Interactive Play
Posted on: February 19, 2015
- In: Children | Outdoors | Parenting | Play eqipment | Playgrounds
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Interactive playgrounds aren’t something you see every where yet so when you do find one it can be quite a treat! The mix of traditional play and a new, exciting interactive element gets kids really eager to try it out. Interactive play is both challenging AND fun, and offers another encouraging way to get children fitter!
Another good aspect of it is that sometimes competitive sport can really only nurture the natural first team players and others can get left out or left behind. But equipment like this is much more inclusive and gets everybody involved in a more relaxed way. Physical exercise for children is obviously hugely important, especially with the current obesity rates. This is a great way to get kids moving without them even really realising they are exercising.
Hopefully they will make a welcome change to video games. It will be great when more of our playgrounds include some interactive equipment!
Junk Food Kids
Posted on: February 19, 2015
Last night I watched a pretty shocking and sad documentary on Channel 4. ‘Junk Food Kids: Who’s To Blame?’ . It would seem that now one third of British children are overweight or obese. Also, stemming from this, which you might not really think about is the number of kids who are having to undergo drastic dental treatment due to rotten teeth caused by their diet.
The show, unsurprisingly, sparked a lot of activity on social media. Twitter was filled with people angry that ‘Who’s to blame?’ was even a question that needed to be asked and I have to say I agree with them. Parents must take responsibility for their child’s health.
The basics of it are that junk food is cheap, quick and easy. Alongside that, for some people taking their kids outside and entertaining them rather than leaving them infront of the tv may seem like all too much hard work. Small amounts of exercise do wonders of good whether it’s running around the garden, a quick trip to the playground or something more structured like a sports club or class.
Did you see the documentary? Here’s a trailer if you missed it. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/video/news/video-1159782/Watch-trailer-Junk-Food-Kids-Whos-To-Blame.html
Over the weekend while my son had been evacuated to my parent’s house I undertook the challenge of putting my son’s new bed together. With my husband tactically unpractical it was left to me to digest the instructions figure out which bits go where and identify the correct screws and Allen keys. I choose this mid sleeper bed from Argos and it arrived in two boxes with plenty of plastic wrapping and an annoying block of polystyrene that decided to shed its ball everywhere.
The build was easy enough – I only really needed help when putting the safety bars across because I needed an extra pair of hands to support it. Basically the whole deal was to screw bits of metal to other bits of metal but not too tightly until it was complete, just in case you cocked it up.
I chose this particular bed because it gave floor space underneath it and the option for a tent. My son had said that it was a shame that there wasn’t a slide attached to the bed so he could slide out of it in the morning like a real climbing frame from Playdale. It sounded like a fantastic idea except that his bedroom just isn’t big enough to accommodate such a great construction. I think he would have liked a climbing frame like this in his bed room.
I excitedly set the tent up underneath the bed and added a wind up lantern so that my son could pretend that he was camping. I mistakenly told him that he could sleep in the tent during weekends and holidays so last night he slept in a sleeping bag on an old mattress underneath his brand new bed. I have yet to see him to find out whether he slept well in his new tent.
I just wish that I was small enough to enjoy sleeping in his tent – although I have plans to hide there when it all gets too much and hope that I am not found for a while.
The Art of Listening
Posted on: January 27, 2015
It wasn’t until I studied the development of reading in order to ensure that my son was ready to read that I realised how important the ability to listen was.
Silence. It is the other side of talk. It is the back board of listening. When we are silent it opens up our mind to what is going on around us. It allows us to listen and reflect on what others are saying. When we are silent we are able to tap into the art of listening.
When we open our workshop with talking the other side of this is teaching children to listen.The job of the listener is not only to be silent and take in the information from the talker, but to think and wonder, to see and feel what the storyteller is communicating. This art of listening is something students need to be taught. It is about setting the expectation and teaching children that they gain more from being silent when they truly sit back and take in the stories around them.
Whispering partners get kids listening…
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For many years I used to wear a bum bag with all of my essential items – even a urine sample from my cat to take to the vets but that is a different story. That was until I met my husband and he decided that I needed refining and bought me a number of handbags unleashing a temporary surge in receiving handbags as presents from relatives and buying handbags because they went with a certain jacket. This handbag epidemic has resulted in the drawer in my bed being stuffed full of bags that I no longer use and are starting to smell a little unloved.
I have practically rebelled against carrying any type of bag after I didn’t have to carry nappies, baby wipes and bottles around. For a short while I reverted back to a bum bag but now I am back in work I am quite tempted to buy a new bag. While searching for a perfect bag it has become apparent that we get emotionally attached to the bags we buy and if they are looked after well they will last a lifetime. When I think of long lasting bags I always consider leather to be the most obvious option simply because I really like the smell and the texture and a good quality leather bag always looks good even when it is battered and old.
I have an old very battered satchel that I bought in Sorrento over a decade ago and still use it to carry documents, however it is very rigid and not really made for the gadgets we carry these days. I am considering buying another leather satchel but this time it will be made of softer leather and be a little bigger. Whilst searching for bags online I came across the brand Rowallan of Scotland who have produced a variety of beautiful handbags made from high quality leather. I particularly like the satchels they have designed and the fact that they are made from soft leather. The best thing about the is that they are affordable and the prices don’t make me feel nauseous.
If I had loads of money to burn then I would probably look at buying a Cambridge Satchel partially because if the Google Plus advert is correct the company was started on a kitchen table and simply because they are undeniably gorgeous.
If you can’t afford the £200 + price tag then you could buy an Iphone 6s case instead.
Maybe I will just look at my bag drawer and dust them off and fall in love with them again saving myself loads of dosh!
- In: Children | Exercise | Health | Parenting
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The more active a parent, the more active the child.
Makes sense I suppose doesn’t it? Your child’s exercise levels are directly linked to your exercise levels.
I found this article about a yoga buff who does yoga poses with her little daughter. Now I’m not sure if this is a regular thing but those photos are adorable and it looks like they have a lot of fun. However, unfortunately, it may be the case that not all of us can a) get ourselves into those positions b) have a photographer on hand to capture the moments c) have time in the day to slow down and relax enough to do some yoga…and also d) a co-operative child!
Have a look at all the photos below…
http://www.boredpanda.com/mother-4-year-old-daughter-yoga-poses-laura-kasperzak/
But it’s definitely fair to say that a little bit of exercise can be slotted into a daily routine in some sort of format. Even if it is just a walk to the park, a session running around in the garden playing on the swing or the slide maybe, a quick trip out on the bikes or a dance session in the living room!
…I’m off to get a yoga mat I suppose…
Teaching your Children to Share
Posted on: January 22, 2015
- In: Children | Education | Parenting | Play
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When watching kids play on the playground equipment at school inevitably there will usually be disputes for one reason or another (between the kids that is not the parents!) Maybe over something small, maybe over something slightly bigger. Sometimes they sort themselves out and sometimes it’s time to run over and get mummy or daddy to sort it out. It just got me thinking about sharing and the process kids go through when learning to be generous to others.
I have read that you shouldn’t really expect a child to share before the age of six, because before then they are not really capable of true empathy towards others.Toddlers and preschoolers go through that ‘it’s mine stage’ as they become more independent.
I think the main things to remember when going through that stage are not to force sharing. If a child is very attached to something of theirs respect that whilst still encouraging and setting an example, making a point of sharing things with them. Playing sharing games can also be great practice!
On a little side note, while researching the topic of sharing I little came across this which i thought I should share with you guys just for fun – A playground for adults! What a great idea…why should kids have all the fun?!
