Should I give in and try controlled crying?... I think I've found my answer...

This isn't the first time I have sat down and asked myself this question. Usually, after a particularly tiring night I might whisper the words in the back of mind - but then just as quickly I seem to push them away with even louder thoughts of "never, never, never..."

Mark making activity box for pre-writing and emergent writers

When we are thinking about how to help young children become successful writers, there are a number of steps, or pre-requisites,  which must come before the expectation of a good pencil grip and the ability to form letters. The ability to mark make starts with the physical development of the child - esssential elements include building on their gross motor skills first and foremost before moving onto fine motor control and eventually pencil grip. Building up the muscles in their chest, shoulders, arms and hands is a really important process that young children must have the opportunity to go through before being expected to sit and form letters or write sentences - and this starts right at the beginning, through the use of 'tummy time' with babies.
This blog post isn't going to focus on these larger movements, I'll save that for another post! This piece will hopefully give you some ideas of the kinds of resources and activities you can do with children who are ready to start exploring mark making, or who are also getting lots of gross motor development alongside their mark making opportunities. The key, as always, is to keep things fun and interesting!

The Importance of Learning Through Play Outside - Wigwams and WOW moments

One of the biggest mistakes we can make as educators and/or parents of young children is planning for and seeing the outdoors as something entirely separate to the indoor setting. In the Early Years, wherever possible the outdoor area should be an extension of the indoor classroom - not a carrot dangled on a stick in the form of 'playtime', used as a reward once the more 'important' work and activities have been completed inside. Often, when 'outdoor play' is confined to short bursts, we see a lot of 'low level' learning taking place and 'playing around' rather than quality play - simply because the children don't have the time to engage in all of those important processes that result in quality learning and interactions, deep level learning and sustained shared thinking...

XYZ Smart Collagen Luxe Cream Review and Giveaway

Just before Xmas I was sent some of the XYZ Smart Collagen Luxe Cream to try out. I had heard of this cream before in the past, but only in relation to the 'tattoo healing' cream it was originally developed to be used as. Having the grand total of zero tattoos myself, this sort of passed me by - but I can see how this would work. The cream is now being hailed as the next best thing for wtrinkles and anti-ageing - claiming to Increase your skin’s natural collagen production to lift, firm and smooth the skin and visibly reduce lines and wrinkles, making you look 7.5 years younger.....which at the age of 31 would give me the face of a 24 year old. Yes please! Having been endorsed by the likes of Vogue, Elle and Cosmopolitan and being 100% vegan, it certainly grabbed my attention. As with most skincare reviews, I like to give it a try over a number of weeks in order to see a true result. 

I haven't written in a while...here's why...

It's been a while since I've published a blog post...not since last year in fact, which makes it sound significantly longer!!

I'd already got used to cramming most of my blogging into the hour of 9-10pm once I'd 'finally' managed to get my toddler to sleep, but then on Christmas Eve it just hit me with full force: morning sickness...

Toddlebike2 review

I first heard about 'balance bikes' a few years ago whilst Teaching Reception year at school. Until then, I really hadn't seen the point in a bike without any pedals...surely it defeats the object?! However, after taking part in a training session with my class and seeing the massive impact that the balance bikes had and the obvious progression in skills I am now a total convert. We have one ready for Arthur when he is big enough which his Grandparents bought for him last Christmas, and I really have been itching for him to be able to use it! You see, Arthur is a very active little boy and he LOVES pretty much anything with wheels.

Imagine my delight then, when we were given the opportunity to review the Toddlebike2 - a 'pre-balance bike' for toddlers once they are confidently walking. I am actually amazed ( and a little ashamed) that I hadn't heard of this before...Arthur started walking at 10 months so we have had a long time of waiting for him to be big enough for his balance bike when we could have been using this Toddlebike2 instead...

Wise Words - a book of advice for kids - review

Last month we (Arthur!) told you all about the Book of Everyone which we sent to Arthur's Nanny for her birthday - it was a wonderful gift idea, and gratefully received (and there is still time to win your very own via our gift guide), so imagine our excitement when we heard all about a NEW book they now have available to personalise - the Wise Words book of advice for kids!

Crunchy Cocoa Chia Brownies - gluten, nut, dairy free

 After a couple of requests on a previous post about some Crunchy Cocoa Chia Brownies I made with Arthur and his friend, I have decided to do my first 'recipe' blog. No one is more surprised at this than me (well, maybe my husband). ..You are, after all, reading words written by the same girl who tried to cook her husband (then potential love interest) a frozen pizza in the microwave on the night they met.... things have improved since then, thankfully but I'm definitely no Delia, Mary, Ella or even a Gordon. You won't find Pinterest worthy shots in here - I do, after all, do my baking with toddlers, but they can't get enough of these - and we all know how fussy little eaters are don't we?? Best of all, these are all natural ingredients with no added refined sugar and they are gluten dairy and nut free (also possible with nuts).

Learning opportunities with Waff notebooks

This week we have had loads of fun playing with our new WAFF creative combo journal - a notebook with a soft and fun to touch silicone cover, making it extra good for sensory play! (For proof - Arthur licked this as soon as he got his hands on it!) the notebook can be customised with the Waff Cubes - a little bit like amazing, tactile, soft Lego that fits on top of your book - but much more 'pressable' ! Once in place they look like little buttons which are so satisfyingly squishable, I could literally waste hours doing just that!

Baie Botanique Rose Renew - skincare review

A few weeks ago I started trialling a new skincare range from Baie Botanique called Rose Renew - a powerful botanical skin care range loaded with pure and natural ingredients and a high organic content
If you have read any of my previous skin care reviews  then you will know that I prefer to use natural products wherever possible, and the staple ingredients of this range - the Rose Renew REGENERATE line are Rose and Rosehip. The company are cruelty free and the products are suitable for vegans, wich is a great big tick in my book and something I believe all beauty products should be aiming for, don't you? 

Here is how I got on...

Christmas Gift Ideas Guide - plus *win* The Book of Everyone

Ahhh, it's that time of year again folks! You know the one - where all of a sudden you find yourself in a supermarket looking for rolls of loo roll and end up being greeted by rolls of wrapping paper. Tin foil looks mysteriously like tinsel and and there are baubles as big as your backside swinging precariously from side to side (not unlike your backside)...

My top picks for protecting sensitive skin in babies and toddlers

Most babies and young children have very sensitive skin - although Arthur is particularly sensitive to a lot of products so we have always been extra careful. We always use non-bio washing powder, having learnt early on what can happen when we don't...before Arthur was born we washed everything ready for his return home, but the one thing we just didn't think about was a last minute purchase - a cotton cover for the changing mat - which went straight on without a thought given. Here was the result:

The Book of Everyone - a Present for the Nanny who has Everything?

Hello everybody! It's Arthur here, on a blog take over for the first time since my diary of a 9 month old escape artist...I can walk and everything now! 

So...I've been listening to mummy talking on the phone to Auntie Laura and it turns out that Nanny Lyn has a birthday coming up!! Nanny Lyn is actually my 'Grandma' or my 'Nanna' but she thinks she is too young for that name, so I call her Nanny Lyn! (Actually I call her Danny Lyn but that's another story!)

I've been wondering what I could give nanny Lyn for her birthday...

As you can see, she is actually a very young and glamorous looking Nanny, so she doesn't need lots of lotions and potions, nips and tucks...

Motherhood - the loneliest of times

Before I begin, I know there will be many of you out there who may read the title of this post, wishing that you just had the chance to be that lonely - possibly thinking how lucky I am to know what 'motherhood' is and silently screaming at me, "Just be with your baby - Be with your child. Play with them, enjoy them, have fun...Cherish those moments together. Stop being so ungrateful. Stop thinking about what you don't have".

I will be forever grateful for the child I have, for the time I get...and maybe the only person silently screaming those things at me is myself.... But I am certainly not alone in realising that motherhood (and often, fatherhood) although one of the best, most rewarding jobs in the world, can also be one of the loneliest.

They say that it takes a village to raise a child. I actually think it takes a village to raise a mother.

Halloween pumpkin decomposition activity - Understanding the world

With Halloween shortly upon us, I have already noticed the buzz growing steadily on Facebook and Pinterest around appropriate activities for parents/Teachers/childminders to plan in at school and at home. There are alot of 'make and do' activities which I see popping up year after year which are great for hitting particular learning goals within the EYFS, but still leave gaps within an area which can be tricky to plan for: "Understanding the World - The World".
So, I'm not going to write a blog about making halloween masks, cards, hats, candy apples, notepaper, design your own witch, trick or treat words etc - I'm going to ask you to think about planning an activity for when that's all over...

My charm story

A few weeks ago the lovely Donna from 'what the redhead said' tagged me in her charm bracelet story to write about my own charm bracelet, so here it is: My charm story...

Buying Toddler Toys: Age, Ability or Interest?

Choosing toys for your little one (or someone else's little one!) can be a bit of a minefield sometimes. As a parent, you usually have a pretty good idea of the kind of things your child is interested in, but it isn't always easy to find something that is also suitable for their age - especially with regards to younger children and babies. If you are also interested in child development (like me!) and can't help but plan for your child's 'next steps' in learning - it can get even trickier...especially if some areas and stages of development are hit earlier than average in terms of age, but all of the 'toys' and activities you think could help build on their skills are marketed at children much older - usually for health and safety reasons.

"Today I made a total mess" - Tommee Tippee® Mini Moments (giveaway)

There's a reason he's in the basket and the washing is not...

If you are a parent already, you will no doubt be familiar with the various 'milestone cards' used to chart your baby's achievements...usually via strategic placement of said 'card' next to baby ( or toddler), snapping away and then editing the hell out of your photo until baby looks perfect and your Instagram world looks nothing short of rosy, milk smelling, powdery puffs of perfection.

Vlog testimonial for Shaw Academy: Diploma in Blogging and Content Marketing

Are you thinking about taking an online course with Shaw Academy? Here is a quick vlog testimonial (my first ever - be nice!) on my experience. It's really quick (only 2.5mins long) so if you have any further questions, pop them in the comment box below and I will reply...

Oh and if any more experienced 'vloggers' can tell me how to choose the still image that displays on a YouTube video I'd be really grateful - don't especially like this shot of me with my eyes closed lol!!!...

Kidloland App review

Last month I was given a year's subscription to the Kidloland app for pre-schoolers to try out and review, plus five, 3 month subscriptions for my readers to win. We have spent a good amount of time trying out this app and I can honestly say it is fabulous! Here's why...