Travel tikes are a new company trying to get established. They sent me a travel Tikes tote bag to review. The bag which is a vibrant yellow contains12 items designed for keeping children entertained while they are travelling. ; These include some fidget toys, small colouring book with felt tip pens and crayons .a snakes…
Category: Parenting
Every child deserves to have a toy that looks like them (whether they have a different skin colour, disability or something else that makes them a little different from’ average’ children). When I was working as a registered child minder I had dolls with varying skin tones ( black ,white and yellow) in my play…
Kate sent me 2 of her books: A SPECIAL FAMILY CHRISTMAS; This is a lovely book , which made me and the children who I shared the books with feel really Christmassy. We chatted about putting up our Christmas tree. The book is written in a rhyming text, which, as my regular readers will know…
I have worked with Best learning in the past http://www.bestlearning.com So when I was given the opportunity to review another of their educational toys, I jumped at the chance. My Geobloxhttps://bestlearning.com/products/best-learning-my-geo-bo xis a set of sorting and building blocks, which help young children to learn colours and shapes. Along with the blocks there is a…
I came across this book on social media and instantly thought that it would be a great fit for my blog theme. Mark shares his experience of growing up with dyslexia in a way that could quite easily be used as a tool in the classroom as a way of supporting children who find learning…
I can’t speak highly enough about this amazing children’s picture book. ! First of all the text is rhyming which is my absolute favorite for children’s literature. At the beginning of the book there is page for the reader to fill in a loved ones name; making it a treasured memory keepsake of a lost…
We are well known in our neighbourhood for keeping any children entertained. I have been outside in my wheelchair to play with them; playing hide a ndwheelchair is a challenge, but we all enjoyed it! Read about children’s word searches here Today my husband came up with the idea of making a water slide on…
The package arrived in a bright purple wrapping; which immediately got the attention of the local children who were playing outside when the delivery driver walked down my driveway! Inside the package I was delighted to find 2 children’s books, 2 purple draw string pouches and some monivation cards . WALTER THE WIZARD AND THE…
I could see how great this book is as soon as I opened it! As a former early years practitioner I know that a toddler’s brain is like a sponge; they soak up knowledge and learn at their very best when they are having fun. At the beginning of the book is an explanation for…
As a former early years practitioner (registered child minder) I understand the benefits of publications, such as this; because children learn at their best while having fun. I was sent issue 9 of this magazine: It is jam- packed full of early years learning activities: Make a dinosaur, hand writing practice,, pages to colour (…
The first thing that struck me when I received this book was the bright, colourful front cover. Luna loves her nursery and is especially fond of a particular toy tiger, so she borrows him from nursery over the bank holiday weekend. Luna and tiger visit lots of different places with her family and have some…
I have recently joined a new mother and baby walking group and several of the mothers have said that they have issues with making their children sit in a buggy. Let’s look at this from the Childs point of view; they have just learned to walk after lots of praise and encouragement from their parents…
I was sent he following books to review: SPRING TIME; This sweet book is full of the wonders of spring time. The old oak tree which stands manifestly in the wood is home to lots of fairies. The great thing about the fairies in this book is that they are not all female, small, white…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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-…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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 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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
With more and more children becoming overweight the government are concidering giving parents lessons on how to pack a healthy lunch for their children. I must admit that I sometimes struggled with what to put in my eldest son’s lunch box; he was a fussy eater and wouldn’t eat any fruit. He was partial to…
With the cost of living rising daily, make the most of the better weather with some money saving activities that the whole family can enjoy: 1. Build a bug hotel; use old toilet roll tubes, sticks and bamboo. 2. Sow some seeds; tasty cress on a window sill or see who can grow the tallest…
I first met Lulu with her mum when we were waiting to collect our children from school. When her mother discovered that I was a registered child minder she asked if I had a space for her daughter ( I did). Lulu’s mother asked me to treat her the same as I would any other…
As the majority of child minders work alone, it is sensible to have a back up plan in place in case of an emergency: What would happen to the children if the child minder suddenly became ill in the middle of the day and was no longer able to take care of them? When I…
I saw a post on Facebook from a child minder asking for pre-school platinum jubilee activities. Once again I have gone to ichild to find a selection: BEEFEATER FUN: Children can learn about the beefeaters while coloring the picture. BIG/BIGGER/BIGGEST CORGI: The youngest of children should be able to learn about size and position using…
Discipling a baby may seem harsh; but babies can sometimes show behaviour that needs discipling. Obviously, managing the behaviour of babies has to be different from the way an older child would be dealt with: However, the same principles of ignoring unwanted behaviour and rewarding good, wanted behaviour are the same. Babies love to pull…
St. Georges’s day is tomorrow 23rd March. I love these downloads that are designed for children to celebrate St. George’s day:- DRAGON CRAFT: The main thing needed for this craft is an old wooden spoon ( that will need painting) and some basic store cupboard essentials. Simply download the activity and follow the instructions. DRAGON…
A common problem that parents can come across is getting children to sleep in their own bedrooms. When I had my children they slept in their own bedrooms from the beginning. This may sound harsh to others, but it worked for me; I had every intention to breast feed all of my babies: But for…
I was watching an episode of Dragon’s den when 2 woman were asking for money to expand their business. Their company was started after one of the woman was decorating the Christmas tree with her daughter who asked “Can a Christmas angel have black skin?” They then started to sell decorations with black skin colour….
Once again, I am sharing some of the activities that ichild are offering: BUNNY PAPER CHAIN: This is simply a case of concatenating some paper and cutting out the bunny shape; children can then colour or use different mediums to decorate their bunnies before hanging them up as bunting. BUNNYCOLOUR-BY-NUMBERS: Is exactly what it says;…
Ellen, an early years practitioner has asked for activity suggestions for the children she looks after as a registered child minder to do safely in her garden. When I was working as a registered child minder I had a small walled garden that we made the best use of as I believe that children can…
This was a subject that was brought up on a television programme I was watching this week: One child was playing up by attention seeking when he felt that his parents were spending more time listening to his sister than they were him. My advice for dealing with this problem is to acknowledge the issue,…
After the response to last week’s post about the early years hairdressing salon; this week I am sharing another of my role play ideas, that I set up for the children when I was working as a registered child minder. As with the hairdressing salon, I supplied a telephone, pen and paper for the children…
At last, spring has arrived, with the promise of warmer wether ahead, meaning that families can enjoy the great outdoors: Family time, anywhere is important, but spending it outside with nature around us , makes it even more valuable. My suggestions for satisfying everyone, especially the younger members of a family are:- To go foraging;…
When I was working as a registered child minder I was always trying to think up ways of helping the children to learn through play. One of the most successful things that I thought of was to set up an early years hair dressing salon: I started planning this by asking the children’s parents to…
This was a question that I have seen on one of my social media platforms. My middle son used to enjoy playing with a neighbours children, We often went there for a coffee. I noticed that he particularly liked playing with the dolls. So for his 3rd birthday I bought him a doll. I admit…
What is circle time? I hear you ask. Circle time gives children in schools and early years setting the opportunity to sit together ( usually in a circle) and take time to talk, listen and interact with each other and their practitioners. During circle, or group time, as it is sometimes called, children can sing…
Having your child take a nap during the day is benefical to them and you: The child won’t be irratible because he is tired and the parent/carere gets a well earned short break. The key is to have a routine and start young. When they are babies, children will often sleep after being fed ,…
As a former registered child minder, with a passion for children’s literature; World book day is something that I find interesting. World book day was invented to get children, especially those from a disadvantage background, interested in literature, hopefully to encourage a life long love of books. This year World book day is on Thursday…
Children associate Easter with a lot of chocolate. But what about anyone who can’t have a large sugar high, if they have diabetes or other dietary needs? Instead of buying children eggs, buy them something to wear; cute bunny slippers, or an Easter themed onesie ( babies will look super sweet in one of these)….
I came across this company on social media:- All of the stones are hand painted by this growing company. I was sent 2 sets of stones for the review: Both sets arrived in a cute drawstring jute bag. Emotions: These are a set of 6 stones, which would be great for early years practitioners and…
This was a question that I was asked recently : As all children are individuals, the age that they can dress themselves will vary and a child with special needs could take longer to master the art than other children. On average, I would say that by around 3 years of age children should be…
In my experience the worst age for trying to settle in a new child minded child is between6 and 8 months, when they seem to be much more aware of their surroundings and who is taking care of them. The hardest baby that I had to settle was a 7 month old boy that I…
Thumb sucking can have advantages as well as some disadvantages in children. My first born was a thumb sucker from a young age, It gave him comfort and would help him settle himself to sleep, sometimes he would stick his thumb in his mouth when he was tired, such as when he was sitting on…
Maria has kindly suggested this post. She told me that in Norway, early years settings run on a 3 strike policy: if a parent is late for the above 3 times, they get a £ 20 fine ( she also said that Norwegian’s tend to follow the rules!). When I was a registered child minder…
When I was working as a registered child minder, I knew that Ofsted inspectors liked to see evidence that I was making the children aware of different cultures and how they celebrated their traditions. As the Chinese new year is fast approaching. I wanted to share aome of the crafts that ichild have on offer….
I had never heard of this, until my sister, who works with special needs children, told me about it. Basically a playdough disco is a fun activity that uses playdough to encourage the movement of the hand and fingers to develop muscle control and fine motor skills more here It also helps to improve hand-to-eye…
My sister told me about this easy to make playdough recipe and as I have only one working hand, since stroke, I decided to have a go at making it from my wheelchair. Ingredients: 2 cups of flour ( any will do, even the cheap value one) half a cup of salt 3 tablespoons cooking…
Most of us are spent out now after the cost of Christmas and maybe buying more in the sales, Finding things to keep the children entertained which doesn’t cost a lot can be a challenge; so my homespun activities could be the solution:- Flower pressing: I used to do this with the children when I…