Monday 18th May

I have lots of cousins by lots I mean there are 14 of us and as children we often hung out together at my Grandma’s house. One of our favourite things to do was create shows precariously balancing on my Grandma’s windowsill we would jump down from behind the curtains and burst into song or tell a joke. We would often gather sheets and dressing gowns, throws and adults jackets to make costumes for our stage shows and we had the time of our lives.

We also invented a game called ‘Spook a Look’ and in this game one of us would be the ghost and everyone else hid – the ‘ghost’ would make spooky noises and search the house and if the ghost found you then you became a zombie and had to help the ghost find the others. The last one found was the winner.

Another thing we did was make dens – using the same sheets and throws and jackets we’d drape them over chairs and tables and create dens or as my big brother called his ‘a base’ – here we made a battle ground, a secret hideaway, a cave to name a few.

We didn’t have loads of toys and there was no sign of a computer to entertain us but my childhood memories of this are all amazing and the memories created are fantastic. Basically using our imagination and things we could find around about us we invented some great games.

So what have you got lying around to entertain you?

Imaginative play ideas to try with your children.

While the imaginative play ideas below can help you kick off some amazing games of pretend with your kids, it’s important to avoid imposing your own idea of what the game should be on them. If your kids say the rug you bought for an imaginary picnic is a patch of deadly quicksand, go with it – and start looking for a branch to pull them out!

· Invent a game decide on a few rules and try it out – e.g. Spook-a-look.

· Put on a performance. It’s the ultimate improv exercise: using whatever props you have to hand (sheets, throws, jackets, puppets, dolls, action figures, hairbrushes, boxes can all help), act out a play/song with your child.

· Cook an imaginary meal. Children love to act out the ordinary things their parents do. Help your little one get into the role of future chef by laying out cooking equipment, “ingredients”, or even a drawn-out hob for them to play with. Let them serve you up a meal, and prepare to pretend that mud pie is your favourite.

· Throw picnics and tea parties. Bad weather outside? No problem. Set up your own indoor picnic with a picnic rug, your child’s favourite toys and a few kitchen-related props. Remember: pinkies up at all times, and never fail to ask whether Teddy would like more tea or cake. Etiquette matters.

· Play super heroes. Don a cape or choose an action figure and embark on the greatest fight between good and evil that the world has ever seen. It’s even more fun if you play the villain and let your child defeat you. Perfect your “I’m meeeellllltiiiing” speech, and remember that you would have gotten away with it, too – if it weren’t for those pesky kids . . .

· Turn a box into . . . anything. One of the best things about imaginative play is that you don’t need any special props to do it. For example, an ordinary large-ish cardboard box can become a house, a car or an aeroplane. Flatten it out, and you have a desert island. Give your little one a few boxes and watch for a bit to see what they do. Jump in once they’ve decided what the game is going to be.

· Plant up a (fake) garden. They might only be cardboard cutouts of flowers and imaginary vegetable patches, but your child can still have fun watering, weeding and looking after them. All the fun of a real garden, with none of the risk.

· Build a city. Toys like Lego and building blocks can be useful props for this game. Help your little one build a metropolis, then run the town together.

· Clean the house. Ever turned around after doing a household chore, only to find a little helper copying you? Kids are often strangely fascinated by housework. The next time you’re vacuuming or mopping the floor, give your child a prop so they can follow you around the house and take part.

· Run a shop. If your child owned a shop, what would they sell? Help your child stock their shop’s cupboards, pretend to be a series of customers, and use (fake) money to buy their wares.

Ideas from https://www.persil.com/uk/dirt-is-good/real-play/what-is-imaginative-play.html

Remember, the benefits of imaginative play can extend to you too — so connect with your inner child and lose yourself in a world of imagination.

Written by Carol Munro.

Sharing the Load

Trying to juggle working from home and entertaining /teaching / keeping busy a 4 year old is a challenge in itself. Not to mention trying to keep my home organised and get the housework done. An easy option on some occasions is to allow my child to watch some TV or play on the iPad however ‘nanny iPad’ opens up a whole new world of problems and I try to limit the screen time daily.

I found myself one day trying to give my 4 year old some toys or craft activity to complete on her own while I cleaned the bathroom. This became a stop and start job from the beginning and so when my daughter said “Mummy can I help you clean the bath?” I thought “Why not!” While initially this perhaps slowed the cleaning process down in time she has become really good at certain jobs around the house and it not only helps me out with the chores but also gives my daughter some independence and feeling of responsibility.

As a result she has become really capable at setting the table and helping prepare the dinner, she loves weighing, measuring and counting out ingredients to use. She is also really skillful at vacuuming the floor (she asks for the handle to be shortened for easier hold) and she is more than competent at loading the dishwasher and putting it on (also knows to ask for help to put the cleaning tablet in). Another good skill (or maybe it’s not so good) she has developed is to regularly encourage me to clean the bathroom and kitchen – e.g. “Mummy we need to clean the bathroom – I’ll get the cloths”.

Household chores: good for children, good for the whole family.

· Household chores are not only beneficial to getting things done as children can learn a lot from doing jobs around the home.

· Taking part in household jobs helps children learn what they need to do to look after themselves, their home and family. They can learn skills that they can use in their adult lives such as cleaning, preparing meals and sorting and organising.

· Another bonus to carrying out chores with your children is that relationship, cooperation and communication skills are developed.

· When children are given the chance to contribute to chores it helps them feel competent and can appreciate the satisfaction of completing a job.

· Perhaps most importantly sharing housework can help families work better and reduce family stress. Chores done sooner, parents have less to do, which means more time to do fun things together.

· Chores help children learn responsibility and self-reliance. Assigning children regular chores helps teach them responsibility.

How to get young children involved in chores

· Initially you could give your child the job of looking after their own toys – this shows their contribution is important.

· You could let them vacuum their bedroom then maybe another room. Encouraging responsibility and importance of hygienic practice.

· You could ask them to pick up their clothes and put them on hooks or in a drawer. This promotes organisation and sorting skills.

· You could give your child the job of setting the table for dinner and /or clearing the table at the end. This again encourages responsibility and participation.

· Working together you could get children helping to prepare meals – this encourages mathematical language as you weigh / measure and count ingredients.

· Children could also help to do the dishes. Encourage good hygienic practice and responsibility.

· You could get children to help put the groceries away – this promotes organisation skills. You could also get them to look at labels to identify products. This promotes the ability to read environmental print.

· Children could hand you wet clothes to hang up or hand you the required number of pegs. Or by using a chair to stand on and if children are able they could help to peg out the washing. This is good for developing fine motor skills; strengthening fingers.

· You could ask them to sort washing into piles – whites and colours or pick out towels / sort big clothes and small clothes. This promotes sorting and matching skills.

· Children could help by watering plants indoors and in the garden. Encourages looking after plants and caring for the environment.

· You could allow children to help feed pets or clean out cages / tanks etc… This encourages caring for others and responsibility for pets.

Even if the job is not done perfectly ensure you give them encouragement and praise and help them until they can do it.

By Carol Munro.

Refs

https://raisingchildren.net.au/toddlers/family-life/chores/chores-for-children

https://harmonylearning.com.au/why-having-responsibilities-and-helping-with-chores-is-critical-for-growth/

https://www.momentumlife.co.nz/stories/why-kids-should-have-chores

Papa’s Magic Greenhouse – Growing Fruit and Veg

Growing up I spent a lot of time with my Granny and Papa Wilson, for two reasons, one – because mum and dad were both out working to provide for my brother and I, and two – I very much enjoyed the time I spent with them. My granny usually looked after four of us, so flinging us all out the house to play in the garden was a fairly regular occurrence (she did after all need peace to knit and watch the telly!)

I loved playing in my papa’s garden. He had always been an avid gardener, and his garden was a magnificent and elaborate Eden that as young children we couldn’t help but explore. Their garden was large, so my papa had sectioned different areas off with wooden fences and trellis that was covered in greenery. This gave us a plethora of different worlds to explore! My gran and papa were quite self-sufficient in that they grew a lot of their own fruit and veg as well. In exploring the garden, you would find: a rhubarb patch, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and a variety of currants. What my cousins and I didn’t manage to forage would go into my granny’s baking (she was an extraordinary baker!) or be gifted to the neighbours.

While the garden was exceptional, my all-time favourite place in the garden was my papa’s greenhouse. Inside, you would find: potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, raspberries and the roof was covered in grapevines, where the biggest grapes I’ve ever seen grew every summer. We spent a lot of time in that greenhouse eating what we could before we were caught!

Reminiscing about this time has made me consider the importance of being self-sufficient and having access to a balanced, healthy diet, especially for young children. As most of us will be spending a lot more time at home, it seems it would be the perfect opportunity to experiment and grow some of our own fruit and veg (especially with this wonderful weather we’ve been having!) It will also give children the perfect opportunity to spend some time outdoors in the fresh air, while exploring and discovering where the food we eat comes from.

Most supermarkets will currently have seeds and plants available to buy, but some fruit and veg can be regrown at home using scraps or the pieces we tend not to eat. Here are some ideas and tips for growing your own fruit and veg at home!

Onion

1. Cut off the bottom piece of the onion that contains the roots and allow this to dry for a couple of hours.

2. Place in a pot with soil, making sure the bottom part (where the roots are) is covered. Keep your put in a sunny area.

3. Keep the soil moist until the bulb grows (this usually takes a few days!)

4. When new leaves have developed, remove from the pot, and divide the plant in two, making sure there is roots attached to both.

5. Replant in separate pots or in a bed. You have started growing two onions!

You could keep a daily log of the growth process. Get your child to document by taking a photo every day. Compare the photographs and discuss what changes have occurred!

Potato

1. Find a potato that has a ‘seed potato’ on it (we commonly call them eyes!) Cut about two inches of skin with an eye off and allow this to dry overnight.

2. Plant them around four inches deep in soil (outdoors), making sure that the eyes are facing upwards.

3. Your new potato will hopefully start to grow! This usually takes a few weeks.

You might want to plant more than one seed potato! If you grow more than one potato – are they all the same size? Shape? Have a look at them and compare!

Lettuce

1. Place the bottom part of the stalk in a bowl of water.

2. Keep it in a sunny area (a windowsill is good).

3. Sprinkle top with a little water twice a day for 4-5 days.

4. When roots and new leaves appear, plant outside in the garden.

You could observe every day and document how long it takes for the roots to appear!

Carrots/Parsnips

1. Save the tops of the carrots/parsnips and place in a jar of water.

2. New green tops will start to grow after a couple of days.

3. Let the roots grow around 2 inches before planting in the garden.

You might want to regrow more than one carrot or parsnip! Once the green tops have started sprouting, could you measure how tall they are growing? Keep a daily log of this and compare for each carrot/parsnip!

Avocado

1. Wash the seed with water.

2. Suspend the seed over a glass/jar of water (you could do this using toothpicks or straws) and only allow the bottom of the seed to touch the water.

3. Place the glass/jar in a warm dry place, but not in direct sunlight!

4. Check the water every day and top up if needed.

5. Roots and stems should appear after six weeks. Roots and stems should be kept at around 3 inches long until leaves appear.

6. Plant in garden or pot, only covering the bottom half of the seed with soil.

This one takes a lot longer than the rest! You could take a photograph once a week and compare at the end. Discuss the changes with your child.

Tomato

1. Rinse the tomato seeds with water and leave to dry.

2. Plant your seeds in soil (in a pot) and leave in a sunny area.

3. Water the soil 3-4 times a week (don’t drown the seeds!)

4. When seedlings sprout a few inches, replant in the garden.

Again, you could document this process using a daily/weekly log or camera. This would also be a good opportunity to teach your child about caring for plants and why they need water and sunlight.

Peppers

1. Collect a handful of seeds and plant them in a pot.

2. Keep the pot in a warm, sunny place and water every day.

3. Peppers will grow fast, so once seedlings are around 8 inches tall, plant them in the garden.

Tell your child when the seedlings are 8 inches tall, they will be ready to plant in the garden. Once they start to sprout, measure them every day and give your child the responsibility of deciding when they are ready to be transplanted to the garden. (You might need to remind them about how tall they should be daily!)

Apples

1. Save the seeds from a few apples (the more apples the better chance of success!)

2. Wrap the seeds in a wet paper towel and seal in a plastic bag (sandwich bag would be good).

3. Keep the bag in a cool place with little sunlight.

4. It takes around a month for apple seeds to germinate but check them every week and make sure the paper towel is still moist!

5. When sprouts begin to appear, your apples are ready for planting in the garden! Plant them 1-2 inches deep and water every day.

Ask your child why they think some plants like warm, sunny places while others like cold and dark? Discuss this and research on the internet!

I hope you enjoy growing your own food!

Blog post written by Amy W.

A Great Family Bake Off

You have probably noticed the lack of flour and eggs in many of the shops these days. It would seem that a notion for baking has swept the nation in recent weeks during lockdown. Baking is something I enjoy doing from time to time, and have done sporadically with the children. I say sporadically, because every time I try it with them, I go in with great enthusiasm and then come out the other end regretting I ever started due to arguments, control issues (I have a very bossy daughter) and the inevitable broken egg on the kitchen floor courtesy of my youngest who likes to throw things.

Last week I had noticed an abundance of ripening bananas in the kitchen and knew it was time to do something with them before they ended up in the compost. Having 3 children to home educate at the moment I’m always on the look out for fun, engaging learning opportunities… but had shied away from cooking and baking for a while. However, I know how much the children LOVE to cook and bake and I HAD to find a way to use those up those darn bananas so it made sense to have a baking day.

I’m a big fan of the bake off, and an idea came to my mind as I was thinking how I could draw out the most learning from the experience as possible (and cater for my daugher’s need to be in control). Herein was birthed the concept of a Home style ‘Great Family Bake off’.

The Challenge- To devise and create a recipe that included bananas and then bake it using their own instructions.

Task number 1 – Researching and choosing a recipe to adapt.

I got out all the baking cook books and the three of them looked through them until they found a recipe they liked the look of and decided if it would suit a banana adaptation.

Task 2 – Re-write the recipe with illustrations, including the way in which you will use the bananas in the recipe.

My elder two are 8 & 9, so they worked fairly independently and we talked about how to lay out a recipe with an ingredients list and method section. We also spoke about what things like – g, oz, tsp etc meant.

For my 5 year old, we worked on writing a list of ingredients, and sounding out each of the words. He also had a go at writing out 3 basic sentences of instructions on how to make it.

AP (9yrs) decided on cupcakes with a Banana Bee decoration, IP (8yrs) chose a chocolate and walnut recipe, adding in bananas (he decided 3 mashed in would be the right amount), and BP (5yrs) wanted to make a standard banana bread cake.

Task 3 – Follow their written recipes!

Amazingly, with the older two the only thing I did was help them find the right ingredients and reminded them how to use the scales. And they did the rest themselves. They loved being able to re-read their own instructions and have complete ownership over their bakes. It was really great to see their independence blooming and the pride they were taking in doing each step accurately to make sure their ‘bake’ was just right!

We even got a bit of numeracy of time in there too when they were checking how long they had to leave their cakes in and what the time would be when they had to take it out again.

BP did a great job of following his instructions and I helped him to put the right quantities and safely use the oven and utensils etc.

Task 4 – Tasting and Scoring

Amazingly, not only were they all edible… they were all totally delicious!

So we scored them all out of 10 for Taste, how it looked, and how banana-ery it tasted!

They all got great scores and were all winners!!

I would totally recommend doing a little activity like this, because it was so much fun and had LOADS of learning opportunities across the curriculum!! And best part was – we got 3 different cakes to eat at the end!!

By Hannah Polland.

Transient Art

A wander in the garden

The dog had been barking to go outside, so rather than just let him out, we went out with him and had a wee wander to look for what small bits and pieces (not including the dog!) we could find that we could use in an impromptu piece of art…

This is what we found that fitted in the small tub in just a few minutes:

Some leaves, twigs, stones, a dandelion, foliage, an empty snail shell….

I had a wooden plaque in the garage, and also quickly cut a frame from a piece of A4 paper that could act as frames, but alternatively, twigs or stones could do the same job. We placed our objects in the frames to make our art, then took a picture.

When tidying up, and putting our bits and pieces in the brown bin, or back into the garden, we found a tiny, baby snail in the bottom of the tub. We made sure to return it to under the tree in the garden, hopefully it’ll survive and grow into a big snail.🐌

Although we did this in the garden, it is also a great idea for out on a town, country or beach walk. You can put double sided tape on your wellies, or take a small bag to collect your interesting items. We’ve all experienced children filling their pockets with stuff they find while outside, so why not use it to create an imaginative , temporary piece of art that you can photograph for ever.

Always remember to responsibly return or dispose of your art, and wash your hands (or rub with antibacterial gel) at the earliest opportunity.

Enjoy being creative!

Post written by Avril Dante

Remember We Can’t Cancel The Spring!

Trees

At this time of immense change for us it is lovely to see that nature continues on her merry way oblivious to it all. When thinking about a blog I could write I found myself staring out of the window into the distance and realised I was focussing on “My apple tree”.

I have watched this tree grow from a sapling into a strong, tall tree which changes throughout the year producing a rich harvest of apples every autumn. I have personally learned so much from the growth of this tree and it set me to thinking of the possibilities of learning opportunities afforded to children that trees and nature can offer.

Outdoor learning is a part of most of our early years children’s lives and hopefully there will be trees for them to discover.

Tracking the seasonal change of trees

· Photos and drawings – children may enjoy taking photos of trees throughout the year or drawing or painting them. Helping the children to be cogniscant and responding to nature impacts on their mental health.

· Rich language through talking about the trees – their features and their changes.

· Investigating the leaves, various barks, flowers, fruits and blossoms.

Learning about the birds and animals whose homes are in the trees

· Birdwatching

· Looking for squirrels

· Minibeasts living on the leaves and bark

Exploration

· Den building – under or in the trees

· Tree climbing

· Light and shade

At this time we need our nature prescriptions and even if we can’t get out and about as much, many of the same benefits can be stimulated and triggered from looking from a window.

By Fiona Connolly.

Working from Home

· Today’s update is inspired by Dire Straits, “Money for Nothing” just because I actually had to ‘move my microwave oven’ at one point due to my phone falling behind it!

· The commute in was tough today, massive hold ups at the junction between bed and the kitchen led to a 20min delay in arriving at the office.

· After reading some more ‘Realising the Ambition’ (this is not a one day read) most of the morning was spent in Microsoft Teams meetings where actually seeing my colleagues on screen was really uplifting and it was nice to have a check in with everyone and get a little nosey at a window of their houses (today involved sightings of someone’s newly washed hair, 4 pet dogs 🐕 awww, and 2 children keen to interrupt work chat). In the background my 4yr old daughter Leia was given full control of the TV remote and Paw Patrol was tuned in for her, however she ended up somehow watching The Hulk which meant she then began stomping around the house shouting ‘Hulk Smash’ and randomly hitting objects!!

· Lunchtime involved making red pepper sandwiches for Leia who insists they are really good for her and she would eat them all. This resulted in (good as her word) the red peppers being scoffed however soggy bread was left lying on the floor at her feet which she then decided (in a bid to help Mummy) to hoover up, clogging the Dyson which then had to be stripped down and thoroughly cleaned. Point to Note: Tomorrow she will get a ham sandwich.

· After lunch (after searching for about 20 minutes for my mobile phone we plugged in and charged my iPad to locate said phone and it rung out from behind the microwave – I know I have no clue either) we logged on to SeeSaw this is Leia’s nursery app where her teachers give me brilliant ideas to steal eh I mean inspire me to create my own ideas for home learning 😉 Her task today is to learn the song Spring Chicken and find rhyming items in the home. Point to Note – make a video about rhyming items to post to Leia’s nursery and I might as well share this with nurseries in my work authority as well. 2 birds 1 stone 👍

· The afternoon involved our daily walk and today my student worker (Leia) decided she ‘just wanted to count things’ so she did and I videoed her counting which I then edited into an awesome educational learning clip (ta da).

· I then spent a chunk of time originally waiting for my email to open after several failed attempts began reading over and responding, spent more time trying to get files to upload, began reading over a ppt I’ve been asked to comment on, I completed my running record all while Leia hangs around my neck or lies on my knee and just as I erupt angrily and say “Go and play with your gazillion toys” she says “I love you Mummy I just want a hug” and so laptop is abandoned and hugs commence then Leia goes off and work on laptop resumes. Then Leia appears back in full fireman outfit saying “Mummy you need to be a Fireman too – come on NOW the fire is through here” I then go into full Fireman Sam mode (Welsh accent and all) only to find she’s now playing with Daddy and she tells me “You just be Fireman Sam on your own Mummy” huh back to the laptop then…

· My co-located colleague (Leia’s Daddy) gave up on me finishing “about 4” and is now playing with our daughter and they are both playing air guitar and singing (out of tune) I want it noted that it is not just my voice that carries but I’m not mentioning it.

Blog written by Carol Munro.

• Children’s and Parents’ Mental Health in Covid 19 Lockdown

As a working parent, suddenly finding myself working from home, trying to manage the usual household admin – cooking cleaning and the like – home educating my P1 child number 1 and entertain child number 2 (aged 2 going on 12!) has been overwhelming to say the least. I struggle to even put into words how I am feeling in the midst of these unprecedented times, but this diagram pretty much sums it up! (Please excuse my rudimentary artistic skills!! At the moment I feel like I am having to learn all manner of new skills to function in everyday life – e.g. Blogging, technology……..all new to me! On the plus side I can add all these to my CV for future times…..)

This kind of mentality is not sustainable in the long run, and as it is looking like we are in it for the medium to long term, it is essential that parents find a way to manage their own mental health in order to protect that of their children (Remember that oxygen mask analogy?).

I have included some favourite techniques that can be enjoyable to do with your children below. It is very “whistle stop tour” and I hope in coming weeks to look at some in a bit more detail and share with you. Please feel free to share your ideas too – remember, it takes a village!!

Everyday Stress Busting Techniques

In times of stress your body will revert to fight or flight mode. This is basically the automatic mode that your brain operates in when trying to escape a threatening situation (like escaping a sabre tooth tiger in the case of our ancestors.) Luckily for us, sabre tooth tigers don’t roam the land in 2020, but evolution hasn’t caught up yet and whilst fight or flight is useful in short bursts it can be damaging in large, frequent and prolonged doses. Below I have outlined a very brief snapshot of things we can do with our children to basically tell our body and brains that “all is well” and reduce the unpleasant physical symptoms of the fight or flight stress response.

· Breathing Techniques – Blowing bubbles– there are lots of bubble making recipes online, see what kinds of bubbles you can blow using different breaths. How do these breaths make your body feel? Scarf breathing – Provide a selection of coloured scarves or light materials. Get children to choose their favourite colour. Lie down on your back and see if you can keep your scarf in the air using your breath. Maybe you could imagine your breath being the same colour as your scarf? Teddy Breathing – choose your favourite Teddy Bear and lie down with it on your tummy. Can you make it go up in the air using your breath? Make sure you breath deep into your tummy!!

· Visualisations – I am in the process of developing some of these that are individually suited to my own children’s interests which I will share at a later date, but there are some wonderful pre-prepared generic ones here at New Horizon Holistic Centre.

They have also developed an app for all devices which looks wonderful, though I haven’t had a chance to personally download and review it yet.

For adults I can highly recommend The Honest Guys.

· Gentle Movement – Try to get your body moving every day, in any way that feels good for you and your children. Some that we love here are – Cosmic Kids Yoga, Joe Wicks daily PE , Oti Mabuse Dance lessons, or doing a rainbow hunt in local community – (practicing safe social distancing) – lots of children have been painting rainbows and putting them up in the windows. Why not see how any you can find? On a 30 min walk around our local neighbourhood my daughter counted 40!

· Nature and grounding – Being out in the fresh air has many proven mental health benefits and can help to bring your mind back to the present when it feels like it is fizzing with worries. Some things to try are – Mindful scavenger hunts – why not try going out and giving your children things to find in the garden or close by such as “things that are red” “things that are soft”. I have this lovely commercially produced set Scavenger Hunt but it is by no means essential – you could make your own or even just think of things from the top of your head. Sound walks – using the same principles as above but focussing on the sounds that you can hear around you.

· Gratitude – make it a habit before bed to talk about things that you are grateful for each day. Make it a habit to see good in all situations – eg we like to shout thankyou to the rain for growing pretty flowers. Or thank you to the lockdown for allowing us to slow down. Older children might like a lovely journal of their very own to write down their thoughts.

I wanted just to add an overarching note to all the above, and that is BE KIND. I have noticed over the last few weeks, an outpouring of kindness from society to others’ around them, but very often people neglect to include being kind to themselves. The list above isn’t about spending hours creating Instagram ready resources and activities (though if that is your happy place then go ahead!). That certainly isn’t my happy place and personally causes me undue stress, pressure and comparison. I don’t feel particularly confident with arts and crafts activities for example, and my children will pick up on the stress of me trying to emulate the picture-perfect activity in this area, meaning a not particularly enjoyable experience. Instead, I provide them with resources, stand back, ignore the mess and relish in them showing me the (not perfect) finished product and help them clear up afterwards.

If at this time, you don’t feel motivated to learn a new language/bake/spring clean/craft with your kids/(insert other seemingly perfect activity that you have seen on social media) , and all that you can manage to do at this time is hunker down in a duvet den, cuddle and read books with your loved ones then that is enough, because you are enough! In these times connection is key, and it isn’t what you do with your family at this time that the children will remember but how they felt.

Emma x

Joining In With Our Children’s Play

It’s easy in the current circumstances to feel overwhelmed having to set up activities and find lots of interesting things to do and make with our children. BUT there is something super simple, that doesn’t need much planning or new resources. Simply spending time in your child’s little world is more valuable to them and their development than many costly activities. 

Take time to join in with your child as they play. Be a part of their little world and watch as their imagination, creativity, curiosity and skills come alive. When children are motivated and are directing their own play real depth in their learning and development will take place.

Join their small world imaginary play. Try observing, waiting and listening before joining in, let them lead the play and see where it takes you!

Play dough is a great way to hang out in your child’s world. Try making comments like – “I wonder what you were thinking when you made that?” – start a conversation with a positive observation of what they are doing and wait for them to respond. 

Imaginative role play is an excellent opportunity for extending language, the image below shows a play kitchen but this could just as easily be a table with some pots and pans and the child will create their own kitchen. If you are feeling adventurous give them some pasta, robust fruit and veg.  Conversations during play are excellent for developing higher order thinking and language, why not be the customer at their cafe that the kitchen serves. 

Designing and creating a road or rail system with train tracks or cars on the floor with your child has endless possibilities. If you have large cardboard boxes, open them up and let your child draw the road themselves. Making positive observations about what they are doing and showing an interest can lead to more depth in their play and development. This can be something that is continued as a work in progress over time – more cardboard boxes means more road space! 

Blog written by Laura Walton 

Stones! Stones! Stones!

I am currently sitting at my dining room table at home, trying to do some work, but instead I find myself doodling on my notebook. I love to doodle, it’s probably the most creative outlet I have at the moment. I am a very creative person, having previously studied at art school, but I just haven’t allowed the time to evolve my art skills that I was once so obsessed about. Maybe I should dedicate some of my time stuck indoors to releasing my creative side again.

Creativity isn’t just about the freedom of self-expression and being artistic, it is also about the thought process, and how we respond to situations and tasks.

As an Early Years Teacher, I am a huge fan of fostering creativity and using anything ‘but toys’ to stimulate and develop a child’s creative mind. So, that made me think of what my top creative resource would be……STONES! 

Stones are everywhere! I have a garden full of them (though they have significantly reduced in number due to using them frequently in nurseries). Stones offer so many possibilities and are an easy way to develop a child’s interest in natural materials and their surroundings. Stones come in all shapes, sizes, textures and colours.

(Lady the Ladybird stone) 

I was recently working with a group of children who were exploring their local park. We were hunting for minibeasts, but unfortunately, we had no luck. We only found a few dead worms! I suddenly remembered that I had a ladybird stone that I made as a child (which is at least 20 years old). The next day, I brought it in for the children to explore and I couldn’t believe the hours of fun the children had creating stories in the park with Lady the Ladybird. They took their own photos to create a story book about Lady the Ladybird’s adventures. I have used stones as creative resource for years and so can you! 

So, what can you do at home with all those stones in your garden? 

Firstly, you need to establish some ground rules. Make sure your child knows how to play with stones safely (i.e. don’t put them in your mouth, always wash them first with hot soapy water, and do not throw them at anything or anyone). 

• Go on a stone hunt. How many can you find? Can you sort the stones by size, colour, pattern, shape or texture? If there are stones that do not fit into any of their criteria, encourage your child to explain why.
• Stack stones – Can you balance stones on top of each other? 
• Give your child the opportunity to simply play with stones – play with stones in water and sand, dig stones, bury stones. Encourage children to use them as props during play. 
• Paint stones – you can create story stones based on your favourite storybook, write numbers and letters on them.
• Use stones to create pictures. 
• Use stones to make marks on paper by dipping them in paint and rolling them on to the paper. 
• Paint happy pictures on the stones and leave them on the path when you go out for your daily exercise to bring happiness to others. I also recently stumbled across a lovely story I had never heard of before called ‘Scribble Stones’ by Diana Alber.  The story is about a little stone who is waiting to be chosen to become something amazing, but soon realises he has just become a boring paper weight. He eventually meets two characters called Scribble and Splatter and together they decide to pass on happiness and brighten someone’s day. It will truly make you smile and possibly spark an interest in playing with stones. 

  You can easily access it as a videobook on Youtube. 

  Stones can be anything! Enjoy hours of imaginative and creative fun! 

  Blog post written By Mandi Hayes.