I came across this book on social media and was attracted by it straight away because it’s just the thing that my youngest son loved to do when he was growing up ( he is the youngest of 4 siblings) and always wanted to be ‘a big boy’ like his brothers and as they had…
I was sent a tube containing 240 low-in-the dark pieces. And a box, in which I was expecting to find a board ( for holding the pieces). But the box contained another 250 puzzle pieces in 10 different colours. And a puzzle mat. Harley, age 8, who was eager to help with my review was…
Fun Affordable Easter Holiday Activities for children As Easter approaches, it’s time to plan some delightful activities to keep the childrenentertained and immersed in the holiday spirit. Whether you prefer indoor or outdoor fun. Here are 6 fun Easter holiday activities that children of all ages will enjoy. The onething you will need to purchase…
This is the authors first children’s book ( and the first of the Lavender maze series). . The book is full of descriptive words that really take you into the story. At the beginning of the tale is a map showing the reader exactly where the story characters are going. At the beginning of each…
This is the third book in the Greta the happy maker series of children’s books based on the adventures of a real life pug. Greta wakes up to be told by her Mama that today is a special day. Why? Greta thinks, Is it Easter, Greta’s birthday, Valentines day , Christmas or Halloween? Eventually after…
Regular readers will know that I have worked with ichild for a number of years. This is a selection of their winter activities and crafts which will be suitable for a variety of different aged children: Winter olympic wordsearch: This is great for alder children, there are 12 winter Olympic themed words to find. The…
Deddy bears are not your average teddy bears. Deddy bears are a collection of 8 different DEAD cute plush toys, that are scary, but still cute and sofI tenough to cuddle I. was sent the following Deddy bears: Squash: Squash is rather cute with his big smile. Vambear: Vambear is a litle more scary because…
Explaining about the death of a family member, including the loss of a pet, to children can be extremely difficult for parents, especially if they too are grieving. This beautifully written book could be the answer to this for parents, carers and other adults. The author wrote the book based on his own exigence of…
This book has a lovely bright, colourful front cover, enticing readers to want to look inside. What would happen if Santa was ill? This delightful children’s book explains with fun, rhyming text how everyone in Santa’s grotto coped when the big man was unwell with flu. Children will love hearing and seeing the illustrations showing…
As soon I saw this children’s book it made me feel all Christmassy. The book is about the magical world in Snowy Hollow and how a family of Polar bears work together to make it a sparkling Christmas. The book is written and illustrated by Stephanie Rose It retails for £9 and is aimed at…
This is the second book in the Greta, the happy maker series of children’s books. As in the first book where Greta makes a friend here Greta is making the most of her life. . Greta likes to dream, but one time she has a nightmare and is afraid until her mother comforts her. ….
A registered child minderwas asking for tips on this subject on social media. When I was working as a registered child minder, I had a system that worked for me and the children, We would tidy away the toys, by making it fun. I said “What time is it?” and the children would answer “Tidy…
Usborne books wre always a great read when I shared books with my own children and the ones I cared for when I was working as a registered child minder. So when I was offered the opportunity to review some of their books, I was delighted. I was sent 2 hardback books: Little lift and…
I came across this book on social media. On arrival the first thing that struct me was the vibrant colours on the front cover; which made me want to investigate inside the book, I wasn’t disappointed the book tells a magical tale of how flowers became different: From all being plain white in colour, the…
In preparation for National nursery rhyme day on 13 November, I am sharing some of my favourites: This little piggy was a firm favourite when I was working with children of different ages, I would recite the rhyme while tickling a baby’s toes or fingers and any other older children would join in. More activities…
Greta is a happy, lovable, friendly pug. How can she cheer up a sad dog that she meets one day? ? This lovely picture book could help children with a low self esteem realise that they too are unique in their strengths. The book is written by Nicole Stanghetti and the charming illustrations are drawn…
The very loving caterpillar is happy and content living in his community of caterpillars. But how will they cope when the weather turns colder? Eventually after a lot of thinking that sends them to sleep, the caterpillars become butterflies and harmony is restored. the book is written by Sean Browne and the colourful illustrations are…
This is just a small selection of crafts available from ichild:- GRANDPARENTS DAY FRIDGE MAGNET; This is a picture of a teapot that children can decorate how they wish; then stick on a photo of a grandparent ( or themselves) add a magnet and it’s good to go! HEART CRAFT; Again children can have fun…
This sweet little children’s book is about a visit to the seaside: But Kelly is a cat, not a child! Kelly is accompanied by her dad, who keeps her safe while doing all the usual seaside things: Paddling in the sea, building sand castles and having a picnic. They both have so much fun that…
For anyone that wants to be more organised, check out this book on Amazon by Ava Heart It’s for Early years workers to put all their activities into one place. On each page is a blank table to fill in the: activity, materials required and what areas of the curriculum it covers (to save you…
Kayleigh, a registered child minder asked for this post after she was finding it difficult to calm the children in her care when they came in from the garden’hypo’. My biggest tip for stopping children being really nosy; was given to me by a school teacher. She told me that trying to shout over them…
Jacqueline sent me 2 children’s books for review:- The tales of Mr Mouse and friends: At the very beginning of the book ( before chapter 1) is an introduction to Mr Mouse written in four paragraphs. The paragraphs are repetitive and written in rhyming text meaning that children can join in when the book is…
The unique selling point that this children’s book has is that it teaches children their first animal words in both English and Spanish! The24 different animals are illustrated simply in white with a black background. making them stand out and help young eyes to send straight to their brains. Each picture page has the animal…
With the cost of living rising almost daily, parents and carers will be wanting to save money whenever possible. These are some of my ideas:- Make window shopping a fun activity; I have spent quite some over the years time just looking in shops rather than buying with my own children, grandchildren and the ones…
When I first registered as a child minder I decided that I wanted a name for my business ( other than just Karen’s child minding) to make me appear more professional. My husband suggested the name Little treasures; so I added quality to that and became Little treasures quality child minding. I must say that…
Stephanie sent me 2 of her children’s books to review:- My dad, my hero: is a beautiful celebration of the relationship between a child and their father. The illustrations are of animal babies with their dads; something that will really appeal to children ( who doesn’t love a cute baby animal?). The text is written…
I know from experience that money burns a hole in most children’s pockets ( meaning that they feel the need to spend whatever money they have as soon as possible!). So encouraging them to save rather than spend has to be a positive: Ask children if they want something that is worth saving up for….
Regular readers will know that I often work with ichild, because they have a wonderful selection of crafts and activities to keep children entertained; this is a few of their Wimbledon themed ones: WIMBLEDON WORDSEARCH: Older children will enjoy the challenge of finding the tennis related words( the answers are at the bottom of the…
The long summer break from school is fast approaching, why not use the time for your children to continue learning ( so it’s not such a shock when school starts again?) Reading books is a great way to continue learning throughout the holiday; reading can improve your child’s vocabulary, critical thinking and comprehension skills. Helping…
This is the first of a series of Charlie Whiskers adventure books. . Charlie Whiskers is well known in his neighborhood because he’s a friendly cat with some distinguishing features.What I really love about this children’s picture book is that it contains some illustrations of ethnic minorities and also challenges gender stero-types. The book has…
DAYS OF THE WEEK: Colour the letters of the days of the week, then stick onto thin card to make flashcards. There are also large A4 individual days of the week downloads that can be used as a display around settings. PEOPLE WHO HELP US: This is my favourite of the activities, because ichild have…
This was a question I was asked by a friend: Well when my children were young and went to a pre-school group they would come home with arm fulls of paintings, drawings and other delightful items that they had made; it would have been impossible to keep them all, so I will admit that I…
This is a question that was asked on social media recently. It can be hard enough for children when parents separate, but how do you go about explaining why the absent parent hasn’t shown up for a promised visit ( time with the child)? It’s a heartbreaking situation. I can honestly say that my ex-…
As soon as I came across this children’s picture book on Facebook I knew that it would be a good fit for my blog theme. Changa is having a hard time because he couldn’t run as fast as the other animals. Eventually with his friends help, he learned that there is more to life than…
This children’s picture book has it all: vibrant illustrations, humor and education . Who doesn’t love a family movie night? The Wizziwigs certainly do .When one of the children ask for movie night snacks, mum suggests healthy options ( educating readers about healthy eating). Dad knows that the occasional treats won’t hurt ( plus you…
I saw a question on Facebook this week were a registered child minder was asking how caring for ‘a looked after child’ worked. When I was working as a child minder I went on a training day that qualified me to work with Social services and other agencies. There was a designated social worker (…
Matel have recently launched a new Barbie doll, which has Down sydrome. The doll is wearing a necklace which is the extra Down syndrome chromanone and a dress in the flowery/butterfly bright colours, that are the down syndrome recognised symbols. Vogue U.K magazine have also published their first issue with a Down syrome girl on…
Tracy who is in the process of becoming a registered child minder has requested this post. During the pre-registration inspection, the inspector is assessing your suitability to become a registered child minder: This will include a look around your home, to ensure that it’s safe for children: The inspector will want to see where the…
As usual ichild have come up trumps with these children’s activities: BIG,BIGGER,BIGGEST CROWN: Is perfect for teaching about size, then children can colour the crowns, COLOUR THE CROWNS: Even very young children can learn to master mark making skills to colour the crowns as they wish. BRITISH UNION FLAG LANTERN : Older children will enjoy…
This hardback children’s book is wonderful: It has rhyming text, bright, colourful illustrations and as it teaches children about trees and nature. it’s educational too! The book ia written by Anna Smithers and illustrated by Martyna Nejman. Some of the text has colourful words, making the book even more inviting to children. I particularly love…
This hardback children’s book is ‘what it says on the tin’ it describes in rhyming text the memories that young children make while walking with their dad: From picking blackberries to watching wild rabbits flocking the rhyming text ( which ia my absolute favourite in children’s literature) and colourful illustrations bring the book alive. Walking…
A friend has reached out on Facebook this week asking for advice on this subject. Letting your child go for a sleepover for the first time can be a real concern for parents and rightly so, as we all need to know that our offspring are safe. My children sometimes had sleepovers at the weekends…
This children’s book has a delightful front cover. The tale is about a father and son who on a camping trip together start a conversation about the stars The book could be a useful tool to help any children who have been bullied as it mentions how to cope with bullies in the story. The…
I reviewed Helen;s first book: Let’s talk to mummy’s tummy quite some time ago here She has revised the book now to coincide with her other 2 books and has made some of the illustrations more diverse. Other than that this new addition is as wonderful as the original. The book retails at £14.99 Let’s…
St. Patrick’s day is just around the corner help children to celebrate it with the following activities and crafts:- LUCKY CLOVER STAMP CARD: What could be more fun than making your own stamp from an empty kitchen roll tube and using it to design a card? FOUR LEAF CLOVER HAND PRINT: Most children enjoy hand…
Anyone, young or old, who love horses; as much as I do, will be instantly drawn towards this book by the stunning front cover . Fans of all things equine, will of course be familiar with Anna Sewell’s classic story of Black Beauty: Leonora Teale has been extremely clever in writing an updated version of…
Most children will tell tails or make things up from time to time, but what can you do when the lies become a regular assonance or more than that? Start by having conversations with your children about telling the truth and lying: Stories, such as the boy who cried wolf could help with this. If…
The first thing that struck me about this hardback book is the colourful front cover. The book is beautifully written with lovely illustrations on every page. The text explains how the Earth, in which we live can have a calming effect on us, if we take the time to look: Therefore it would make a…
This lovely children’s book is written in rhyming text; my absolute favourite for children’s literature because it makes any story more fun to read and as children can quite often predict the next word, this will help with any child who has a low attention span and may otherwise not enjoy sharing a book with…
The February school half term can sometimes be tricky for parents and carers to think of activities for keeping children entertained and happy; because it is still winter and the weather may not be favourable for doing anything outside. However, if we are lucky enough to get some dry, bright days, then why not wrap…
A 4 year old girl was in the news this week because she bravely managed to call for an ambulance when her mother collapsed in front of her. I taught my own children how to dial 999 if the need arose and also how to phone my mother for help, I did this in a…
Having a good port folio to show parents at the first interview more here is key to looking professional . My port folio was quite large, as I had undertaken lots of training providing me with many certificates ( obviously my registered child minding certificate was framed and displayed on my playroom wall). Other than…
I was sent the following books: The Christmas present dilemma! This delightful book teaches children that Christmas is an expensive time . Marsh doesn’t want to offend his friends by asking for presents that they can’t afford, so the friends come up with their own ideas and choose the perfect gifts for him. Doing the…
Tabitha has reached out for help on this topic: When I was a registered child minder I had a few house rules that the children were aware of: One of the rules was that food was eaten at the kitchen table. One morning when a parent was dropping off her two children they decided that…
This post is prompted by a question that a registered child minder asked on a Facebook group. When I was a registered child minder I looked after a little boy who was quite slow in learning at 4 years old he had no idea of colour recognition, among other things more on colour recognition here…
The first thing that struck me when I received this toy was the amount of early learning opportunities it provides: Being a former early years practitioner( registered child minder) I am aware of how a young child’s brain is like a sponge and will take in more information that most people are aware of. ….
This large i poster can be spread out on the floor for children to learn and explore all 118 chemical elements . The interactive poster teaches the names, symbols, mass groups and fun facts of the chemical elements in the periodic table. The element button sare colour coded to help learn the 18 groups. The…
I must point out that I have nothing against children’s nurseries and pre- schools, but because I worked as a registered child minder for many happy years I will always recommend a child minder to parents if asked about day care for their children. Looking for childcare here This is why: Registered child minders usually…
Due to the recent postal strikes, the following children’s books were late arring:- GOD’S PROMISE: Once again the book is dedicated to a child, with a personal message. The tale in this book which is written by Bill Graham is based on the bible story of Noah’s ark. There are refences to the child’s home…
when a review was agreed this company asked a number of questions to personalise the books Child’s first and last name. Gender Child’s age. Child’s home town Up to 3 names of friends or family members A personalised message. A few days later I was sent the following books: SANTA’S SECRET HRLPER: The first page…
Larger settings, such as nurseries and pre-schools will usually put on a Christmas party for their children: So does this mean that registered child minders should do the same? When I was working as a registered child minder Christmas was my favourite time of year. I started providing Christmas themed activities and crafts from the…
Samantha, a registered child minder reached out on social media for help with this issue that she was having with one of the children she cared for who was pulling the hair of other children in the setting. I have always kept my hair short, but anyone who has long hair and holds a baby…
Keeping children safe and well is one of the most important roles for an early years practitioner; so doing regular risk assessments are vital. One of the things that I found most helpful when risk assessing my own home as a registered child minder was to get down on the floor to look at things…
My biggest tip for a successful bath time is to get everything ready in the bathroom before you start: Then you won’t have to quickly dash out to grab some pyjamas ( a child can drown extremely quickly in just a few inches of water so MUST NEVER be left alone at all). Make sure…
I strongly believe that children should understand why we celebrate rembrance day and wear a poppy. The following activities should help with this: MAKE A POPPY: Using tissue paper and the clever use of a cotton bud, children can make and then wear their own poppy! FIRST WORLD WAR PLANE: Even very young children can…
W e all know that parents ( and non-parents) cope better after having a good nights sleep. The key to getting a sucessful bedtime for children is to have a ROUTINE; When my children were young our bedtime routine was to have a warm bath, with some bubbles and a few toys to make it…
When I was a registered child minder I had several different policies here, but I didn’t have a sickness policy. Looking back I wish that I had, obviously I told parents at the first interview here that I wasn’t allowed to look after any child who was unwell; because of the risk of spreading infections….
Diwali is on Monday 23rd October( this coming Monday) and is celebrated by several different religions for 5 days. Diwali is also known as the festival of light, So these acitivities should help parents and carers to celebrate with their children:- DIWALI FLOWER GARLAND; This is pretty easy to make; just copy, colour and cut…
When covid19 first arrived and we went into lockdown; I decided to write this book, as a way to fill my time and to hopefully help parents and carers through this difficult time. . As a parent to 4 boys and a former registered child minder for 14 years I have lots of experience in…
I was sent the croissant cafe and a box of 5 mouse figures for this review. The cafe has opening double doors to the front and a balcony which opens to a loft room which has room for the included bed. Also included were 2 exclusive mouse figures; Sparkle and cupcake( who has a cake…
Although my favourite season of the year is summer, because I’m a sun worshiper; autumn is also enjoyable because summer can sometimes be a let down, weather wise ( this year was amazing) and in autumn when we expect the weather to start going downhill it can sometimes surprise us with warmish sunny days: On…
I strongly believe that children can benefit from having a pet; as it teaches them about responsibility and caring. for another being. Learn more on this here When I was a child my 2 sisters and I had a variety of pets while we were growing up a tortoise,: rabbits,hamsters, a cat and a dog….
When I was working as a registered child minder, I was living in a small area of a largish town. I was well known by locals as that mad woman with all the children! On one occasion I was asked “How many children do you actually have?” When I replied “4, but I’m also a…
Just reading the title of this book made me want to delve into it straight away and I wasn’t disappointed: Thomas, is an official grand high Dragon master. The book is full of fun and excitement, plus there are lovely illustrations throughout the book drawn by Sara Ogilvie, Disclosure: I was gifted the book for…
It may seem strange that I am reviewing this product, when my usual theme is of parenting / child minding tips and advice, but I strongly believe that our pets are as much a part of a family as the parents and children. I sent a few photos of our Jack Russel cross breed dog,…
This hardback children’s picture book is a modern take on traditional fairy tales; princess Tilly doesn’t need rescuing by a handsome prince, she can rescue herself.! The book is full of wonderful illustrations drawn by Jenny Lovlie. What I like most about this book is that it challenges stereotyping and some of the princesses are…
KookyLoos is a new product soon to be launched. I was sent a pink box containing 2 cardboard tubes : One from the BFF series; the other was from the Sunday fun day series. Inside each tube the children who helped with the review were delighted to discover several paper packages which they took turns…
I came across a question on Facebook were a person who was just starting a career as a registered child minder asked how many toys she needed to begin with. Anyone wanting to become a child minder ( and why wouldn’t you) more here needs to get the essentials sorted first, that is, registering with…
The first thing that struck me when I received this book was the brightly coloured front cover. Then to my delight, I discovered that the text is written in rhyme, my absolute favourite for children’s literature , as it not only makes the story more fun, but any early readers can often predict the next…
This hardback children’s book is a real delight. I t is full of fun, bright colourful illustrations and a ‘tall tale; from Albert: who comes up with some hilarious reasons why he didn’t eat a cake! Where has all the cake gone is cleverly written by Andrew Sanders and the illustrations, which really bring the…
Regular readers will know how much I love spending time with children. As we are experiencing extreme heat at the moment and we have a lovely cool car port next to our bungalow, a few of the neighbour’s children came to spend time with me there: I had a selection of word search puzzles for…
I chose the Magneti’ book from the wide range of gifts and educational toys for both girls and boys available from Wicked uncle herehttps://www.wickeduncle.co.uk/presents/girls/age-11ecause I knew this particular product would provide hours of educational fun for a wide age rang of both boys and girls ( and a few adults, as well, I suspect!). When…
The long summer break was one of my favourite times when I was a registered child minder. I took on a few extra children, who were mostly ones that I had cared for before they went off to school: It was lovely to be able to see them again and catch up with their parents…
There has been talk about shortening the long summer school break for many years as a way to save heating costs during the winter months; the idea being making the summer holiday 2 weeks shorter and adding that to the Christmas break ( so parents would have to find the extra heating money!). But the…
I came across this company on Facebook and they agreed to send some magazines for a review: I received 3 magazines; as follows: Favourites (:issue 414) This is jam packed with fun learning opportunities; dinosaur stickers and story. a simple recipe ( for children to create with an adult’s help. a word search and colouring…
Holding a graduation ceremony for children who are leaving nursery or pre-school is getting more popular, but is it the right thing to do? It has been reported that some nurseries in London are charging £25 just for a ticket for parents to attend their child’s graduation and other settings are charging for the use…
When I was a registered child minder, I liked to take the children out as much as possible. I would tell parents about this and explain about payment ( I added this to my contracts also). at the first interview Outings to toddler groups, family workshops and the child minders drop-in were relatively cheap, but…
When I was a registered child minder I did charge for a child’s holiday: I would accept half the usual fee if I was given at least 2 week’s notice ( this worked for me as I was always in demand and could sometimes fill a holiday space from the supply teachers that I worked…
When I was working as a registered child minder I always had a written contract that myself and the parents would sign and each had a copy. The contract would state the days and times that child minding was required. Plus what would happen should the child be unwell more here. And if I was…
Whenever the weather was favourable, I would walk with the childrenin my care to wherever we were going. Walking is good exercise and it takes longer than driving so would help to fill our days. I tried to make walking fun, but sometimes children are reluctant to walk, so I used several ideas to help…
Following on from last week’s post about how to encourage a child to take a daytime nap more on that here If you have older children who don’t require a nap. I suggested giving them some quiet activities to do: Here are some of my ideas:- JIGSAW PUZZLES: There are so many jigsaws on the…
We all know that having a child who is tired doesn’tresult in a good day. But children will often object to the idea of taking a nap;especially if there is something interesting going on around him. When I was a registered child minder and had a child who needed to take a nap I would…
T he Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been sharing photos of their daughter Lilibet’s first birthday party: But is putting in all the time, money and effort worth it? Properly not, in my opinion because at such a young age they won’t remember it or understand what’s going on. I do apricate, however, that…
Anyone who knows me will be aware of my love for horses and riding. This hardback journal would have been perfect for me had I been luckily enough to achieve my dream of owning my own horse or pony. The book has personal goals for young riders to achieve over a 12 month period: Making…
In the box that I received were 4 plastic eggs and spoons, 4 colorful sacks. 4 beanbags some leg straps ( for a three-legged race) and a story book that was themed to a sport’s day. Pippa and Eliza were excited to help with my review. The girls read the story first and talked about…
When thinking of a gift to buy for a newborn baby people often decide on a teddy bear or other cuddly toy/stuffed animal. Although these may look cute do they actually serve a purpose and benefit the child? The simple answer is yes: As well as being a comfort to a child, a cuddly toy…
Mylene Klass has said that she does regular fire drills with her children. This made me think; adults have fire drills at work and children have them in schools so why don’t they have them at home where they spend the most amount of time? Mylene said that she makes if fun so the children…
Mia loves her neighbour and his cat so when he goes away and asks her to look after his cat with her mum she jumps at the chance. Mia also turns his garden wild and by sowing wild flower seeds attracts all kinds of butterflies, bees and birds.. Mia makes a meadow is written by…
I saw a post on Facebook were a registered child minder was getting tired of parents phoning or texting her after she had finished work for the day, to ask questions like did my child have a nap, bowel movement? etc. So I want to share my Winnie the Pooh book idea that worked for…