Maria's Reviews
Childminder
5 out of 5
Parents say
The childminder receives consistently glowing reviews, praised for providing a loving, fun, and educational environment. Parents appreciate the regular updates, photos, and detailed daily reports. The childminder is described as caring, flexible, and passionate, offering a wide range of activities including outdoor adventures, trips, and learning experiences. Children are reported to be happy, developing well, and thriving in her care.
Summary generated by AI from the text of most recent member reviews
Parent reviews
Below are the latest reviews for maria. 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.
Our daughter has been going to Maria's since the beginning of 2019, and we are so thankful for all the care, education and fun times she provides.
As I work as a freelance and my schedule is never the same, but Maria has been so accommodating and flexible.
We love the fact that she sends up pictures through out the day, so that we know what our girl is up to!
We love her!!
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Haruka
on 21/09/2019
Maria offers a loving home-from-home environment which our two children who are now 4 and 6 years old have been lucky to have benefitted from since they were babies. They absolutely love going to Maria's and regularly ask to go for extra days. She is extremely caring, enthusiastic and passionate about what she does and this is really evident in the quality care our children receive. Maria works really hard to ensure she offers the children brilliant opportunities to learn and develop all whilst having lots and lots of fun. She checks in regularly with parents to establish the children's current likes and interests so she can tailor child-led activities to each child's level or need. She provides lots of fun games to help them learn numbers, letters, colours, shapes, reading and writing, along with weighing/measuring, cooking, creative and messy play etc the list is endless really. We are always amazed by how much they learn each day when they are at Maria's.
The children spend a lot of time outdoors learning about the world, this could be anything from a treasure hunt in the park, putting on wellies and jumping in muddy puddles, trips to the beach, or growing vegetables at her allotment. She regularly organises trips to places such as the vets, fire station, optician etc, along with attending local children's groups. She also works closely with a local elderly care home which the children visit weekly and they get to do all sorts of activities, games and singing alongside the residents who they have developed lovely relationships with.
All this means she has been a fundamental part of getting our children ready for school, working with them on anything from counting or identifying letters to being able to do up their buttons independently. Additionally tools like circle time help the children develop in confidence, speak in front of their peers and to be able to sit and take turns and listen to others. To help them transition to school she suggested we bring a book bag each week (during the year they were due to start school) in which she puts a different storybook and related activity sheet to work on at home. She also suggests activities to try at home in line with the children's current learning needs.
Maria communicates with parents via a learning journal, which she fills in daily so you always know what has happened during the day, including what they have eaten (always healthy and homemade), whether they have napped, used the toilet, their activities and any observations. The aspect that we also love is the regular photos we receive during the day documenting exactly what the children have been up to, which really helps to know that they are happy and having a wonderful time.
Maria is awesome and we really can't recommend her highly enough.
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Aprilf
on 02/09/2019
From the moment my little girl started with Maria she loved it!
Maria collects my daughter from school and has her in the school holidays, she gets to experience so many different things whilst continuing her learning.
Maria caters for all weather's and the children are always out and about having fun, taking part in the community and learning skills.
I'm am kept up to date at all points throughout the day with photos of the fun my daughter is having.
I couldn't recommend her highly enough!
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Emma
on 26/08/2019
If you need a childminder Maria is your lady ! My child started with Maria after I came out of a relationship and needed childcare in order to go to work , Maria looked after my son whilst I went to work and my son (even though he’s at school now ) still asks to go see Maria . She has helped shape my child into the lovely little boy he is today . Maria is kind considerate ,caring ,understanding passionate , and just the most loveliest lady ever !! Maria takes the children on the most wonderful days out , does lots of fun activities with the children playgroups the list is endless !! I really recommend Maria she always has a smile on her face and has the biggest heart ever !! Your child will be nurtured with Maria what more could you ask for !!
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Lauren88
on 26/02/2019
Our daughter has been with Maria for a few months now. Wow she's come on leaps and bounds. She's only 21 months but everyday she suprises me. It can be tough leaving little ones when you are working but I couldn't fault Maria. She messages throughout the day with photos of my daughter and what she's up too which really helps when we miss her. We have a lovely diary to read when we get home too listing all her activities. From the moment we met Maria we knew she was the best of the best.
I love the fact the children are constantly doing activities and going out. Especially to care homes and interacting with the local community. Home cooked meals are fantastic too my little one loves Maria's cooking!
Such a lovely, caring and kind lady and great team with her mum and daughter.
Couldn't recommend enough :)
Xx
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Sophia
on 28/01/2019
Maria is well worth sitting on a waiting list for, along with her beautiful mother and daughter team.
The home environment is a well-equipped chaos of fun, learning and love.... but most of the time the kids are out and about anyway, in the park, woods, local care home or at a day trip to an educational venue such as a dentist, optician or even the AIRPORT (all arranged by this fantastic team). You get great pictorial updates throughout the day which is lovely to see and share as the children run around like a happy pack. My 2YO daughter has a group of friends that greet her at the door and take her in by the hand.... my heart melts every time. As far as learning goes, my daughter has learnt all her basic colours, can count to 15 and has more words in her vocabulary than most teenagers... so Maria must be doing something right :)
All food is prepared by Maria... some of the ingredients are picked by the kids in her allotment. It's fresh. It's healthy. The kids tend to eat a lot better there than at home!
In short, I could not recommend Maria enough.
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Julia
on 16/11/2018
As soon as we met Maria, we knew we didn't want our daughter to go anywhere else. Maria is such a lovely warm person and the biggest compliment is how much the children and parents love her.
Our daughter has been with Maria for over a year now and she loves going to Maria's. Maria makes sure the children's days are packed with activities and learning and keeps us informed of our daughter's progress towards milestones. We love getting pictures throughout the day and looking at our daughters book in the evening to see what they have been up to.
Maria lets us know what the activities and themes are for the week and I love that the children have plenty of outdoor activities as well as indoor, they go to the allotment, beach, park, library, and even the fire station. They also regularly visit the local care home and it is so nice to see the children interacting with the residents and having all these different experiences.
Our little one is so happy, confident and chatty and Maria is such a big part of that. I don't know how she does it!
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Parent
on 19/09/2018
We are so pleased we found Maria! Whilst we waited for a place in her setting we had to send our son to a nursery for 6 months, but since being with Maria he has been happier, confident and literally bursting with energy. If he could talk he would be telling us so much about his day. But we are part of it through Maria's updates throughout the day and it makes us smile to see how much he is doing and learning, and taking such a keen interest in all the new things he is taking part in.
Maria does so much with the kids and with so much passion,enthusiasm, creativity and energy, he has experienced so much more than the nursery could ever give him. One of the reasons we had wanted him to be with Maria is because of all the outdoor learning, and he really is getting that and exploring so much with all the toys in the garden, the beach, the woods, the allotment and transferring all this back to the house with displays and cooking. It is a great environment for him to be in and he loves Maria and the dogs so much!
If we can't be with him every day then we are very glad he is with Maria exploring the world and learning so much, he is a very happy, busy boy.
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Genette
on 17/09/2018
We met Maria when I was pregnant with our daughter, she had been recommended by friends that use her for their children, as I was going back to work after maternity leaving a 4 month old, I was very nervous about leaving my baby so young, but Maria has been brilliant!!! Amelie is now 17months and loves Maria! And her setting, she has so much fun! I wouldn’t trust anybody else to care for here whilst me and my husband are at work, they do so much activities and learning, even from a young age!
She really is a fab childminder!
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Wilson
on 01/07/2018
I was very lucky to find Maria through a friend who’s little girl already attends Maria’s setting. I warmed to Maria the moment I met her as did my son, who was 6 months at the time. He started 6 months later and like all first time mums I was a little anxious. Maria didn’t disappoint. He only attends one day a week and I feel at times he misses out by only going the once! Her days with the children are fun packed with activities, indoors and out. The children at the setting he spends his days with are well behaved which is a clear testament to the parents and of course Maria. It’s just perfect for Tommy, he is a real boy loving love and all it brings. Maria easily keeps Tommy entertained and fulfilled. I would have no hesitation recommending Maria. A fantastic Childminder. Tommy is one lucky little boy ?
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Parent
on 08/10/2017
Maria is fantastic-there's no other way to put it! I was so nervous about returning to work when my little boy was 1 year old but he had a fabulous time at her settling in sessions and came home grinning from ear to ear! Since then she's been amazing, he eats better, sleeps better, and he's learning something new all the time, and has grown in so much confidence. I love that she takes the children to allotments and to local parks etc, and there is always a theme for their learning. She's supported my little boy (and me!) through a tough time at home and she's the best there is. I can't recommend her enough and she's just amazing. If he can't be with me I'm so glad he's with Maria x
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Liz
on 01/08/2016
Our little girl has been going to Maria since she was 8 months old, Maria has been great at helping her settling in to her environment, persevered ,comforted her and also offered more sessions- as she was only going there once a week. She is now a very happy and confident little girl and always singing in the car on the way home, from Maria's.
She appears to have bonded well with the other children, enjoys all the meals provided to her, and especially all the activities that have been arranged.
Being away from the baby is not easy- but Maria makes me feel at eased, as we are in constant contact through out the day and she sends regular updates / pictures.
Overall she has been fantastic- our little girl is growing very fond of her.
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jamielee
on 31/03/2016
My 6month old started with Maria in January. Every day he comes home with heaps of smiles and never seems to have a bad day there! The work she does is amazing and I can see a definite improvement in his development. I have gone back to my studies so I wanted to feel I could trust the childminder who looked after my baby every day each week. I am so over the moon to have met maria and feel privileged she looks after my boy. True credit to her profession x
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merrimil
on 25/01/2016
I cannot sing Maria's praises highly enough.
I feel like I've struck gold.
Maria is so friendly, so kind, so thoughtful with my daughter and all the children, so dedicated to development and education but, just as importantly in my opinion, 100% dedicated to fun, exercise and the outdoors.
How Maria plans and crams as much as she does into every day is beyond me AND she teams it with endless energy. The creativity that my daughter is involved in every week is so fulfilling from a parents perspective: including painting, sponsored walks for charity, messy play, learning about seasons and diversity, being taken to see the planes take off at Southend airport, to the beach, lots of reading, 'pyjama days' (where Maria also wears a onesie) and so on.
The food also always seems of a high standard too which was one of my most important criteria when finding a childminder.
I could not be happier as a parent and feel very lucky that my daughter is in this environment on a daily basis.
Thank you, Maria!
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Sophie
on 30/09/2015
My son started with Maria in July and she was the only childminder myself and my husband visited and once we had met her we were completely confident that she was the right person to look after him.
He's only there part time at the moment but he has so much fun he does more in two days with Maria than I could plan in a week! He loves the other children and the dogs and has settled so well.
He comes home happy and shattered with a lovely journal that tells me everything he's done that day with pictures and ideas of more we can do at home to continue his learning.
Maria is a brilliant find and as a new mum after 2 days of leaving my baby I was completely tear free as I know he is safe happy and well looked after.
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Caron
on 12/08/2015
I returned to work when my son was only just 5 months old, and Maria has been my childminder for the last 3 months. Although he's not full time my son has settled in brilliantly, and loves his days there. Maria is always doing activities with the children, and keeping me updated with her plans for the week and what her themes are. I get regular messages throughout the days whilst he is there, telling me how and what he is doing, which is really reassuring. I feel confident when I drop my son off with her, knowing that he is safe, being well looked after and having fun. My husband is very protective of our son, and will not leave him with just anyone, yet he is happy when our son is there, knowing that he is being well looked after. Maria is very reliable. My son seems to be developing well, and is normally sociable, which is a great reflection on the time he spends with Maria. My son normally comes home happy and tired, which, in my view, is the sign that you have found a very good childminder!!!
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by
Parent
on 13/07/2015
My daughter who is 14 months has been with Maria for 2 months now! Like any new mum I was nervous to return to work leaving my daughter in any one else's care having had her to myself for a year on maternity! I found exactly what I needed in Maria in that my daughter acts exactly the same there as she does at home, making me feel like she is at a home from home! Getting pictures and updates in the day is great and makes me feel part of my daughters day and Maria is easy to talk to if there were any problems or things you need to tell her about I.e teething, not feeling herself etc! A great find on my doorstep and I feel like Maria has a passion which means she looks after your child like one of her own! My daughter loves her and is excited to see her every day when I take her round and you can't ask for more than that!
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Parent
on 18/05/2015
I can honestly say Maria exceeds expectations. She is not only flexible, she is willing to make your life as easy as possible, which as a working mum I find invaluable!
I feel very lucky to have found Maria, she is so dedicated to each and every child, nurturing them to develop in their own ways as individuals. One of the ways she does this is through a learning journal. I love reading the journal daily, It allows me to see what my little girl has done in the day aswell as what she ate, when she slept etc.
My little girl loves Maria and has made lots of lovely friends, the progress she has made with Maria speaks for itself! Maria has a genuine warmth and kindness which resonates on the children, I think she's wonderful!
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by
Parent
on 31/03/2015
My son has been attending Maria's for a year and a half now. Not had any problems. She genuinely loves the children. The children have a lot of fun as well as learning and developing constantly. I get a weekly email with their plans and goals that week, I get a daily report in the home link book and numerous photos throughout the day. She is very reliable, only one day off sick in the last 18 months but she is also very laid back and flexible. Her home is a warm family set up and on occasion my son has stayed overnight without problem. I would highly recommend her.
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by
Parent
on 03/10/2014
I needed a childminder to look after my 22month old daughter at short notice. Maria was nothing but helpful and understanding of my situation and put myself at ease from day one.
My daughter loves going to Maria and waves me off every morning before I go to work, so she can start her busy, fun and educational day.
I have noticed a huge difference in my daughter since being with Maria, she is developing so much and learning new things everyday. I am overwhelmed by how much Maria has not only done for my daughter but also all of us as a family.
I constantly get emails and text from Maria to keep me up to date with what they are doing during the day and I love getting the photos. Maria is professional, approachable, understanding and supportive and there are not enough words to describe how grateful I am for what she has done for us and without a doubt would recommend maria to any parent. Thank you maria, you are amazing!!!!!!!!! Xx
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Claire d
on 03/10/2014
My child has been going to Maria for a year and a half now and I can only say amazing things about Maria , she made my child feel welcome from day one discussed with me his wants and needs and he settled in with no problems. Maria is kind caring and my child always asks to go round and see Maria whenever we drive past her road and even on his days he is not in her care . Maria does fun activities and Days out ect and my little boy cannot wait to tell me what he has done for the day (I normally get a recap of what he has done just before he goes to sleep) Maria also communicates with me on a regular basis and I get to read what he has done throughout the day via a communication book (which tells me what he has eatern and so on and so fourth) Maria's home environment is brilliant with a massive garden (which my little boy would spend all day in if he could ) and a playroom everything is safe and secure . Maria will often help me out last minute of she has the space which I am most greatful for . Maria has built a great relationship with my child and I feel completely at ease leaving him . I also receive pictures throughout the day to see what my little boy has been up too . All I can say is she is a wonderful lady and an absolutely brilliant childminder I would not hesitate to recommend her to anyone who is in need of a childminder she's superstar
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Lauren88
on 30/09/2014
I couldn't be happier with Maria looking after my child and am so grateful I found her, my daughter has been with Maria for six months, Maria provides a happy, safe, educational, comforting and fun place for my daughter. As a first time mum I have found Maria very supportive and a good source of advice to go to, she provides educational development for my daughter as well as a fun environment.
My daughter is always happy when I pick her up and Maria always gives me updates by text and photo's of the day they have all enjoyed.
I fully trust Maria and never worry about my daughter when i'm at work as I know she is safe and probably having more fun than me.
I whole heartedly recommend Maria as she not only makes my daughter happy but myself also.
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on 24/09/2014
My 2 year old has been going to Maria for just over a year and a bit. he loves the time there , all be it only once a week. He is always happy and enjoys all the outings and adventures as Well as playing in the garden and with George the dog. Maria is a loving and caring person and this is proven by the children's happiness to be with her. She accommodates all the children's needs and parents requirements. She makes learning fun and always has a smile on her face when the children are around her.from day one I have been totally satisified with Maria and more than content knowing my child is in safe and loving hands with Maria .
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Parent
on 24/09/2014
My son Alfie has recently joined Maria at her very welcoming home. He was in full time nursery up until this point. In my opinion he is receiving much better care with Maria. She is very accommodating to his needs and mine. She is a very warm person who treats my son extremely well in terms of loving care and affection( which he loves).
Alfie thoroughly enjoys the activities both in Maria's home and when they go out on trips and adventures. He loves outdoor activities and gets plenty of opportunities to do this with Maria and George ( the beautiful puppy :-) ) As a parent it is very reassuring when she sends lots of updates during the day of how he is getting on and what he is doing.
I have no regrets taking Alfie out of full time nursery to be in Maria's care.
A much softer and warm environment. This lady clearly loves her job :-)
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Parent
on 23/09/2014
I had a nightmare when it came to finding childcare as I had recently moved to the area and had to job hunt and find childcare at the same time.
Maria immediately made me feel at ease and answered my many different questions on hours and availability.
Maria has such a warm and welcoming setting and as soon as you walk through her door you are made to feel at ease, to ask as many questions as you want and are shown around her home.
All the children in the setting who were there were very friendly too and I knew instantly that I wanted my daughter to attend.
Freya (16 months) has been going to Maria's for almost 2 months now and absolutely loves it. I love reading her home link book and seeing the photos of what she has been up to.
Maria seems to have endless energy and takes the children on many varied trips out, so far Freya has been to different toddler groups, parks and The Aquarium.
For any parent who is looking for someone to look after their children, I highly recommend Maria.
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Parent
on 16/05/2014
My son started with Maria when he was 15 month and is only leaving now due to us moving home. Maria is wonderful with the children, provides daily updates in a home link book and emails picture throughout the day, it's nice to feel like you are not missing out too much. She plans so many activities and trips and they have themes each month to follow. I really can't recommend Maria highly enough, she is fantastic at her job and we will miss her very much.
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on 02/04/2014
