We love the great outdoors and there are plenty of hands-on nature activities for children to enjoy. Whether it’s going for a paddle in the sea, walking barefoot through the grass or bug hunting in the garden, there is so much outside to explore and help your children learn about nature and wildlife. Playing outside has been proven to improve a child’s happiness and confidence, which is why I’m always keen to get outdoors every chance we have. The key is to tune in to nature as a sensory experience and use it as a way to learn about our environment and wildlife. The summer holidays are coming up so…
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Why Children Need to Grow Up Around Nature
My sister and I were very lucky to have grandparents who lived in a small cottage on a countryside estate. As children, we would spend occasional weekends there without our parents. We would explore the fields, build bridges and splash in the brook or go on woodland adventures. I’m sure my grandma never let us out of her sight but she gave us enough autonomy to discover how we can use the great outdoors as our playground. I recently went to visit them with my two boys. As soon as I stepped out of the car, into the soft and gentle countryside, I could feel my mind wander back to…
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10 Easy Mess Free Sensory Activities for Toddlers
My kids absolutely love messy play and it can be a lot of fun. It gives them freedom to get their hands on anything glittery, sticky and covered in glue. Let’s be honest though, what we don’t love is the actual mess that comes with messy play. Sometimes we don’t have the time or space for these activities which often lead to play dough being trodden into the carpet or shaving foam covering the table.
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What Happens When Children Choose Flowers For Their Mum
This is a collaborative post. I love getting homemade gifts from my children. My youngest is a bit too young to be making anything yet, but my eldest has now started making me cards for birthdays and Mother’s Day. There is something really special about getting something that is filled with your child’s personality and shows how much they love you. I have already got my handmade Mother’s Day card from Jack that he made at nursery. He is starting to learn how to write his name and so I felt a little emotional when I recognised a few of the letters. Aside from cards, there are other ways that…
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Make Your Own Erupting Volcano Out Of Play Dough
My son is enthralled by all things science related. Whether its watching astronauts brushing their teeth on YouTube, teaching me everything he knows about outer space, or making a tornado in a bottle – his love of science has driven his eagerness to learn and discover how things work. We are always trying to find new ways to nurture his passion for science. He usually comes home from preschool asking if he can ‘do science’. He has become really interested in volcanoes and is fascinated with how they fire out lava. Needless to say he was pretty desperate to try and recreate this at home and as it’s a pretty…
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How We Helped Our Fussy Eater Learn to Love Food
Feeding my eldest used to be such hard work. He didn’t take to breastfeeding that well. I was very weak for a long time after a major postpartum haemorrhage and this seemed to affect my milk supply. As a newborn, Jack lost loads of weight and struggled to put it back on. We tried supplementing with bottles and while it helped him gain weight, he started to struggle with those, too. He’d cry during feeds, cry after them, gag on milk, tug and pull at the teat. He did exactly the same when breastfeeding too. His stomach would gurgle with wind and now amount of Colief or Infacol would make…
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35 Rainy Day Activities for Three Year Olds
This post contains affiliate links I didn’t actually realise half-term was upon us until around 3pm on the Friday before. Argh! My niece and nephew don’t start their holidays until the week after so needless to say, I’ve been completely caught out an unprepared for the days ahead. But we are determined to make the most of it. My eldest is usually at pre-school four days a week and come 3pm the most he can managing is slumping on the sofa and demanding snacks. During the holidays, our usual activities centre around getting outside as much as we can but as it’s going to rain for most of the week,…
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How to Survive Taking a Toddler to a Wedding
Taking a toddler to a wedding can feel pretty ambitious. We have taken our eldest to a few and while each experience was different to the last, there was a lot of pre-event planning that went into making sure that we all got through the day and had a good time. It is stressful taking your kid to any event where their best behaviour is expected. No matter how reassuring friends can be about the possibility of your toddler having a tantrum mid-ceremony or during the speeches, you pray that your child doesn’t unintentionally become the focus of their big day. We have taken Jack to four weddings in total,…
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Last-Minute Stocking Filler Inspiration for Toddlers
Christmas morning isn’t the same without waking up to a stocking filled with quirky and fun gifts from Santa. When I was younger, presents in the sacks (or pillowcases) would always be from Santa and then after lunch we’d open presents from family. My parents still keep up this tradition and its one I’ve embraced now I’ve got a family of my own. My eldest is old enough to embrace Christmas this year so buying gifts for his stocking has been a huge amount of fun. What’s more, whatever he gets from Santa will hopefully keep him entertained while my husband and I sort out Christmas dinner and stop the…
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Easy Gingerbread Men Recipe
This post may contain affiliate links Christmas baking is the best. The aromas of spices that flow through the house ooze with festive warmth and cosiness. We received some charming gingerbread ornaments one Christmas and they have taken pride of place on the tree every year since. Each time I bring them out of the box, I vow to make gingerbread for Christmas but I never get round to it.
