summer reading

‘Shumba’s Big Adventure’ from Orion Books

Any regular readers might remember that I recently reviewed a couple of early reader books from Orion. These are for age 5+ and although they were more on the challenging side for Mr Z he did enjoy them and I am keen to have slightly trickier books available for him to help him to push […]

Categories

Make Your Own Make Believe: 17 DIY Dress Up Clothes for Imaginative Play

Jumping, climbing and running are all important ways for kids to engage in physical play, which is important for developing gross motors skills and promoting other developmental milestones. However, an equally important means for development is through imaginative play. Imaginative play is essential for children’s social, emotional and cognitive development. This type of play includes […]
Ways to Play with Wooden Railway

Wooden railway is an absolute classic toy – popular in most homes and nurseries. It was a huge hit with my boys particularly when they were younger, and now that N is moving out of the baby stage into the toddler years, we’ve started to reintroduce it again. Wooden railway is really open ended and […]
Great Outdoor Toys that Your Kids will Love

We all know that spending time outside is good for our children. So, many parents try to take their kids to the park or for a bike ride. The problem is there is not always enough time available to do this as much as you would like. So, you have to do what you can […]
How can you extend learning outdoors past the classroom?

When you think of a classroom, what springs to mind? Most likely it is a room, indoors, with desks and chairs facing a whiteboard on the wall. It’s important to remember, however, that this isn’t the only environment that a child can learn in and, as research has shown, it may not be the most […]
Top Tips for Outdoor Play, and the Best Outdoor Toys for Kids with Little Tikes Bring Back The Outdoors

This summer, Little Tikes are celebrating all of the parents and families who encourage kids to get outdoors into the garden or great outdoors, and in a time where indoor screen based activities can be very tempting, or safety concerns can keep kids inside, they’ve brought out some great new ranges to make outdoor play […]
Sensory Stone Play – Fun Activities for Kids

Sensory Stone play should be part of any child’s development, as it encourages new experiences involving the senses. Every stone play offers an opportunity for kids to better understand their shapes through play and mark making. This game enables children to experiment with shapes and patterns while also exploring how to match and find symmetries. […]
Why children need to get outdoors this spring

For the first time in what seems forever, UK residents are awakening to clear blue skies. The birds are singing once again and the first daffodils of the year are making a most welcomed appearance. With spring in the air, we can feel it calling us to get outside and enjoy the beauty of the […]