There's nothing my children love more than a game which allows them to eat sweets. We're playing the knife-and-fork game at their Gingerbread House Decorating Party (that expression is too long to say easily) which I loved as a child and is perfect for parties, but for smaller groups, this Christmas Stocking Game gets my vote. I originally found the idea last year on Activity Mum's blog but have altered the game slightly to suit my … [Read more...]
Roll a Reindeer
The Roll-a-Reindeer idea came off the back of my summer roll-a-sandcastle craft which was a big hit with my Girls. It's one of those incredibly versatile games that helps with numeracy and co-ordination, so it's the perfect thing for long winter nights. I simply cut the necessary shapes from felt, and used an A5 felt piece to stick the pieces onto: by using felt it made the game reusable, which is ideal for Dimples, who begged to play … [Read more...]
{kids in the kitchen} How to make a Brazilian flag sandwich.
Remember how we are on a journey Around the World in 12 Dishes? Well we are spending this month in Brazil (metaphorically- in actual fact we are in Bromley. But they both begin with a 'br' so there's that!) Because The Girls are advancing their independence in the kitchen, I took a different approach to this month's challenge. I gave them the tools and the project and helped when asked. And they learned how to make a Brazilian Open … [Read more...]
How my children see me
I've been tagged by Merry to show you pictures of me, as seen through the eyes of my two tormentors children. They spend so much time drawing but never really draw me very much, so were happy to take up the gauntlet thrown down to them. LBG is 4-and-a-half and an accomplished artist, so she has put a reasonable amount of detail into her depiction, though no colour. She had other things to draw apparently. You've got to … [Read more...]
Top tips for Potty training
I sit here, as the temperature plummets, with the fire on in the sitting room. The floor is littered with the toys that Dimples, naked from the waist down, has cast aside. So far today she has had two changes of clothes. But I'm fairly relaxed about it, and this has nothing to do with the fact that I have been through this once before, or that I am far more slovenly than I would have you believe. Neither is it anything to do with following a … [Read more...]
Printing snowmen and other things to do with bottle tops
The promised snow has yet to fall in our neck of the woods, though I have seen evidence on Notes From Lapland Lancashire that there is some further North (and West). But we did have some appalling rain and hail this morning which rather cramped our plans to get out on the beach for some fresh air. Before Christmas, as is our tradition, we sat down to make cards for family and God-parents. Because we have a local charity that collects plastic … [Read more...]
Lets go fishing: how to make pipe-cleaner fish.
I got a parcel this morning and couldn't wait to share it with the Girls. I bought a Magnifying Glass and Tweezer set for them. I also bought a second set of tweezers so there was no fighting. A couple of minutes later and they were sorting Halloween pompoms into muffin tins. Naturally, a few minutes after that they were fighting because using the tweezers was challenging, and they moved on to grabbing as many as they could with their … [Read more...]
