I'm really pleased to welcome a lovely guest post to the blog today, thanks Ruth!
This is a post from Ruth, who blogs as DorkyMum. Ruth lives in Hertfordshire with her husband and 4-year-old son. She posts about parenting, politics, current affairs and photography, and is a finalist in the Outstanding Blogger category at this year’s MAD Blog Awards. You can always find her for a chat on Twitter or Facebook.
Watching my son fall asleep is my favourite thing to do.
It doesn’t happen so often anymore.
When Tom was just a baby he'd nod off in my arms, or leaning on my shoulder, all the time. I took it completely for granted.
One time my Dad came to visit, and we went out for a walk. As I pushed the pram along, Dad kept skipping ahead to peek into it.
‘What are you doing?’ I asked, laughing?
‘Just watching him fall asleep,’ said Dad. ‘It’s one of the loveliest things to see.’
I thought he was a bit mad, and said nothing.
Now Tom is four and he has taken sleep - that most private of things - behind closed doors. He tucks in to bed with only Binky - his manky old hippo - for company. We will hear him sometimes, singing a song or chatting to himself for a few minutes before falling silent. Sometimes he will call me through, bleary eyed in the middle of the night, for a nose blow, a sip of water, or to retrieve Binky from somewhere in the tangled sheets. He'll be in that half sleepy state; will murmur something dreamy that makes no sense to me.
But the actual process of falling asleep, those precarious moments between one world and another, are not something I see very often these days.
When I do - usually on some long journey - I understand what my Dad meant all those years ago. I’m reminded what a sweet and lovely thing it is.
He fights it, first. Bashes his head from side to side as though trying to shake those snoozy sensations right out of there, blinking frantically to ward off sleep. Any small noise or movement will make him jolt and sit straight up with a start.
But eventually, with a sense of resignation, he starts to settle. His eyelids become heavier, and his blinking slows right down, giving me the chance to admire those eyelashes that are longer and thicker and darker than is really decent. He clutches Binky to his face, turning him over and over until he finds the most loved part – his tatty old tail - that he picks at with the pinky nail of his right hand. Pick, pick, pick... No wonder poor Binky has needed so many repair jobs.
Tom’s left hand is saved for the serious business of ‘thumb pie’ which is what he calls sucking his thumb. Gentle, at first, although as he falls deeper and deeper into sleep it becomes more furious and noisy, great slurping noises that make me giggle, until he finally reaches that sleepy place where all is calm, his mouth relaxes, and the thumb is released.
He will nap like that for an hour; soothed by the motion of whatever train or plane we happen to be on. His head will get incredibly warm, and often a tiny bead of sweat will course its way slowly down his pink cheek. He will twitch, sometimes, dreaming of ice cream or buses or whatever other things make little boys happy. If he is lying on me, I will have to shift in my own seat, slowly so as not to wake him, trying to get comfy as his weight becomes heavier and heavier.
And then, when he is done, when the batteries are recharged, he will open his eyes and sit up, his hair a mess, his face crumpled and flushed.
‘Good nap?’ I’ll ask.
‘What nap?’ he’ll say. ‘What are you talking about? I didn’t nap at all.’
‘Oh,’ I’ll say.
‘What a shame,’ I’ll say.
I like it, watching Tom not nap. It’s one of my favourite things.
Cheerfully blogging about parenting, craft and travel.
Showing posts with label pre-schooler. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pre-schooler. Show all posts
Tuesday, 21 May 2013
Saturday, 18 May 2013
How to enjoy your staycation with the kids
Today I am delighted to welcome a guest post from Cat, with some fantastic tips for avoiding the hassle of travelling with small children and enjoying a staycation at home.
Before I had kids holidays were all about long lie-ins and lounging by the pool with a book. Taking a whole evening for dinner and wine or dancing the night away has given way to more family friendly activities. When you combine the practicalities of travelling with children with the pressure on everyone’s finances at the moment it’s no surprise that more people are opting to have a ‘staycation’ or holiday at home, but can that ever be as much fun?
Here are a few steps to make sure it is:
It’s not going to seem like a holiday if you are occupied with all the usual boring things so try and get any chores finished of beforehand. Get the shopping done along with any cleaning or washing to stop it hanging over you so you can enjoy your break. To make sure you stay in your ‘holiday bubble’ try and ignore things like your social media accounts, the news and the papers. Why not go the whole hog and tell people you’re going away if you really want some peace and quiet?
On a normal holiday you can take each day as it comes, planning outings or lazing around. If you don’t make plans for your staycation, however, you’ll just end up slipping into your normal routine and where’s the fun in that? Try to schedule one or two things a day so there is always something to look forward to and you don’t end up stuck in front of daytime TV or cleaning the kitchen.
We often forget about the things we see signs for everyday and go for ages without visiting the attractions right on our own door step. Take some time before your break to look into events scheduled during your holiday. I’m sure there will be some big permanent attractions like zoos or National Trust properties near by but also think about temporary things like exhibitions or theatre shows that may be coming up. There may well be some regular scheduled events at your library or community centre. How about something as simple as visiting a ‘pick your own’ fruit farm or finding a little bit countryside for a picnic which can be a fun day out for all ages.
They say a change is as good as a rest so why not try spending the day at home but doing something unusual? How about a Film Day? Rent some DVDs and get comfy with popcorn, pick ‘n’ mix or some nachos. You could even set the kids to work making some tickets for everyone to allow them entry to the living room.
Maybe a ‘Books in Bed’ Afternoon? Head off to the library so everyone can choose some new books or gather up their old favourites at home and then don some PJs and squish into bed together to enjoy them. Take it in turns to read out your favourite parts and to talk about what is happening or why you like the characters.
Gardening can sometimes be a chore but what about getting some cheap plastic pots for the kids to decorate and fill with bedding plans or herbs so they can watch grow for the rest of the summer. Kids will love a chance to play all the board games that you’re normally too busy for or to make their own pizzas with their chosen toppings. I’m sure you can come up with lots of ideas once you get started.
One of the nicest things about being little is that it only takes a tiny treat to make your day and, let’s face it, when they’re happy we’re happy so remember the little things. How about letting them choose their favourite dinner or getting a tin of special chocolate biscuits for an afternoon snack. One favourite in my house is letting the boys have a bath in the middle of the day. Instead of waiting until the evening when you’re all tired and focussed on getting them into bed why not do it during the day to make the most of all those toys and bubbles (and don’t worry about the splashing). So have a great staycation this year. Who knows, you may never want to go away again!
Cat is a married mum of two small boys who, after a career in health service management, now works as a freelance writer as well as blogging about parenting and family life at Yellow Days.
Before I had kids holidays were all about long lie-ins and lounging by the pool with a book. Taking a whole evening for dinner and wine or dancing the night away has given way to more family friendly activities. When you combine the practicalities of travelling with children with the pressure on everyone’s finances at the moment it’s no surprise that more people are opting to have a ‘staycation’ or holiday at home, but can that ever be as much fun?
Here are a few steps to make sure it is:
1 – Adopt a ‘holiday’ frame of mind
It’s not going to seem like a holiday if you are occupied with all the usual boring things so try and get any chores finished of beforehand. Get the shopping done along with any cleaning or washing to stop it hanging over you so you can enjoy your break. To make sure you stay in your ‘holiday bubble’ try and ignore things like your social media accounts, the news and the papers. Why not go the whole hog and tell people you’re going away if you really want some peace and quiet?
2 – Make a Plan
On a normal holiday you can take each day as it comes, planning outings or lazing around. If you don’t make plans for your staycation, however, you’ll just end up slipping into your normal routine and where’s the fun in that? Try to schedule one or two things a day so there is always something to look forward to and you don’t end up stuck in front of daytime TV or cleaning the kitchen.
3 – Investigate local attractions
We often forget about the things we see signs for everyday and go for ages without visiting the attractions right on our own door step. Take some time before your break to look into events scheduled during your holiday. I’m sure there will be some big permanent attractions like zoos or National Trust properties near by but also think about temporary things like exhibitions or theatre shows that may be coming up. There may well be some regular scheduled events at your library or community centre. How about something as simple as visiting a ‘pick your own’ fruit farm or finding a little bit countryside for a picnic which can be a fun day out for all ages.
4 – Do something unusual at home
They say a change is as good as a rest so why not try spending the day at home but doing something unusual? How about a Film Day? Rent some DVDs and get comfy with popcorn, pick ‘n’ mix or some nachos. You could even set the kids to work making some tickets for everyone to allow them entry to the living room.
Maybe a ‘Books in Bed’ Afternoon? Head off to the library so everyone can choose some new books or gather up their old favourites at home and then don some PJs and squish into bed together to enjoy them. Take it in turns to read out your favourite parts and to talk about what is happening or why you like the characters.
Gardening can sometimes be a chore but what about getting some cheap plastic pots for the kids to decorate and fill with bedding plans or herbs so they can watch grow for the rest of the summer. Kids will love a chance to play all the board games that you’re normally too busy for or to make their own pizzas with their chosen toppings. I’m sure you can come up with lots of ideas once you get started.
5 – Remember little things can be treats too
One of the nicest things about being little is that it only takes a tiny treat to make your day and, let’s face it, when they’re happy we’re happy so remember the little things. How about letting them choose their favourite dinner or getting a tin of special chocolate biscuits for an afternoon snack. One favourite in my house is letting the boys have a bath in the middle of the day. Instead of waiting until the evening when you’re all tired and focussed on getting them into bed why not do it during the day to make the most of all those toys and bubbles (and don’t worry about the splashing). So have a great staycation this year. Who knows, you may never want to go away again!
Cat is a married mum of two small boys who, after a career in health service management, now works as a freelance writer as well as blogging about parenting and family life at Yellow Days.
Friday, 17 May 2013
How messy play actually keeps my house clean
I've started getting a bit more into messy play recently. I used to say that Harry could do enough of that at nursery, but now that he has moved to a new pre-school they don't seem to do it as much, and Mia hasn't been much to nursery yet so I don't want her to miss out. I've also discovered that it's one of the few activities that they can both do together. They each play in their own way - Harry has proper role-play going on and Mia is content just to tip things in and out of containers - yet they are both using the same materials and in the same place. It also keeps them both busy for ages, as does the subsequent bath.
Many people are put off messy play because of just that - it's messy. But I've found that thanks to our new found interest my house is actually cleaner!
I use a shower curtain on the floor in the kitchen, which is good for dry things but although it absorbs water it is not entirely waterproof. Water is usually involved in our play, so the floor is nice and wet when we've finished. I can wipe it up quickly with a few old towels, which gives the floor a good clean too.
I'm also getting the hoover out a lot more, to clean up the trails of mess created from the real kitchen to the play kitchen (to grab more things to make messy) and up to the bathroom. While the hoover is out I tend to do a quick whip round the rest of the downstairs too, so I'm also getting more hoovering done.
I'm even finding that the washing machine is going on more reguarly too, as the shower curtain needs a wash afterwards as do the clothes that they've been wearing. It means that I'm keeping well on top of the laundry!
So don't be put off trying messy play, it has its benefits!
Many people are put off messy play because of just that - it's messy. But I've found that thanks to our new found interest my house is actually cleaner!
I use a shower curtain on the floor in the kitchen, which is good for dry things but although it absorbs water it is not entirely waterproof. Water is usually involved in our play, so the floor is nice and wet when we've finished. I can wipe it up quickly with a few old towels, which gives the floor a good clean too.
I'm also getting the hoover out a lot more, to clean up the trails of mess created from the real kitchen to the play kitchen (to grab more things to make messy) and up to the bathroom. While the hoover is out I tend to do a quick whip round the rest of the downstairs too, so I'm also getting more hoovering done.
I'm even finding that the washing machine is going on more reguarly too, as the shower curtain needs a wash afterwards as do the clothes that they've been wearing. It means that I'm keeping well on top of the laundry!
So don't be put off trying messy play, it has its benefits!
Saturday, 20 April 2013
Juggling - A big one and a little one
I won't deny that I find being a stay at home Mum hard work. I've had periods of working part time since having children, so I've experienced that other life where you can spend the day sitting quietly at a desk, perhaps enjoying a hot drink and an uninterrupted chat with other adults. Some days now, the only real life conversation that I have is with the postman or the checkout assistant.
One of the things that I find hardest to manage is that I'm not very good with babies and toddlers. I just don't know what to do with them. I'm full of ideas, crafts and activities, but I need an appreciative audience, and young toddlers frustrate me with their inability to follow instructions and short attention spans. I love having all this time with Harry to spend doing fun things, but it's so difficult to concentrate on him when there is toddler Mia demanding just as much, if not more, attention.
Before Mia was born, and when she was a baby that still had naps, Harry and I used to do jigsaws together, play simple games, do crafts, read books. Now we simply can't do any of these things while she is around. She sits on jigsaws, she takes them apart, she won't sit still and be read to.
I feel like my time is spent constantly juggling the different needs of the two children. I need to talk to Harry, he loves having things explained to him and learning how things work. He enjoy sitting down quietly and crafting or playing. Mia is more into physical play, being chased around, playing hiding games, climbing on things.
I find it difficult to do crafts or playdough with the two of them at the same time, mainly because Mia eats everything. They do both enjoy messy play, as long as I make sure that I put out two of everything, but Mia usually bores first and has to be taken off for a bath, leaving Harry playing alone without any interaction from me.
I feel terribly guilty that Harry is missing out on a lot of one on one interaction, playing games, perhaps working on learning some letters and numbers. But I also feel guilty for thinking that Mia is in the way, and of course she doesn't receive any of the individual attention that Harry had when he was her age.
So at the moment, my parenting is all about juggling - trying to keep both little ones occupied, entertained, and secure in the feeling that they are receiving enough of my attention.
I'm entering this post into this fortnight's BritMums Carnival, hosted at A Yummy Mummy? Really? Pop by to see what everyone else is juggling!
One of the things that I find hardest to manage is that I'm not very good with babies and toddlers. I just don't know what to do with them. I'm full of ideas, crafts and activities, but I need an appreciative audience, and young toddlers frustrate me with their inability to follow instructions and short attention spans. I love having all this time with Harry to spend doing fun things, but it's so difficult to concentrate on him when there is toddler Mia demanding just as much, if not more, attention.
Before Mia was born, and when she was a baby that still had naps, Harry and I used to do jigsaws together, play simple games, do crafts, read books. Now we simply can't do any of these things while she is around. She sits on jigsaws, she takes them apart, she won't sit still and be read to.
I feel like my time is spent constantly juggling the different needs of the two children. I need to talk to Harry, he loves having things explained to him and learning how things work. He enjoy sitting down quietly and crafting or playing. Mia is more into physical play, being chased around, playing hiding games, climbing on things.
I find it difficult to do crafts or playdough with the two of them at the same time, mainly because Mia eats everything. They do both enjoy messy play, as long as I make sure that I put out two of everything, but Mia usually bores first and has to be taken off for a bath, leaving Harry playing alone without any interaction from me.
I feel terribly guilty that Harry is missing out on a lot of one on one interaction, playing games, perhaps working on learning some letters and numbers. But I also feel guilty for thinking that Mia is in the way, and of course she doesn't receive any of the individual attention that Harry had when he was her age.
So at the moment, my parenting is all about juggling - trying to keep both little ones occupied, entertained, and secure in the feeling that they are receiving enough of my attention.
I'm entering this post into this fortnight's BritMums Carnival, hosted at A Yummy Mummy? Really? Pop by to see what everyone else is juggling!
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| An activity to occupy them both - for a little while at least! |
Wednesday, 17 April 2013
Making dinner with small children around - help!
I'm writing this post to get it out, because I'm struggling with something. All I want to do each evening is to prepare a healthy, nutritious evening meal that everyone will eat. But even setting aside the fact that all my children will eat for dinner is pasta, I find it so difficult and stressful to make the dinner with small children around.
I make dinner for 6pm so that we can all eat together when my husband comes home from work. Then we can put the children to bed straight after, and have a longer evening together. This means that all the food preparation and cooking has to be done while the children are around. I just can't work out how other people manage to make dinner with children around.
If Harry is at pre-school then Mia wants to be in the kitchen with me. She sees me taking out the cooking things and drags herself over a chair so that she can stand at the counter. If I try and involve her with the cooking she grabs everything and throws it about, or else she is on the floor, pulling at my leg and screaming. Of course if I'm stirring something hot on the hob then she needs to be kept well away. Anything that I give her to occupy herself with at the table, for example crayons or stickers, she becomes easily frustrated and screams when she can't do something. Because she has dropped her nap she's always pretty grumpy at this time anyway. I end up feeding her snacks to keep her occupied, meaning that she's not hungry when dinner finally makes it to the table.
If Harry is around too then it is slightly easier. I put the television on in the living room and they play together in there while I'm in the kitchen. Except that I can't see the living room from the kitchen, so I am constantly going back to stick my head around the door to check on them. This is necessary, because entertaining themselves involves activities like using the bin to climb on to the window sill to see out, or running along the back of the sofa. Even if they do happen to be sitting quietly watching television I'm still constantly on edge anticipating a meltdown when one of them sits on the other or they are both fighting over the same toy.
To be honest, it's mainly Mia that is the difficult one. Harry understands, and he will sit quietly in front of the television. I know that it's just a stage, and it won't be long before Mia is the same, and then I'll be able to concentrate. But it causes me so much frustration every day that I dread late afternoon!
Does anyone have any tips, or is it just another stage which I need to wait out?!
I make dinner for 6pm so that we can all eat together when my husband comes home from work. Then we can put the children to bed straight after, and have a longer evening together. This means that all the food preparation and cooking has to be done while the children are around. I just can't work out how other people manage to make dinner with children around.
If Harry is at pre-school then Mia wants to be in the kitchen with me. She sees me taking out the cooking things and drags herself over a chair so that she can stand at the counter. If I try and involve her with the cooking she grabs everything and throws it about, or else she is on the floor, pulling at my leg and screaming. Of course if I'm stirring something hot on the hob then she needs to be kept well away. Anything that I give her to occupy herself with at the table, for example crayons or stickers, she becomes easily frustrated and screams when she can't do something. Because she has dropped her nap she's always pretty grumpy at this time anyway. I end up feeding her snacks to keep her occupied, meaning that she's not hungry when dinner finally makes it to the table.
If Harry is around too then it is slightly easier. I put the television on in the living room and they play together in there while I'm in the kitchen. Except that I can't see the living room from the kitchen, so I am constantly going back to stick my head around the door to check on them. This is necessary, because entertaining themselves involves activities like using the bin to climb on to the window sill to see out, or running along the back of the sofa. Even if they do happen to be sitting quietly watching television I'm still constantly on edge anticipating a meltdown when one of them sits on the other or they are both fighting over the same toy.
To be honest, it's mainly Mia that is the difficult one. Harry understands, and he will sit quietly in front of the television. I know that it's just a stage, and it won't be long before Mia is the same, and then I'll be able to concentrate. But it causes me so much frustration every day that I dread late afternoon!
Does anyone have any tips, or is it just another stage which I need to wait out?!
Saturday, 13 April 2013
Felt name picture - Harry
It seems like a very long time ago that I blogged about the felt name picture that I made for Mia. I was (and still am) very proud of it, and it sits on her windowsill. As I wrote in that post, one of my next projects was to make a felt name picture for Harry too. I actually made the felt letters at the time, and then they and the blank frame ended up together in a plastic project bag and were forgotten about. I found them again when I was looking for a frame for my washi tape frame project, and it was only a quick job to finish off the entire name picture.
As I mentioned in the washi tape frame post, underneath it's just a cheap wooden frame from Ikea. Instead of glass it has thick plastic, which is obviously better when I'm making something for the children's rooms. The letters are cut out from felt and sewn together. I chose a font that I liked in Word (in this case emboldened Bookman Old Style, which is the font that I use in pictures on this blog) and brought them up on the screen in the size that I wanted, then traced through onto paper to make a template to cut around. Cutting out the letters was rather fiddly, you do need some very sharp scissors.
Then the letters are just glued to a plain cotton background fabric and inserted inside the frame. I'm really pleased with how it turned out, perhaps it does look a little busy but it's bright and cheerful and Harry loves it. I'm so glad that I finally got round to finishing it for him!
Here is the felt name frame that I made for Mia:
As I mentioned in the washi tape frame post, underneath it's just a cheap wooden frame from Ikea. Instead of glass it has thick plastic, which is obviously better when I'm making something for the children's rooms. The letters are cut out from felt and sewn together. I chose a font that I liked in Word (in this case emboldened Bookman Old Style, which is the font that I use in pictures on this blog) and brought them up on the screen in the size that I wanted, then traced through onto paper to make a template to cut around. Cutting out the letters was rather fiddly, you do need some very sharp scissors.
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| Harry felt name frame |
Then the letters are just glued to a plain cotton background fabric and inserted inside the frame. I'm really pleased with how it turned out, perhaps it does look a little busy but it's bright and cheerful and Harry loves it. I'm so glad that I finally got round to finishing it for him!
Here is the felt name frame that I made for Mia:
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| Mia felt name frame |
Wednesday, 10 April 2013
The walk to pre-school
In January Harry started a new pre-school. His old one was moving sites, and it made sense to move him to one nearer our house, where he will meet children that he will be going to school with.
It's about a mile away, and every day since he started there we have walked in, or rather he goes on his scooter while I push Mia in the pushchair. Now that the clocks have changed, I've been trying to pick him up on foot as well. He's a rather reluctant walker, but when he does start school I'd like us to walk there and back, so I want to build up his stamina a bit before September.
It takes us about 20 minutes to get there, I make him jump off the scooter for the last bit along a main road. I'm really enjoying these walks. Because Mia is in the pushchair she is out of the way, and she's pretty happy to just sit there (unfortunately on the way home is a different story!). It means that I get a nice opportunity to have a bit of a chat with Harry without needing to entertain Mia at the same time.
He's sometimes a bit clingy when I drop him off at pre-school, so we talk about all the fun things that he's going to do that afternoon, and what his favourite activities are. Recently we've started playing a new game, which is based on the weather that day. If it's sunny then we pretend we're walking through the desert. We've not played that one much lately, instead we've been pretending to walk through Antartica and under the sea. We talk about the things that we can see, and when we approach a road, instead of saying "are there any cars coming?" I'll ask if there are any camels, or penguins, or sharks coming.
These last few months before he starts school are passing so quickly. I'm feeling a bit soppy this evening, and it made me think of this little video that I found once a couple of years ago. If you watch it, keep the tissues handy!
It's about a mile away, and every day since he started there we have walked in, or rather he goes on his scooter while I push Mia in the pushchair. Now that the clocks have changed, I've been trying to pick him up on foot as well. He's a rather reluctant walker, but when he does start school I'd like us to walk there and back, so I want to build up his stamina a bit before September.
It takes us about 20 minutes to get there, I make him jump off the scooter for the last bit along a main road. I'm really enjoying these walks. Because Mia is in the pushchair she is out of the way, and she's pretty happy to just sit there (unfortunately on the way home is a different story!). It means that I get a nice opportunity to have a bit of a chat with Harry without needing to entertain Mia at the same time.
He's sometimes a bit clingy when I drop him off at pre-school, so we talk about all the fun things that he's going to do that afternoon, and what his favourite activities are. Recently we've started playing a new game, which is based on the weather that day. If it's sunny then we pretend we're walking through the desert. We've not played that one much lately, instead we've been pretending to walk through Antartica and under the sea. We talk about the things that we can see, and when we approach a road, instead of saying "are there any cars coming?" I'll ask if there are any camels, or penguins, or sharks coming.
These last few months before he starts school are passing so quickly. I'm feeling a bit soppy this evening, and it made me think of this little video that I found once a couple of years ago. If you watch it, keep the tissues handy!
Monday, 25 March 2013
Crafting with the toddler that eats everything - a follow-up post
So the other day I posted about my crafting problems. I was having terrible trouble doing any of the crafty activities that we love with Mia, because she just kept eating everything that we were using. Thanks to the comments I was glad to see that I wasn't alone, and so I've come up with some alternatives that I've been trying out, to tide us over until she has learned that craft materials are not for eating!
Glue
Bek suggested that we could make our own glue from flour and water. I have fond memories of my parents making this for us, when we visited our Grandma who wasn't as well stocked with craft materials as we were at home. I looked about online and made up a recipe based on several different versions that I found.
I put two tablespoons of flour and one teaspoon of sugar into a saucepan, then added water gradually over a low heat, whisking continually. It thickened very quickly and became very lumpy, but by adding a bit more water I managed to make a paste. I gave it to the children with our usual glue spreaders, and to my surprise it worked really well. It stuck nicely, and would be particularly good for large scale gluing projects like papier mâché. It went lumpy as it cooled so you'd need to make it fresh each time, but it was definitely a success.
Yes, Mia did eat quite a bit of it, but I tried a little bit myself and it was actually quite tasty so I don't blame her!
Playdough
Bek also reminded me about homemade playdough. A little while back I found a great non-cook playdough recipe from The Imagination Tree for chocolate playdough, which was easy to make and very successful. It's still quite salty, so I wouldn't want Mia to eat lots of it, but it must be better for her than the commercial alternative. You can find everything you could possibly need to know about making homemade playdough here.
Paint and edible messy play
I found these sachets of custard powder and flavoured dessert mix in Asda, they were no more than 14p per sachet. Sainsbury's also do similar versions.
I made up the custard powder with hot water as per the instructions and the dessert mix with cold water (rather than the milk that you would use if you were actually going to eat it for dessert), and I put out a selection of different things to play with it.
Among other things we used bits and pieces from the toy kitchen, cars, ice cube trays and paintbrushes. It kept them both entertained for a very long time, and after that they both went straight into the bath, making this a fantastic activity which kept them happily occupied for an entire morning. It was a resounding success, and an activity that we have repeated several times over the last week!
So if you are experiencing the same problem that I am, I hope that you have found something here to inspire you while you wait for this phase to pass!
Glue
Bek suggested that we could make our own glue from flour and water. I have fond memories of my parents making this for us, when we visited our Grandma who wasn't as well stocked with craft materials as we were at home. I looked about online and made up a recipe based on several different versions that I found.
I put two tablespoons of flour and one teaspoon of sugar into a saucepan, then added water gradually over a low heat, whisking continually. It thickened very quickly and became very lumpy, but by adding a bit more water I managed to make a paste. I gave it to the children with our usual glue spreaders, and to my surprise it worked really well. It stuck nicely, and would be particularly good for large scale gluing projects like papier mâché. It went lumpy as it cooled so you'd need to make it fresh each time, but it was definitely a success.
Yes, Mia did eat quite a bit of it, but I tried a little bit myself and it was actually quite tasty so I don't blame her!
Playdough
Bek also reminded me about homemade playdough. A little while back I found a great non-cook playdough recipe from The Imagination Tree for chocolate playdough, which was easy to make and very successful. It's still quite salty, so I wouldn't want Mia to eat lots of it, but it must be better for her than the commercial alternative. You can find everything you could possibly need to know about making homemade playdough here.
Paint and edible messy play
I found these sachets of custard powder and flavoured dessert mix in Asda, they were no more than 14p per sachet. Sainsbury's also do similar versions.
I made up the custard powder with hot water as per the instructions and the dessert mix with cold water (rather than the milk that you would use if you were actually going to eat it for dessert), and I put out a selection of different things to play with it.
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| It didn't stay this tidy for long! |
Among other things we used bits and pieces from the toy kitchen, cars, ice cube trays and paintbrushes. It kept them both entertained for a very long time, and after that they both went straight into the bath, making this a fantastic activity which kept them happily occupied for an entire morning. It was a resounding success, and an activity that we have repeated several times over the last week!
So if you are experiencing the same problem that I am, I hope that you have found something here to inspire you while you wait for this phase to pass!
Wednesday, 20 March 2013
Crafting problems (and a cheeky request)
I'm starting to have a bit of an issue when I do crafts with the children. We often just do some simple things - we get out the glue and stick pictures onto coloured paper or we get out the paints and mix colours and paint toilet roll tubes and boxes. I also like getting out the play dough and the cutters.
The problem that I have is that Mia just tries to eat everything. If I give her a pot of glue and a glue spreader she will eat it as eagerly as if I've given her a bowl of ice cream and a spoon. If I give her a paintbrush she has it in her mouth within seconds. If I give her a lump of play dough she nibbles at it like biscuit dough.
I remember the first time I gave Harry all these things, they went in his mouth, I said "No, not in your mouth" and he never did it again. Mia has had all these things multiple times and it just keeps going in. I'm sure that it can't be doing her much good!
It's difficult because Harry can now occupy himself for a good amount of time, and I want to join in with him. But I have to remove Mia and put her down on the floor, where she whinges and tries to climb back up, meaning that our creative sessions keep having to be cut short. Now that she no longer naps I don't have any opportunities to do these things with Harry without her being around.
Any tips? Or do I just have to wait for her to grow out of it?
In other news, the BritMums BiB (Brilliance in Blogging) Awards are now open for nominations. If you are looking for blogs to nominate I would love for you to consider Jennifer's Little World, perhaps in the Crafts or Travel categories. Thank you so much! Find out more here.
The problem that I have is that Mia just tries to eat everything. If I give her a pot of glue and a glue spreader she will eat it as eagerly as if I've given her a bowl of ice cream and a spoon. If I give her a paintbrush she has it in her mouth within seconds. If I give her a lump of play dough she nibbles at it like biscuit dough.
I remember the first time I gave Harry all these things, they went in his mouth, I said "No, not in your mouth" and he never did it again. Mia has had all these things multiple times and it just keeps going in. I'm sure that it can't be doing her much good!
It's difficult because Harry can now occupy himself for a good amount of time, and I want to join in with him. But I have to remove Mia and put her down on the floor, where she whinges and tries to climb back up, meaning that our creative sessions keep having to be cut short. Now that she no longer naps I don't have any opportunities to do these things with Harry without her being around.
Any tips? Or do I just have to wait for her to grow out of it?
In other news, the BritMums BiB (Brilliance in Blogging) Awards are now open for nominations. If you are looking for blogs to nominate I would love for you to consider Jennifer's Little World, perhaps in the Crafts or Travel categories. Thank you so much! Find out more here.
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| That's not lipstick... |
Thursday, 21 February 2013
The end of the daytime nap
I am writing this post a lot earlier than I would like. Mia is 21 months old, and she has decided to drop her nap. She will now only sleep if pushed to sleep in her buggy or in the car. On Harry's pre-school days she may fall asleep in the pushchair on the way back and I can transfer her into bed. When Harry is around, there is no chance.
I feel somewhat cheated - Harry continued to nap for a good couple of hours until he was 2 1/2. He rather inconveniently dropped his nap around the time that Mia was born, but even then he was still tired in the afternoon. Him being that bit older, I could lie him down on the sofa in front of the television after lunch and he would often doze off, or at the very least lie there quietly. I suppose it's swings and roundabouts though, he started his day at 5am for a very long time indeed, whereas Mia generaly manages at least an hour longer than that.
With hindsight putting Mia into a big bed hasn't helped. Since being in a bed it had been a nightmare to get her to sleep at bedtime, she jumped up and ran out the door or just sat on the other side wailing. Nap time was even worse, it was taking up to an hour to get her down. Then she would sleep, and bedtime became even more difficult. Finally I decided that enough was enough and didn't even try for a nap. She was exhausted at bedtime, but she went straight to sleep, almost before I'd even left the room, and slept until a reasonable hour in the morning! (Still up throughout the night of course, but that goes without saying in our household).
So this seems to be it. My cunning plan of moving Harry into pre-school sessions in the afternoon so that I could enjoy a couple of hours childfree time has backfired. Mia doesn't even appear to miss the nap, it's only the last hour or so before bedtime that she appears tired. It's another milestone, and those long afternoons are becoming even longer!
I feel somewhat cheated - Harry continued to nap for a good couple of hours until he was 2 1/2. He rather inconveniently dropped his nap around the time that Mia was born, but even then he was still tired in the afternoon. Him being that bit older, I could lie him down on the sofa in front of the television after lunch and he would often doze off, or at the very least lie there quietly. I suppose it's swings and roundabouts though, he started his day at 5am for a very long time indeed, whereas Mia generaly manages at least an hour longer than that.
With hindsight putting Mia into a big bed hasn't helped. Since being in a bed it had been a nightmare to get her to sleep at bedtime, she jumped up and ran out the door or just sat on the other side wailing. Nap time was even worse, it was taking up to an hour to get her down. Then she would sleep, and bedtime became even more difficult. Finally I decided that enough was enough and didn't even try for a nap. She was exhausted at bedtime, but she went straight to sleep, almost before I'd even left the room, and slept until a reasonable hour in the morning! (Still up throughout the night of course, but that goes without saying in our household).
So this seems to be it. My cunning plan of moving Harry into pre-school sessions in the afternoon so that I could enjoy a couple of hours childfree time has backfired. Mia doesn't even appear to miss the nap, it's only the last hour or so before bedtime that she appears tired. It's another milestone, and those long afternoons are becoming even longer!
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| Not being used as much as I would like |
Monday, 18 February 2013
A Spring sensory tub
I woke up this morning to sunshine (actually that's not quite correct, I was woken by a wakeful toddler in darkness, but by the time I opened the curtains there was sunshine) and a slight warmth in the air. In the hope that Spring might finally be on the way, I put together this Spring sensory tub to keep the little ones occupied for a few minutes.
The base of the tub is dyed rice, left over from my previous beach sensory tub and my dyed rice rangoli. I added a few glass pebbles and some shredded green paper. Then I put in a couple of small flower pots and spoons, some baby animals from the farm set and some cut out flower shapes. I also added a few small pieces of green card and some flower foam stickers.
I have an old tablecloth that I keep for this sort of play, in the vain hope that it might not all end up on the carpet. Sensory tubs are good because they can both play with them together, as long as I make sure that I have two of everything. They hold Harry's attention for much longer.
Harry asked me what he was supposed to do with it, so I told him that it was up to him what he did. It was fascinating to see where he went with it. First he filled up one of the flower pots with rice, then he planted the 'seeds' (the glass pebbles) before sticking the card flowers in the top of the pot. Then he buried the flowers in the rice and talked about how it was Winter, then dug them up for the Spring.
His imagination then took a different turn as the flowers became dinosaur bones, and he dug them up, naming each dinosaur and type of bone as he did so (I see potential for another game here). Finally he sprinkled the rice through his fingers as rain and made a flood.
I always thought that sensory tubs were aimed at younger children, but having watched my two, Harry (4) played with this for a lot longer, and I could really see his imagination at work. I'll definitely be getting it out again over the next few weeks!
The base of the tub is dyed rice, left over from my previous beach sensory tub and my dyed rice rangoli. I added a few glass pebbles and some shredded green paper. Then I put in a couple of small flower pots and spoons, some baby animals from the farm set and some cut out flower shapes. I also added a few small pieces of green card and some flower foam stickers.
I have an old tablecloth that I keep for this sort of play, in the vain hope that it might not all end up on the carpet. Sensory tubs are good because they can both play with them together, as long as I make sure that I have two of everything. They hold Harry's attention for much longer.
Harry asked me what he was supposed to do with it, so I told him that it was up to him what he did. It was fascinating to see where he went with it. First he filled up one of the flower pots with rice, then he planted the 'seeds' (the glass pebbles) before sticking the card flowers in the top of the pot. Then he buried the flowers in the rice and talked about how it was Winter, then dug them up for the Spring.
His imagination then took a different turn as the flowers became dinosaur bones, and he dug them up, naming each dinosaur and type of bone as he did so (I see potential for another game here). Finally he sprinkled the rice through his fingers as rain and made a flood.
I always thought that sensory tubs were aimed at younger children, but having watched my two, Harry (4) played with this for a lot longer, and I could really see his imagination at work. I'll definitely be getting it out again over the next few weeks!
Monday, 11 February 2013
Book Review - Monkey Nut by Simon Rickerty
Monkey Nut is a story about sharing, something that we are talking about a lot in this family at the moment! When two little creatures find a monkey nut they both want it, that is until something larger comes along!
The story is mainly told through the illustrations, and there are very few words. This was brilliant for Harry (just 4). He can't read, and this was the first time that I have observed him sit down with a book and 'read' it to himself using the pictures, which was wonderful to watch. This book also appealed very much to Mia (20 months). She's never really been one for books, although I do try, and this was the first ever book that she brought over to me to read to her.
I have read it to one or the other over and over, and I'd really recommend it for both toddlers and pre-schoolers, I think that it appeals to young children of all ages.
I received the book to review, the link is affiliate.
The story is mainly told through the illustrations, and there are very few words. This was brilliant for Harry (just 4). He can't read, and this was the first time that I have observed him sit down with a book and 'read' it to himself using the pictures, which was wonderful to watch. This book also appealed very much to Mia (20 months). She's never really been one for books, although I do try, and this was the first ever book that she brought over to me to read to her.
I have read it to one or the other over and over, and I'd really recommend it for both toddlers and pre-schoolers, I think that it appeals to young children of all ages.
I received the book to review, the link is affiliate.
Wednesday, 6 February 2013
My day without technology
Joanne Mallon was challenged by her daughter to attempt a day without technology. I really enjoyed reading her daughter's blog post (which contains the rules for the challenge) and her own blog post about the day, and so I gladly accepted the challenge to have a go myself. I'm afraid that I didn't completely pass, but considering that for most of the day I was at home alone with two young children unable to help me I don't think that I did too badly! I needed to keep my phone on in case my husband or the pre-school needed to contact me. Here's how I got on:
7am - I normally reach straight for my phone, today I got straight up and went in the shower. Hubby left for the gym and work.
7.30am - No toast for breakfast today. The children watched Mickey Mouse while I ate. Normally I would sit at the PC, today I finished and got on with the washing up.
8.55am - Hubby rang to tell me how he got on at the gym.
9.30am - I checked my text messages as we had a playdate and I wanted to make sure that we were still on. No messages but I couldn't help noticing 5 e-mails sat there...
10am - At our playdate, much too busy running after children to miss the phone.
11.45am - Back home. Normally a quick chance to check Facebook, but got on with lunch instead.
12pm - Lunch. Again a PC opportunity but instead I ate in peace and quiet (well as much as possible with two little ones). Fortunately the cooker is allowed so I could eat soup.
1pm - Having dropped Harry off at pre-school I normally push Mia home as quickly as possible so that I can try and get her down for a nap and have some computer time. No point today so I got her out to walk for a bit and she surprised me by walking all the way home (about a mile).
1.35pm - Time to try for a nap. Normally I sit outside the door on my phone, returning Mia to bed every couple of minutes. Instead I tidied our bedroom and packed my gym bag for tomorrow.
1.50pm - Asleep! And much quicker than normal, must be the extra exercise. I treated myself to a slice of cake in front of my jigsaw. It is so quiet, really noticable that the PC is not switched on.
2.25pm - Time for a bit of cross stitch. So peaceful.
3.35pm - Mia woke up. We made flapjacks by hand. Mia ate raisins and played with the scales. Whoops, I've just realised that the scales are electric.
4pm - I needed to make pizza dough for dinner. I'm afraid I cheated and used the mixer, Mia didn't have the patience for me to do it by hand. I did toy briefly with the idea of asking her to turn it on for me though.
4.10pm - Phone made a noise I've not heard before so thought I'd better check it. Something to do with eBay that hubby has set up.
4.15pm - Hubby rings to say when he'll be home (late).
4.30pm - Mia was happily occupied with toys in Harry's room. Normally I would be using the phone, today I started to clean the bathroom and then we played ambulances.
5.15pm - Out to collect Harry. I had to use the car as it was dark.
5.50pm - Both children were sitting on the sofa with books and looking adorable. I ran to get my phone to take a picture, then remembered that I couldn't so watched and enjoyed the moment instead.
6pm - I popped CBeebies on for a bit so that I could get on with dinner.
6.20pm - Children eating again, no PC though instead I tidied up the toys.
7.10pm - Husband home. Tried to talk to him but he was busy sending text messages.
7.30pm - Children in bed, time for us to eat. We ate in silence as he was busy on his phone.
8.15pm - Hubby put the dishwasher on. Suggestion that he could also put some washing in or run the hoover round met with a withering look.
8.20pm - Spent the evening doing my jigsaw with no TV. I did have to look at the computer briefly to help compare broadband deals.
10.30pm - Bedtime with a real, paper book.
Things that I have learned
My phone stays close by me during the day mainly so that I can keep in touch with my husband. Once he was home for the evening I didn't miss it at all.
It's really annoying when other people are playing on their phones all the time and you aren't.
When I don't enter my daily calories into my phone I eat more.
I missed taking photographs to share with my husband or on Facebook.
It's much easier to get on with housework when you are not distracted by the phone.
I get irritable when I am halfway through reading something and get disturbed, if I don't start reading it in the first place then I can't be disturbed and therefore won't be irritable.
I didn't miss out on anything online.
I use my phone for much more than I realised - it's my shopping list, to do list, housework routine manager, calorie counter and weight tracker, recipe book (via Pinterest or e-mails), camera, clock and child entertainer.
Are you up for the challenge? How would you manage? If you'd like to give it a go, let me know how you get on!
7am - I normally reach straight for my phone, today I got straight up and went in the shower. Hubby left for the gym and work.
7.30am - No toast for breakfast today. The children watched Mickey Mouse while I ate. Normally I would sit at the PC, today I finished and got on with the washing up.
8.55am - Hubby rang to tell me how he got on at the gym.
9.30am - I checked my text messages as we had a playdate and I wanted to make sure that we were still on. No messages but I couldn't help noticing 5 e-mails sat there...
10am - At our playdate, much too busy running after children to miss the phone.
11.45am - Back home. Normally a quick chance to check Facebook, but got on with lunch instead.
12pm - Lunch. Again a PC opportunity but instead I ate in peace and quiet (well as much as possible with two little ones). Fortunately the cooker is allowed so I could eat soup.
1pm - Having dropped Harry off at pre-school I normally push Mia home as quickly as possible so that I can try and get her down for a nap and have some computer time. No point today so I got her out to walk for a bit and she surprised me by walking all the way home (about a mile).
1.35pm - Time to try for a nap. Normally I sit outside the door on my phone, returning Mia to bed every couple of minutes. Instead I tidied our bedroom and packed my gym bag for tomorrow.
1.50pm - Asleep! And much quicker than normal, must be the extra exercise. I treated myself to a slice of cake in front of my jigsaw. It is so quiet, really noticable that the PC is not switched on.
2.25pm - Time for a bit of cross stitch. So peaceful.
3.35pm - Mia woke up. We made flapjacks by hand. Mia ate raisins and played with the scales. Whoops, I've just realised that the scales are electric.
4pm - I needed to make pizza dough for dinner. I'm afraid I cheated and used the mixer, Mia didn't have the patience for me to do it by hand. I did toy briefly with the idea of asking her to turn it on for me though.
4.10pm - Phone made a noise I've not heard before so thought I'd better check it. Something to do with eBay that hubby has set up.
4.15pm - Hubby rings to say when he'll be home (late).
4.30pm - Mia was happily occupied with toys in Harry's room. Normally I would be using the phone, today I started to clean the bathroom and then we played ambulances.
5.15pm - Out to collect Harry. I had to use the car as it was dark.
5.50pm - Both children were sitting on the sofa with books and looking adorable. I ran to get my phone to take a picture, then remembered that I couldn't so watched and enjoyed the moment instead.
6pm - I popped CBeebies on for a bit so that I could get on with dinner.
6.20pm - Children eating again, no PC though instead I tidied up the toys.
7.10pm - Husband home. Tried to talk to him but he was busy sending text messages.
7.30pm - Children in bed, time for us to eat. We ate in silence as he was busy on his phone.
8.15pm - Hubby put the dishwasher on. Suggestion that he could also put some washing in or run the hoover round met with a withering look.
8.20pm - Spent the evening doing my jigsaw with no TV. I did have to look at the computer briefly to help compare broadband deals.
10.30pm - Bedtime with a real, paper book.
Things that I have learned
My phone stays close by me during the day mainly so that I can keep in touch with my husband. Once he was home for the evening I didn't miss it at all.
It's really annoying when other people are playing on their phones all the time and you aren't.
When I don't enter my daily calories into my phone I eat more.
I missed taking photographs to share with my husband or on Facebook.
It's much easier to get on with housework when you are not distracted by the phone.
I get irritable when I am halfway through reading something and get disturbed, if I don't start reading it in the first place then I can't be disturbed and therefore won't be irritable.
I didn't miss out on anything online.
I use my phone for much more than I realised - it's my shopping list, to do list, housework routine manager, calorie counter and weight tracker, recipe book (via Pinterest or e-mails), camera, clock and child entertainer.
Are you up for the challenge? How would you manage? If you'd like to give it a go, let me know how you get on!
Saturday, 2 February 2013
Center Parcs Longleat
We've had some fantastic holidays at Center Parcs since Harry was born. We find that it suits us really well, with nice accommodation and enough to keep us busy for a few days. We've always visited Elveden Forest before, which for some reason is always cheaper. However this time the price at Longleat was comparable, and as this is likely to be our last visit we decided it was time for a change. Why our last visit? Well, Harry starts school in September, and whilst a mid-week break in January doesn't break the bank for us, the amount that prices rise during the school holidays is truly shocking.
The biggest difference I noticed between Elveden and Longleat is that Elveden is completely flat whereas Longleat is very hilly. We also managed to end up in the only villa that I saw with steps down to the front door. I feel that I've had a good workout this week marching up and down a huge hill several times a day!
On this visit we also broke our rule of not paying for any activities (which are also shockingly priced). On the recommendation of a friend we did the Mini Bowling (half price before 10am) which Harry really enjoyed, and even Mia played along for a bit before wandering off.
For the first time we were able to visit the swimming pool (aka the Sub Tropical Swimming Paradise) without having to worry too much about timing it carefully between snacks, naps and attention spans. We visited every day and spent almost two hours there, with everyone having a great time. Despite never having had a swimming lesson, Harry is becoming really confident in the water and can paddle about easily with arm bands. Mia has hardly ever even been swimming, but she was happily going down the slides.
We did struggle slightly with bedtime. For the first time, Harry and Mia were sharing a room with twin beds. As I blogged recently, Mia has just gone into a proper bed, and so it's all still a bit of a novelty. The first hour after 'bedtime' every night was spent returning her to bed after she had climbed out to play with the Groclock, play with the baby monitor, tickle Harry, try to climb into bed with Harry, run and hide in the corner of the room or open the bedroom door and run out. Fortunately after the first night Harry was so exhausted from the swimming and scooter-ing up hills that he fell asleep almost immediately, despite the havoc that was being created around him.
We had a lovely break. It certainly felt a lot more relaxing than some holidays that we have been on with the little ones, and that is definitely down to the fact that it is becoming easier as the children get older. I even had several long stretches to sit down quietly and do a bit of my cross stitch!
I've written about Center Parcs a few times before - here you can find my review of a stay at Elveden and here are some things that you can do for free at Center Parcs Elveden Forest.
I would also love to hear any tips that you might have for holiday destinations that don't increase prices to stupid levels come school holiday time!
The biggest difference I noticed between Elveden and Longleat is that Elveden is completely flat whereas Longleat is very hilly. We also managed to end up in the only villa that I saw with steps down to the front door. I feel that I've had a good workout this week marching up and down a huge hill several times a day!
On this visit we also broke our rule of not paying for any activities (which are also shockingly priced). On the recommendation of a friend we did the Mini Bowling (half price before 10am) which Harry really enjoyed, and even Mia played along for a bit before wandering off.
For the first time we were able to visit the swimming pool (aka the Sub Tropical Swimming Paradise) without having to worry too much about timing it carefully between snacks, naps and attention spans. We visited every day and spent almost two hours there, with everyone having a great time. Despite never having had a swimming lesson, Harry is becoming really confident in the water and can paddle about easily with arm bands. Mia has hardly ever even been swimming, but she was happily going down the slides.
We did struggle slightly with bedtime. For the first time, Harry and Mia were sharing a room with twin beds. As I blogged recently, Mia has just gone into a proper bed, and so it's all still a bit of a novelty. The first hour after 'bedtime' every night was spent returning her to bed after she had climbed out to play with the Groclock, play with the baby monitor, tickle Harry, try to climb into bed with Harry, run and hide in the corner of the room or open the bedroom door and run out. Fortunately after the first night Harry was so exhausted from the swimming and scooter-ing up hills that he fell asleep almost immediately, despite the havoc that was being created around him.
We had a lovely break. It certainly felt a lot more relaxing than some holidays that we have been on with the little ones, and that is definitely down to the fact that it is becoming easier as the children get older. I even had several long stretches to sit down quietly and do a bit of my cross stitch!
I've written about Center Parcs a few times before - here you can find my review of a stay at Elveden and here are some things that you can do for free at Center Parcs Elveden Forest.
I would also love to hear any tips that you might have for holiday destinations that don't increase prices to stupid levels come school holiday time!
Saturday, 26 January 2013
Australia Day
Happy Australia Day! I love Australia. Australia has fascinated me since I studied it years ago at primary school, and a few years ago I was lucky enough to tour the country on a fabulous holiday. January 26th 2013 is Australia Day, and so I put together some activities for us to do to teach Harry a little bit about the country. As an introduction I sat him through our holiday photos. They showed him the huge variety in terrain and climate across the country which is part of its appeal to me. We also talked about how when it is winter here it is summer in Australia and vice versa.
Australia on the map
Australia is a really easy country to find on the map. Inspired by this Australian Cookie Map we made our own Australia shaped biscuit. I used my trusty shortbread recipe (175g plain flour, 50g sugar, 125g butter) because I know that it keeps its shape well when cooked. I printed out a good sized outline map and placed it under greaseproof paper. Then I rolled the dough out to cover the outline and cut around it with a sharp knife. When it was cooked we decorated with icing and sprinkes. I didn't bother too much about the details, but when Harry is a bit older and we do it again I'll try and encourage him to copy some of the natural features of the landscape using the decorations, following a map from the atlas like in the link above.
Aboriginal art
I remembered when we studied Australia at school that we painted a wall of the classroom using sticks as paintbrushes. I tried this with Harry but it was a bit too difficult for him, so instead we used cotton buds to make the dots that are a feature of Aborginal art. We looked at some pictures found using Google images, and then Harry chose his favourites as inspiration.
The Australian Flag
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| Image source FreeAussieStock.com |
When I'm looking for flags to print I always turn to the Activity Village Flag Printables. The Australian flag is an easy one to colour. The Union Flag in the top corner symbolises Australia's history as six British colonies, and historically a demonstration of loyalty to the British Empire. The largest star has seven points - a point for each of the six federating British Colonies (New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia) and one for the Territory of Papua and any future territories. The remaining five stars form the constellation the Southern Cross, one of the most distinctive constellations seen from the Southern Hemisphere.
Australian animals
We talked about all the different animals that you can see in Australia, some that he was familiar with (kangaroo, crocodile, snake, koala) and some not (echidna, goanna, platypus, cassowary). I found some Australian animal colouring pages to do, again on Activity Village.
Australian music
While we did the colouring we listened to some Australian songs - Kookaburra sits in the Old Gum Tree and Waltzing Matilda. I found a great recording of Waltzing Matilda by Rolf Harris (who else!) which is really good because he explains all the unfamiliar words and is accompanied by some named Australian animal images.
I really enjoyed doing these projects, and Harry learned a lot too. We'll definitely be doing more next year, and I'm going to start thinking about some ideas for other countries! I wrote a post here about teaching young children about geography which you might also enjoy.
Thursday, 24 January 2013
The big girl bed
We decorated Mia's bedroom over Christmas, and so it seemed natural to move her from her cot to a proper bed. We ordered the same one that we bought for Harry - a single bed which lifts up to provide storage underneath. It's a full size single but it's aimed at children so it's not too high. We also spent a fortune on bedding. I feel a bit bad because Harry has cheap Tesco sheets, but we have splashed out a bit more for Mia and gone mad on some gorgeous elephant bedding from John Lewis - even throwing in a matching cushion impulse buy which is very unlike us! Hopefully it will last her though - I know that I used my first child bedding right up until I left home!
We do have one problem though. We perhaps didn't realise at the time how easy Harry's transition to a bed was. Well, he wasn't a great sleeper anyway, and he certainly didn't sleep any worse in the bed. When he woke up he would just lie there screaming, and it took him months to get out of bed by himself. Mia worked it out immediately, and putting her in bed and closing the door is followed immediately by pattering footsteps across the room and whimpering at the door.
We haven't worked out a strategy yet. We are just going back in and returning her to bed and after a few tries she is staying there and going to sleep. I'm a bit worried as to where we are heading though - I have visions of evenings ahead where we spend the entire evening returning her to bed before collapsing exhausted into bed ourselves. Then even worse, repeating this throughout the night.
I'd love to hear any tips that you might have about persuading young toddlers to stay in bed once you put them there!
We do have one problem though. We perhaps didn't realise at the time how easy Harry's transition to a bed was. Well, he wasn't a great sleeper anyway, and he certainly didn't sleep any worse in the bed. When he woke up he would just lie there screaming, and it took him months to get out of bed by himself. Mia worked it out immediately, and putting her in bed and closing the door is followed immediately by pattering footsteps across the room and whimpering at the door.
We haven't worked out a strategy yet. We are just going back in and returning her to bed and after a few tries she is staying there and going to sleep. I'm a bit worried as to where we are heading though - I have visions of evenings ahead where we spend the entire evening returning her to bed before collapsing exhausted into bed ourselves. Then even worse, repeating this throughout the night.
I'd love to hear any tips that you might have about persuading young toddlers to stay in bed once you put them there!
Sunday, 20 January 2013
Harry's Birthday party and my rainbow cake
This weekend, my little boy turned four. Four! I can't believe it. The first couple of years went so sloooowly, and the next couple have gone so fast! I spent a long time preparing for Harry's family party. I decided that I really wanted to make a rainbow cake, and so I chose the theme of a rainbow party all based around this. I made a rainbow pinata, purchased rainbow paper tableware, organised a rainbow themed craft and stocked up on colourful party food and nibbles.
Then the snow came. As we had family that were planning on travelling some distance, unfortunately we had to make the decision to cancel the party rather than risk them driving in the snow and ice. I won't deny that I was disappointed of course, but fortunately Harry was excited enough about the snow that it was enough of a distraction. Luckily we still managed to get some of the family together to make it a party for him.
It certainly wasn't enough to stop me from making the centerpiece - my rainbow cake. I'd seen these on Pinterest, but most of the recipes were from the US and I wasn't sure that I was confident enough to adapt one. Then I discovered this fantastic UK rainbow cake recipe, and it worked brilliantly. It did take me an entire evening, and I was extremely grateful for my electric mixer, but I was delighted with the result, and everyone seemed impressed!
The pinata worked really well too, especially as Harry pulled the winning string! We also had lots of fun playing outside in the snow - we can always have a party but we can't guarantee him snow on his birthday again!
Then the snow came. As we had family that were planning on travelling some distance, unfortunately we had to make the decision to cancel the party rather than risk them driving in the snow and ice. I won't deny that I was disappointed of course, but fortunately Harry was excited enough about the snow that it was enough of a distraction. Luckily we still managed to get some of the family together to make it a party for him.
It certainly wasn't enough to stop me from making the centerpiece - my rainbow cake. I'd seen these on Pinterest, but most of the recipes were from the US and I wasn't sure that I was confident enough to adapt one. Then I discovered this fantastic UK rainbow cake recipe, and it worked brilliantly. It did take me an entire evening, and I was extremely grateful for my electric mixer, but I was delighted with the result, and everyone seemed impressed!
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| Obligatory rainbow cake batter photograph |
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| Nothing special on the outside... |
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| But amazing on the inside! |
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| Plenty of rainbow cake to go around! |
The pinata worked really well too, especially as Harry pulled the winning string! We also had lots of fun playing outside in the snow - we can always have a party but we can't guarantee him snow on his birthday again!
Tuesday, 15 January 2013
All I want for New Year is a good night's sleep
Today I have a guest post from my friend Cat over at Oh no! We've got to go through it. It is on a subject that is very close to my heart indeed!
It's halfway through January, and, if you're like 88% of the population, you've probably given up on your New Year's Resolutions already, if you made them in the first place.
I have made a few this year, mostly relating to work and hobbies. But in order to achieve any of those, I have to do something that has eluded me for the last four years. Get more sleep. I'd love to make this into a resolution, but I have come to realise that we can only resolve to do that which is in our control. Because when you have babies and children that don't sleep, they tend to set the agenda, whatever the books would have you believe.
There was a startling piece of non-news last year - that women who are sleep deprived are at greater risk of getting postnatal depression. Yup, the Pope is also Catholic and bears do...well, you get the drift. I would say that in both cases, sleep deprivation was a key factor in my PND. And was also what put me off getting help in the first place. Because all new mothers are sleep deprived. Unless you are in the tiny minority of parents whose new babies sleep through, the first weeks and months will pass by in a blur of night feeds and pacing the floor/driving them around the ring road/pushing them in a pram at 1am - whatever it takes to get them to sleep.
Sleep deprivation turns anyone insane - it's not used as a method of torture without solid evidence. But it was only when the sleep started getting marginally better that I realised that I was still feeling terrible - and sought help with my GP. My search for a solution to my PND, and the various things that I found really helped, can all be found in my book, The Postnatal Survival Guide. These included nutrition, exercise, mindfulness, comedy and work - amongst many other things.
These days I am very much better - and yet the sleep issue remains. I suspect most parents of young children would like more sleep, even if they do "sleep through the night". I know from experience that time works when nothing else does. And that once you're doing everything you feel comfortable with to help your child sleep, it's about making the most of the time you do have to rest, and using your energies wisely. But I still can't help wishing that one of my children would make "give my parents a decent night's sleep" one of their New Year's resolutions. I'll put it on my Christmas list now...
Cat Dean is the author of Fertile Thinking and The Postnatal Survival Guide (available to download on all e-readers). She can also be found blogging at www.postnatalsurvival.com
It's halfway through January, and, if you're like 88% of the population, you've probably given up on your New Year's Resolutions already, if you made them in the first place.
I have made a few this year, mostly relating to work and hobbies. But in order to achieve any of those, I have to do something that has eluded me for the last four years. Get more sleep. I'd love to make this into a resolution, but I have come to realise that we can only resolve to do that which is in our control. Because when you have babies and children that don't sleep, they tend to set the agenda, whatever the books would have you believe.
There was a startling piece of non-news last year - that women who are sleep deprived are at greater risk of getting postnatal depression. Yup, the Pope is also Catholic and bears do...well, you get the drift. I would say that in both cases, sleep deprivation was a key factor in my PND. And was also what put me off getting help in the first place. Because all new mothers are sleep deprived. Unless you are in the tiny minority of parents whose new babies sleep through, the first weeks and months will pass by in a blur of night feeds and pacing the floor/driving them around the ring road/pushing them in a pram at 1am - whatever it takes to get them to sleep.
Sleep deprivation turns anyone insane - it's not used as a method of torture without solid evidence. But it was only when the sleep started getting marginally better that I realised that I was still feeling terrible - and sought help with my GP. My search for a solution to my PND, and the various things that I found really helped, can all be found in my book, The Postnatal Survival Guide. These included nutrition, exercise, mindfulness, comedy and work - amongst many other things.
These days I am very much better - and yet the sleep issue remains. I suspect most parents of young children would like more sleep, even if they do "sleep through the night". I know from experience that time works when nothing else does. And that once you're doing everything you feel comfortable with to help your child sleep, it's about making the most of the time you do have to rest, and using your energies wisely. But I still can't help wishing that one of my children would make "give my parents a decent night's sleep" one of their New Year's resolutions. I'll put it on my Christmas list now...
Cat Dean is the author of Fertile Thinking and The Postnatal Survival Guide (available to download on all e-readers). She can also be found blogging at www.postnatalsurvival.com
Thursday, 10 January 2013
I love going to soft play!
That's right, in contrast to lots of parents, I love taking the children to soft play. This is why:
- The children love it.
- Because they love it, it can be used for bribery purposes ("Harry, if you stay in bed tomorrow until the sun comes up on your Groclock, then we will go to soft play").
- The children burn off so much energy that an afternoon nap for Mia is a given and there's a good chance that Harry will be happy to sit quietly on the sofa in front of the television for a bit too.
- It's indoors so not weather dependent.
- If you arrive as soon as it opens then you have a good hour and a half before it gets too busy, and that's usually plenty of time for us anyway.
- I can drive right up to it and park easily outside.
- At our local one, if you buy a monthly pass and use it then the cost isn't too bad.
- It's good exercise for the adults too (I actually quite enjoy climbing about myself!).
We go soon after breakfast and take snacks for the journey home, so we don't stay long enough to need any food (which admittedly doesn't look particularly appealing), and our local one always seems clean enough to me, perhaps because we tend to visit in the morning.
Do you like taking the children to soft play?
Tuesday, 1 January 2013
2013 - A shiny New Year
I'm always excited by a New Year. After the excess of Christmas, both in terms of food and new possessions, the New Year means a new diary, a blank page and a fresh start.
I'm in a very different place than I expected to be this time last year - a stay at home Mum. Although my redundancy took place a couple of months ago, the children stayed in part-time childcare until we went on holiday, and then with the holiday and Christmas it hasn't really had time to sink in. Harry starts at a new, local pre-school in January for three afternoons a week, then he will start school in September. We are keeping Mia out of childcare for the time being. She is on the waiting list to start at Harry's nursery when she is 2 in May but, assuming that I am not working, I will probably keep her at home with me for a little longer.
I am really looking forward to the opportunity to spend some extra time with Mia, especially now that she is past the baby stage. It will also be good for her to have me to herself for a bit, as I feel that she is often pushed aside by Harry's insistence to be heard, leading to her becoming stroppy and frustrated. I'm also determined to make the most of Harry's last few months before he starts school, it's a precious time which I don't want to waste.
We've been doing some decorating over the last few days, and emptying out rooms is always a good opportunity to take stock of your possessions. I'm pretty good about taking things off to the charity shop, but there is plenty in the house that doesn't need to be here and could benefit others. I also need to reorganise a bit and make sure that the children have the age appropriate toys in their rooms - there are lots of Harry's old toys that Mia would love to play with now but that have been buried amongst all the other things.
I'm also intending to concentrate on myself a bit over the next year. I started the Day Zero Project and I have a list of things that I want to do over the next couple of years. I've been making preparations - just before Christmas a new Hobbycraft opened literally around the corner, and armed with a 25% voucher I spent most of my Christmas money in advance on things that I needed. I've already completed 8% of the list, and it would be great if I could complete 50% by the end of the year.
I'd like to wish all my readers a Happy New Year, I appreciate each and every one of you and may 2013 be a fantastic year for you, full of everything that makes you happy.
I'm in a very different place than I expected to be this time last year - a stay at home Mum. Although my redundancy took place a couple of months ago, the children stayed in part-time childcare until we went on holiday, and then with the holiday and Christmas it hasn't really had time to sink in. Harry starts at a new, local pre-school in January for three afternoons a week, then he will start school in September. We are keeping Mia out of childcare for the time being. She is on the waiting list to start at Harry's nursery when she is 2 in May but, assuming that I am not working, I will probably keep her at home with me for a little longer.
I am really looking forward to the opportunity to spend some extra time with Mia, especially now that she is past the baby stage. It will also be good for her to have me to herself for a bit, as I feel that she is often pushed aside by Harry's insistence to be heard, leading to her becoming stroppy and frustrated. I'm also determined to make the most of Harry's last few months before he starts school, it's a precious time which I don't want to waste.
We've been doing some decorating over the last few days, and emptying out rooms is always a good opportunity to take stock of your possessions. I'm pretty good about taking things off to the charity shop, but there is plenty in the house that doesn't need to be here and could benefit others. I also need to reorganise a bit and make sure that the children have the age appropriate toys in their rooms - there are lots of Harry's old toys that Mia would love to play with now but that have been buried amongst all the other things.
I'm also intending to concentrate on myself a bit over the next year. I started the Day Zero Project and I have a list of things that I want to do over the next couple of years. I've been making preparations - just before Christmas a new Hobbycraft opened literally around the corner, and armed with a 25% voucher I spent most of my Christmas money in advance on things that I needed. I've already completed 8% of the list, and it would be great if I could complete 50% by the end of the year.
I'd like to wish all my readers a Happy New Year, I appreciate each and every one of you and may 2013 be a fantastic year for you, full of everything that makes you happy.
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