At Muddy Boots, we talk a lot about family. It can seem like a cliché but we really do mean it when we call ourselves the ‘Muddy Boots Family’. Although, as our name suggest, we are absolutely passionate about being outdoors and encouraging children to be “Free to Be” (more on those areas in future blogs), our family feel is what really defines us and the way we ‘do’ nursery.

So, what does family mean to us?

Family at Muddy Boots means love, cuddles, honesty, support, wanting the best for each other and having the kettle on ready for a cuppa when it’s needed!

We want every single person who walks through our door to feel welcome and like they belong, whether a child, parent, team member or visitor.  When we get this right, everything else falls in to place; our team wants to be at work, our children love to be here, and their families feel confident to leave their children knowing they will be loved and cared for.

Our team know the children, they care for the children and they are passionate about achieving the best for them because they are family, and that’s how you treat family.

How have we developed our Muddy Boots Family?

We start by building relationships, when a child is starting with us we take time to get to know them. We want to know about the child, what they like/don’t like, favourite toys, books and songs and what comforts them. We want to know what they do at home, who is important in their lives and what routines they have. This helps the children’s Key People build that relationship and support children to settle. It also helps us to get to know you, their family. Although it is important to know where the children are developmentally, this means we get to know each child (and their family) as a whole.

Once families are in our setting, we don’t just forget about that aspect.  Although the practitioners get to know the children themselves, things are different at home.  My daughter is very different for us at home than she was at nursery so it’s important to keep the conversation going. We love to know what’s going on in each child’s life as it helps to extend interests but also to support them and their family through anything which is going on.

It’s not just about our families though, we want our practitioners to be part of that family too.  We celebrate their strengths and achievements, we support them through things going on in their lives, we are honest when things aren’t going right and support them to address this and we encourage self-development (work related or not!).

So, whether you are already part of our Muddy Boots Family or not, remember, the kettle is always on and you are always welcome!