activities Archives

The Benefits Of Developing Your Child’s Skills From An Early Age

Posted on September 26, 2018June 4, 2020 by Emma Reed

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Every parent wants the absolute best for their child, but sometimes it’s hard to find the balance between looking after them and challenging them. Puzzles, projects and sport for kids can all go a long way in preparing them for the future, but how do you make sure you’re not pushing them too hard? To help you out with this little dilemma, here are some tips on why it might be worth developing your child’s skills through fun, stimulating activities, even from an early age.

Continue reading “The Benefits Of Developing Your Child’s Skills From An Early Age” →

6 Fun Weekend Activities Your Kids Will Love

Posted on April 10, 2018June 29, 2020 by Emma Reed

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Keeping the children entertained during the weekend can sometimes feel like a difficult challenge. If you have run out of ideas on how to keep them occupied, you have come to the perfect place. Check out the six fun weekend activities your kids will love. Continue reading “6 Fun Weekend Activities Your Kids Will Love” →

Nursing Box Ideas To Keep Your Toddler Entertained

Posted on December 16, 2017July 5, 2020 by Emma Reed

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Preparing to bring a new arrival home from hospital is an important task and one area I have been thinking about is something that will help to make Jake feel included and entertained whilst I am nursing his baby brother; a nursing box. This will be a special box that he can go to at any time for when he is feeling bored or possibly left out and will keep him happily occupied whilst I am otherwise engaged. I know he will have a good understanding at his age but it will all still be very strange and new to him and as he has been the only child for 4 years I want him to feel as though his needs are also being thought about.

So, I have had a little hunt around on the internet to find items that will suit his needs and these are what have grabbed my attention and are going on my wishlist. Continue reading “Nursing Box Ideas To Keep Your Toddler Entertained” →

Helping To Develop Your Child Through Sensory Play

Posted on October 12, 2017July 5, 2020 by Emma Reed

One of the best ways to encourage children to learn and develop is to make the experience fun, and enjoyable, which is why sensory play can play a crucial part in the development of your child. There is an excellent article online which explains the importance of this type of play and the benefits that it has for children, and may give you some ideas to ignite the imagination of your child.

Here is a summary of what sensory play is and how it is essential for your child to develop as they should. Continue reading “Helping To Develop Your Child Through Sensory Play” →

Mum lifting child up in the air by his arms and both smiling to show not to feel down as a stay at home Mum

17 Ways To Ensure You Don’t Feel Down as a Stay at Home Mum

Posted on September 24, 2017July 11, 2020 by Emma Reed

Leaving your 9-5 daily grind once you have children can seem like the dream choice. You’ve probably spent years wishing you didn’t have to commute to work, thinking how lovely it would be to get all those jobs done around the house, staying on top of the chores and spending coffee breaks in a cafe whilst chatting with friends. Oh, how the imagination can run away with you! In reality, you can actually feel quite down as a stay at home Mum. It can be very lonely, much harder work than any job you’ve ever had, some days you will completely feel as though you are living in Groundhog day and at times, it can leave you feeling isolated. Continue reading “17 Ways To Ensure You Don’t Feel Down as a Stay at Home Mum” →

blackboard with the words school's out... but is it too long?

Is It Time To Reduce The Summer Holidays?

Posted on September 6, 2017July 13, 2020 by Emma Reed

I don’t really remember how I felt as a child during the summer holidays. I know my Mum always tried to fit in fun activities to keep us entertained and we would have a holiday but as a young child, those memories of how I felt have all gone. So, as a first time Mum this is my first experience of having a child off school, well pre-school, for the holidays and the whole experience has made me question whether it is time to reduce the summer holidays?

Big Changes

I had visions of fun,days out, the beach and it being like when he was 1 and 2 when we spent all of our time together. What I didn’t bank on was how much he has changed. It’s funny how we don’t notice those changes quite so much as when they are babies but underneath they are constantly growing and developing and with the introduction of pre-school he has become a new little person.

Jake stood by a door with his backpack — Jake on his first day at pre-school September 2016

Realisation

So, it turns out that I can’t really provide for him the way I used to be able to. I can’t stimulate his mind the way the amazing staff do at pre-school, I can’t create educational activities and have them take over our day, I still have housework and errands to do plus I work from home. This little lad craved the stimulation he is used to having, he needed the socialisation from his peers and he just could not adjust to being at home with me 7 days a week with no set routine.

Ok, so now I am making myself sound awful… I promise we did do fun things but he still wanted or, in fact, needed more, so what I am trying to get across is that I can no longer give him the hours of mental stimulation that he needs. So, is it time to reduce the summer holidays? Maybe for some children, I am thinking yes.

The Problem?

I have seen countless Facebook statuses from other parents stating that their kids are bored, that the siblings are fighting, that said parents are losing the will and that the strain has been far too much. Was it always like this? Unfortunately, I haven’t got my Mum around to ask. OR are children just so much more intelligent today that it is now time for things to change?

We practically push them to excel from the day they are born. We sign up for baby classes, we teach them as we are advised and we begin to enrol them in swimming/gymnastics/dance lessons as soon as they are old enough. Those who begin nursery at a young age will also follow a curriculum and then pre-school even more so. My days of playschool (as it was known back then) involved just that… play! We would play games, paint, dress up and have milk at break time. I do not remember having a structure to the day or being ‘properly’ taught. It is obvious that in the er x amount of years that have passed the system has had to change which has led to 3 year-olds having set lessons in order for them to be prepared for school at 4/5. I have no issue with this. It is a well-known fact that with each generation comes more intelligence and we need education to progress as we do. BUT how have the school years not moved in line with this progress?

I have had 5 weeks of strops, moaning, complaining and Jake asking me whether he has pre-school that day. It has taken until this last week for him to finally settle into being at home and enjoying relaxing. It has not been the holidays I was expecting… more on that here!

The Frustrations

Watching my little guy become so frustrated with being at home has been heartbreaking. I have done as much as I possibly could with him including days out, swimming, soft play and arts and crafts but it is clear that he is now at the point in his life where he needs so much more. Each time I collect him from pre-school he is wiped. He is dirty, worn out, but smiling. They do a fantastic job and I can see how much he has bloomed since being there. It has almost been a shame that the holidays came. I knew 6 weeks would be too long for him because he found the Easter holidays a strain. Some children just need their routine, they like to know what they are doing each day and they love being with a big group of other children. So, with all of this in mind is it not time to reduce the 6 weeks to perhaps 4 weeks? Let them have that break and allow holidays but get them back to what they love and to the stimulation they need much sooner?

Jake went back today and the excitement was overwhelming for him. I am glad he loves his pre-school because it means that I made the right choice and I am glad he is now happy to be back but I wonder if each year he will be quite as frustrated as this summer?

What are your thoughts on this? How have your summer holidays been?

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The Summer Holidays: Expectations Vs Reality

Posted on August 23, 2017July 13, 2020 by Emma Reed

Ahhhh, the summer holidays, the time of year when you get to spend more time with your kids, where routines and school runs go out of the window, the time of year when you romanticise how special every moment is going to be… shame reality takes over, eh?! Continue reading “The Summer Holidays: Expectations Vs Reality” →

Tag: activities

The Benefits Of Developing Your Child’s Skills From An Early Age

*Collaborative Post

6 Fun Weekend Activities Your Kids Will Love

*Collaborative Post

Nursing Box Ideas To Keep Your Toddler Entertained

*Amazon Affiliate Links

Helping To Develop Your Child Through Sensory Play

17 Ways To Ensure You Don’t Feel Down as a Stay at Home Mum

Is It Time To Reduce The Summer Holidays?

Big Changes

Realisation

The Problem?

The Frustrations

The Summer Holidays: Expectations Vs Reality

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