Bear Necessities's Reviews
Childminder
5 out of 5
Parent reviews
Below are the latest reviews for Bear Necessities. Please note that reviews represent the subjective opinions of other Childcare.co.uk members and not of Childcare.co.uk. Parents must carry out their own checks and references on childcare providers to ensure that they are completely happy before enaging in the use of their services.
Kayleigh is the best childminder we could have ever hoped for. We were incredibly fortunate to have her care for our two children over the past six years. They became part of her family, and I always felt assured they were receiving the best care possible. Kayleigh genuinely cares about children, and they absolutely adore her. She also assisted us on numerous occasions outside of working hours, for which we are very grateful. My child still misses her and is always very happy to see Kayleigh and her family. She is very creative and has so many great activities for kids. She goes the extra mile to do the best for the kids, even delivering a birthday gift to our house during the COVID lockdown, which made my child's day. Additionally, she is highly educated and provides many educational activities tailored to each child's needs.
-
Overall
-
Setting
-
Cleanliness
-
Food
-
Communication
by
Alina
on 10/06/2024
Our little boy Arthur has been going to Bear Necessities since October 2022 and in that time we have been so impressed by Kayleigh's care.
Kayleigh is very organised and keeps her setting immaculately clean whilst also providing a stimulating environment with lots of toys and activities. She keeps us updated regularly over WhatsApp with messages and photos of how Arthur is doing.
We were particularly grateful for Kayleigh's kindness and flexibility when we suffered a family tragedy last year. Kayleigh gave Arthur extra care and attention and offered to have him for additional days at short notice which was an invaluable source of support for us.
Now that Arthur is turning 3 he is able to tell us about his day and all the fun things he's been up to and it's clear he always has a great time. Kayleigh often takes Arthur and the other children out to the library, park or soft play which he really enjoys. He has also come on a lot in his development through the learning activities that Kayleigh provides at home, such as the activity tables. Kayleigh also sends Arthur home with a little book and teddy each week which we enjoy reading and playing with together.
Kayleigh provides healthy and tasty meals for the children and it's clear that Arthur has become more adventurous with his food choices as a result.
We will really miss Kayleigh when Arthur moves on to pre-school in September, but we are hoping to continue to send him to Bear Necessities during school holidays.
We would wholeheartedly recommend Kayleigh as a childminder.
Ellie and George Alderman
-
Overall
-
Setting
-
Cleanliness
-
Food
-
Communication
by
EllieGif
on 31/05/2024
Kayleigh has looked after both of my children over the past five and a half years. My husband and I could not have asked for anyone better to take care of our babies and help develop them into independent young children.
She follows the EYFS framework and gives regular assessments against the objectives, as well as daily updates at pick up time or via WhatsApp.
Both children loved the engaging activities Kayleigh provided and they came home most days with cute creations. We also loved the fact that she took them out regularly to different groups/different places. They always had a lot of fun!
They built strong relationships with Kayleigh, her family and the other children she cares for and have made friends for life! The home from home environment has had such a positive impact on them both.
Kayleigh has always been super understanding and very flexible. This was something we always greatly appreciated. Her house is immaculate and she follows a healthy two week menu. My eldest has lots of allergies and Kayleigh catered perfectly for her. We never had to worry.
It was with heavy hearts that the time came to say goodbye recently as our youngest moved on to the next step, but we honestly couldn’t recommend Kayleigh enough. She is an amazing childminder!
-
Overall
-
Setting
-
Cleanliness
-
Food
-
Communication
by
LynseyK
on 17/04/2023
We were very worried about putting our little boy in childcare after him being at home for over a year from birth without much interaction with children because of the pandemic. Kayleigh put our mind at ease from the beginning! From the moment she showed us around her setting, her warm personality flourished, and we knew she was the perfect childminder for our son. And we were right! Our little boy smiled whenever he saw Kayleigh in the mornings (says it all, really!), and Kayleigh made sure to send us photos of him and update us on what he has been doing to keep our mind at ease.
I recommend Bear Necessities to any parent who wants their child to have an intimate setting where the childminder truly loves what they do and has the ability to give tons of attention to each child.
-
Overall
-
Setting
-
Cleanliness
-
Food
-
Communication
by
Kesia
on 21/01/2022
Kayleigh has been our childminder for three years. The service is outstanding, the children do an enormous range of activities and learn so much in their time with her. We receive at-the-door updates about their day as well as photos and development updates. My daughter adores her time their and loves Kayleigh and all her family, she always comes home full of stories and excitement about her day. I cannot recommend her enough.
-
Overall
-
Setting
-
Cleanliness
-
Food
-
Communication
by
Crews101
on 03/11/2021
I'm so glad we found Kayleigh when looking for childcare for our 3- year- old daughter. Kayleigh is caring, friendly and patient. We could hardly find a more professional and easy to talk childminder. She put us at ease immediately as this was our first time leaving our daughter away from the family. My daughter loves her a lot and always asks me to take her to Kayleigh’s house.She really enjoyed staying there and came home with lots to talk about. Kayleigh provides a large variety of activities and walks, she has a lovely outside space too. I have nothing but praise and would highly recommend Kayleigh to anyone.
-
Overall
-
Setting
-
Cleanliness
-
Food
-
Communication
by
Efi
on 11/08/2020
Kayleigh looked after my 4 year old daughter for 3 afternoons a week for 7 months, this year. My daughter loved her time with Kayleigh, with the other children she looked after, and with Kayleigh’s own children, who she is very fond of. She settled in straightaway with no difficulties and really enjoyed all the activities and playtimes and spending time with Kayleigh. Kayleigh was really flexible and helpful with nursery school pick ups and also so helpful with lunches with my very picky daughter! Her time with Kayleigh has really helped her prepare for full time school and I am very thankful to Kayleigh for being so lovely and caring.
-
Overall
-
Setting
-
Cleanliness
-
Food
-
Communication
by
Parent
on 13/08/2018
Kayleigh has a natural warmth that makes children feel relaxed and happy, particularly babies/toddlers. She looked after my daughter from the ages of 1 to 3 years, and sometimes my son who is 6 years. We still use Kayleigh when we are need occasional care. She has always shown love and kindness towards the children and made them feel safe. She is also well organised and structured in her approach to their learning. She is easy to contact and keeps us informed any changes or developments.
I would have no hesitation in recommending Kayleigh and, indeed, I have to several friends who have used her.
-
Overall
-
Setting
-
Cleanliness
-
Food
-
Communication
by
David an
on 01/01/2018
My grandson has recently been under the care of Kayleigh whilst waiting for an urgent school place to become available. Kayleigh was very understanding of our situation & helped him by providing a safe & secure environment to grow in.
He was happy in her care & enjoyed playing with the other children she looked after including her own children. I am very grateful for Kayleigh's support at a very difficult time.
-
Overall
-
Setting
-
Cleanliness
-
Food
-
Communication
by
Parent
on 30/11/2017
Kayleigh was our daughter's childminder from the age of 12 months. She was kind and patient through her settling in period and helped to reassure me. Kayleigh had an excellent rapport with my daughter and she also greatly enjoyed Kayleigh's childrens' company. Kayleigh provided a caring an interesting environment, taking the children on trips, including the theatre, frequently having different themes and learning opportunities and providing varied creative fun. I would highly recommend Kayleigh as a childminder.
-
Overall
-
Setting
-
Cleanliness
Food-
Communication
by
Anna
on 12/11/2017
Kayleigh was our childminder for about 1 year and a half, she was absolutely great. A lot of heart and passion into taking care for specific needs and attention to each child. My daughter loved being with her and had lots of fun with all the daily activities, while also learning so much in the process. We arrived to the UK and we found it for our daughter to settle in very easily thanks to the excellent care provided for her. I definitely recommend it, 120% sure.
-
Overall
-
Setting
-
Cleanliness
-
Food
-
Communication
by
Parent
on 07/11/2017
In March 2015, following a shaky start at a local nursery, our 3rd son (then 14 months old) started attending Bear Necessities with Kayleigh . He was particularly shy and clingy which is why we didn’t feel that the nursery environment was right for him at the time. Kayleigh’s childminding made for a perfect home from home environment for him and he settled in quickly.
During that time we watched him grow into a confident and chatty little boy. He enjoyed being with the other children and for a time also attending a gymnastics class once a week which was great given his energy levels rising rapidly (like his two older brothers).
Kayleigh were incredibly kind and caring towards our son and always kept us informed of his developments. On days when he was particularly clingy and I found it difficult to leave she always sent me a message to let me know that he was fine and happy. And on other days when we had difficulty getting there on time to pick up she always re-assured us not to worry.
My son had his own little book which kept us informed of what he’d been up to during the day including what he had eaten/drunk and toilet patterns.
We are exceptionally grateful to Bear Necessities for taking such good care of our son and I would highly recommend them to any parent looking for a small, friendly and caring home from home childminding service for their little one.
-
Overall
-
Setting
-
Cleanliness
-
Food
-
Communication
by
Parent
on 07/11/2017
Kayleigh was our childminder for 3 years looking after my daughter from the age of 10months. She provided a wonderfully caring environment - a real home from home. My daughter developed socially, emotionally and intellectually as a consequence of an engaging and interesting curriculum. I couldn't have asked for more and would unreservedly recommend Kayleigh.
-
Overall
by
BB77
on 25/10/2017
Kayleigh looked after our daughter at Bear Necessities for two years from her 1st to 3rd birthday. During that time she also looked after our son from 8 months old. Kayleigh was a wonderful childminder who treated our children with the same love and respect she gave her own. She offered a loving, caring and safe environment in which our kids were stimulated and engaged. They adored Kayleigh and I trusted her implicitly with my two most precious possessions!
Knowing my children were safe and happy made it much easier for me to go back to work. Kayleigh provided a real home from home environment and put a lot of effort into teaching them through play and life experiences. During their time at Bear Necessities both of my children developed many skills under the watchful and supportive care of Kayleigh and we will always be grateful for everything she did for our family!
We were very sad to leave Kayleigh but a house move made the commute impossible. We would be very happy to chat to any prospective parents as a reference.
-
Overall
by
Parent
on 24/04/2014
Kayleigh has looked after my son for over 2 years, and he has been so happy there! It's been a really caring and friendly environment for my son who is a sensitive little sausage. We are so sad that the time has come to leave as we are moving and my son is starting pre-school. The small environment means all the children are treated as individuals. They make the most amazing craft things, and have also been on lots of fun outings together. His learning has been fantastic as well and I am amazed by how much he has learned in terms of numbers, letters and social development. Communication with us as parents has been good as well. Would really recommend Bear Necessities to any parent looking for a caring environment for their child.
-
Overall
by
Parent
on 21/04/2014
