I've been following the story of GoldieBlox for a while. The toys for future innovators is the brain child of Debbie Sterling, who saw a need in the Pink Aisle of the toy store for an alternative, despite being told by leading toymakers that engineering toys for girls don't sell. As a parent of two girls I have been trying to find a balance between Barbie- and you should read Frog Mom's thoughts on the plastic phenomenon- and Meccano, which … [Read more...]
Kids Capture The Colour
I happened to be online when Mammasaurus' post about Travelsupermarket's Kids Capture the Colour competition went live and was delighted to be sent a free camera for LBG to take her very own pictures to enter in the competition. As a child of a blogger she is very used to not eating until I have instagrammed her food, or posing with a product for a review photograph, or just turning around to find her Mamma with a camera in her face, recording … [Read more...]
My Top Ten Potty Training Tips
It feels like a thousand years since my youngest was trained, but she's only just three. Which means that this time last year, I was 'in the zone'. She received pants as a birthday present from her Granny and that was it: she insisted she never wear nappies again. I have to say that part of the ease of it is her personality. Once she decided it was time, it was time. Which is my first tip: 1. Listen to your child. You know them … [Read more...]
How to play squares
I'm going to teach you how to play squares. It's a really simple game which takes no time at all to learn. It teaches simple tactics and turn taking to children, and is a great way of keeping them occupied in restaurants and doctor's surgeries. All you need is paper and pencil. If you have coloured pens, so much the better. First you need a grid of dots, evenly spaced. To while away the long double Chemistry lessons at school we used … [Read more...]
February Discovery Table: Hearts
So, February's Discovery table focuses on the big event this month: Valentine's Day. There are three red table-coverings of differing pattern and texture. We made cinnamon apple sauce hearts after seeing them on Lulastic's blog and have hung them with baker's twine on our twig tree. The Girls convinced me to buy various hanging birds in the post-Christmas decoration sale which now hang there too. When I made my heart mobile, I also made quick … [Read more...]
January Discovery table: snow
The Girls grew beyond sensory boxes some time over the summer.They still enjoy them but I don't have a regular one like I did when they were both at home for most of the week. With LBG at school full-time and Dimples three days, they get all that stuff at school. So a few months ago, I started using our hall table- which doubles as a toy storage unit, as an Interest or Discovery table. As events change in the calendar, I simply change the … [Read more...]
How to make printed Christmas cards from take-away boxes
When looking at schools for the Girls earlier in the year we came across a classroom of girls who were working on printing. They used styrofoam from take-out boxes to create the design. LBG and the Dimpled ONe really wanted to join in but I filed the idea away. When Moneysupermarket got in touch about their Christmas Card Competition, I dug the idea from the annals of my memory and got to work. First, I purchased two baked potatoes (the … [Read more...]
