September 2026
Open-Ended Materials in a Childminding Setting
Reflections from a childminder’s kitchen table
By Elaine Graydon
When I think back to my days as a childminder, I often find myself reflecting on the environment I created — first for my own daughters, and then for the children who came into my home each day. Looking back now, so much of what I did was unplanned. Without ever setting out to follow a particular “approach,” I found myself filling my home with natural materials that served no fixed purpose, simply because the children and I were regularly spending time outdoors together, both in my local area and the wider community.
Autumn was always my favourite time of year
The colours, the textures, cones, stones, sticks — and the endless possibilities they held. Out would come the paintbrushes and paper, and mark-making took on a whole new life. I strung a piece of string across the kitchen, and using little pegs, we’d hang the children’s paintings up to dry alongside the painted leaves and stones lined along the countertop.
Cones, stones, leaves and a length of string — the makings of a whole autumn of mark-making.
A work of art
At collection time, the children were bursting with excitement to show their parents their “work of art.” It never failed to spark conversation — real, engaged, parental involvement in what their child had spent the day doing. In the rush of everyday life, that exchange might easily have been the end of it. But for me, it was invaluable.
Looking back now, I can see the Aistéar principles at play long before I had the language for them: the agentic child, expressing their own ideas, and the rights of the child to be heard and valued through their own creative choices.
The pots and pans orchestra
Another memory that stays with me is the kitchen drawer. Open it up, and out would come pots of every size, lids, and — of course — the wooden spoons for banging. A ready-made band, assembled in seconds, and costing nothing at all.
Don’t get me wrong — I bought my share of plastic garages, dolls’ houses, and spinning tops from Smyths, and there’s a place for all of that too. But I often found myself wondering: aren’t children naturally drawn to nature and open-ended materials?
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When we offer children things that cost very little, do they not, often, spark far more creativity and curiosity than anything with a price tag?
— Elaine Graydon
What does a home environment look like for children?
I think the honest answer is, it looks different in every single home — and that’s exactly as it should be.
A childminder’s home in Ireland should feel like a warm, nurturing “second home,” where children are supported to play, learn, and feel secure, all while meeting the standards set out by Tusla. The environment should offer a variety of accessible, age-appropriate toys and materials that encourage creativity, imagination, and learning through play — alongside cosy spaces for reading, relaxing, and quiet time.
A quiet corner with books, cushions and soft light — somewhere to retreat, rest and simply be.
Daily routines should feel natural and flexible, with the childminder offering attentive, responsive care that supports each child’s emotional wellbeing, confidence, and sense of belonging.
At its heart, it’s about creating a caring, home-like space where children can explore freely, build relationships, and develop at their own pace — one leaf, one pot lid, one quiet corner at a time.
Elaine Graydon is a Childminding Development Officer with Kildare County Childcare Committee and a former childminder.