Car safety - our cargo is too precious to forget these important points!

Years ago I was involved in an accident. I wasn't driving a vehicle at the time. I was a pedestrian crossing a zebra crossing, along with a friend,and we both got hit. She stepped out first and I tried to grab her. I suffered from broken ribs, but she had much more serious physical injuries. Thankfully she recovered and is now married with a child, but the experience affected me more than I realised at the time and the effects have been long lasting. 

Visiting Ilkley Cinema - Europe's smallest Ultra 4k Cinema

This weekend we took a trip to Ilkley Cinema - a boutique cinema based in the building of a former nightclub, it is the smallest ultra 4k cinema in Europe!

This was also the first time we had left Arthur in the care of someone else during the day, so I guess you could call it our first 'date' post baby! We went to see the new Bond film at a 12.45pm showing - here is how we got on...

Danger - please share - choking hazard

Danger-please share:

(Originally posted on Facebook )

Please think about biting or cutting raisins in half as well as grapes before giving to your baby...

In the small hours of this morning Arthur started gasping for breath and choking in his sleep. After getting him upright and trying to help him breathe he vomited up the blockage - 5 raisins which had rehydrated and swelled up with water, increasing to their previous size of a (slightly squashy) grape. He had eaten them 12 hours previously after his tea.

I know we all think about choking hazards when giving our baby food to eat, and I'm sure most of us know the dangers of giving whole grapes to babies and small children - it had never crossed my mind that I would have to consider the choking hazard of food such as this if it comes back up in the other direction!

Our visit to Jackrabbits Pottery - Nadiya GBBO

Photo courtesy of Jackrabbits

A few weeks ago I was invited along to the Jack Rabbits Pottery studio in Roundhay, Leeds, along with some of my other Mummy friends and their little ones! I'd not been before, but a few from my NCT group had visited previously to make some gifts for Father's Day  and absolutely loved the results!...

Quote: Today's thought - smile and the world will smile with you

Baby challenge baskets

This is a really simple but effective activity which will offer an element of challenge to babies and young children, enabling them to work on their 'characteristics of effective learning' as part of the Early Years Foundation Stage: 

For all the Mummies going back to work - End of maternity leave poem

A poem for all of the mummies returning to work at the end of maternity leave. Includes an option to buy this poem as a printed card.

I have a lovely friend who is about to start work again after maternity leave and her child has recently started nursery. She has been feeling a bit sad about the whole thing, and so, although this post is for every single Mummy out there in this position - she is the one who I thought about whilst writing this maternity leave poem....

Outcast on our train journey - mums and babies - is this fair?

I don't normally like to write about negative experiences on this blog but I feel this one needs to be aired...

Today I decided to take Arthur on a train journey into Leeds to meet a friend. Although he is 9 months old, this is only the third time I have actually done this, mainly because my last experience left me in a situation where I had to leave Arthur on the platform and board the train to ask for some help from a fellow passenger ( a school boy!) in getting the pushchair onto the train. We almost didn't make it as the conductor started to shut the doors. The station where I board the train has not only a HUGE gap between the train and the platform, but also a noticeable height difference making it impossible for some to walk onto the train, let alone board the train with a buggy/pushchair without help. 

Truthfully, it surprises me that there is no help offered automatically from staff on the train to mothers with babies/toddlers, which brings me to my experience today...

The diary of a 9 month old escape artist

My name is Arthur, I am 9 months old and I LOVE to break free! My Mummy thought it was great at first, she used to clap and tell me how clever I was...

Today things have taken a drastic turn! I managed to tip my baby bouncer over whilst Mummy was on the toilet and I crawled out of the room with it strapped to my back!! 

(That'll teach her - sitting down to do a wee - why does she think nappies were even invented??! ...You just carry on making my lunch Mamma, whilst simultaneously singing me a song so that I am fully entertained and then just do your wee then!)

Honestly, grown ups!

Having a baby...the things they never told me about pregnancy, labour and motherhood

I almost didn't publish this post - not because of all the new and soon to be mums out there reading this who don't know me, more the fact that the people who do know me will definitely read this and then KNOW...

DIY sensory pouches TUTORIAL

We have probably all seen various sensory pouches available for babies and young children - they are a great way to let your little ones explore different textures and materials safely and without any mess. I have made these in the past using ziplock bags, but it can be hard to stop them leaking. This version uses laminating sheets and you don't need a laminator to make them!

DIY glitter sensory bottles

If you read my previous post all about sensory play for babies and toddlers, you may be wondering how I made the glitter sensory bottles, so here is a quick how to guide so that you can make your own....

Today's thought...Mondays...

Developing Speech and Language in the Early Years - helping babies and children to communicate

This blog post focuses on appropriate communications and interactions with young children,  explaining how to aid and develop language by use of questions, when not to question, how to 'give language' to babies and toddlers and when to seek further help.

Arthur doing the actions for 'incy wincy spider'

How many times have you looked at a baby and thought " I wish I knew what they were thinking?!"

Online games for children

Children love technology. Give them a game to play online and they generally have more fun just because they feel like they are 'playing'. Here is a list of some educational games for your child to try at home which I have used successfully in an Early Years classroom:

Do you have any great games you have tried which I should add to my list? Comment below.

Today's thought - learn through play not through demand

Today's thought - real life experiences

 

10 fat sausages number activity

I have had a couple of people message and ask me about the sausages in the photo on my last blog post about Maths (click here), so I thought i would do a quick post to explain the activity so that you can use it at home or in your own setting:

(Sorry about the photo quality - it is the only one I can find at the moment! I definitely have a better one somewhere! i'll keep looking)

Maths for boys (and girls!)

Boys. And weapons. Particularly guns. Hmmm...

What really happens when you tell a group of boys "no guns allowed" ?

Writing for a purpose...accident reporting station

If you've ever spent time with children, then you will know just how often they manage to 'hurt' themselves! 

I'm not talking about actual, serious injuries, but those minor little accidents that need your full attention RIGHT NOW! For example (I few I've come across):