Blog Articles

Life can be frustrating for children. A child’s brain wants more than the body is capable of achieving, and that limitation is pretty annoying!  While seeing your child frustrated can be emotional, rest assured that frustration is a completely normal part of growing up – as well as an essential part of development. Toddlers learn through trying things out. Exactly the same as we still do as adults, if something doesn’t work, they need to feel that frustration in order to try something different and move on to the next step.  We’ve all been there when a toddler got so frustrated that it quickly devolved into the dreaded tantrum. Your toddler might get frustrated because she can’t communicate what she wants. Or because she can communicate what she wants but you’ve told...

Finding good quality childcare can be a difficult task for parents. Having worked in a variety of these settings, as well as using them as a parent, I have seen them from both sides.  But how do you decide where to go and which provision is best? The finances will almost certainly be a factor as will the times you need the children cared for. Early hours childcare is often required to enable us parents to work, and many settings don’t offer this. Types of provision Childminder:  An Ofsted registered professional, who look after children in their own homes. They offer a flexible service, caring for children aged from birth to sixteen years. They can have more children if they work in partnership with other childminders or assistants and would usually have their own children...

So BAM! is the latest craze at our house at the moment! We play this fun learning game at breakfast to get everyone’s brains going. I love that it is super simple to make and it helps drum home what they are learning at school without even realising it! You can make it about maths fact, single sounds, phonic blends, spelling words or CVC words…and I am sure there are many other possibilities too.   GAMES FOR KIDS: HOW TO PLAY BAM! A game for 2+ players You will need: •    Craft/lollypop sticks •    Marker pen •    Small plastic container or similar To play; o Use the marker to write a fact on one end of each craft stick. If you have children learning different facts, write one fact on each side of the stick. o Write BAM! on an additional 2-4 sticks. Place...

It’s a controversial topic yes, but there really is no right or wrong answer. There’s no doubt that children can be the most entertaining part of a wedding day, looking completely gorgeous in their little outfits, toddling up the isle feeling so special, and of course showing off all their best moves on the dance floor.   (photo credit Cloud 9 Wedding Photography) But, it can be a really long day for them where their routines go out of the window and lots of unfamiliar people are cooing over them.  Meal times aren’t where they should be and Mummy and Daddy really want to be socialising with all their friends not sat on the floor in their best clothes playing cars or reading Peppa Pig for the 40th time.  This is when things can take a turn for the worst and...