Austin Mccauley sent the following:- TAAVI THE TRACTOR; This colourful picture book will delight any children who have an interest in vehicles (I know that my son’s would have loved it when there were young). The text is written in rhyme making it even more fun to read. Tavvi meets other vehicle friends on a…
Many parents struggle with getting their children to eat fruit and vegetables. These are my top tips:- Get children involved in growing vegetables by giving them a small patch in the garden; if children help to plant. grow and harvest the food they are more likely to eat it. Also let them be involved with…
Following on from last week’s post about the trips that I took the children on here. To keep the children safe I would carry out a risk assessment and make some preparations:- Firstly I had a piece written into my contracts asking parents for written consent allowing me to take their children out in my…
I will admit that I have always been addicted to the sun and getting a suntan ( I have never been a big drinker or a smoker, so I figured that a sun addiction wasn’t such a bad thing). One of the many advantages of working as a registered child minder, for me, was that…
Back in ‘the good old days’ before the corona virus threat I took the children in my care on several trips ( always with written permission from parents). Often I would arrange to go with another child minder; this meant that I could have some adult conversation, plus there was someone to watch the children…
A friend has just told me about this, it is something that I was not aware of:- Geocaching is an outdoor activity that the whole family can get involved in; all you need is a pen and a smart phone or similar device. Download the free app and get treasure hunting. There are hundreds of…
When my children came home from school with a list of spellings to learn for a test, I started by getting them to write out each word 3 times to get some recognition. I also made sure that they knew what the words meant ( there’s no point in being able to spell a word…
This is a question that I have been asked:- When I was a child minder I did allow the children to bring their own toys occasionally, but they and often their parents had to understand that they would need to share them with the other children. ( my own children were told that if they…
Health and safety seems to have gone mad recently, but is this the best for our children, should they be able to take risks? My feelings are that yes, children should be able to take some risks. Have you ever tried to cut anything with safe plastic scissors? It’s impossible, give children real child size…
I recently saw a parent asking about this on social media. I, like most parents, I suspect,would encourage my children to say “Ta” when I gave them something as babies, as they grew older and their vocabulary improved the “Ta” became “Thank you” When I was a child minder I liked the children to say…
Fremington ( where I live) is a village situated around 3 miles from Barnstaple, North Devon. Recently I have noticed several scarecrows appearing in random places around our village. The idea is to cheer everyone one up during the lock down; they have certainly put a smile on the faces of myself and my husband….
This is a suggestion from Sarah. I was speaking to my 11 year old granddaughter on the phone when she told me that she wants to go back to school because she is missing her friends. She also mentioned that she had managed to have a quick conversation with a friend who lives in the…
ichild have a variety of crafts for children to celebrate father’s day:- FATHER’S DAY ROSETTE; This can be made using ribbon, or a simpler version can be made from the paper template. FATHER’S DAY OWL CRAFT; This is a fun craft providing a space on the owl’s front to write a message or stick a…
Being a step parent , whether a mother or father can be hard work. My husband and I are both step parents and so are 2 of my sons ( I brought 2 children into the equation from my first marriage and my husband had a son from his). My advice is to not expect…
There seems to be as many step-parents as biological now, so should step-parents be hands off when it comes to disapline? When I moved in with my now second husband I had 2 sons and he had one living with him. At first, my new partner said that he didn’t think that it was his…
Now that some schools and child minders are able to open again after the lock down, practitioners will be looking at providing distancing activities which keep children safe. As the virus is thought to be less of a risk when outside. having the children in the great outdoors whenever possible seems to be the best…
This children’s book is written and illustrated by Lauren Foreman. It is a lovely little book that has rhyming text ( my favourite) and delightful, bright, colourful illustrations. The story tells how Polly has difficulty in sharing until her mother convinces her that sharing is best . The book is not too long so would…
Siblings arguing or fighting is nothing new, it is part of a healthy, normal relationship, in my experience. However, now that we are in lock down and having to spend more time together than usual this has become a problem for some parents. My 2 sisters and I would sometimes fall out; I can remember…
When I was a child minder one of the most successful topics that I did with the children was on all about me:- I made up a booklet for each child. We started by looking at ourselves in a mirror and I asked what they saw ( I was hoping that they would notice different…
During this period of lock down, for many of us, the kitchen has been a place where we can fill some of the long hours and do some cooking, even dig a few of our recipe books out and have a go at making some new culinary creations. But for some of us, the food…
This is the second time that I have worked with this company. The fun, educational products I was sent this time are:- TWINTIME STUDENT CARD: Is a circle of write on/wipe off plastic which is a double sided clock face with movable hands. One side shows how to tell the time as minutes to and…
I was recently asked by a parent what her child will be expected to do before starting school. My answer was as all children are individuals and therefore different there are no set rules, as such. I suggest that a child should be toilet trained ( could be difficult for a child with special needs)…
I came across Jane Louise on facebook. She is a photographer of children, families and pets. Jane is currently offering digital watercolours from a photograph. . I emailded her a photo of my late German Shepherd dog, Keira, true to her word Jane sent the watercolour back the very same day, it is a great…
During this lockdown period of time we are permitted to take a daily walk in our neighbourhood. Some people have been fined because they are driving for many miles to take a walk; this is not allowed because it creates more traffic on our roads, increasing the chance of an accident or breakdown and having…
I have been asked on more than one occasion what is the correct age to move a baby from a cot into a bed. As all children are individuals, I would say that there is no set age. This is how I made the transition with my own children:- My boys were moved when I…
I discovered adult colouring after suffering a stroke which left me disabled. My sister brought me a book as a gift:- This particular book The Menagerie, animal portraits is great for me as each individual page can be torn out (via perforations) as I only have one working hand being able to remove the page…
To help fill my time during the current lock down, I have been writing posts relating to the virus. Explaining it to children here Activities for the virus here. I have also been busy writing an e book to help parents entertain their children during this difficult time. Buy it here I have been promoting…
Our families have been settling into this new ‘normal’ as we turned to the safety of staying in our homes. There are definite growing pains for many of our children.They are adjusting to the complete disruption to their routines and long pauses to their usual safe places of school and other social activities. On top…
Again this was something that I saw a parent asking about on social media. I would start by sharing books with children; as many as possible. My favourite children’s books here. Next have a game with children were you hold up an everyday object and ask what letter it begins with, for example, hold up…
I was sent a pack of 4 individually boxed toothbrushes:- Each brush has an image of an ocean friend on the handle: These are:- Frosty, a penguin Ollie, a dolphin Snowball, a polar bear and Luna, a blue whale On each box there is some information about the ocean friend, for example, how it moves…
This is a small selection of activities that ichild offer:- EASTER COLOUR AND COUNT: This is exactly what it says; an Easter picture to colour and related images to discover and count, great for helping children with learning about counting and numbers. Number recognition here. EASTER CROSSWORD: 10 clues with the answers at the bottom…
Current events have meant that due to schools having to close parents are needing to home school their children’ My children are grown now, so I don’t have personal experience of this, but this is how I would have dealt with it:- Ensure that children get up at a reasonable time ( this is not…
Due to the recent events, today’s post is a bit of fun to hopefully cheer everyone up. I like most parents, I would think, have told my children a few white lies over the years; other than Santa and the tooth fairy, we came up with several more:- My youngest son always wanted to be…
Walker books sent this delightful children’s picture book. Straight away the front cover will appeal to any children interested in vehicles ( as my boys were when they were younger). The text is written in fun rhyme and some of the text is repeated; making it more interesting for children to join in with reading…
As most of us are trying avoiding going into shops. unless for essential food activities for children using things that we already have is a good idea:- Toddlers will enjoy having a saucepan and wooden spoon to use as a drum ( not so great if you have a headache though!). Make your own shakers…
As the schools have been forced to close and most children will need to stay at home,without attending usual group activities they will quite rightly start to ask questions about why. Because I have NO medical training this is not based on medical facts; these are just my thoughts and advice to parents and carers:-…
When my children were young and when I was working as a registered child minder, I was always looking for simple, cheap activity ideas that the children could do. Now that the corona virus is forcing some people to self isolate having things to entertain children is even more important:- One of the most popular…
This is a small selection of crafts available from ichild:- HANDPRINT FLOWER CRAFT; In my experience most children will jump at the chance of having their hand painted and printed onto paper, so this craft is perfect. There is a flower pot image to download and colour as you wish, even the youngest of children…
I recently came across an article saying that father’s should be allowed to sleep over on maternity wards. I know from watching documentaries on television that some private hospitals, such as The Portman, permit this ( for a large cost, I would think) but should N.H.S. hospitals also let new dad’s stay overnight? My feeling…
Recent reports have said that 1 in 3 children are obese before they leave primary school. To help prevent this it is important to make sure that children get enough exercise and eat a healthy diet. Set a good example by exercising with your children; anything that raises the heart beat and makes you a…
Tickle daggers is a rabbit who is different from the rest of his family; his ears hang down, rather than standing upright. But Tickle daggers has a special power – he helps others who are different to fit in and feel good. This amazing children’s picture book is written and beautifully illustrated by Adrienne Anifant…
This is a request from a Facebook friend who has a ‘terrible 2’ to deal with. I have always advised parents to reward any good wanted behaviour and ignore the unwanted. I used a reward chart for my son for both managing his behaviour and for helping with potty training. Potty training tips here. There…
On arrival, I must admit that I was a little confused by what this was; it appeared to be a soft cloud pad! However, when it was placed in a bowl of warm water as per the instruction leaflet, the cloud dissolved revealing 4 bags ( there are more bags available to collect). The water…
Because child minders have fewer children in their care than larger settings, such as nurseries and pre-schools, they should have more time to be able to tailor activities to suit individual children. When I was a registered child minder I felt that I knew my children very well. As I was in receipt of the…
When I was working as a registered child minder, I did a topic on the theme of people who help us. We went on a visit to the local fire station, with some other child minders and their children; this was arranged by the leader of our child minding network. We were all given a…
Kasie Kennedy wrote this beautiful children’s picture book after loosing her father and wanting her daughter to have a connection with her grandpa. The text is written in rhyme and the illustrations are stunningly colourful and bright. I feel that this book will help many children who have lost a family member or even a…
This is a collection of 3 different stories; all written in rhyming text. The rirst story with just 6 pages is my favourite as who doesn’t belive in fairies at the bottom of the garden? The final tale with 10 pages is the longest of the trio. All of the stories have bright, colourful illustrations….
There is no law in Britain, currently, saying when a child can be left at home alone; but the N.S.P.C.C. recommends that they shouldn’t be left alone if under 12 years of age. This got me thinking: Although I believe that there should be some kind of law to safeguard children, I know that some…
This is a selection of Valentine crafts from ichild>- HAND ON HEART VALENTINES CARD; A great craft foe early years, as most children are happy to have their hand drawn around. Simply draw a heart shape ( or use the downloadable template) in the centre of the hand and ask the child what message they…
This glossy paperback children’s picture book has a bright front cover. The book tells the story of William, a fish, who with the help from another fish, manages to save his ocean friends from plastic polution. The text is written in rhyme; my absolute favourite in children’s literature because it makes it fun to read-…
A head teacher has been reported, this week, as saying that helping children with their homework can have a negative effect on development: Children need to learn to deal with failure, she says and by helping with homework a child may not fail, this got me thinking:- Parents can sometimes confuse a child by trying…
Once again Tiny tree children’s books have come up with a lovely picture book for children aged 3-5 years. The paperback book is written by Vanessa Horn and Alex Willmore has illustrated the story with bright, colourful, cheerful images. The tale is of something that children with a baby sibling will relate to. Millie is…
Once again this is a topic that was brought up on a daytime television program. A working mother said that as well as working full time, her husband still expected her to do everything concerning the children in the evenings and weekends. Another woman said that when she came home from work, her husband told…
Schools around the country have been seeing boys falling behind girls by the age of 7. The gap is widest in English; reading and writing , but also presents a significant difference in maths and science. In my experience as both a parent and a registered child minder girls tend to have a longer concentration…
My husband would say that I am the most qualified person on the planet to help and encourage children to talk; as in spite of suffering a massive stroke and an unrelated brain tumour, I am still able to talk extremely well!( he is disappointed about this). I believe that you should talk to your…
Austin Macauley got in touch to ask for this review. Sally Lewer Ahern , the author, has written the book from the heart. It is full of love for her adopted son Carlos. Sally tells the heartwarming story of how she became a mother to Carlos. She has included some hints and tips in her…
This was the topic brought up on a daytime television programme just before Christmas. I have never been a smoker, but must point out that I am NOT having a go at anyone who does. I am not against smoking; it is a personal choice: I am against smoking in front of children, though. As…
Busy parents will find it helpful if their children go to sleep early on Christmas eve. giving them time to prepare for the following big day. When I was a girl, my mother always told my sisters and I that if we went to bed early on Christmas eve Christmas day would come quicker, I…
Best learning sent this great children’s toy for review. Stack and learn is different from the average stacking ring toy, as it consists of a tower and 5 coloured rings, which are brightly coloured in red, orange, yellow, green and purple. Each ring has 3 different images (which link to the different modes available; number,…
When I was a registered child minder I was always on the lookout for activities for the children; Christmas was my favourite time for providing crafts for them to do:- There are some new downloads available from ichild: The star gives children a chance to practice their cutting skills. It is beautiful as it is…
Thankfully, I have only had experience of this a couple of times. Once a new parent didn’t come to collect her child at the contracted time. I had another child due to arrive soon, which would mean that I was over the number of children that I was registered to have. I tried phoning her…
Babycup first cups are suitable from 4 months of age. I was sent a set of 4 cups in pretty colours, which instantly make them appealing. The thing that makes Babycup different from other child cups and beakers is that they are sippy- not sucky; making it easy for young children to use ( I…
One of my favourite times of year is Christmas and the school nativity play was something that myself and my husband looked forward to. My youngest son attended a small village school where almost everyone felt like family. One year we took along an 18 month old child who I was child minding, she sat…
Elizabeth, who is new to child minding, has asked for some ideas for teaching children about size. I have always had a height chart on my kitchen wall, it was a family tradition to measure my children the day before a birthday and see how much they grew that year. I remember once when my…
This colourful, fun children’s book helps to teach children about animals, numbers and counting to 10. I would also ask children if they know what noise each animal makes. The text is written in rhyme making the book even more fun to share with children, who will enjoy the bright, colourful illustrations . Creature teacher…
“You must share your toys!” is something that I often hear parents tell their children. But how does a child learn to share? The key is to encourage children to share from as early an age as possible; by sharing with siblings, having children over for play dates, or taking children along to groups such…
Nikki Saunders, the author of this wonderful children’s book is a mother of 2 children who have autism. She wrote the book as she struggled to find child friendly literature on the subject when her boys were diagnosed. The book has a bright front cover in my favourite colour purple . From start to finish…
With Christmas virtually just around the corner, I wanted to share my thoughts and experiences of children with Santa. I used taking my second son to see Santa as a chance to get him to give up his dummy, I told him that Santa would give it to ‘baby Rudolph’ so that he could settle…
Healthy Cooking for a Family: Quick and Delicious Ideas Busy lives can make it tricky to ensure that your family is eating healthily, but with some handy hints and a little planning it becomes a lot easier. And once you’ve found a routine that works, the whole process gets quicker and quicker. So, let’s take…
Anyone who knows me or is a reader of my blog will know that I am passionate about children’s literature. When I was a girl I loved to read Enid Blyton: especially The Famous Five books and when I spent some time in hospital, aged 10. having my appendix removed these books helped me get…
In a world that seems to be dominated by plastic products, in contrast, treasure baskets are a collection of household items made from natural materials which are given to babies and young children to explore. A baby starts to explore using her hands and fingers well before birth, while still in the womb. Treasure basket…
I was invited to attend the Disney on ice event at Westpoint in Exeter As. I am a wheelchair user a building with suitable assess was essential. Westpoint was perfect and easy for my son to push my wheelchair around. We had a great view of the rink from our seats (even for…
Today’s post is a suggestion from an Instagram follower. Sensory play is what it says on the tin: Play that stimulates a child’s senses: touch, smell,taste, sight and hearing. Messy play is just a small part of sensory play. When I was a registered child minder one of the games I would play with the children…
This hardback children’s book is written by Mary Murphy. The bright, colourful illustrations drawn by Zhu Chebn-Liang make it really appealing. The book is a delight and tells the story of a little girl and what she likes most; as is usual with young children, she keeps changing her mind and each page shows something…
Many modern mums are both bringing up a family and working just to make ends meet. The key to a successful work life balance, to me, is to have a routine and try to stick to it. Other tips that come to mind are:- Be realistic; you are only human and therefore can only achieve…
All of these crafts from ichild can be made cheaply from store cupboard essentials:- MAKE A WITCH Using the blank or ready coloured template assemble the pieces to create your very own witch . PAPER PLATE GHOST;; This is a simple, but effective way of creating a ghost, it will help children to learn to…
When I was a registered child minder I was always keen to get my name ‘out there’ as word of mouth is the best form of advertising. I had my people carrier vehicle sign written ( the cost can go against tax as an expense) it just had my name, the fact that I was…
This was a topic being discussed on a daytime television programme this week. Personally, I think that too much tech can have a negative effect on children. My eldest son loved his play station and would become moody when told to turn it off. A friend has told me that her son would trash his…
This paperback children’s book is a take on some favourite fairy tale characters. Alison Paige, the author, has written the story in a way that will appeal to children; it is quite humorous in places and the text is rhyming in others. Paddy Donnelly has illustrated the book beautifully. The tale of Mrs M’Grady is…
Registered child minders may work alone in their own homes, but they are early years professionals and should have a contract with parents, just as larger settings do. I would have an initial meeting with parents looking for childcare; tips on what to say here When the parents had agreed to me looking after their…
A recent programme on television showed parents who have 3 children and believe that their children don’t need any rules: they do what they want, when they want. The mother sleeps with the youngest child in her bed. The children don’t have set bedtimes; they go to bed when they feel that they are tired…
A friend has suggested this week’s post. She said that she has noticed that many parents seem to want to keep their children in a buggy or pushchair for their convenience and wonders at what age a child should be expected or encouraged to walk rather than ride. My answer is that as all children…
Earlier this week I went into a well known High street store; the first aisle that I came across was full of Halloween costumes, the next one was overflowing with Christmas decorations, cards and paper. It is only the middle of September! This got me thinking about any children who were taken into the store;…
After watching a child have a major temper tantrum in a supermarket, a customer ( who was not the parent) told him to “Shut up!” Is it okay to discipline someone else’s child? I used to work as a registered child minder and therefore I had to manage the behaviour of the children in my…
It has been reported that parents are too scared to let their children play outside; are they over-reacting? The children have gone back to school now after the long summer break, but we still have a good month’s worth of light evenings were children could play outside if they are allowed. When I was a…
When I was working as a registered child minder I was always on the lookout for ideas for cheap activities and places to take the children. We often went to the local soft play facility at the leisure centre where several child minders would meet up with the children, we even managed to get a…
With the colder weather approaching meaning that coughs and colds are on the horizon; the timing of this children’s book that teaches them to put their hands over their mouths or use a tissue to catch that cough is perfect. The front cover is a sunny yellow colour which makes you want to investigate further….
Having an Ofsted inspector or N.V.Q. assessor visit your setting can be a daunting prospect for child minders and other early years practitioners. . Here are a few of my personnel experiences:- When my N.V.Q. assessor was visiting as part of my work to gain my N.V.Q. level 3 in early years care and education,…
Best learning sent this interactive matching game for review. There are 24 different cards containing 48 lessons; from learning the alphabet to transportation. Basically, when a chosen card is inserted in the console and the relevant card code is entered using the hand controller the fun and learning will begin . Children aged 6 years…
A recent television programme shows Jo-Rosie Haffenden who believes that we should train our babies like dogs. Although I would never suggest putting a collar and lead on your baby:I have been saying for years that animals, children (and husbands!) can be ‘trained’ in a similar way: which is to reward any good wanted behaviour…
This children’s book which has a pale pastel cover is written by Katy Segrove. On opening the book there is a space for children to write, or get an adult to write their name; providing an opportunity to recognise their name each time the book is looked at .. Malcolm’s friends all love to play…
It has been reported recently that parents have been paying an average of £7.70 in extra pocket money in an attempt to stop their children having too much screen time. Addicted to screens here After some research I discovered that friends give their children the following amounts of pocket money:- Megan, 9, is given £2…
Errol is a boy who is bothered by a monster; wherever he goes, whatever he does, the monster is there. So he makes a plan to get rid of it. This delightful children’s book is written by Cameron Shepherd. It could be used by practitioners or parents as a tool to help children to deal…
I was sent the Carmella apple candy locks doll to review. The first thing that struck me was how tiny she is, Carmella apple is wearing pink roller boots, she can move from the waist and has flexible arms. What Carmella apple and the other candy locks dolls lack in size make up for by…
This great children’s book has a fantastic message; that it is okay for children to say no to something that they are uncomfortable with. The book has a bright, colourful front cover making it appealing straight away. Malina doesn’t like the idea of her friend’s new activity, which is playing the bum drum game. ….
5 Tips for Surviving Family Vacation I remember the chaotic days of our family’s seasonal vacations just like they were yesterday. Between my parents arguing over directions, my siblings crying and bickering over not sharing the electronic devices enough, or my granddad bringing up uncomfortable, and often times inappropriate, conversations about a distant relative…
This is a selection of back to school and starting school activities available to download form ichild. There are several school related pictures for children to colour; including a colour and count lunch box picture which promotes healthy eating. There are fun school badges to make, with the option of colouring your own badge or…
Parents sometimes get confused about the different types of daycare available for their children and I was recently asked to explain the differences by a friend:- CHILDMINDERS: As I used to be a registered child minder, this is my favourite type of daycare, Child minders maybe the best option for working parents because they can…
Should I Get a Pet For My Kids? We are a family of five: Me, my husband, Cassie, 3, Vivi, 1, and Elliot, 2 months. Right now our lives are pretty busy (as you can imagine) and a pet is the last thing we are considering in these early years. But as the kids…