Cookie Maison's Reviews
Childminder
5 out of 5
Parent reviews
Below are the latest reviews for Cookie Maison. 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.
I am not one to write reviews, but I wanted to take a moment to write one for Donna, whom we have relied on since our daughter was one year old. Donna has been an absolute lifesaver for us and has become not just a trusted caregiver but also someone we consider a dear friend. Since our daughter started going to Donna’s, she has thrived in so many ways. It’s evident that Donna and her team genuinely care about the well-being and development of each child in their care. Our daughter adores them all, and it warms our hearts to see the strong bond they have formed. Not only does she ensure their safety and well-being, but she also creates a nurturing and stimulating environment for learning. What sets Donna apart from other childminders we met is the level of comfort and peace of mind she provides us as parents. We trust her completely to care for our little one during the day, knowing that she is in safe hands. My husband and I cannot recommend Donna enough. She is an exceptional childminder who is truly a gem in our lives, and we are immensely grateful to have her. If you are seeking a childminder who priorities not only the safety and welfare of your child but also provides an enriching and nurturing environment for their growth, Donna is undoubtedly the person you need.
-
Overall
-
Setting
-
Cleanliness
-
Food
-
Communication
by
Alicia
on 14/02/2024
My son goes to Donna twice a week.He loves going and always goes with massive smile on his face.Donna is very caring and the children feel comfortable with her, like being in a home from home. she truly goes above and beyond
I would highly recommend her setting to anyone.”
Pamela. January 2024
-
Overall
-
Setting
-
Cleanliness
-
Food
-
Communication
by
Pamela
on 25/01/2024
Donna and team provide an incredible level of care for the children at Cookie Maison. We found Cookie Maison after our son found it difficult to settle at nursery, I wish we had found it sooner! Donna takes time to really get to know individual children and within a few sessions it was clear that our son had bonded well with the amazing staff. The outdoor area is so lovely and the children are encouraged to spend as much time as they like outdoors when the weather is nice enough, this is incredibly important to us. The cabin is also lovely and always so clean - I don’t actually know how they do it! Couldn’t recommend Cookie Maison any higher!
-
Overall
-
Setting
-
Cleanliness
-
Food
-
Communication
by
Angela
on 21/01/2024
My daughter found going to childcare challenging. I explained this to Donna and she assured me my daughter would be fine with her. I was shocked at how quickly she settled and Donna took the time to give her all the hugs, love and reassurance that she needed. Donna and her team are wonderful with all the children and they really spoil them at Christmas! The cabin is clean with all the facilities the children need. There is a great selection of indoor and outdoor toys and the kids are not restricted with how much outdoor time they have (they often have set outdoor times at nursery). We were sad when my daughter left to start school but grateful to have met Donna and my daughter still runs and gives her a hug whenever she sees her.
-
Overall
-
Setting
-
Cleanliness
-
Food
-
Communication
by
Morgan
on 17/01/2024
10 months ago my daughter suffered a huge trauma after losing her Granny and starting preschool at the same time which resulted in severe separation anxiety. I felt completely hopeless, but a few months ago I found Cookie Maison on this website and contacted Donna.
She went over and above what I'd expect (and experienced) from other childminders and she's built a fantastic bond with my daughter. She listened and understood the challenges we faced and helped us (and me) to work through them, slowly and at my daughter's pace. Donna is an angel and we couldn't have gotten through this without her. I cannot put it in to words how important Donna is in our lives now. My daughter asks on a daily basis to go to Cookie Maison now! This is a huge accomplishment and every time she goes to Cookie Maison her various anxieties are getting easier with Donna's love and support.
The Cookie Maison setting is beautiful and welcoming, with a huge variety of indoor toys (many are lovely wooden ones, and lots of gorgeous books) and outdoor toys for all ages and for different interests.
Every day the children are given the opportunity to do different activities, they learn through play, and go on walks to farthing downs/happy valley.
The cabin is magical and provides a comfortable, and comforting sense of home which my daughter loves. She particularly enjoyed finding the floor to ceiling bubble tube and the sensory elements to the cabin such as the lights. It is very clean and tidy, as is the garden.
Donna's family dogs are extremely friendly and calm, but kept in the house unless closely supervised. They are gorgeous doggies and make a wonderful addition to the setting, giving the children the opportunity to learn about animals in a safe and structured way.
My daughter hasn't stayed for tea much but the menu's that Donna provides are healthy, varied and home cooked. Lunchtimes are in the cabin or in the garden picnic style. She has great facilities, takes allergies, as well as cleanliness very seriously and always encourages healthy eating habits.
Her communication is fantastic and always keeps me up to date on my daughter's progress and takes photos (with my permission) which I greatly appreciate.
Nothing is too much trouble and I trusted Donna immediately. She's extremely kind, friendly, and clearly cares for the children she looks after as her own. I know my daughter is loved there. I wish I had found her earlier!!
-
Overall
-
Setting
-
Cleanliness
-
Food
-
Communication
by
ChapmanJ
on 14/06/2022
My son Luca goes to Cookie Maison full time. Donna, Louise and Emma are just fantastic. My son comes back home happy and only after 3 weeks of attending he is always happy when we drop him. I feel very comfortable leaving him there and I would not trust anyone else at the moment to leave my son with as much as I trust Donna and her team. They go above and beyond to keep the children happy! Thank you, Cookie Maison!
-
Overall
-
Setting
-
Cleanliness
-
Food
-
Communication
by
AnaMaria
on 09/10/2020
Donna is a fantastic childminder. My three old absolutely loves his time there. Every time I pick him up he’s beaming from ear to ear - that speaks volumes.
Donna is extremely experienced and has a wealth of knowledge in childcare. The cabin and the surrounding area offers a great open space for the children to play. Having the artificial grass means they can play outside whatever the weather.
She has also been very accommodating during a difficult time. I whole heartedly recommend Donna.
-
Overall
-
Setting
-
Cleanliness
-
Food
-
Communication
by
Jomo
on 30/04/2019
Donna looked after my son A from the age of 11 months to the age of 2 years, 2 months, for 2 to 3 days a week. There are so many good things I could say about Donna's facility and her care - but the most important one for me as a parent is that I was always 100% sure that A was well cared for and happy. I never had any doubts.
Donna is really switched on, completely professional, very knowledgeable but also very loving towards the children in her care and really cares about them. The size of her facility, with assistants who can stay at the cabin, also means that the younger children don't have to go on school runs and can follow their usual nap schedule, something that was very good for A as he was a very big sleeper!
The cabin and the garden are a lovely place.
A had a few ongoing medical issues during the time he attended Cookie Maison and Donna was completely happy to do her bit, including coming to my house to learn more about it all, and giving me really good updates on how A was doing when he was with her.
A is quite a picky eater and Donna went above and beyond to try and get him to eat new things and to have good well balanced meals.
If you are looking for a childminder, I could not recommend Donna highly enough. We will really miss her and I know we will stay in touch.
-
Overall
by
Nicola
on 20/08/2015
My two daughters aged 2 and 3.5 yrs have been going to 'the Cabin' full time 5 days a week since January 2014 and I honestly cannot say enough good things about their time there. Suffice it to say that we in the process of moving 35 miles away and we are still hoping to use Donna - she's that good!
The girls come home happy, usually with some arty creation and full of tales of their antics that day. They have made friends with others, particularly Donna's own lovely girls and the cabin set up far exceeds other child-minder environments. Definitely go and take a look for yourself.
-
Overall
by
Parent
on 28/08/2014
There was no doubt in my mind that Cookie Maison was the right choice for our sons as soon as I went to visit Donna and her fantastic cabin and garden.
We looked around some more but chose Donna without hesitation.
The boys settled in really quickly and love it there. The eldest has made some good friends and the youngest adores being spoilt by Donna and her assistants. I really like the fact that it is more social than a regular childminder but so much smaller than a nursery - the best of both worlds.
Donna has been really great at being flexible with hours / days when necessary which is great, and I feel really happy when I leave them there in the morning knowing that they are safe and happy and in a stimulating environment.
-
Overall
by
Parent
on 19/03/2014
Response by
Cookie Maison
on 20/03/2014:
Thank you Sophie
We adore the boys
My 3 and 1 year old have been going to Donna's wonderful cabin for over 6 months now and they love it, the facilities there keep them occupied, they love playing in the garden and the cabin itself is set up to have everything a child could possibly want. I really don't have a bad word to say about the whole set up. Donna herself is a friendly lovely lady who is very experienced with children, she and her staff are welcoming. Donna communicates openly with me and keeps me updated on what my children have been up to each day, I love reading her comments in their daily book. My 3 year old prefers Donna's dinners to mine too! It is also perfect for learning social skills as there are other children there for mine to play with, great for teaching them to share the toys etc. I highly recommend Cookie Maison and recommend you go and visit to see for yourself how wonderful it is. Thank you Donna for making going back to work a lot easier knowing my children are happy and safe.
-
Overall
by
Parent
on 12/03/2014
Response by
Cookie Maison
on 20/03/2014:
Thank you Clair
I am pleased you are happy with our service
Donna or Auntie Donna as she is now known in our house, wrote to me after seeing my request for a flexible and reliable childminder and I cannot thank her enough.
Due to my husband and I being Police Officers in the met police, we didn't require our 7 month old son to be in childcare every day every week, or even the same days every week. We therefore requested someone that didn't rely on having our son the same days or hours and would be happy for us to provide them with our required hours, month by month.
Donna informed me that she was happy to do what I required and that my husband and I should go and visit the 'Cabin'. Well its as big as my living room and dining room put together with a kitchenette and toilet. We were amazed at the facilities she had available and the amount of children.
Donna looks after up to 12 children and has 3 members of staff. I was so impressed as it was like sending our son to nursery with all of the benefits of lots of children to play with, different adults to meet and learn from and a learning schedule that will be followed in time for him to go school but with the benefits of being in someone's home, close to our home and with a woman who treats our son as her own.
Donna started having our son from 9 months just after we returned from holiday and has had him nearly every week since. She is able to provide care at short notice if I'm stuck at work or call in at short notice. I cannot praise her enough and we now think of her as a friend. I have since recommended Donna to a colleague and neighbour who now take their daughter to her.
You will never find anyone like Donna or the facilities that she provides. She is amazing.
-
Overall
by
Parent
on 23/08/2013
Response by
Cookie Maison
on 20/03/2014:
Thank you Holly for your review.
We adore Jacob, he so much fun and very cheeky but gets away with as he soooo cute, we love him and he knows it.
When we first met Donna we were blown away by her professionalism, facilities and high octane enthusiasm. Previously we had only used large nurseries with our first child, so going down the child-minder route with our second child was a step into the unknown. She instantly put us at ease and advised us on the kind of requisites a competent child-minder should have, along with the kind of questions that we should be asking….
Then she sent us one our way to go and meet other child minders!!
We found straight away that the bar had been set incredibly high and search as we may, it was inevitable that we would end up back at Cookie Maison. Ultimately the decision was made by our 1 year old daughter, Yasmin, who instantly felt at home with Donna and settled in quickly with little fuss.
Due to one of us working shifts, childcare has always been a sore point. Donna has been more than accommodating and on several occasions has been a real life saver by stepping in at short notice.
A year has passed since we first set foot in Donna’s beautiful log cabin and in that time she has developed an amazing outdoor space to compliment it that is safe and functional. Yasmin loves her time there and now sees it as a home away from home.
We can't recommend Donna enough to people and even if you are just toying with the idea of using a child minder, you owe it to yourself to go and see what she has to offer.
-
Overall
by
Parent
on 10/07/2013
Donna has been looking after my 14 month old daughter for a few months and I can already see that the extra stimulus is helping her development.
She loves Donna and her assistants - there's a smile on her face before Donna's even opened the gate!
The facilities that Donna have provided give all the benefits of a nursery but with the all the closer and more personal supervision that a childminder brings.
She's been flexible with hours and food choices and me being the clean freak, take great comfort in the hygiene practices that Donna has in place.
My daughter is happy and I feel lucky to have found Donna to care for her.
-
Overall
by
Parent
on 08/07/2013
My husband and I feel really lucky to have found Donna. Our daughter has been going to her 3 days a week since she was 11 months old and we couldn't have found a better childminder. She is warm, caring and down-to earth (as are her lovely assistants) and we knew pretty much as soon as we met her that she would do a fantastic job with our little girl.
Donnas set-up is brilliant and definitely out shines the average childminder! The cabin is bright, safe and spacious and designed 100% for the children with plenty of toys and stimulating activities to hand . The garden is equally as good and I love the fact that they all spend as much time as possible outside in the fresh air. As the other reviews say, don't be put off by Mocha the dog - she is calm, friendly and not bothered by the children at all!
My daughter loves her time at Cookie Maison - although she's not quite 2 yet, I know that she feels safe and cared for. There are never any tears when she's dropped off, and quite often she's reluctant to leave!
From a developmental view, as well as coming home with works of art most days, she is always surprising us with new things she has learnt. Her speech has come on in leaps and bounds and her interaction with other children is great. She is a confident and happy little girl, and I must give a lot of credit to Donna and her assistants for that. They really understand her personality and need for a routine and even when she has a 'bad' day (teething, tiredness, tantrums etc!) they treat her with patience and kindness.
We would thoroughly recommend Donna to anyone who needs a childminder in the area.
-
Overall
by
Parent
on 07/07/2013
Well, what can I say about Donna, I think the title says it all. We felt at ease instantly and she answered questions we hadnt even thought of!!!
We are so pleased we found her, she collects my son from Keston 5 days a week and has done for the past 2 years. Her log cabin is awesome and her garden is extreamly safe and a fun environment for my son to play in, Im a little jealous that I dont get to go there myself!!
For anyone that could be put off by Mocha, dont be. She is absolutley goergeous and is great with all the children, my son adores her and loves it when she is out in the garden.
My son regulary comes home with great masterpeices that he has constructed in the time spent at Donna's. As a parent there is nothing nicer than collecting your child and seeing a smile on his face, he also cant wait to tell you what he has been doing. Donna is worth her weight in gold.
As a parent, you need to know your kids are safe and well cared for when you are at work etc.., I couldnt think of a better person to take care of my son. We all think the world of Donna, espically my son.
We would 100% recommend Donna, she is an excellent childminder.
-
Overall
by
Parent
on 05/07/2013
Donna feels like a member of the family, and she's been looking after my son two days a week since May 2012. He was under a year and not yet on the move when he started there, and he's now a cheeky fun two year old and a lovely boy (although I'm biased), and she has played an important role in shaping him into who he is becoming. He loves his days there - Donna has a great set up, unlike any other childminders we looked at, with great indoor and outdoor space.
My son's days are packed with fun, love and laughter, he loves playing in the garden and the cabin, and is always doing a wide range of lots of activities (bringing me back his creative masterpieces). She also keeps my son fuelled with energy, by providing tasty home-cooked meals and healthy snacks. You can tell she's passionate about her job, by the way she looks after the children, and how she interacts with them - she's a very caring individual with a big heart of gold, and a lot of love to go around to the kids she looks after.
My son also loves it when Mocha is allowed out, and despite being more of a cat lover myself, I feel it's been a great experience for him, and he loves playing football with her in the garden and stroking her. She's a lovely animal.
We feel very lucky to have Donna in our lives to help in the development of our son - she is an amazing childminder. Get in touch with her and take a visit to see for yourself!
-
Overall
by
Parent
on 04/07/2013
Donna has been an absolute gem. She has dropped my daughter off to Keston pre-school two days a week for a year now, and we have been very happy with her as a childminder. Isabel took ages to settle at school at the start, and Donna was really good at handling this - also Isabel settled very quickly with her. She has a lovely cabin and has recently had her garden redesigned to create a fantastic space indoors and out for caring for children. I would thoroughly recommend her to anyone thinking of using a childminder.
-
Overall
by
Elizabet
on 03/07/2013
