We love messy play in our house but coming up with messy play ideas can be a bit of a challenge. I often need an activity that will engage both a toddler and a preschooler at the same time. As it’s school holidays, I search for activities that will help both children play harmoniously without ‘he ruined it!’ being shouted my way. Aside from it being a great way to fill the time, sensory play is important for a child’s development. Research shows that by engaging in sensory play, it helps build nerve connections in the brain’s pathways which help them complete more complex tasks. There are many ways in…
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Things No One Tells You About Postpartum Recovery
I was completely unprepared when it came to my postpartum recovery. My husband and I sat in various NHS-run parenting classes where labour was discussed in depth. Natural birth was rammed down your throat, one midwife proudly declared how she had eight children and that not once did she request an epidural. (No pressure then) I remember being taught how to put on a nappy and was reminded to practice getting the baby seat in and out of the car a few times. Then there were the breastfeeding videos, showing babies latching onto the breast with ease. The postpartum recovery period wasn’t really talked about. I was told I might…
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Family Day Out At Trentham Gardens
During a visit down to my parents in Staffordshire, we lucked out to have one day of sunshine during a week that had been otherwise blighted by rain. So instead of staying in, we decided to pack up and head across to Trentham Gardens which sits on the outskirts of Stoke on Trent. It’s a place I visited as a child, not that I can remember it in all truth. We tend to go and wander around the chalet-style gift shops or mooch in the huge garden centre, but since they started charging to visit the estate it was something we never bothered with. I was put off by the…
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The Ultimate Newborn Essentials Checklist
There are so many baby lists out there. It makes it hard to know exactly what it is you need in those early newborn days. I’ve put together my own guide all about what you must have and what is nice to have. There are affiliate links in this post which are at no extra cost to you. Nursery Must Have Moses Basket – For the first couple of months your baby will likely sleep in the same room as you, so a Moses basket or a smaller crib is a great option. There is a huge amount of choice out there from the more traditional bassinets to the sleep…
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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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The Highway Rat World Book Day Costume for Less Than £2
Jack’s preschool is celebrating World Book Day on 1st March and all the children have been invited to dress up as their favourite book character. They will also be taking part in plenty of activities that will celebrate books and encourage reading. The children will also each be donating a book of their choice to an orphanage in Malawi The Highway Rat is a fairly recent addition to Jack’s bookshelf. We are all huge fans of Julia Donaldson books in this house and have nearly every one of her classic tales. This one is about the rat that rides the highway, stealing other animal’s food and has quickly become a…
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What I’ve Learned in my First 6 Months of Blogging
I can hardly believe that it will soon be 6-months since I started up CubKit. During that time I have learnt so much about blogging, social media and being an entrepreneur. The world of blogging is vast, complicated, fast-paced and exciting. I still have much to discover, absorb and implement and I’m having so much fun as I learn to navigate it all. Perhaps you’re now reading this and thinking of setting up your own blog, so here are a few things I’ve learnt along the way.
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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,…
