First Steps Learning's 5 Star Reviews
Childminder
Parents say
This childminder is highly praised across multiple reviews for providing excellent care in a warm, welcoming environment. Parents consistently note the clean, well-equipped setting with engaging indoor and outdoor activities. The childminder is described as caring, attentive and skilled at fostering children's development. Many reviewers express gratitude for finding such a trustworthy caregiver who puts parents at ease and helps children thrive.
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Showing only 5 star reviews
Below are the 5 star reviews for First Steps Learning. 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.
We moved to Barnet when my daughter was just under 2.5 years and I was quite anxious about resettling her as she’d been so happy in her previous setting, but I needn’t have worried! Tracey is so warm and welcoming and, despite the place being immaculate, she seemingly has an endless array of toys and activities to stimulate the children in her care. She has a broad experience of different age groups but plainly loves looking after little ones. She’s very receptive to the interests of the child – not just enthusing about favourite songs, etc. but also introducing helpful play about anything topical (when my daughter had a reluctant visit to the dentist for example, Tracey immediately set up play around dental care… today they’re applying suncream to the dolls!). Tracey sends regular photos of the children at play which is very reassuring. She has a lovely big garden with a tardis-like shed full of outdoor toys and apparatus, and they play outside when the weather allows - much to my child’s delight! There’s often an educational bent to activities but it always seems to be imbued with fun and my daughter goes into the setting enthusiastically and comes home merrily talking about Tracey and the other children... A happy child is all you want!
by Plummum on 30/07/2024
I am so grateful and feel so lucky to have found Tracey and her setting after really struggling to find a place that I felt happy to leave my Son. Over the past 3 months they have built a beautiful relationship.
I am always impressed by the amount of thought and creativity that Tracey puts into the children’s daily activities and I can see that my sons learning and development has massively improved, but most importantly, the love and care that Tracey puts into the children is wonderful and I could not wish for more.
by Rosie on 22/07/2024
Tracey has been my son’s childminder for about two months now, and in that short period of time, she has contributed immensely towards his development, learning and growth. He absolutely adores her and lights up when we drop him off at her house each morning. Tracey provides me with updates and photos throughout the day, and I am comforted knowing he is in the most nurturing, safe, and trusted hands. She always changes and rotates the toys and activities daily so the children are never bored and are always curious and learning. I am so grateful for Tracey and for the wonderful care she provides for my son, I would be happy to recommend her to any parent/s looking for childcare.
by Gina on 13/02/2024
It gives me immense pleasure to suggest Tracy as a childminder. She has been taking care of my now 19-month-old son Darren for the last four months. I am delighted that she offers her skills and knowledge, which she does for a solid seven hours a day, three times a week not forgetting to mention how clean and well setup the environment is
Tracy is constantly upbeat and eager to participate in imaginative plays and other interesting activities with Darren. He looks forward to getting to Tracy's house whenever we are close to her place and interacts very well with other children attending.
On the educational part of learning, Tracy is particularly good and patient with Darren. He is learning more rhymes and enjoying himself.
Although it has not been long since I have known Tracy, I would highly recommend her services to my friends and family as Darren settled in very well.
by Zan on 10/02/2024
Finding someone to look after your child is such a scary experience but the minute, we met Tracey we knew straight away she was the perfect person to look after our little girl.
Tracey provides and immaculate environment with a wide range of activities daily, she works with your child's routine and provides reassurance for parents with updates and photos throughout the day.
My little girl has never cried going to Tracey's, she walks into Tracey’s like she owns the place and for any parent this just shows you that your child is being well looked after and cared for. I can honestly say I am so happy to have found Tracey and even with a move out the area we will make the longer journey to Tracey's as it’s so hard to find such great childminder like her.
I would highly recommend Tracey to anyone looking for a childminder.
by Kimberly on 09/01/2023
My son has been attending Traceys setting 2 days a week since March 2022. He was 13 Months old at the time and had been previously staying with a family member on my working days. He had terrible separation anxiety and hated to be left with anyone other than myself.
Tracey was recommended by my sister as my nephew has had such great experience with her. From the moment I messaged Tracey she made me feel comfortable and confident that my son would be ok and well cared for.
My son is now 18months old and walks himself through Traceys front door as if he is at home. My son loves to be outside and has so much fun in the huge garden at Traceys - There is always something new and fun to do! He gets taken out for walks and trips to the local park aswell as lots of learning fun inside. Traceys house is kept immaculate and you can tell all toys and play equipment are well looked after and kept clean. I am sent lots of photos throughout the day so I can see how happy he is and what he's up to which is so lovely to see when I am at work. Highly recommend Tracey x
by Simone on 18/08/2022
At the time my daughter was only 8 months old and didn’t like strangers at all. But when she met Tracey she was all smiles and really comfortable around her.
My daughter is now 14 months and doesn’t want to leave when we pick her up!!
She is nurtured in a safe and stimulating environment and I wouldn’t want anything else for her.
I feel so lucky to have found Tracey, that I cannot even put it in words.
by Liz on 04/08/2022
I honestly feel so incredibly lucky to have found Tracey to look after my son whilst I am at work. My son is 18 months old and very nervous around new people and new places, and I was very worried about finding childcare that would be the right fit for him. Tracey is a wonderful childminder; she is sensitive and caring and my son is very comfortable with her, chatting away to her and calling her name after just a couple of visits. Her house is immaculate, and there is a huge range of toys and activities for the children to play with. Tracey has a huge garden which is filled with even more toys, cars, water table and more! Tracey keeps me updated throughout the day with lots of photos so I never feel too far away from my son. My son is always smiling away and occupied with different toys and activities, so I can clearly see for myself that he is having a lovely time and learning lots at the same time! Tracey varies the toys every time he visits so he is never bored. It’s also great for him to have some interaction with a couple of other children without being overwhelmed by a large group. In summary I am absolutely delighted to have found Tracey and would highly recommend her to all my family and friends.
by Natassia on 21/11/2021
Tracey has been our childminder since the beginning of September 2021.
We came to her with our daughter who is nearly one. She has cystic fibrosis and is fed through a feeding tube. We were hoping to find a childminder who would be ok with the additional medical needs, and Tracey has been amazing.
She has taken on Emily with open arms and has been very accepting of her needs. She has been willing to put in extra time to learn how to feed her and when there have been issues with the feeding tube she has dealt with them calmly and professionally.
Emily has always been happy to be dropped of with Tracey and has a lovely time!
The activities that are offered are varied, stimulating and educational. I feel confident that she gets the opportunity to learn and play in a safe environment.
I would definitely recommend Tracey to anyone looking for childcare.
by Diana on 20/10/2021
We have found Tracey when looking for emergency childcare due to regular childminder’s sickness period, and I must honestly say this has been the happies coincidence in our lives.
At the end of our initial visit, my then two year old son was already all over Tracey, showering her with hugs and kisses. I think this pretty much sums it up how approachable she is.
Her firmly set ground rules work very well for both parents and children.
It is evident form photographic evidence sent to parents throughout the day that children are always engaged in interesting activities or stimulating games. My son is a big fun of outdoors, and Tracey’s huge garden allows for him to keep busy and get plenty of fresh air.
Tracey has always respected our cultural needs, which is greatly appreciated. She is open to feedback, suggestions and requests.
My son has developed numeracy, vocabulary and social skills while at her setting, and I have never seen him upset on pick up. Quite the contrary, on several occasion he did not want to leave with me to go home. Her setting is wonderful, spacious and full of toys suitable for all ages, which are in immaculate condition.
We are really impressed with Tracey and her friendly yet professional approach to child-minding.
Our son loves her so much he gets upset when he does not visit her during weekends.
by Aneta on 12/09/2021
We are a family who moved from Tokyo to London, having three years old boy who was actually kicked out from several nurseries because of his issue in language development. While we struggle to find education place for our boy to our surprise Tracey kindly offered help to him without making any negative comment which we always suffered at the nurseries which we think cannot be done without having depth of love and belief against children. We were surprised to see her strong commitment, vast experience and educational knowledge which we can clearly see through her daily feedbacks. Tracey also provides various kind of playing activities/toys/facilities at home and outside home which definitely supported stimulating our boy's development. We see our boy smiles more, eats and sleeps more, communicates much more than before. Tracey is our boy's second home and we definitely recommend Tracey to everyone.
by Nick on 03/08/2021
Reggie is now 20months old and has been with Tracey for 2months. We decided to look for childcare when Reggie was about 14 months. It took us a while because the places and people did not seem like the right fit for us all. We met Tracey through chance. Reggie’s dad was working round her house and when he came home one day, he said I have met the perfect person to look after Reg. He told me about Tracey and said when I meet her, I will know what he means. We arranged to meet Tracey the following weekend and Reggie bonded with her immediately. Reggie is not an overly emotional little boy, and he doesn’t offer his cuddles or kisses out easily but within 5 minutes he was cuddling Tracey and following her around.
We arranged the first week to take place with only a couple hours to see how he gets on. Tracey was then and still is always so reassuring that Reggie will be OK and that she will contact if there is ever anything wrong. Reggie absolutely loves going to Tracey’s, he jumps out the car and goes over to the house confidently. He walks in without any hesitation and is settled straight away. I leave feel comfortable and confident that Reggie is safe and happy. Throughout the day I get photos and videos of all the fun activities and adventures Reggie is having. When I come to pick Reggie up, he is pleased to see me, gives me a cuddle, and then usually tells me bye as he tries to walk back into Tracey’s.
Tracey has a built-in playroom in her house filled with an assortment of toys. There are a different selection of toys everyday Reggie goes there so he could never get bored. Tracey has also kitted out her large garden with sand pit, water tables, trampoline, and many cars. Tracey has also taken Reggie out and about for example, last month they all went to the park which is at the end of her road. They also do indoor activities like nursey rhymes, reading books, painting, colouring and many more. I have so many amazing videos and pictures.
I have another child who is a little girl and initially I did not think that she would start childcare until at least a year. Since meeting Tracey, we feel confident that she will be in amazing hands and be able to start much earlier than this.
by Annie on 05/05/2021
Tracey is an amazing childminder and we feel incredibly lucky to have found her!
Our son started going to Tracey a couple of months ago. He is a "lockdown baby" and he wasn't used to spending time with someone else rather than his own mummy and daddy, which made us a little bit nervous when we decided to start his childcare. However, Tracey showed him so much love, kindness, care and patience, and now he absolutely adores her and has been happily attending since.
Tracey's setting provides a true home experience! Her house is very clean and filled with an amazing range of toys, books, puzzles and outdoor toys and activities!
We receive regular updates throughout the day with some fanstastic pictures of what our son is getting up to!
The children are always busy and do loads of different things. Our little one especially enjoys playing outdoors and so we really value that he can spend a good portion of his day outside in a safe environment.
It was such a relief to find someone so trustworthy and loving to look after our son while my husband and I are working - we couldn't have asked for more and would highly recommend Tracey!
The time, attention, focus and care which is provided to our son is second to none!
Thank you Tracey!x
by Karolina on 03/05/2021
I highly recommend Tracey with confidence, both of my children have been in Traceys care from ages 7 months - 3 years old, I couldn’t be more happier with the care and support she provides, I have been a parent to Tracey for 6 years and currently still am, I wouldn’t go anywhere else. When Tracey told me she was moving to the London borough of Barnet I was in no doubt but to follow and keep my son with Her. I do early commutes 3 days a week from Camden to Barnet.
Traceys home is an immaculate, happy, fun, welcoming home, all of the resources Tracey provides for the children are to a very high standard.
Tracey is absolutely amazing at her job and requires the best care. She welcomes them into her home like her own.
She does amazing activities both in and outdoor which is great for the children.
I couldn’t thank her enough for all the care and support she has given us not only for the children but to us as a family.
by Tayla on 01/03/2021
My son has been with Tracey since he was 14 months old and is now nearly 18 months. Tracey is a truly excellent childminder. I did extensive research to find the right person to look after my son. I reviewed 100s of profiles and interviewed15 individuals. Tracey was the best by far.
Tracey provides a warm and happy environment. It is very clear that she has a natural and loving relationship with the children she cares for. It feels like we are leaving him with a family member. My son always meets me at the end of the day, happy, clean and healthy.
Tracey provides an immaculate setting. Her home is always impeccably clean and tidy. She has the most impressive range of toys, books, activities and puzzles. She also has a beautiful outdoor setting, with lots of outdoor toys and activities, including a slide set, water/sand tables and a children’s play house. My son really enjoys being outside in the fresh air and so I really value that he can spend a portion of his day outside in this safe environment.
Tracey is very attentive and observant. She accurately notices which toys and activities my son enjoys and is good at and lets me know. She keeps us updated throughout the day with pictures and updates on how he is doing, which brings us huge amounts of comfort during the working day.
When my son started with Tracey he was quite introverted and shy. Thanks to Tracey’s help he is growing into a healthy and outgoing toddler.
I have every confidence that my son is being well looked after, nurtured and loved by Tracey whilst I am at work. I have no hesitation in recommending her. She really is wonderful.
by Orla on 11/09/2020
Tracey is the best childminder we could recommend. As new parents looking for a childcare solution in London, we have been so fortunate to find Tracey. Her house is the dream home for babies and young children, everything is kept super clean and she obviously enjoys playing with the children she looks after with so much enthusiasm and patiencd. She has so much experience that not any situation she would need to encounter could be a cause of worry for us. Tracey keeps parents informed during the day, is very responsive and always manages to capture the best moment. We can see how happy our baby is and how much stimulation there is around with the toys and activities offered.
by Candice on 15/08/2020
Tracey is an amazing childminder. Since I started sending my son to her, she’s welcomed him into her home like family. He settled in quickly and feels so comfortable with her and her family. He has developed so much in her care, thanks to all the different activities that Tracey facilitates daily — painting, music, farm animals, make believe! Tracey puts so much effort in making sure our baby feels stimulated and cared for. He comes home so happy, which allows me peace of mind knowing he is in good hands throughout the day. She is honest, trustworthy and so caring.
We are so lucky to have found her!
by Katrina on 19/02/2020
Tracey has been looking after my son, Imran, from when he was 14 months old and I couldn’t recommend her enough. I found the whole prospect of finding childcare for Imran the most painful, nerve-racking, and upsetting thing I have ever done. I was so confused whether to choose a childminder or a nursery and choosing Tracey as Imran’s childminder is one of the best decisions I have made.
I have to say from the moment I met Tracey I was put completely at ease as she is incredibly friendly and very open. Tracey’s home is impeccably clean and there is a large playroom stacked full of toys for all age groups as well as huge amounts of toys in the garden. She also always makes time for any worries or concerns, and her love and care for the children is lovely!
Imran has always had an extreme fear of strangers and anyone outside his immediate family since all our family members are abroad and I was particularly anxious about him settling in. However, from day one, Tracey was warm, caring, interactive, and friendly with Imran and this has no doubt helped him settle and gain confidence in himself.
All in all, I can honestly say that I made the absolute best decision in placing Imran in Tracey’s care. Imran is so happy there, loves the environment, loves the other children, loves Tracey to bits and will definitely be with her for a long time!
by grungeee on 17/09/2019
Tracey looked after our son from September to November, 3-4 days a week.
Joe absolutely loved being with Tracey, he was happy to be left by me and play with the other children. Regular updates and photos showed me how much fun he was having and gave me - as his mother - the assurance that he was in safe hands.
We found Tracey to be a lovely, warm, caring professional, who really took the time to get to know both Joe and his family, and we would happily have Joe back in her care, work permitting (and space permitting!)
We heartily recommend her!
by KOwens on 20/12/2018
We had the pleasure of meeting Tracey about a month ago when we were looking for childcare for our 18 month-old daughter. We previously had a few short and unsuccessful experiences with nannies and a daycare, and with no family around to help, we were anxious about leaving our daughter in the care of someone new.
Tracey’s great reputation and recommendations led us to contact her even though her home is not so close to where we live. From the moment we first visited Tracey’s place we felt confident that she was a genuine and loving person who could look after our daughter when we were not with her. Her home also seemed to be a beautiful and safe environment for our daughter.
The rooms and the outside space are kept in a pristine state and are beautifully decorated. There are so many child-led activities and toys available.
Overall, the stimulating environment along with Tracey’s amazing and warm personality made my daughter extremely relaxed and secure from the very first week. Now she is always excited to knock on her door!
As parents we couldn’t have felt more understood and reassured. We frequently receive lovely pictures and updates on our daughter, so we don’t feel we are missing out. In fact we have never seen our daughter so happy and playful before.
We could not recommend Tracey highly enough, she is a great professional and a remarkable person who loves what she does! Tracey and her beautiful family has welcomed us so warmly, and our daughter has thrived under her care!
by Elpiniki on 26/11/2018
Tracey has been childminding my daughter Nerea since September 2017 when she was 14 months for three days a week at first and then four days.
I have been extremely happy with the care Nerea has received and I would highly recommend Tracey.
Her home is always welcoming and clean. She regularly washes the wide range of toys she gives to the children. She has a nice garden where Nerea loves to play and she can enjoy the sunshine. In summer Tracey used to have a swimming pool as well which kids loved.
My daughter has felt as part of the family which has been extremely reassuring for me as she was our first child and Tracey our first experience of child care. When I asked Tracey if she could take care of my daughter on extended hours when I was going to give birth, she was happy to help and her help went beyond.
Furthermore I’m really happy with the progress Nerea has made in Tracey’s care. The daily activities she organises, such as painting, singing, playing instruments, trips to the parks, reading stories have made a huge impact on my daughter’s development.
I will always be thankfully to her for all her support. I could not have wished for a more professional, caring, sensitive and dedicated cover. I would have no hesitation in recommending Tracey to look after your children.
by minny on 10/10/2018
My son has been attending for 18 months he is cared for by Tracey for 5 days a week . From day one we have been overwhelmed by how he has been made to feel like he is one of the family and that it is like a home from home we're he is cared for in a safe and stimulating environment.This really put us at ease which was great after poor experiences with nursery with hes elder sibling. He settled in really quickly which was great and that made us feel better as he felt comfortable and safe without us infact I don't think he's ever been upset to leave us for tracey as he loves going there in the mornings . We are extremely happy with the care that our son has received and the great progress he has made which has come from the interactions he has from Tracey's and the fact that he receives great individual and group interactions, he is turning into a well natured child and is coming on leaps and bounds with he's development and talking .Tracey's setting is always welcoming, clean and we'll organised there is always lots for him to do and he is always stimulated whilst in Traceys care. He absolutely loves the outside area which has an abundance of toys and equipment this is great for him as he is a really active child so having the outdoor area where he can play safely and burn off some energy is great and helps him to learn new skills.
Tracey is there to tell us what he has done so we always feel involved, she often sends us pictures so we can see what he gets up to which is great and a really nice personal touch which you don't often get with a nursery. The boundaries set in the setting are great and Tracey is a fantastic communicator so he has learned the boundaries and he is confident and happy to approach Tracey when he needs something or comforting.
Even though I provide him with he's lunch Tracey provides him with well balanced healthy snacks and drinks everyday.
In summary Tracey goes above and beyond the duty of a childminder and We are extremely happy with the care our son receives and will be really sad when he eventually goes to school as she will have a special place in our family for the care and compassion she has shown for him whilst in her care and for helping him to grow into the well natured child he is becoming.
We cannot recommend her enough and her service is second to none!
by Parent on 11/06/2018
Our son, was nine months old when I returned to work and were so thrilled and delighted when Tracey became our childminder. George’s early years’ development as well as his welfare, is of such importance that as working parents, we relied heavily on the communication and trust we had with Tracey.
We felt extremely at ease in leaving George in the care of Tracey. Her home is always welcoming and George clearly felt very content in her company and with the other children.
As parents, we were able to approach Tracey with any concerns we may have had regarding George’s early years development and she offered invaluable advice and reassurance with his learning and welcomed any input we had or processes we carried out at home which helped George’s transition from home life to childcare.
Tracey had been invaluable in assisting with our son’s development including encouragement with talking, feeding, caring and social skills. This is a true demonstration of how extremely qualified Tracey is in her role as childminder and we could not think of a better person to care in our absence.
Over the last two years George has been attending a wonderful primary school and Tracey’s care of George since starting school, along with support from us, has enabled us to ensure George had stability in his transition from full time care and learning in a home setting with Tracey to learning in a classroom and a school life setting. George is collected at the end of the school day by Tracey and spends the afternoon in her care for the remaining few hours. We have also been able to maintain an excellent line of communication between the school, Tracey and us as parents, and any non-urgent issues can be passed to Tracey to be communicated to us. This support from Tracey is invaluable and would not be possible otherwise.
During George’s time with Tracey afterschool and before he is collected in the evening, he will have had his tea, and is excited to come home and discuss his school day, perform homework or unwind without any added stress or over excitement. This again is testament the relaxed, calm and caring environment he experiences in Tracey’s care. I know that the easy transition George has experienced in moving to ‘big school’ has been made so much easier due to the support, learning and development he received whilst in Tracey’s care. Tracey has also helped to ensure that George can continue his afternoon at home seamlessly without it seeming like an overly long day.
We have the utmost confidence and trust in Tracey, and would not hesitate in recommending her to other parents. She is an asset to any family and we feel extremely privileged that she is essentially part of our family in her role to care for our son for over five years.
by Parent on 05/06/2018
I have been fortunate enough to have Tracey as my son Evan’s child minder since September 2016. I will recommend Tracey to any parent who adores their child; she is the most caring, sensitive, wise and understanding child minder I could possibly have found for Evan. It was a difficult time when I was going through a divorce, and I was concerned how this was going to affect Evan. Her way with him on days when he felt less happy was outstanding, and I truly believe we would not have made it nearly as smoothly through this time if it was not for Tracey. She is most certainly outstanding in her job, with a sincere caring and understanding of children, an absolute gem. I would recommend her to absolutely any parent; she is one in a million, a rare find.
by Parent on 05/06/2018
I have been lucky enough to have Tracey look after my son from 2013 and she is currently looking after my daughter.
Tracey has a really lovely manner with all the children in her care. She is always kind and calm with them and all the children are happy and well behaved and know what’s expected of them.
Tracey has a fantastic outdoor space which is fully equipped for the children’s play.
Since leaving my children in Tracey’s care I’ve been reassured that I made absolutely the right choice. Both of my children love spending time with tracey and the other children in her setting. Both of my children have made fantastic progress while in Tracey’s care and this is supported with great observations from her.
Tracey is very easy to talk to and always happy to answer questions/give advice.
If you are thinking of using Tracey for childcare I couldn’t recommend her any higher, not only does she have a great passion for her work she loves it too, and this really shows in her work and the children she cares for. Tracey is amazing at helping parents adapt as well as the children and also sends regular photos of your child as part of their transition.
My children both love going to Tracey’s and although they are very happy to see me at the end of each day, They are never in a rush to leave.
Thank you Tracey
by Jodie C on 30/05/2018