I was reading an Ofsted inspection report recently from our childminding colleagues Jackie and Shaun which contained the following comment:
Question: what does your ‘Wow! Cloud’ look like?
We have a wooden cloud hanging up which the children helped to paint white. We also have a selection of post-it notes in various colours and shapes. We used a shiny acrylic paint (or you can add PVA to the paint) when painting the cloud so the post it notes stick. If they fall off, we add a tiny amount of glue stick but not too much as you want them to come off in one piece later.
Question: how do you use your ‘Wow! Cloud’?
When a child does something special we think earns them a place on the ‘Wow! Cloud’, we gather all the children around and announce that "Mary has tried really hard at something and we are going to put her on the Wow! Cloud!"
It is a very exciting time for everyone and we all cheer and clap. The child looks through the post it notes and chooses one. We carefully write a sentence to say what she did that was so amazing. We date it and stick it up on the cloud and everyone cheers and claps her. It's a real celebration and everyone joins in.
Question: what sort of behaviour do you praise on the 'Wow! Cloud'?
Ofsted focused on behaviour and interestingly, most parents talk about milestones in their feedback.
However, in the setting we use it for lots of different areas of learning including making an effort, acts of kindness, sharing, great tidying up, first achievements such as doing up a zip, taking a first step, jumping with 2 feet off the floor, staying in their own bed all night etc.
Question: how do you ensure the 'Wow! Cloud' is inclusive?
Every child has a post-it note on the ‘Wow! Cloud’. Whenever they "go on the Wow! Cloud" we take down the last note and replace it with the new one – and we send the old one home to share with parents. We make sure that all the children are represented equally and as often as each other.
Sometimes, we have to really search for something we can appreciate and sometimes we have to overlook things we would like to put a child up for but have to simply praise them instead. This means that it's always a surprise when we call it out - and this makes it spontaneous and exciting.
A parent comments: ‘For a younger child like ours who is still developing his language, the cloud is a very exciting way for parents to know what our child has achieved. We still remember when it said ‘our child managed to put on his own coat’. We were like, ‘Oh wow, really!’ We have collected all the stickers and plan to use them as a bedtime story to tell our child how proud we are of his development’.
Question: do children do things just to get a post it on the cloud?
No, we NEVER say that if they do something they will go on the ‘Wow! Cloud’. Or worse if they behave a certain way, they won't go on it. We don't use it like a reward chart.
Question: how does it work with part-time children?
If someone earns their place on the ‘Wow! Cloud’ when only a few of their friends are present (sleep times, for example), we tell them they are going on the ‘Wow! Cloud’ but will wait for as many of their friends as possible to be around, so that they can have a massive clap and cheer. However, we always ensure children’s achievements go on the 'Wow! Cloud' on the same day.
That’s another reason why we note the dates on the ‘Wow! Cloud’ post-it notes – so we can see who maybe hasn’t been on the cloud for a while and make sure the full-time children don’t go on more often than the part-time children.
Question: how did you use the 'Wow! Cloud' during lockdown?
During the initial lockdown, when some children couldn't come in, parents used WhatsApp to send us their child's achievements and we would video ourselves clapping and cheering and writing out the notes for them to see go on the ‘Wow! Cloud’!
A parent notes: ‘Our child loved being on the virtual cloud for colouring his pictures so carefully [when we were in lockdown]. It celebrated such a big achievement for him.
Question: do you think the 'Wow! Cloud' could be used for parents at home as well?
Yes, absolutely! I think it would work best if the whole family had a post-it note for doing something amazing on the ‘Wow! Cloud’ and joined in with excitement and clapping whoever goes on the board.
Obviously, if a child in the family is struggling with their behaviour, for example, then the focus for getting his post-it on the ‘Wow! Cloud’ could be where he needs the extra support.
We find that the child loves to keep being reminded of what they did and this works really well as positive praise.
Here are some parent comments about the ‘Wow! Cloud’:
‘Our children have always been so proud when they go on the cloud, which is lovely. I think what I love the most is the other children celebrating one another’s successes. It is such a simple thing, but it teaches such a big lesson’.
‘The cloud is a fantastic way to mark each achievement and they really do feel proud when they get put on it – it feels special’.
‘The cloud is such a positive way of celebrating each individual child’s achievements. It makes it a special occasion for each and every one of them.’
‘I’ve just asked our child about when he was on the wow cloud and how it made him feel and he said ‘happy’. It’s a great way to show their achievements right from when they are little (eg first steps) to when they are older and achievements such as reading and writing’.
‘We are very excited that our baby’s first steps [at home] are going to be on the cloud next week. It’s such a brilliant way for the children to share their own personal achievements with their friends.’
‘Our child always comes home and tells us when she has been on the wow cloud and it’s always about her personal achievements, not about hitting milestones or comparing her to other children. When I say ‘hitting milestones’ I mean they are celebrated even if it doesn’t happen as ‘expected’ – such as when our child jumped with 2 feet which took forever!’
Thank you so much to our childminding colleagues Jackie and Shaun for sharing.
I hope you find this blog as inspiring as we did in our setting ... we are off to find an offcut of wood and I am sure we have some white paint and PVA glue in the garage ...
Chat soon, Sarah.