Little Peeps
What They Say
In the report from the Care Inspectorate Wales on the 13th of July 2023 comment in the Well-Being section: “Children squealed with laughter as they travelled to the ‘beach’ on the ‘magic train’, engaging in movement and singing activities as they met with sea creatures on their journey”.
Our Journey
Little Peeps Playgroup first opened its doors in 1994, catering for children ages 2 ½. Now we have lowered the age to 2-4 years, to accommodate the need for childcare in the area.
Fast forward to 2023 and we are now part of Flying Start, which offers FREE childcare to children aged 2-3, becoming a Flying Start setting was a fantastic opportunity for us at Little Peeps, allowing children to attend our setting who may not have been able to before if the free childcare was not available. We at Little Peeps needed to make a lot of changes to the setting to support the changes from playgroup to a flying start, new equipment, toys, and new approaches.
One of the new approaches we have taken on board in peeps is the curiosity approach, this approach is where children are encouraged to use everyday household items, toilet roll tubes, and any other object without a “purpose”, this encourages the children to use their own imagination, make their own choices and figure things out for themselves which leads to confidence, critical thinking, and problem-solving, this link in very well with little magic train.
Over the last 2 years we have incorporated Littlemagictrain into our routine, our Magic Train “Hank” has taken us on many adventures around the world! Our children absolutely love Hank and all the magical places he takes us!
Our children enjoy exploring different activities, messy play, crafts, and free play which incorporates the adventure we have been on. We have also made up our very own magical journeys, which match the themes we are using within the setting, from pirate adventures to St Dwynwens Day (Welsh Valentines).
'Pirate' Fun!
Munchkinos Childminding
Pontardawe Swansea
The Team
Munchkinos Childminding was established in 2008 and since then it has become a real family business. Our 4 children treat the children we look after like siblings and enjoy playing with them. Toni joined me (Claire )in 2017 and we haven’t regretted the move once.
We bounce off each other and enjoy seeing our ideas develop throughout the day. Watching the wonder and delight on the children’s faces never gets old and that is why we have a passion for what we do. As well as Munchkinos we voluntarily run two local playgroups and are active members of our son’s school PTA
We love going away in our VW camper to festivals and for weekend breaks, travelling abroad with, and without our children, musical theatre, and music concerts, and attending live comedy events as well as immersive events.
We believe it is important to share a sense of humour when working together, as well as working in childcare. We often spend a good part of the day laughing together with the children that we care for.
Claire enjoys circuit training, yoga, Pilates, Ariel yoga, mindfulness, meditation, trekking, walking, cold water dipping, and paddle boarding.
Toni is not so much a fan of the water but enjoys playing pool, and five-a-side football a couple of times a week.
We have a passion for healthy homemade food and share this love with our mindees who love to cook with us. They enjoy peeling, chopping, and preparing the ingredients for new recipes that we try out, but they mostly enjoy tasting them (as do we). We also enjoy sharing our love for the outdoors with the children and spend most of our days outside learning, laughing, and loving life. This promotes a healthy lifestyle, regulates emotions, and encourages children to learn and experience so much more than if they were inside all day.
We have 7 chickens, a dog, and a bearded dragon all of which are loved by our mindees as well as our family.
We love working with Gina and Simon The Little Magic Train. Gina is like a breath of fresh air and always inspires us and the children to go on exciting journeys.
School of Play
The Team
At School of Play, we are committed to providing enriching experiences that foster holistic development for children, particularly focusing on Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) pupils. From their first sport to their first art piece, we want to make those experiences great. We want the memories to be positive and unforgettable.
As a team, we create memories to last a lifetime across the 7 Holiday Campsites and 3 Wraparound Care Venues we run. We always make time to schedule a Little Magic Train Imagine Session. Gina’s innovative program is not only educational but also incredibly fun, aligning perfectly with our mission to make learning a joyous adventure.
Through The Little Magic Train programme, our team receives comprehensive training tailored to enhance children’s development within the EYFS framework. From our Holiday Camps to Wraparound Care, Gina’s expertise infuses every aspect of our programmes, ensuring that each child experiences both enjoyment and growth in equal measure.
Gina’s enthusiasm and brilliance shine through in every teaching session we attend, making the learning experience engaging and exciting for our educators and in turn, our children. The ability to seamlessly blend educational content with fun-filled activities is truly remarkable, creating an environment where learning becomes a magical journey.
The impact of The Little Magic Train programme on our children’s development is evident every day. We witness first-hand the joy and enthusiasm it brings to our young learners, as they eagerly participate in activities that stimulate their cognitive, social, and emotional growth. Gina’s dedication to creating an educational yet enjoyable curriculum has undoubtedly elevated the quality of our programmes, enriching the lives of countless children in our care.
We are incredibly grateful for the partnership with The Little Magic Train and the positive influence it has on our educational offerings. Together, we continue to nurture young minds, laying the foundation for a lifetime of learning and discovery.
Thank you, Gina, for your unwavering commitment to making learning a magical experience for children everywhere.
Do take a peek at our Space Imagine Session https://www.tiktok.com/@schoolofplay/video/7239723934965304602
Soar Childcare
The Team
Hello! We are the Walker family. My name is Marion Walker and I am a registered childminder who is regulated by Ofsted. I was born in Richmond, Virginia, USA in 1976 and lived there until I left for University where I studied music, theatre, and education. At University I met my husband, Graeme, who was an exchange student from England. We got married in the year 2000 and moved to England in 2003 when we were expecting our first child.
I am a qualified teacher with a master’s degree in special education. I have taught in Hertfordshire primary schools for five years and in American primary schools for three years. I worked in a child care centre working with children from birth to five years old for three years, and I have run several workshops for gifted and talented children in the US.
When I began to have children of my own, I wanted them to enjoy every day and have as many positive experiences as possible. I have a daughter named Hannah who was born in 2003 and is enjoying her time at secondary school. In 2008 we had our second child, Lara. I gave up work to be with my children, but found that I missed the buzz of the classroom. I love children and want to continue working with them. Childminding allows me to be at home for my girls (who sometimes still need me even thought they are teenagers), teach and nurture children and have a career.
I have my masters degree in Education, a BA in musical theatre and I also have my level 3 qualification in childminding as well as paediatric first aid. In my last three Ofsted inspections, I received an outstanding rating for my childcare in all areas. My most recent inspection was on the 25th March 2019.
I work with my husband Graeme. He is also a trained primary school teacher with a BA honours in Education. He saw how much I was having childminding and joined me about seven years ago and got an outstanding on his Ofsted inspection in 2019 as well.
We live in Bishop’s Stortford with our girls and two very sweet cats named Eclipse and Tobi. They do not come into the playroom very often but children can play with them if parents give permission. It is our philosophy that every child we care for should have fun, learn lots, feel valued and genuinely enjoy their time with us.
We offer a childcare experience in that we are a home from home environment but with two teachers who are highly trained and continuously strives to improve our practice. We have a very large designated playroom and outdoor area which enables us to change the setting based on the needs and interests of the children. We use an online system that enables us to send you photos and information about what we have been up to. I can also send activity ideas for you to try at home as well as keep a record of your little one’s learning journey.
We have the resources of a larger setting but within a much smaller, more personalised service.
Looking for Pandas
What they say
“We’ve been using Littlemagictrain for over 6 years now and the adults and the children love it! We’ve evolved it a little bit over the years, as we’ve become more familiar with it, and we definitely have some favourite places to visit with ‘Simon’!
Our pre-school have children aged from just 2 until nearly 5 and so it’s been important to us to have something we can use and adapt to suit all ages and the needs of each cohort. In fact, it’s become so popular with the children that they wanted to be involved once they reached Reception class, so much so that we organised shared PE sessions in the hall including children up to 7!
Our sessions have included group of about 12 at it’s smallest up to 50+ at it’s busiest! Now that was a challenge!
We start each session with a listening game and the children close their eyes as ‘Simon’ is passed from adult to adult while the children have to guess who’s blowing his whistle.
Once he’s been found, he is placed into the centre of the room and we start the music to make him grow…. All aboard and we chug around in a giant circle until we reach our destination.
We never let on to the children where we are going but use this as an opportunity to give clues and add a little imagination… LOOK! What can you see over there? I can see trees… and a path… is that a house in the distance? Who might live in that house?
We work through each lesson, stopping and starting as necessary to encourage the children to listen to the music, respond to the beat and rhythm and bring imaginative actions into their movements. The music is really flexible, so can be stopped, started and repeated as necessary until each specific group is ready to move on.
Once we’ve exhausted the story (or ourselves!) it’s all aboard Simon for the journey back.
Once we’re ‘home’ we usually ask the children which part was their favourite, taking turns to act out a small section and show it to the other children.
The lessons are so adaptable that it’s great to use as a planned regular lesson, or just a last minute ad-hoc ‘filler’ when the children are restless on a Friday afternoon.
The staff always join in and I can honestly say it’s one of the best products we’ve ever invested in… no parts to break, and nothing for the children to argue over!
In fact, I just have to blow his whistle and everyone knows that Simon is ready and waiting to take us on another adventure – all aboard!”
Nicky Sanford, Marcham Pre-school, Oxfordshire.
“Littlemagictrain is a wonderful programme, allowing children to be creative in movement and imagination. I attended training a few years ago and loved it! I would highly recommend a taster session. It’s a fabulous way of keeping children active, getting them to listen and follow instructions. It also allows them to use their imagination and have fun in a very creative way. The resources are super too!
As a playgroup, it is suitable for children as young as 2 years old. Highly recommended.”
Amanda Standing, Manager, Standing to Grow Playgroup, Wales.
“Absolutely amazing!! Children and staff loved every minute in our playgroup!!”
Ffion Louise Richards
“Staff and children thoroughly enjoy magic train in our playgroup, we look forward to it every week🤩 Highly recommend🥰”
Leah Rowlands
“We have just started with the programme, three sessions and the children were totally engaged so thumbs up from us!”
Karen, Manager, Herstmonceux Pre-School
“I was at one of the settings yesterday, and they have run LMT sessions since last weeks training every day. We did a session with the children and the absolutely loved it. They already knew the music, and actions and there was a genuine excitement when the train was mentioned. Sammy did a fantastic job leading the train, and was excellent as the lead storyteller!”
Gary Mahoney, Best Start Swansea, Wales.
“Everybody loves Simon the little train and it is so easy to run a session. Even children who do not usually like role play have been joining in. We would definitely recommend it to other groups.”
Mary, Adam & Eve’s Kindergarten
“I know that most parents really enjoy a music or singing session, and some enjoy a dancing group – but I was noticing that the Littlemagictrain provides the whole deal with imagination and attention/understanding at different levels also thrown into the whole gambit! What a superb concept. So- a quick reply to say that I think the programme is superb and although I am still at the learning stages – even if I make a little error, it seems to flow and the children, in the long run, will be benefitting from improved listening skills, physical coordination, communication and language skills, a love of being in a group – maybe as a leader improving self-confidence or as a participating member of a group, learning turn taking. All these skills can enable an easier transition for young children to start at a preschool setting or foundation stage and help support the wonder of learning and the next steps.”
Barbara Crowther, Education and Early Intervention Team, Oxford.
“At Abacus we are very lucky to be taking part in magic train sessions via zoom. I can not thank Gina enough, the staff and children all look forward to our weekly sessions. Seeing the children’s faces light up each week is magical, this magic is then transferred to their parents on collection. Thank you Gina!!!”
Juliette
“They went from no words to sentences in a few weeks. We began with Littlemagictrain at the end of November and used it through to March. Then lockdown came. But in that short space of time, the children’s communication and language really took off.”
K.Greenwood, EYFS Lead, Moston Fields Primary School.
“We have been concentrating on The Seaside themes this term as we went on a trip to the beach last month and the children have started using the train in their role-play activities now independently of staff. They ask for the music and away they go!”
Helen Greenwood, Ysgol Feithrin Pontypwl, Wales.
“Children enjoy the different styles of music and join in well with the movements, they listened for different animals and are starting to add their own interpretations. Some staff are excellent at using the resources and some need more support and encouragement – but all the children love it.
I get asked for Magic Train at lunch club as they like the transformation music and the journey to their destination (we repeat this almost every day with the 8 children who stay for lunch).”
Angela Towers, Woodfield Nursery School, Lancashire.
“Othala here 😊 Just wanted to let you know the introduction was amazing! I really can’t wait to make this part of my setting, what a great way to encourage imagination! I’m sat on the bus with a huge smile just thinking about how beneficial it will be for the children”.
Holly Valley Childcare, Betws y Coed, Wales.
“We loved Little Magic Train resources when running our nurseries in Essex. So much so, we invited families that didn’t actually attend the nurseries to attend the sessions. They are really well thought through to cover not just movement and imagination but all seven areas of learning. Staff enjoyed each session as much as the children while noticing how the children’s learning and development were improving week on week”.
Essex Early Year Jobs
“Everyone at Croeso Childminding loves Littlemagictrain! It has been almost a year now since I first joined and the children still love it. There’s always a learning opportunity to link to and with the amount of different adventures available and resources, there are always new things for the children to enjoy. Gina is so supportive and always a message away if I need any help. I love how Littlemagictrain supports every area of development in such a fun way.”
Megan Bethell, Croeso Childminding, Neath Port Talbot, Wales
“I remember the first time I ever saw Little Magic Train being delivered in one of our local pre-school settings. I walked into a room and 30 children were all pretending to be squirrels collecting nuts. No props, screens, only their little imaginations! It really was the most perfect sight. Something that needs to be encouraged. The children were also developing physical activity skills without knowing.
Little Magic Train is such a fantastic resource and all the lessons are planned for you. The file makes this programme sustainable and Gina offers fantastic support to help you with the delivery!
Diolch yn fawr Gina for all you support.”
Kate Parry, Healthy Schools Practitioner, Wales.
“Gina has delivered wonderful zoom ‘Magic Train’ sessions with our nursery children. They have been very interactive, developing a variety of physical skills, and the children have thoroughly enjoyed taking part! Gina is enthusiastic and encouraging throughout. We would highly recommend her! Thank you so much x”.
Burrows Nursery, Porthcawl, Wales.
“Littlemagictrain is a programme I would highly recommend for a setting and at home. The programme is amazing as it helps to build on the children’s physical development and it also allows them to explore through their imagination during each session.”
Danielle Morgan
“Thank you for the training last night. I’m a childminder so look after different ages every day, we follow the foundation phase and this can easily be slotted into our day or week plan. Thanks again.”
Niketa, Childminder, Wales.
“Littlemagictrain has been a welcome addition to our activities at Fingers and Thumbs. The children really love the story about the three bears and everybody takes part in all aspects of the session. They get so excited when we visit the three bear’s house! The session covers all areas of development and the children have learned so much without actually being aware of the learning processes which are taking place. The pack is also well laid out and it been really easy for staff to carry out the activities with the children. I am very glad I purchased the pack and look forward to the sessions each week”.
Caroline, Manager, Fingers and Thumbs, Coity, Wales.
“Fantastic training, tailored to exactly what we needed. Gina’s enthusiasm is infectious and staff can’t wait to get on board with the children and begin their magical adventures! Highly recommend.”
Jackie Taylor
“I thoroughly enjoyed this training and loved Gina’s experience and enthusiasm. I look forward to helping other staff and children enjoy this magical and wonderful experience.”
Jacqueline, Cwtsh Nursery, Wales.
“Littlemagictrain: We were really impressed with this; it was so simple but really captured the children’s imaginations. The children went on a magical imaginative journey on a train.”
Chopsy Baby Butlins Diary, Chopsybaby.com
“One of the Teeny Tots activities my daughter thoroughly enjoyed was the Littlemagictrain which was great for all the children to get involved with by using their imagination. Even some of us adults had fun joining in with the Littlemagictrain and I would have to say that this was by far the best activity for my Teeny Tot.”
Butlin’s Skegness, Teeny Tots Review posted by Mimiroseandme.com