so we will look at any options for slightly extending times over the summer. Ladywotlunches - afraid we've not got anything the second week this Easter apart from a (shhh...not yet fully announced yet but I'll put something up soon) a half day for younger kids on the 17th April as we're trialling something out we're hoping to run over the summer. Good luck finding something on the 16th! And we've still got space in the Nimble Arts workshops the first week of Easter, but I'd advise booking soon as places do tend to fill up in advance on some days :)

Hi - it's really interesting to read this thread. Out of interest, from working parents, what is the ideal length of day that a holiday club could cater for? I ask both with future planning for Nimble Arts courses in mind, but also in wariness for when my daughter is older...

Hi, we've got a week of activities with Nimble Arts this Easter - details are on our website http://nimblearts.co.uk/?page_id=214, but do drop me a message if you've any questions! We'll be releasing details of summer dates soon, and we've got a club on for the May half term too, every day from 8.30 - 5pm Becky x

Sorry Lovely Forum-ites for my second childcare post in minutes! But I'm considering a nanny share for my daughter from September onwards, and wondered if anyone was in a position with a nanny to share, or is similarly considering this option? My daughter will be 11 months old, and we're looking for either Monday - Wednesday, or just Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and would need care from 8.15 - 6pm ideally. We actually live in Nunhead, but happy to do a car drop off if needs be. Welcome any thoughts!

Hi All, I've been prevaricating about childcare for a bit too long (oops!), and after deciding not to go into childminding myself just yet, I need something for 2 or 3 days a week from September onwards, and am now panicking a little that I've left it too late. I'm seeing a couple of different childminders over this week and next, but am also open to the idea of nursery or a nanny share. Sorry for bombarding the forum with multiple threads about this, but my first question is whether anyone has any thoughts about Magic Mind in Nunhead? They are one of few places with spaces for September, but can't find much feedback on them. Do PM me if you'd rather not say anything publicly! Thanks, Becky x

Hi All, Next book club meeting will be on Tuesday 19th March at 2.30pm at the Old Nuns Head, and we'll be reading Alan Hollinghurst's 'Line of Beauty'. All welcome, again, PM me if you'd like to go on the email list, Becky x

I wondered if any of you family room types might have some words of wisdom, as I'm trying to work out plans for returning to work later this year, and am toying with the idea of retraining as a childminder. I really love my job which is working in orchestral outreach, and it involves working with musicians and a mixture of managing creative projects, running workshops in schools and, inevitably, lots of admin around it, and I also work freelance as a music teacher/workshop leader with children normally of lower primary age. *But*...work is an hour's commute away, the pay would work out pretty much the same as childcare would cost, and I really really love hanging out with my little girl! I've been thinking about doing 3 days a week as a childminder, probably with my daughter + 2 others, with an emphasis on doing 'creative' child care (with my background in music and storytelling with kids it's my comfort zone), and then having 2 days (with M in childcare) to develop my own freelance business (and hopefully my old job might take me on for odd pieces of work) I'm not sure at all about this yet, so had just wondered if anyone had any experience of doing similar? Also... * Are parents interested in a childminder for 3 days a week? * Would a 'creative' emphasis of childminding service be something that appeals? * Has anyone done this and how have you found a chance in career? I'd be really interested in hearing any thoughts!

Hi! Just a reminder that we're meeting next Tuesday for the next bookclub (and then onwards on the 3rd Tuesday of the month) at the Old Nuns Head. Thanks for the PMS, and I hope I've replied to everyone interested. Also any thoughts for next month's book welcome, xx