Angela Smart

100% Recommend Angie

Over the last 5 years both of pur daughters have been looked after by Angie, for before school care.
The range of activities they have taken part in during the short morning session is very impressive. From baking, crafts, singing, dancing, reading.....the list is endless. Lots of life skills and relationship building with children of different ages too. The girls love her son like a little brother which is so lovely to see.
Our eldest is autistic and finding the right care for her had been challenging. But Angie immediately put us at ease with her warm and welcoming home, and her willingness to build in supports wherever needed. It was great to see our daughter thrive in an environment away from home and be so cared for and considered in all activities.
We're so grateful to have found Angie and although our eldest has moved on to academy and our youngest will shortly too, and will no longer attend, it is so comforting to know they have a friend and safe place locally, should they need it.
We would 100% recommend Angie to anyone looking for a childminder in the area.

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by Kerry about Angela Smart on 31/05/2023

Amazing and so full of energy!

Angie has been looking after my two boys since February 2019 and she really is an amazing person and so is her son.

My oldest boy is now in P1 and he goes to Angie’s for only an hour two days a week before school, but in that short time he has so much fun and comes home with lots of crafts and pictures he has made which is lovely as prior to going to Angie’s he wasn’t that keen on crafts, but now loves it!

My youngest son is now 3 and has been with Angie since he was 10 months old. I can honestly say that I have never felt anxious about leaving him with her as he is so happy to go and see her and her son as he is so settled with them, as well as the good friends he has made with the other children.

Angie provides such a warm and caring home from home atmosphere which is full of fun, singing, dancing, crafting and laughter, to which you get to see through photos and videos on her private Facebook page for parents.

Angie’s garden is brilliant for the kids, a favourite of my Sons is the mud kitchen and any kind of water play!

Angie also takes them out on trips, whether it’s to the beach or a woodland walk, I know that my son is well looked after and having a great time.

Angie is also so thoughtful, whether is making gifts for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day or Christmas etc. This year I got a lovely surprise as I went to pick up my boys (my oldest goes to Angie’s in the school holidays) on my birthday as she opened the door with them both holding a home made birthday cake that they made for me whilst singing happy birthday.

My 3 year old is starting school nursery this year, however as Angie provides such a valuable learning experience for him we have decided to keep him with her for one of his sessions as his time with her is just so precious.

Both Angie and her son are now and always will be true friends and I would highly recommend her as she really is an amazing person.

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by Allison about Angela Smart on 22/06/2021

Amazing Lady and the BEST Childminder

My daughter has been going to Angie for just over a year now and she absolutely LOVES it. Every morning she runs up to the door and gives Angie a huge hug before quickly waving bye to me and shutting the door, which just shows how much she loves being there and how quickly she wants to get involved with the new activities for the day. Every day Angie provides lots of new fun play opportunities for the kids, some of my daughter's favourites being crafts, trips to the beach or fairy forest, singing and dancing, and outdoor play in her brilliant back garden which is fully enclosed and equipped with a mud kitchen where they love to play with water and practise their washing and pouring skills.

One really special moment for me was when Angie had spent time teaching the kids how to say Happy Mothers Day using Makaton and a song for Mothers Day including actions, my daughter was then able to come home and when I asked her a few days later what song she had been learning she recited the whole thing for me....it was so lovely and brought a tear to my eye.

Angie is super with communication and always tells me either verbally or on an online platform, how my daughter has been, the activities she has done each day and what she has eaten throughout the day....she also has a private page on social media for parents, where she posts photos of the kids each day so we can see what they have been up to, it's so lovely to see what a great time they have.

My daughter is a particularly fussy eater and usually refuses anything with a sauce or wet texture....Angie has been absolutely AMAZING with her, she has been so patient and encouraging and has managed to find ways to make lunchtime fun so that now while my daughter is with her she will eat a variety of meals which she never would have before (including lots of different homemade soups, spaghetti bolognese and even a roast chicken dinner!) - miracle worker!

Whilst being with Angie I also started toilet training my daughter, and Angie was brilliant and so supportive in helping me through the process including reading stories she had to my daughter about toilet training, making up a sticker chart for her while she was there (as she knew we had one at home) and encouraging her to go when she wasn't so keen in the early days.

They really learn SO much from Angie and I can't express how much it is appreciated. My daughter absolutely loves her days with Angie and relishes in the opportunity to play with the other children both her age and older (she has a REAL soft spot for Angie's son who is great with all the younger kids)....and as much as I know it has to happen eventually, I'll be so sad when she reaches school age and the day comes for her to move on. An amazing environment with the loveliest lady.

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by Lyndsey about Angela Smart on 01/04/2021

Warm, caring and nurturing environment!

We are delighted with the care our daughter receives from Angie. Having tried private nursery and struggling to find somewhere our daughter could settle, we were amazed at how quickly she took to Angie. Angie provides a warm, caring environment which has really help our daughter grow in confidence. Seeing our daughter smile and run to Angie’s front door makes us very happy!

Every session is packed with fun and stimulating things to do. There are plenty of age appropriate toys to play with and a great garden to explore. Angie regularly takes the children on excursions in the local community like playgroup, book bugs or visits to parks. During the summer, our daughter loved all the day trips organised by Angie, especially going to Camperdown park in Dundee to see the animals. Angie clearly has a passion for music and shares this with the children in her care by playing the piano and lots of dancing and singing. Our daughter regularly takes part in art & craft activities, baking, outdoor play, reading and so much more!

Our daughter has a milk sensitivity which Angie factors into her meal planning with absolutely no issues at all. Angie provides a wide variety of delicious and healthy home cooked meals and snacks.

Angie regularly updates us on our daughters day and sends regular newsletters. She sends photos of their sessions which are lovely to see.

We couldn’t be happier with the care our daughter receives and we feel very lucky to have found Angie!

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by Parent about Angela Smart on 11/08/2018

Music, Dance and Laughter!

Angie is such a lovely person, I couldn't think of anyone better to look after our daughter. What makes Angies service unique is her musicality. She Is learning to play the piano and often plays for the children and sings nursery rhymes with them. She also encourages them to dance and sing and is never too shy to get down on their level and join in. Music and singing is my daughters favourite thing to do so I feel like we struck gold when we met Angie. Our daughter adores her time with Angie and her Son and is always excited to go each morning.

I was very nervous about returning to work last year but Angie made me feel really at ease and I found the settling in sessions to be of great benefit. Our daughter has CMPA and egg allergies which Angie took on board without hesitation, producing exciting and nutritious meals/snacks for her. We have very good comunication with Angie and she is always supportive of our parenting decisions.

There is always an exciting day planned at Angies e.g. trips to parks and farms, soft play, outdoor adventures, arts and crafts and singing/dancing. When they are at home there is many stimulating books, puzzles and toys to play with, inside and outside. We often receive photos of our daughter enjoying her day with the biggest smile on her face.

Our daughter loves Angie's Son and the other children and I think the age variety has been brilliant for her development. Angie treats our daughter as one of her own, you can tell she is passionate about helping to raise the children she cares for. I feel so lucky to have found Angie, her home really is a home from home.

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by Parent about Angela Smart on 07/08/2018