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Monday 9am - 5pm Tuesday 9am - 5pm Wednesday 9am - 5pm Thursday 9am - 5pm

Ash & Claire Childminders

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United Kingdom
Basingstoke
Ash & Claire Childminders

We are husband and wife childminding team based in Basingstoke. Looking after children birth to 11

18/07/2026

🐾 A Mini Safari at Pets at Home! 🦎🐟

We added another exciting stop to our day with a trip to Pets at Home to visit all the animals! The mindees had a brilliant time turning a simple shop visit into a mini safari.

We managed to spot all sorts of amazing creatures:
🐹 Scurrying hamsters and rats
🐠 Lots of brightly coloured fish
🐛 Some creepy-crawly insects
🐉 And even two amazing bearded dragons!

We also spent ages looking at the different animal habitats, checking out the warm vivariums for the lizards and the huge glass tanks for the fish. The children had a great time designing their own imaginary enclosures and deciding exactly what they would put inside to make the perfect home, we agreed on a fantastic mix of seaweed, rocks, and, of course, some Paw Patrol decorations! 🐾🏰

17/07/2026

🍕 From Shop to Plate: DIY Pizza Day! 🛒

Yesterday we had a brilliant trip out to Lidl to gather supplies for a very special homemade lunch. They did a fantastic job walking around the shop hunting down everything we needed: naan bread, tomato paste, cheese, and pepperoni! 🍅🧀🥓

To top off a great shopping trip, they even took all our items to the till and paid for them.

Everyone had a great time spreading, sprinkling, and building their very own delicious naan bread pizzas to cook and eat together. 👩‍🍳👨‍🍳

A perfect mix of life skills, cooking, and a very tasty lunch! ✨

16/07/2026

🌿 Neighbourhood Nature Hunt! 🌸

We went on a quick little foraging walk close to home this week to see what natural treasures we could find. The mindees did a brilliant job keeping their eyes peeled and collecting all sorts of interesting sticks, bright flowers, fallen leaves, and smooth stones. 🍂🪨

We even met the builders replacing the gas pipes!

We’ve brought our whole haul back to the house for an afternoon of getting creative! We are going to use our findings to make some beautiful nature pictures, craft some woodland bracelets, and maybe even mix up a few more magic potions in the garden. ✨🪄

15/07/2026

🌳 A Gruffalo Hunt at Alice Holt! 🦉🦊

We had the most wonderful day out in the woods today! We went on a big adventure to find the Gruffalo and all his friends, and everyone had an absolutely brilliant time.

Our forest adventure was packed full of fun:
🪵 Spotting our favourite storybook characters along the trail
🪨 Racing and playing with the amazing marble runs
🧗‍♀️ Conquering the climbing frames to burn off some energy
🥪 Stopping for a lovely woodland picnic together under the trees

All of the children walked so beautifully today and were on their very best behaviour.
They were such superstars that I treated them all to a well-deserved ice lolly at the end to cool down! 🍦☀️
A perfect summer day out in the forest! ✨

14/07/2026

🦆 A Brilliant Day Out at Thatcham Lakes! 🌿

We made the most of the lovely weather yesterday with a big adventure around the lakes. The mindees had an absolutely packed day full of fresh air, outdoor learning, and fun!

Here is a little look at what we got up to:
🦆 Feeding the very hungry ducks and geese
🦟 Spotting some beautiful, fast-moving dragonflies darting over the water
🥪 Enjoying a lovely picnic together in the fresh air
🛝 Running off plenty of energy playing in the park and making new friends
🔴 Exploring the environment with lots of colour spotting!

It’s amazing how much you can pack into one trip out. So much learning, nature spotting, and smiling faces! ☀️🌳

Nature Discovery Centre Thatcham

13/07/2026

🛒 Little Helpers in the Aisles! 🛒

We had a very successful early morning trip to Morrisons to stock up on our fruit and snacks for the week, plus some cat food and a very exciting brand new ball! 🍎🍌🐱⚽

Giving the mindees their own mini trolleys is such a great way to build independence, and all three of them were absolutely brilliant at steering them safely around the shop.

The biggest highlight of the trip, though? They were completely fascinated by the cleaning robot whirling around! 🤖🧹
A big well done to my star shoppers this morning! 🌟

Morrisons

10/07/2026

We’ve had a truly magical afternoon brewing up some very special potions! ✨🌿

Using a mix of treasures found right here in the garden, some water, and a splash of food colouring, the children let their imaginations run wild.

According to our little wizards, we've successfully crafted:
A potion to make you grow taller and taller! 🦒
A spell to magically conjure up fresh strawberries! 🍓
A mystical brew that turns you straight into a lizard! 🦎

It’s so wonderful to watch their creativity and storytelling come to life through outdoor sensory play.

09/07/2026

A brilliant display of teamwork today! 🎨💦

After covering our playhouse in chalk, the children grabbed buckets of water and brushes to scrub it all clean.

The best part was watching the older children patiently teach the littler ones exactly how to wash the walls.

We love practical, real-world activities that build cooperation and motor skills! 🧽✨

08/07/2026

We headed out to the woods nice and early today to beat the heat, and it’s safe to say the children let their imaginations completely take over. Who needs traditional toys when the forest provides so much?

Here is what our morning walk looked like through their eyes:
🚂 Fallen logs became a bumpy passenger train!
⛰️ Little mounds of earth transformed into giant mountains that needed conquering.
🪨 Special stones we spotted on the floor turned out to be the perfect natural chalk for some brilliant mark-making on the trees.
🐉 And the deep woods? The absolute best place to go hunting for hidden dragons!

We also managed to squeeze in plenty of balancing, a few trips down the slide, and some brilliant teamwork on the basket swing. A perfect, shady morning adventure before the sun got too hot! ☀️🍃

07/07/2026

The mindees spotted the nets I was prepping for my Squirrels session... so naturally, a spontaneous expedition was in order! 🎣🐿️

We headed down to Eastrop for a morning of (very careful!) pond dipping. The concentration on their faces was absolutely brilliant as they swept their nets through the water hoping for a big catch or insects or treasure.

Our grand total for the day? One teeny-tiny fish... alongside a very impressive, messy haul of leaves, twigs, and mud! 🐟🍂🌱

Even if we didn't find a monster of the deep, it was a fantastic, hands-on way to get close to nature and enjoy the sunshine. ☀️🌿

Address

Basingstoke
RG218UX

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm

Website

http://www.acchildminders.co.uk/

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