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Having a nightmare can be a surefire indicator that your child is worried about something; they may be anxious or stressed, or maybe reacting to a sense of trauma that’s come about after an event. And knowing this can make a nighttime disturbance very worrying on your part. After all, nightmares can ruin a child’s entire nighttime routine for that night and the day afterwards. It can prevent them from getting back to sleep, it can cause your own sleep cycle to be disrupted, and then you’ll both feel like total zombies in the morning after! Breakfast will go slowly, and it’ll be hard to get your child off to preschool - they might even fall asleep whilst they’re there, and the thought of this can be another big worry on your mind. But what should you do when your child has a nightmare? There’s a lot of things you can do to help your child feel better after a nightmare. Every child tends to react differently to a bad dream, but you can regularly expect tears, being scared of something hiding in their room, and worries about going back to sleep. Combating these reactions is key to helping your child feel safe in their bed again, and allowing them to come up with their own ways to cope with any bad dreams they experience. What to do if you suspect chronic nightmares: If you have real concerns over the cause of your child’s nightmares, it’s important to note down your child’s nighttime habits to see how often they experience bad dreams. If they’re frequently waking up because of something they’ve dreamt about, more than 2 or 3 times a week, you may want to talk to a doctor about their experience. However, sometimes a child can have a nightmare simply because they’ve read a scary book, or seen parts of a scary movie, and they just need a little reminder that none of what they’ve seen is real, nor can it hurt them. Sometimes it’s because they’re really tired, or they’re struggling to sleep due to being overtired, and their subconscious is simply reacting accordingly! So, try to always take into account what your child has done during the day, and then use methods like these to help your child calm down and get back to sleep. Talk about the nightmare Talking is a good way to get out all of your child’s worries; even in the middle of the night, if they can take just 5 minutes to get their feelings out, they’ll feel a lot better. Let your child lead without interjecting too often. After all, it’s important to keep this kind of talk to only 5 minutes because of how late it can be, but you can always continue talking about it in the morning when daylight makes nightmare monsters seem much less scary! A talk like this simply gets the ball rolling, and helps to remind your child you’re here for them. Talk about a good dream they can have Once your child’s told you all about the nightmare they’ve had, counteract it with a good dream they can have. Delve into your own imagination a little, and give them a dream scenario they can drift off back to sleep thinking about. For example, if they love cats, talk to them about having a dream where they look after cute little kittens and describe the colour and fluffiness of each one to help your child really get into it. Make sure their bedtime routine is calming One of the best ways to help your child drift off to sleep without trouble in the world is all to do with their nighttime routine. Before you put them to bed, allowing them to have a little snack to settle their stomach, as well as reading them a fun and happy story, and even just having a 5-minute cuddle to help them relax are all great elements to include in their bedtime routine. Have a practical way to combat the nightmare Kids have very vivid imaginations, and that’s why they tend to have nightmares in the first place! But this also works in your favour - having a strong and rich imagination means a little bit of creativity on your part goes a long way. So get a normal spray bottle and fill it with normal tap water, and then tell your child it’s a monster repellent, and spray it around their room to keep anything nasty out. You could also tell them that one of their teddies is a secret guardian that keeps them safe, or even that you’ve got a magic blanket you can cover them up with to keep all the monsters away! Trouble sleeping is something children tend to grow out of. And nightmares can be a big reason for that, but there can also be many other reasons behind why your child has trouble sleeping at night. If you’re worried about your child’s nighttime habits, be sure to check out our other article, to learn about the potential reasons and what to do about them.

Within the EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage) there is an area of learning and development known as ‘Mathematics: Shape, space and measure’ and 'Expressive Arts and Design: Exploring and using media and materials' that every child should learn. Download our free worksheets which will help support this learning while at home - Autumn edition. Click here to download our Autumn Worksheets below; Ducklings also provides a ton of free resources and activities to try at home, which can be found here: https://www.ducklingspreschool.co.uk/activities - feel free to carry out our learning activities at home with your children to further develop their learning, while having fun at the same time!

Even though they always say that they’re not tired, kids need a lot of sleep! Most of all, they need it to help them grow - growth hormone that’s released when sleeping can help a child grow big and strong, as well as repair their muscles and make any cuts and bruises heal a lot quicker. And let’s face it, even though you love spending time with your child during the day, it’s really nice to have some time alone when they’ve gone off to bed! But sometimes getting a child to sleep, as well as sleep straight through the night, can be the hardest thing in the world. Your child might hate bedtimes, and cry and stamp their feet when they have to go to bed. They might also repeatedly get out of bed, and you can catch them playing with their toys, or maybe they simply come along to spend more time with you. And whilst this is a nice thing, in theory, it’s simply not good for their health. What causes a lack of sleep? If your son or daughter has been acting differently lately, it could be a sign they’re not getting enough sleep - but why? You’ve noticed sudden mood swings, as well as poor concentration, and they’ve also been falling asleep at preschool or in the car or indeed, anywhere that isn’t their own bed. Maybe they can no longer jump out of bed in the morning the way they used to? Maybe they’re falling asleep long before their actual bedtime comes? And because you’ve noticed all of these signs, you’re now worried that they’re losing energy or might have something else going on in their life that you’re not aware of. Could they be worried about something? Could they even have a sleep disorder of some kind? But before you get into a bit of a panic, the first thing to do is check on how well they’re sleeping. It’s important to remember that kids can have trouble sleeping when they’re young, so there may not even be a background issue at all. Similarly, a doctor will always ask about their sleep disturbance symptoms, so if you can, check on your child periodically throughout the night, and see what’s going on. For example, snoring can be an indicator that your child’s sleep quality isn’t up to scratch. But seeing as snoring is relatively normal for a lot of people, keep an eye on the nights when they snore, and if they have any troubles during the day afterwards. They could also be wetting the bed more often than they should be, or maybe sleep problems stem from an eating issue they’re currently going through. We all know kids are fussy! But could it be Insomnia? Insomnia can happen at any stage in life, and it can cause a lot of problems for adults, teens, and children alike. However, when you’ve got a young child on your hands who needs all the sleep they can get, insomnia can be extremely troubling! If your child has had regular sleep disturbances, and multiple nights a week they’re either not getting to sleep or seem to be waking up a lot, it could be a sign that your child has a long-term difficulty like this. But insomnia doesn’t have to be the end of a normal sleep cycle! Helping your child to settle down at night So, once you know there’s a bedtime issue, what can you do to help your child settle down at night? Well, there isn’t really a one size fits all answer here. You just have to watch out for a few things in your child’s day to day routine that could be interrupting their nighttime routine. And always talk to a doctor first about your concerns! But in the meantime, there are a few ideas you could put to good use here: Bed is for bedtime only: If your child likes to play or read in bed, try to divert them to using a chair or a sofa instead. Otherwise, they’ll start thinking of their bed as a free for all area, rather than just for resting, which can make it hard to get to sleep in it! Keep bedtime the same: Of course, it’s nice to let your child stay up a little later on weekends, but if they’re having trouble sleeping, try to keep this time the same for the foreseeable future. Getting into a routine is the best way to help your child settle down. Vary nap cycles: Kids need to have an afternoon nap when they’re under the age of 5, and most kids will continue to settle down for an afternoon siesta until they’re 7 or 8. However, watch when your child is taking a nap, and how long for - either one of these factors could be putting them off bedtime! Just waste a bit more energy!: Kids love getting to run around and play games, so why not push this to the max? Really wear your child out before bedtime, but make sure you leave a gap of at least 2 hours between exercise and getting ready for bed. You don’t want to wind them up further! Children can have trouble getting to sleep for a lot of reasons. But most of the time, you’ve got nothing to worry about - children have a lot of natural energy, and that can make them loathe having to hit the hay every night! Simply keep an eye on their bedtime behaviours, and if you notice any long-term disturbances, ask a doctor for their advice on the situation.

It’s difficult to address your own health needs when you’re a parent. All of your attention is on your child and making sure they’re healthy and happy at all times. And as long as they’re OK, you’re OK! However, whilst you may be physically just fine, parenting without ever taking time for yourself can cause a problem for your mental health. You can feel tired and irritable, and it can feel like you’re thinking in a cloud of fog. And these symptoms tend to get worse the longer you go on without tackling them. And in ignoring your own mental health needs, you’re doing yourself a disservice. You deserve to have a break every now and then, to shake off some stress and take some much needed time for self-care activities! But it can be hard to arrange time like that when you’re a full-time parent; where can you go, what you can do, who’s going to look after the kids, etc., are all questions that can flood your mind at the prospect. ( Photo Credit: Today's Parents ) Mental Health and Parenting Guilt can quite often stop us from doing what we really need to do. We feel bad about making certain decisions, so we put them off and try to ignore them. And as a parent who needs to take a little break for their mental health, you can end up feeling like the worst person in the world. After all, you might ask yourself some uncomfortable questions, such as, ‘Why do I need this break?’ and ‘Do I really need to take a break from my child?’ In doing so, you can convince yourself that you don’t need some time at all, and you can feel similarly bad about that decision too. You really can’t win! And if you’re a parent with a diagnosed mental health issue, you know just how hard it can be to want to do the best for your child, but feeling like you’re unable to due to your own thoughts and feelings. You know it can be difficult to cope when juggling caring for your child whilst also ensuring you’re feeling well in yourself. You know best of all how hard it can be to balance everything you need to take care of. But taking a break for your own sake doesn’t make you a bad person. It makes you a responsible person who has just proven they know best! So, when approaching the idea of a mental health break, there are quite a few things you can do to make it part of your normal routine. Talk To Your Child About Your Needs It’s important to always talk to your child when you’re planning to take a mental health break. They need to know that you’re still there for them and that you still love them, but you need to have a few hours to yourself. And this can be a hard concept for young children to understand, but it’s an important one to explain. It’ll ensure that any chats around mental health in the future can be approached in an understanding, ‘grown up’ way. But how do you start this conversation? By relating your mental health to their physical health. For example, scary thoughts can make your heartbeat fast, just like a game in the garden does. Similarly, remind them of how tired they can feel at the end of the day, and tell them that that’s how you feel all the time. Let them know that nothing is their fault, as kids can often wonder if something they’ve done is the cause of a ‘problem’, as they see it. Instead, tell them that looking after mental health is a big part of life and that thoughts and feelings need taking care of just like a cut or a bruise does. ( Photo Credit : Queensland Health ) Know The Support Available To You There’s a lot of support for parents out there these days. If you think you’re alone in taking on the world, it’s important for us to tell you right now that you’re not! You have people who want to help! Talk to your friends and family first; they know you, and they’ll have seen the way you’ve had troubles in recent months. They’ll be able to sympathise better than anyone else, and they can say and/or do a lot to help you focus on your mental health. Even if they just come around for half an hour in the evening to cook dinner, so that you can fit a small nap in, they’ll be able to help in very practical ways. You have the opportunity to talk to a counsellor about your needs as well. A trained professional who specialises in helping parents with their mental health will know everything you need to do to set up a mental health break. They’ll be able to tell you the steps to go through, and who to talk to, as well as ensure you get what you need out of such a break. The Potential Challenge in Arranging Childcare Of course, this can be the trickiest part of all. If you’re taking a day away, and you’ll be on your own with no kids around, who’s going to stay at home to look after them? If you’ve got Grandparents who don’t mind babysitting or a friend who can do a couple of hours after work, it can be quite simple to arrange a time for yourself. But if you don’t have these options available, what can you do? Money is always a big worry when you have no access to free childcare. If you have no family support, or your friends are unavailable, it can become impossible to do something without your children. Thankfully, you still have a few options to look into: Checking your child into a preschool can be a great way to both enrich their life and ensure you have plenty of time to go about your own. Every preschool in the UK allows parents to check their children in for 15 hours of free childcare per week, depending on the age of their child. For more information about this, you can read our guide to funding in early years right here. You can also use the official government website to help find an accredited childminder, as well as get advice on applying for financial support to pay for them. In the same mind, you can also turn to charity aid for both advice and support, with many online mental health charities offering chat lines to talk about your needs. Be sure to thoroughly check out these links if you’re in a tight spot with your budget, as they’ll make the pressure in finding any future childcare a lot easier on your bank account. Go on and take your mental health break! You’re perfectly allowed to, and it’ll be a great way to stop mental health pressures from piling up in the future as well. Remember: addressing your own needs is a big part of being the parent you want to be.

(Photo credit: Day Out With The Kids ) This kind of activity is something you can do throughout every season. Perhaps, in the snow and ice, might be less advisable though! In the Spring, you can watch the flowers and trees begin to pick up as the weather turns. Insects find their feet, ready for the Summer. Colourful fields and walkways are often brimmed with flowers and trees whilst the birds begin to sing their cheerful choruses. Nature provides so much energy for us, especially due to the oxygen the trees provide. Fresh air is always considered healthy, and our beings are born to be surrounded by abundant nature. When Autumn arises, like now, the leaves are changing colours, providing deep browns and auburn tones. It's truly beautiful, so why not throw on an extra jumper and embark into the damp woodlands and take in the natural beauty around us. Although the bees and wasps will be busy finding their hibernation for the winter, we can still find a few animals that bask in the cold temperatures, including squirrels and the infamous Robin with its distinctive red chest. Personally, I love a walk in the Countryside, the aspect of untouched scenery, peace and tranquillity is blissful. In this particular article, I will discuss the ways in which you can introduce children to the wonders of nature as well as some fun activities you can conduct to help them fully feel the benefits and enjoy the outdoors, gaining their well-needed fresh air. • Scavenger Hunt Some children love to carry a pencil and paper around on their walk, ticking off items they see whilst others prefer to be spontaneous, like asking the following question for example, ‘how many different types of flowers are there?’ There are a number of variations of the activity on Google and some are designed for specifics, such as flowers, trees and animals. It would be a great start to perhaps print off a few and let them choose which one they want to do, if not all! This will allow them to feel a part of something and provide that excitement factor into exercise as well. When their adrenaline takes hold and their mind begins to process the game, locating the whereabouts of the items on the list, they may even run to find them. The game allows room for exploration and social engagement, especially in head-to-head challenges. Why not, join in and conduct competitive pursuits, such as: ‘The first one to find a squirrel, gets a bar of chocolate.’ The idea of a prize at the end, (whatever it is they love), provides them with determination to be the first. Though, if they sadly lose, it gives them the purpose of trying again until they succeed. This life skill is something the child will need to understand throughout their lifetime and so, what better way than to learn young? PINTEREST PRINTABLE: *Pinterest is free to join. Outdoor Scavenger Hunt: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/380483868527023786/ Nature Scavenger Hunt: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/15551561204404989/ Sensory Scavenger Hunt: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/9922061668070793/ • Hide and Seek This game is often categorised as a favourite with children. It was definitely one I loved, for sure. In the woodland, it is even better because there are so many open spaces and plenty of trees to hide behind in the process. This game allows them to engage in exercise and enjoy the ambience nature provides. • Picture Perfect If your child loves capturing memories or being a little creative, why not purchase a disposable camera to capture their walk? There are some cameras which are definitely child friendly, to avoid any mishaps when they drop the camera for instance. Once you are home, you can go print out the images and look back on the fun outing. Children love to see what they have produced, and this might inspire them to take more walks, in different places just to capture those specific moments. For the ones that harbour their inner craft skills, why not cut the images up and create a unique storyboard of the walk. This is a great activity and a good excuse to use scissors and glue, with adult supervision of course. Kids love being messy! A montage display of their walks is also a great idea to do, alongside a scrapbook; a collaboration of all the places they’ve embarked on throughout the year. It’s definitely something they can look back on and it may even inspire them to be a little more creative. Who knows, maybe they will want to go back during a different season to take comparison images to see how the woodland has changed? • Splash in Puddles Children love to create a mess and there’s no better way to do it than them jumping in a muddy puddle. They are purely driven by the need for exploration and inquisitiveness. It allows their senses and motor skills to be incorporated too and this is beneficial in terms of child development. Their physical skills are heightened due to the slippery conditions, and this means the child must remain on their feet to avoid becoming completely sodden. Balance and gross motor skills are the main benefits when they partake in activities in rainfall or even just puddles post weather front. Though, of course, being out in the rain too long does mean they may catch a cold from wet attire, so it’s best to make the activity short-lived. Why not join in and see who can create the biggest splash? • Nature Sensory Bin This activity is perfect for those with Autism too as they love engaging in activities that help their sensory stimulus. It also allows you to learn what your child likes and dislikes in terms of appearance, smell and touch. It also gives the child the opportunity to learn about the aspect of forestry, especially in terms of animals, their life cycles and the difference in plants, especially throughout different seasons too. For example, the leaves on the trees in the Summer are green and often feel quite delicate to touch, but as the weather changes and it gets less warm, the leaves become autumnal shades and often feel crispy to touch. Sometimes, after rainfall, they can have that distinctive smell too and this can be picked up in the sensory box, especially if there is debris amongst the other items. It is something that can be done in all weathers or seasons and in order to receive the best results it is best to do so. In summer you can pick up loose petals and grass cuttings which can harbour different smells compared to the other seasons for example. In winter, why not pick up an acorn or two and indulge in their smell and prickly exterior? • From myself, and Ducklings, we wish you a Happy Forestry!

Autumn is just around the corner. Already we can see the first signs of autumn like leaves fall from trees, which will gradually cover the earth in gold, yellow and orange and the fresh, crisp, earthy air that adds the fragrance of homeliness that I love. On the flip side, the weather becoming colder, and wetter can dampen our spirits, making us miss the warmth and excitement that the summer brought. Sometimes we can forget that autumn is just as great as summer is in its unique way, and it also accompanies plenty of fun, messy and creative activities for your kids to enjoy. Here are 8 exciting art and crafts activities to remind your child why autumn is awesome! 1. Pumpkin scented play-dough Here’s an idea. You can make a lightly sweet, scented pumpkin play dough with your kids with love! While playing with playdough children can develop small muscles in their fingers and hands to improve their motor skills. To find the original recipe, source of the photo, and a ton of other wonderful crafts ideas please check out; https://www.happinessishomemade.net/easy-fall-kids-crafts-anyone-can-make/ What you’ll need: 1 cup flour 1/2 cup salt 1 cup water 2 tbsp. oil 2 tbsp. cream of tartar 2 tbsp. pumpkin pie spice 1 tsp. vanilla extract Red and yellow food colouring Here’s the recipe: 1. Mix the flour, salt and cream of tartar and pumpkin spice in a medium-sized saucepan. 2. Gently stir in the oil, water, and vanilla extract 3. Add few drops of food colouring to turn your dough mixture orange 4. Heat the mixture in the oven over medium heat while stirring until the dough turns a stiff playdough consistency. 5. Remember, allow 15 minutes for the play dough to cool before playing as it is very hot! Finally, roll up your sleeves and get stuck in with the pumpkin playdough, (just remember not to eat it). 2. Craft an autumn tree out of tissue paper This artsy activity will involve lots of fun things children like to do, such as cutting, glueing, and scrunching! It can be hard to keep kids engaged for longer than 5 minutes, but this activity involves your child concentrating on each step of their creative process. Allowing kids to practice being independent and resilient is critical for their cognitive development, and this activity gives them the chance to practice both things. To Find the original recipe, and source of the photo used please click here; https://iheartcraftythings.com/tissue-paper-fall-tree-craft.html What you’ll need? • Red, yellow, and orange and brown tissue paper • Paper plate • Carboard • Glue stick • school glue • Child Scissors • Gold paint or yellow acrylic paint How to make it? 1. Cut a medium-sized circle shape from carboard for the main part of your tree and cut a long rectangle shape for the tree trunk 2. Stick the circle shape on top of the rectangle shape, making sure that most of the rectangle is visible to form the shape of your tree. 3. Cut small square shapes out of orange, yellow, brown, and red tissue paper, scrunch them and then glue them all over the circle for their leaves. 4. Paint your paper plate gold or yellow with acrylic paint 5. Display your vibrant craft by sticking it onto your small paper plate. 3. Make a Hedgehog out of natural resources like clay or pinecones During autumn, you can spot hedgehogs working hard to collect lots of food and resources for the upcoming winter months, so that’s why it’s easier to spot them now. Their cone-shaped faces, short legs and porcupine-like spikes make them simply adorable. You can make collect little sticks in the park and then make your y own little hedgehog following these steps, which also help toddlers practice their developing motor skills. To find this original recipe, and source of photo please check out; https://www.happinessishomemade.net/easy-fall-kids-crafts-anyone-can-make/ What you’ll need: Child scissors Clay tools 1 packet of air-drying clay Small Sticks or toothpicks with sharp edges cut) How to make it? 1. Take a ball of the air-drying clay. 2. Knead until it is easy to form. 3. Shape into an oval. 4. Point the nose of the clay hedgehog. 5. Using the end of a clay tool, poke in the eyes and draw a mouth. 6. Poke the little sticks around the body. 4. Make an Autumn Leaf Suncatcher Why not celebrate the wonder of leaves changing colour by making a suncatcher and decorating your home windows with them! To read the original recipe, get a free template download, and find the source of the photo used please check out; https://www.thebestideasforkids.com/leaf-suncatcher/ All you'll need for this craft project is - Multi-Coloured Tissue Paper (Ideally yellow, orange, red, and green) - Scissors - Clear Contact Paper - Glue Sticks - Black Construction Paper 5. Make a scarecrow puppet out of a paper plate, yarn, and buttons Scarecrows are an interesting and cool symbol of fall. They protect ripening crops from birds, so these man-made creations ensure we have a great autumn harvest. They are also fun to recreate with toddlers and pre-schoolers. To find the original recipe, and source of the photo, please check out; https://www.findingzest.com/scarecrow-paper-plate-craft-for-thanksgiving/ Additionally, if you'd like a recipe on how to convert a toilet paper roll into a scarecrow please check out this article; https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.redtedart.com%2Ftoilet-paper-roll-scarecrow%2F&psig=AOvVaw3RalXYGHiFNEmZ0DsIdhSi&ust=1632760662159000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=2ahUKEwjioLjLiZ3zAhURwIUKHbmfBeUQr4kDegQIARBR What you’ll need: One Ice-cream stick for the body Paper plate for the face Yellow yarn for the hair Wiggly eyes Cardboard hat cut-out 2 Buttons for the eyes One Black felt-tip pen Crayons How to make it? 1. Cut a simple hat shape from cardboard. 2. Cut as much yellow yarn and stick it around the top of the paper plate to make the hair, and then stick buttons for the eyes. 3. Draw the mouth of the puppet with a black felt-tip. 4. Attach the ice cream cone to the back of your paper plate. You can also colour the cheeks with pink crayons and the nose with orange crayons. 6. Make an owl out of a pinecone, acorn caps and maple tree seeds Did you know owls hoot loudest in autumn? That’s right. Tawny owls, which live in Britain, make more noise during October and November as the young birds reach maturity and look for new homes, which lead to many territorial fights. This amazing craft decoration can also be kept out into Christmas - simply add a little hat and scarf! To find the source of the photo used, and the original recipe please click here; https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.easypeasyandfun.com%2Fpinecone-winter-owls-craft%2F&psig=AOvVaw2mgqJ61_pPBP5BKphc4sUR&ust=1632760885561000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAwQjhxqFwoTCJjBiNSKnfMCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAJ Anyhow, following these simple steps to can your very own owls out of pinecones. What you’ll need: Pinecones Acorn Caps Maple tree seeds Bark Craft glue Acrylic paint Craft items - feathers, googly eyes, permanent markers, tissue paper etc. How to make it? 1. After gathering supplies on a relaxing nature walk, glue the acorn caps to the front of the pinecone. 2. Glue a piece of bark to each side of the pinecone to create wings for your owl. Use a pumpkin seed or a tiny pinecone for the owl’s beak. 4. Glue maple tree seeds above each of the owl’s eyes to make your owl look like the Great Horned Owl. 7. Design and make a custom Watercolour Autumn Leaf Wreath This amazing craft idea is a perfect Autumn Craft to do which will help brighten and decorate your home! To read the original recipe, and find the source of the photo used, please check out; https://www.happinessishomemade.net/kids-craft-watercolor-fall-leaf-wreath/ All you need - Poster Board (To make the Wreath shape) or a paper plate - Watercolour paper - Watercolour paints in autumn colours - Glue That's it! Happy Crafting 8. Go On A Nature Walk And our final Autumn Celebration activity would be.... to go view and appreciate Autumn outside on a lovely nature walk! If you're passionate about the outdoors and love the beauty of Autumn, why not take your children on an exploration nature walk! If you're worried that your children will also get bored halfway through, then feel free to give our guide on Nature Walks with children a read! Our guide is written with your child's interests in mind, providing a list of fun activities and games to do which also promote healthy learning, exploring, and discovery. To read more about this, please click the button below;

Anxiety is quite common in young children - after all, they’ve got a lot to learn, and a big world to grow up in! And when they’re faced with a new thing, such as attending preschool or moving into a new home, it’s only natural for them to be a bit worried. ( Photo Credit: News Medical ) They might get upset, they might never want to leave your side, and they might be more grumpy than usual. Yet, these behaviours are usually only a blip, and as your child gets used to change, they’ll disappear as soon as they appeared! However, when these worries start interfering with their normal routine, it could be a sign that your child is living with anxiety. We all know just how disruptive anxiety can be to an adult’s life, so it’s something no parent would ever wish their baby to go through. But identifying anxiety can be tricky. Kids can be good at hiding how they feel, and getting them to open up can feel like drawing blood from a stone! But there are still signs you can pick up on when thinking about how they’ve been acting lately. And some of these important signs can look like this: Has their appetite changed? Maybe your child eats less than they did, or maybe they eat a lot more - either one can be a sign that they’re dealing with stress. Both can be a coping mechanism for children who don’t quite know how to talk about their feelings yet. Food is a big part of their life, after all, as they have a lot of growing to do, but it’s a good idea to keep an eye on the way their appetite evolves. ( Photo Credit: Peaceful Parenting Institute ) They’ve often got stomach pains Does your child often complain that their tummy hurts? Maybe they’re actually being sick more often? Obviously, this is a very worrying sign and could require medical attention, but it’s also another big sign that your child is feeling overwhelmingly scared on a daily basis. This is especially true if these stomach pains come on suddenly, such as when you’re about to leave the house to take your child out to preschool or school. Attendance Matters Magazine has also written a wonderful piece on preschool and school attendance, its importance, and how anxiety can negatively impact that. To read more about this, click here. ( Photo Credit : FamilyAPP ) They’ve developed a nervous habit Maybe they bite their nails or fiddle with their hair a lot? Maybe they’ve developed a ‘twitch’ in their face or their hands that they can’t seem to stop doing? Nervous habits are a huge sign that your child is worried, and they’re performing some kind of self-soothing motion to help calm down. Nervous habits range in presentation; Thumb sucking, rocking, making sounds etc. ( Photo Credit: Child Behaviour Clinic ) Maybe they can’t sleep or concentrate Not being able to sleep during the night, or not wanting to go for a nap, can be very worrying to you as a parent. If your child doesn’t get enough sleep, they can be sluggish and moody during the day and may fall asleep at other times, such as a preschool or school itself. And a lack of sleep can lead to low concentration - they could make mistakes when asked to do tasks, or even be unable to listen in the first place. Indeed, you could even notice a ‘spaced out’ look on their face from time to time. (Photo Credit: Be Strong ) Other adults or teachers are noticing the signs too Has someone at preschool come to you mentioning some of the symptoms above? Maybe a babysitter has expressed concern in the past couple of weeks? Maybe even your own parents have noticed that their grandchild isn’t quite their usual self? These are all signs that your child’s anxious behaviours are becoming more frequent. In times like these, it’s best to tackle the problem head-on. (Photo Credit: Parenting From The Heart ) What to do next When you notice one or more of the symptoms above, talk to your little one about how they’re feeling. Make sure they feel safe to talk to you, and know that they can always come to you. Anxiety can make us feel like the world is against us, and as we mentioned above, that’s a very big world when you’re only 4 or 5 years old! ( Photo Credit: SEN Magazine ) Of course, if you’re really worried about the way your child is feeling, be sure to talk to a doctor about the symptoms you notice. It’s good to eliminate any potential physical cause before tackling an anxiety problem, and it’ll also give you more peace of mind over your child’s health. If an anxiety disorder is found to be the cause, therapy is often prescribed. Forms of therapy such as CBT are good for treating your child’s anxiety issue, by allowing them to discuss it safely, and also be taught ways to deal with it when they feel the fear come on. This is a proactive approach for teaching your child that they’re safe and sound, and it can help them to grow up without anxiety issues holding them back. The NHS also provides a detailed description of Anxiety in Children, which can be found by clicking here. This article is a fantastic free resource that will help you learn a bit more about Anxiety as a whole.

We all know how messy kids can be. Just one child can tear a house apart in a matter of hours, but if a brother or sister is involved as well, you can lose all sight of the floor in a few simple minutes! Building blocks will be strewn everywhere, and crayons will be spilt all over the table, and maybe you’ll even find paint flicked all over the walls as well… All in all, it’s a real mess once the kids have had time to play after preschool or before dinner, and you’re starting to run out of energy picking things up after them. So maybe it’s time to start showing the little ones how to tidy up their own messes? It can be done! As long as you make it an accessible and friendly activity, even the most grumpy 5-year-olds can be encouraged to put their own toys away. Here are a few tips to get started: Set some simple rules Kids can find it hard to understand rules that have more than 2 or 3 steps. So if your usual cleaning schedule means you use the yellow gloves in the kitchen and the blue gloves in the bathroom, and one duster for the living room and another for the bedrooms, there’s a good chance the kids won’t even begin to follow! Making it simple will help them to get into the groove by tidying up. (Image Source: Allrecipies) Ask: Does rubbish go in the bin? Check! Toys go in the toy box, and only one is allowed out at a time? Check! Do crayons have to stay in the packet if you’re not using them? Check! These rules are easy to set, easy to enforce, and kids are much more likely to commit to them thanks to just how easy they are to follow. Little brains often need help, so this is one of the best ways to structure a child-friendly cleaning routine. Make it fun! Kids love having fun, and as long as they know an activity is going to make them laugh or smile (or even just let them spend some time with you!), it’s going to be one they’ll undertake with no problem. And even as adults, we put on music or a podcast to pass the time as we clean up, so apply the same principle when trying to encourage the kids to join in as well. (Image Source: Oasis Natural Cleaning) Putting music on is the easiest way to make tidying up more fun, and you can all have a sing-song as you head around the house with a bin bag and spray bottle. Let your child dance as they help you make the bed or wash the kitchen floor, and be sure to join in to let your little one know that this kind of fun is normal during chores. You can also turn cleaning into a game, by handing out tools and setting a timer to see who wins the ‘race’, or by handing out little treats once your child has finished their task, or if they’re young enough, buy them toy versions of vacuums and sweeping brushes and let them follow along behind you. It’ll help them to get used to the sounds and actions, and encourage them to take on the challenge as they get bigger! Try not to give your child a reason to hate cleaning In order to help your child enjoy tidying up, and even take part in it without being asked, you have to understand why they would otherwise hate having to clean. What makes them think of it as a ‘chore’, even if that’s what you plan to turn it into? (Image Credit: Children's Health) The answer is that cleaning tasks are often handed out as part of a punishment. If a bit of elbow grease is involved, then kids are more likely to learn their lesson after misbehaving. However, when using cleaning tasks to set your little one straight, you can accidentally teach them to loathe cleaning and anything that’s involved with it. After all, this is a punishment. It’s not meant to be enjoyed, and it’s supposed to give your child time to think about their behaviour. They’re only allowed to finish and walk away when you tell them to, and they’re probably pouting or frowning as they wash a dish or wipe down a surface. Suddenly, cleaning isn’t fun anymore, and it’s certainly not something they’ll want to do off of their own backs. So they simply won’t, because it’s boring and takes a long time, and they don’t want to have to tidy up any more than they’re told to. This is why it’s important to avoid this as much as possible, and instead, make cleaning the fun and easy game it should be at their age! Tidying up doesn't have to be a big, nasty monster in your home! Let your kids have the right expectations about tidying up after themselves; it’s a life skill we all need to learn at some point! Sure, even as an adult you can hate having to tidy up, but when you’re trying to encourage your child to take part, it’s best to show them that cleaning can be fun and that you can have a laugh during it. You might even find it much more enjoyable yourself this way! Thanks for reading! Feel free to let us know in the comments below what tips and tricks you have to help promote cleaning at home with your little ones.

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It’s happened. It’s finally happened. Your child has reached an age where they no longer need you to hold their hand for everything, and they’re able to stand on their own two feet and get on with things. And whilst this can be an awkward realisation - you can feel like your child no longer ‘needs’ you so much in their life - it can also be a cause for celebration! After all, your little one doesn’t need you to manage all the little tasks for them anymore, which leaves a bit more time for you and your other responsibilities. This will definitely come in handy when you’re rushing to get them along to preschool and also be on time for work afterwards! However, even when your child reaches an age where independence comes along quite naturally, they can still rely on and look to you to do everything for them. And sometimes, that can hold them back, or make you feel like your son or daughter is a milestone behind their peers. And in situations like these, it’s a good idea to encourage them to find their independence, which you can do with the help of the ideas below. Have the ‘responsibility talk’ Children love knowing that their parents trust them, and they relish the feeling of being ‘grown up’, even if they’re only 4 or 5 and have a lot more growing to do! And because of this, it’s a good idea to have a talk about responsibility with them. This can be done by asking them what they feel like they’re capable of doing. Let them walk you through how they can pick their own clothes in the morning, and see how much they’ve learned about food from helping you out in the kitchen. Encourage them to talk about the things they like doing for themselves, to ensure that responsibility never becomes a boring chore in their mind. Be sure to put a talk like this in terms that they understand; responsibility can be a hard concept to grasp for both teens and young adults, so make sure to be gentle with your little one! Delegate simple tasks to them Of course, we all know that a 4 or 5-year-old cannot look after themselves completely, but they can manage little things, such as putting their own shoes on, or brushing their own hair. As long as the task is simple, and doesn’t take longer than 5 minutes to do, you can entrust the management to your little one. When they come downstairs and show you how they’ve done, you can congratulate them on just how clever and capable they are, even if their hair is a bit of a mess! It helps them to get used to this new routine and helps them to feel like they’re doing a good job with this small bit of control they have over their life. However, if you don’t feel like letting your child take a bit of charge over their entire morning routine, you don’t have to! But try to give them one thing to do. For example, one of the most simple tasks you can put your child in charge of is brushing their own teeth. Kids have to brush their teeth twice a day anyway, so why not start trusting them with managing this small task on their own? In fact, we have a guide on helping kids to manage teeth brushing and encouraging them to keep their gnashers clean right here on the Ducklings blog! Tell them how well they’re doing! Encouragement can come in many forms, but the simplest, most effective way to let your child know they’re doing well, and that you’re proud of them, is to simply tell them so. Be specific about what you liked about what they did, so your child can easily understand this kind of praise. As we touched on above, letting your 4-year old know they’ve done something really incredible by strapping the velcro on their shoes or putting a hairband on their head can help them to take on more independence. And independence can absolutely be encouraged, and it’s actually the best way to learn it! For example, many children love having the freedom to decide their own outfits in the morning, as it’s a very good way to express themselves at a young age. And not only that, but it proves that they have a home environment that is both safe and lots of fun, even if responsibility can get boring after a while! All in all, independence encouragement sends your child a message, even subconsciously, that whilst they can’t quite do what they like, they are a part of the decision making in the family.

Although the summer is vast approaching, the British weather doesn’t always cooperate, and this often means there is a rainy day or two. Children require stimulation and with the absence of education for six weeks, it can be a little too lengthy. This is especially the case when there are multiple days of poor weather because they actually start to climb the walls. In this article, I discuss multiple ways that can hopefully entertain them during the drizzly and gloomy days. It may even bring a smile to their faces and brighten up the day, even if the sun doesn’t make an appearance. Checking the weekly forecast and groaning at the thought of how to keep them occupied and tearing your hair out could well be a thing of the past. Build a Den: Children thrive in spaces they can hide in, away from parents especially. Sometimes this can be because they have done something mischievous, but there are times when it’s purely for entertainment purposes. Though some children love to have company in the makeshift den and it’s a perfect cosy little place to have a snuggle with them. The concept of reading a book underneath the blankets seems like heaven. It can also help them calm down and have some downtime, away from everything. You can make the hidden space by using chairs and tables. These items can help support the blankets and sheets that are draped over them. For the smaller sections of the den, you could incorporate cardboard boxes too. From experience as a child, I would often temporarily borrow the clothes airer and throw bedding over it. It would definitely make it spacious and high enough to sit under. Pegs are also a great way to keep the material in place, and a safe method too. Broom handles and brushes with extended handles can be used to make the outer frame of the den too and provide some altitude. Once the den is complete you can place cushions inside and even a carpet to make it look a lot more homely. Children enjoy soft items and teddies are often a comfort item for that reason. The imagination purposes of the den are endless, as they can turn the space into a magic cave and create some magic tricks! On the other hand, they may kit it out, so it appears to look more like a dungeon too. Though, there are children who simply just thrive on making the den rather than using it for playtime purposes. Also don't feel limited to indoor den's. If the weather is permitting, and you have outdoor space at home, why not go on a hunt for twigs and logs, and make you're very own hidden den in the woods! Make a Balloon Car: This activity is eco-friendly in terms of recycling old materials to create something new and exciting for children. It is fairly simple to make, and it can also provide brain stimulation. You can even make a few of them and race them against one another. The possibilities are in fact endless. Things you will need: Cardboard. Scissors. A balloon. Two round sticks (wooden BBQ skewers). Four bottle lids of the same size. Tape. Cut the cardboard into the length and width you wish to have for the overall size of the car – as this will be the base. Create a hole in the bottle lids. Place the skewers into the holes you created in the lids, making sure a lid is on each end of the skewer. It should look like four individual wheels. Tape/Glue a balloon to the top of the car. The balloon will become the wind-powered engine. Though, do make sure you can access the balloon once it’s in place as you’ll need to blow it up, using either a pump or straw for assistance. Blow up the balloon, using an assistance method if desired. – Save your lungs. Place the car on a flat surface and then let go of the balloon. The airpower should be more than enough to help the car go. *If your child thoroughly enjoyed this engineering activity, then there is another one that is quite simple, a homemade lava lamp. You can watch a YouTube tutorial here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mh30TxceUIQ. The host explains the method in a fun manner, as well as the scientific purpose of the experiment too. (Photo credit: https://www.mamaofmonsters.com/post/how-to-make-a-balloon-car) Board Games: I used to love board games as a child, the few favourites being snakes and ladders, buckaroo, frustration and later in life, scrabble. Though, I do love the Catchphrase board game too. Children bask in activities they can become involved in or have a chance of winning. It develops their brain stimulation as well as attention span. If they sadly lose, it also teaches them valuable life skills ‘you win some, you lose some.’ If you are quite the crafter, you can make your own board games. There are a few to choose from on Pinterest. The application is free to join too, https://www.pinterest.co.uk/younghosannas/homemade-board-games/. Why are board games so beneficial? Board games can help with motor skills, especially in the likes of buckaroo, as they have to balance the objects. A good game for balance and patience can also be, Jenga. That really gets your heart thumping, desperate not to knock all the blocks off and your brain constantly ticks over, deciding which brick is the safest to pull. Some have explained that board games help soothe anxiety and calm situations down. It helps the child begin to focus on something else, something else usually being hopeful about winning. Language skills are highly important to a child’s development process and these activities can help in doing so, especially if they have to communicate their next movements or ask questions and such forth. A further benefit is understanding the importance of teamwork. In all walks of life, we encounter others, interact with them on different levels and that includes working as a team or understanding the concept of it. A child who learns these aspects early on has a better understanding of the adequate skills, ones that can set them up for years to come. Let us know in the comments below if any of these ideas helped fight boredom at your house! And please comment if you have some great ideas you'd love to share.

Nurturing the Gnashers For young children especially, the upkeep of dental hygiene is integral for healthy development. Milk teeth are more prone to decay, so they need to be well looked after; neglecting them can also cause indirect issues in the adult teeth that grow below. Thus, in order for children to smile brightly, chew strongly and speak powerfully, they must gain the habit of a lifetime – brushing at least twice a day for two minutes at a time! The importance of brushing our teeth generally becomes common knowledge from a young age, and rightfully so. Despite this knowledge, however, children often take brushing their teeth to be a chore. As explained, this can be detrimental to their health, so here are some tips to help remove that stigma and encourage youngsters to tend to their teeth: 1. Avoid brushing their teeth immediately before bed Part of the reason why children may not enjoy brushing their teeth in the evening is that it symbolises something else they do not enjoy – bedtime. Without completely destroying a bedtime routine, it might be an idea to have your child’s teeth brushed just before something they really enjoy doing. This could be half an hour of playing, reading, or watching something as a treat (unfortunately they would have to avoid the popcorn though)! What’s more, this kind of strategy could help them burn some energy and make putting them to bed a whole lot easier too. This approach could improve a child’s relationship with brushing their teeth; brushing their teeth becomes a task that they are rewarded for, or part of doing something they love. Of course, this kind of reward system can be implemented in the mornings too. 2. Involve children in choosing their toothbrush and toothpaste There are endless options of children’s toothbrushes available; in bamboo, electric form and so on. These are designed specifically for youngsters, so it only makes sense that children choose their own! Having a chosen toothbrush can change a child’s negative attitude towards brushing their teeth; by picking a brush based on its (for instance) fun, mature, or sentimental design can lead a child to feel much better about using it. Granting children with some choice in which toothbrush they use can also help them feel like the tooth brushing task itself is something they have chosen to do too. By wanting to brush their teeth rather than feeling obligated, children may be more likely to engage in it better. The same goes for selecting toothpaste. So long as it contains fluoride (and other ingredients you personally consider necessary), it is just important that children are not put off by the taste of the paste! Obviously, if toothpaste tastes delicious, then brushing our teeth is a whole lot better. 3. Allow them to practice brushing their own teeth For obvious reasons, very young children have to have help when it comes to brushing their teeth. Allowing them to get involved, however, is not to say that their teeth will not be brushed properly – you can have the best of both worlds. Before or after you brush their teeth thoroughly, encourage them to have a go themselves. By taking part in brushing their own teeth, children can feel something very true – that they are part of something really important. Not only can this help them engage with their dental hygiene, but it can benefit them educationally. They can learn how best to brush their teeth and as they grow, they can put that into practice; taking on such an important habit is best done from an early age. 4. Do it together! Children love to mirror those who are close to them, so taking the time to brush your teeth together might make it seem less taxing for them. This could be more convenient in the mornings, depending on their bedtime. If you prefer to brush your teeth with them before their bedtime (and then again at your own bedtime), that is only a bonus for your own teeth! If your child is still at the age where your hands will be full brushing their teeth, then understandably you won’t be able to brush your own at the same time. If that’s the case, then why not get another family member or friend involved? Otherwise, you can take it in turns brushing your own, and your child’s teeth – make it a moment that you share together. If this doesn’t suit you, then it might just be wise to make sure that your child sees you brushing your own teeth regularly. Setting this kind of example can really help them to come to terms with, or normalise tooth brushing times. 5. Use other mediums Encouraging children to enjoy brushing their teeth need not only come from the task itself. There are plenty of games, books and TV programmes that you can use as motivating tools. For example, try Topsy and Tim: Our Teeth on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b04j24zj/topsy-and-tim-series-2-16-our-teeth Falling in love with a medium like this can help children fall in love with brushing their teeth (or at least not dread it so much)!

Does your child struggle to make friends? Sure, they can hold their own in a conversation, but they’re not really someone who seeks out other kids to talk to, and they’re definitely not a ‘social butterfly’. Of course, they don’t have to be! But right now you’re getting a little concerned over the way they interact with the world because you want them to be able to face it with confidence and a friend or two by their side. After all, making friends is a big part of life, and knowing how to do so is an essential skill to develop as you grow. We all need to have people who love and accept and understand us in our lives, and making friends at a young age teaches you the necessary social skills, such as empathy and confidence, to carry you through other phases in life with little social difficulty. But what do you need to do now? How can you help your child to seek out friendly relationships with other kids? It doesn’t have to be a complicated process. The first thing to do is understand why Maybe your child just seems to prefer their own company? Or maybe they’ve made quite a few friends but seem to fall out with all of them? Either way, you’re worried about their social skills, and how you can encourage them to seek out friendly relationships with their peers. Most of all, you don’t ever want them to feel left out or lonely. You might know just how damaging these emotions can be, and you don’t want your child to feel them as they grow and develop. So be sure to spend some time with your child when they’re around others. Maybe take a day at preschool with them, or invite a friend and their child around, and watch the way your child interacts with other kids their age. What do you notice? Are they louder or quieter than usual, such as when they’re at home with you? Do they even ignore attempts at other kids to include them? No matter what you see during these moments, you can then use the evidence to fuel the way you encourage your child later on. You know the kind of help your child needs, and you know what you’re dealing with now! Lead by example, Kids copy what they see around them; you probably hate your child watching cartoons that depict characters being naughty because then your little one starts acting in a similar way! And that’s because kids like to emulate behaviours, because it’s been 'modeled’ for them, and anyone under the age of 15/16 will be looking for these answers from the world around them. And with all of this in mind, you might want to lead by example here. Invite a friend over, or head out to a book club or pottery class once a week. Your child will take notice of how social you are, and they might want to either come along with you or start to display the same behaviour in the classroom and on the playground. Set up a Playdate As mentioned above, inviting another child of a similar age around can really help your child to meet their peers on a one to one level, in a comfortable and familiar environment. They’re in their own home and have their own toys to play with, and that can help to foster confidence. After all, your child knows where everything is, they know what the rules are, and they know you’re nearby. A few play dates here and there can make a big difference in the way your child makes friends. It can really help them to step outside of themselves, and learn to use their voice if they’re someone who gets anxious when they’re in a crowded place like a preschool or a classroom. And every kid loves it when a friend comes round after school! It’s fun, there’s a sense of freedom, and the kids can hang out as long as they want. Talk to your child It’s the simplest answer to this problem, and yet it’s one of the hardest ones on this list to accomplish! Talking to your little one about why they don’t like to talk to other kids, or even just asking them if they’ve made any new friends, can be met with grunts, shrugs, tears, and total silence. And this can lead you to believe that something bad is going on. You can start to think that maybe your child is being bullied or has been picked on, and that’s certainly something to consider. But it’s not always the case. Maybe your child is just a bit shy and requires encouragement, or maybe they’ve had a bad experience in the past and need a bit of one to one attention to help them get over it. Either way, talking to them in a calm manner on their level, can get them to open up and feel like you’re on their side. Why not tell them about your own experiences at their age? Above all else, make sure they know that other kids would love to be friends with them!

Is your child a fussy eater? Maybe they’re never managing to clear their plate at mealtimes, or they refuse to try new foods, or maybe they just eat foods of a certain colour? Hey, these are all little quirks kids can show when they are in their early developmental stages, and often they’ll grow out of these food behaviours as soon as they adopt them. But before that manages to happen, you’re probably becoming very frustrated with meal times! You want something to change, but you’re not quite sure how to make it happen. And as the person who loves them most in the world, you’re also probably a bit worried about your child’s dietary habits. Should I worry about my child’s fussy eating? According to official advice from the NHS, your toddler is a fussy eater is nothing to worry about. It’s normal for kids to turn their nose up at certain foods, and absolutely love chowing down on one food over another - they’re little humans with their own preferences, just like us! As long as your child has energy, is active, and is clearly gaining weight normal for their age, their eating habits are just fine. (Of course, it’s always best to check with a doctor before you write off any serious food worries, just to be sure.) However, if you’d really like your child to vary in their dietary habits a little more, you don’t have to stay frustrated. You can introduce new foods to them slowly over time, and we’ve got a bit of advice below to make sure they don’t spit it all back out! To start with, you can check out our guide on sneaking more veggies onto your child’s plate right here! Make ‘healthy’ snacks the norm If you want your child to eat more foods, and specific foods that are good for them, make ‘healthy’ snacks the norm around the house. It’s alright for your child to have something sweet and a little bit naughty every now and then, but these should be rare treats that always follow on from a healthy snack or meal beforehand. Try to remove sweets and biscuits and cakes from out of easy reach, and put fruits and nuts and grain bars around instead. Make these snacks bite-size and easy to eat, so your child doesn’t turn their nose up at the size or texture of the foods either. Even making small, yummy smoothies with Blueberries, or Raspberries and Blackberries can work a treat, and they’re incredibly easy to make if you keep these ingredients diced, frozen and ready to go! Add plenty of flavours Thanks to their difference in taste buds, your child experiences the flavour palette in a much more sensitive way than you do. We all know kids tend to have a bit of a sweet tooth, and you can blame that fact on the greater amount of sweet receptors they have compared to us! However, this also means children are generally much more sensitive to ‘yucky’ flavours as well, specifically things that taste bitter. It’s why a baby’s face screws up so dramatically when they try a citrus fruit for the first time, and it’s probably one of the main reasons why your child hates having to eat their broccoli! And that means it’s important to try and mask these bitter flavours as much as possible. Cooking with spices, for example, is a great way to help your child learn to love the taste of the greens on their plate. Even just with a sprinkle of salt and pepper, and then roasting broccoli in the oven instead of boiling it, can work wonders on your child’s perception of their veggies. Set an example! If the kids have to eat carrot sticks and grapes whenever they want a snack, but the ice cream in the freezer is steadily wearing down thanks to your late-night TV marathons, your little one might start to suspect something… And if they catch you out in a lie about the foods they have to eat, they’re going to continue turning their noses up at the different food you’re trying to get them to eat. So, following on from the point about making ‘healthy’ snacks the norm for your kids, make sure you join in too. Kids learn the most from copying those around them, and as their parents, you set the most important example of all! Eat these foods alongside your child, and be sure to talk about just how much you enjoy the tastes in front of them. Kids tend to have taste expectations about the foods in front of them, and if you like what you’re eating, they’re much more likely to as well.

Music has always been a powerful tool with observable benefits to a child's development. The more music introduced to children from a young age, the more likely they are to want to start learning and playing an instrument. Playing music significantly benefits a child as they grow, as it is one of the most practical and enjoyable ways they can develop the way their mind and body works together; improving hand-eye coordination and focus as well as becoming an expressive outlet as they get older. With that said, there are a wide range and variety of instruments out there, so it can be difficult to choose one that is suited to your child in order to ease them into learning to play music. There are however a few that have proven to be very popular choices. Firstly, they are the perfect entry instrument to start learning as they are easy to play! Your child can sit at a piano, hit a key and thus play a note instantly, accelerating the early learning process and enjoyment they get out of the instrument as they can start to learn how to play from day one, rather than having to learn certain techniques first before being able to play anything, as is the case for playing a note correctly on a flute, or having to be aware of tuning, as is the case for a guitar and other stringed instruments. Moreover, a digital piano or keyboard is a great starting point for developing your child's knowledge of scales and music theory, which can then be later applied to other instruments For example, by simply identifying one key as 'C', a child can play the next 7 white keys one after the other, which would mean they have just played a scale! In summary, I believe that a digital piano or keyboard are the best instruments to ease your child into the fulfilling journey of learning to play music, as well as being an undemanding way for your child to learn the basic theory that can then be developed and applied to other instruments. The longer a child learns and plays an instrument, the more their patience, general commitment and concentration will improve, so it is well worth keeping your child motivated to continue learning! One of the easiest ways is to have music playing in the background at home or in the car every now and then, specifically music that appears to resonate with the child. This can be a powerful motivational tool as it will likely encourage your child to try and emulate what they are listening to, as well as maintain their interest in music. Another way to keep your child motivated to continue to learn their musical instrument is to identify a good music teacher that can teach effectively while keeping it fun and exciting. One great benefit of this is it will allow your child to learn on a real and professional piano! Some teachers do allow the parent to sit in and watch the lesson, so it is always worth asking if you can watch the first few lessons to see for yourself if it is practical and your child is having fun. Finally, it is important to let your child decide what instrument(s) they want to learn next as they grow older. For example, a child who started learning how to play music on a keyboard at age 5 may wish to learn how to play the guitar as they reach age 10. They will be able to use what they've already learned from playing the keyboard but will now be able to apply it to an instrument they would have more fun playing, meaning they will be more inspired to play and continue to learn! Some links https://www.gear4music.com/Keyboards-and-Pianos/MK-1000-54-Key-Portable-Keyboard-by-Gear4music/UT5 https://www.argos.co.uk/product/7333639

Staycation is a big buzzword at the moment. With so much uncertainty about travelling internationally again, it’s all about staying in the UK and making the most of what our country has to offer, and even if international travel will be possible this year, a UK staycation can still offer so much. 1. Devon Devon is a frequent hit for families the UK over, with its bustling activities and picturesque harbour to beautiful sandy beaches, as well as a large array of choices of hotels and restaurants. There is an impressive range of opportunities for families to explore, from museums and boat trips to attractions like Dinosaur World. Beautiful towns and villages in Devon - Clovelly - Lynton and Lynmouth - Dartmouth - Dittisham. Photo credits: https://unsplash.com/@l_tripp 2. Cornwall Cornwall is known for being one of the hottest counties in the UK during the summer and is a popular destination too due to its lovely long sandy beaches. It is renowned also for its exquisite Cornish pasties and top-notch quality ice cream and clotted creams. If you love food why not give Cornwall a go this summer? Beautiful towns and villages in Cornwall - Port Isaac - Looe - Fowey - Charlestown - Megavissey - Mousehole - Polperro. Photo credits: https://unsplash.com/@gregwillson 3. Lake District The lakes district is one of the most naturally beautiful areas in the UK. It is very well known for its idyllic rolling countryside, cosy cottages and countless lakes. With plenty of available activities such as boat rides, kayaking and perfect picnic spots, this is a place hard to ignore, due to its striking scenery and pure fresh air. Beautiful towns and villages in the Lake District - Ambleside - Grasmere - Cartmel - Keswick - Hawkshead. Photo credits: https://unsplash.com/@egems_ltd 4. Peak District The Peak District is the Uk oldest national park and is a perfect place for family-friendly walks. It is also famous for its impressive limestone valleys and moorland plateaus. Dovedale Stepping Stones (and Thorpe Cloude), Padley Gorge and Stanton Moor are all easy Peak District walks and the views of the surrounding rolling hills are truly spectacular. Beautiful towns and villages in the Peak District - Ashford-in-the-Water - Bakewell - Alstonefield - Castleton - Edale - Tissington. Photo credits: https://unsplash.com/@demidroid 5. Yorkshire There are endless choices in Yorkshire for families. Visit the historic city of York, quick and easy to get about, being compact and easy to visit major attractions on foot. Take the child-friendly tour of York minster and walk along the ancient medieval walls. Or you can take a trip to the Yorkshire Dales to climb to the top of the famous Malham Cove known for featuring in the Harry Potter movies. Beautiful towns and villages in Yorkshire - Hutton-le-Hole - Thornton-le-Dale - Middleham - Kettlewell - Grassington - Staithes - Whitby. Photo credits: https://unsplash.com/@davelowephoto Let us know in the comments below your recommendations!

A Better Bolognaise When it comes to pleasing children at mealtimes, you cannot often go wrong with serving up a spaghetti bolognaise. However, by tweaking the classic recipe we can do even better, providing children (and ourselves) with a healthier, and more sustainable option. It is essential that children get to grips with understanding the importance of making informed food choices - for both their tummies and the environment! This dish is one that they can get involved in cooking or sourcing the ingredients for. In the day prior to cooking dinner, a trip to your local farm, butcher, or even farm shop could be an interactive way of educating children on the importance of buying local produce, or how food is grown. You can find your local farm shop here: https://www.farminguk.com/farm-shops-map Perhaps it would be naïve to suggest that trips to the farm or cooking with children is always possible – sometimes we just want to get affordable food on the table fuss-free! Still, the recipe below is worth trying. Even when sourcing the ingredients and cooking in your own way, by following the recipe below you can seriously reduce the carbon footprint of a classic (beef) bolognaise. Granted, this dish may not be eco perfection, but it is definitely friendlier. It is a realistic way to do better for the environment; if we all took small, easy steps by just cutting meat intake, the impact could be great! As well the environmental perks, this dish is perfect for sneaking in extra veggies on those days where vegetables definitely need to be hidden! To the recipe you could add grated courgette or other vegetables – children (if not involved in the cooking) would never know! Ingredients 2 cloves of garlic 1 onion 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary olive oil 200g Quorn 200g pork mince 200g grated carrots 200 ml veg or chicken stock 1 x 280 g jar of sun-dried tomatoes 2 x 400 g tins of chopped plum tomatoes 500 g dried spaghetti Parmesan cheese extra virgin olive oil Method Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. Peel and finely chop the garlic and onions, pick and finely chop the rosemary. Heat a splash of oil in a casserole pan on medium heat, add the rosemary, garlic and onion and cook for 5 minutes, or until softened, stirring occasionally. Add the pork mince, breaking it apart with the back of a spoon, then cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until starting to brown. Then add the grated carrot, Quorn and stock. Leave to bubble and cook away. Meanwhile, drain and tip the sun-dried tomatoes into a food processor and blitz to a paste. Add these, along with the tinned tomatoes to the pan. Stir well, breaking up the tomatoes. Cover with a lid then places in the oven for 1 hour, removing the lid and giving it a stir after 30 minutes – if it looks a little dry at this stage, adds a splash of water. About 10 minutes before the time is up, cook the spaghetti in boiling salted water according to the packet instructions. Once the spaghetti is cooked, drain, then return to the pan with a few spoons of Bolognese, a grating of Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil.

Pets can be great animal companions for people of any age. They are often there when you need a shoulder to cry on or feel like giving and receiving attention without the commitment of a drawn-out conversation. They can also be the best naptime partners and secret keepers. However, children have an extra benefit when it comes to pets. According to Rost and Hartmann (1994), pets can teach children valuable lessons about affection, compassion, and unconditional love. This is because, with the passage of time, children stop seeing the animal as an odd but fun entity to play with, and instead begin to perceive their pet as a beloved family member who is just as important as their parents and siblings. One way to really ensure a proper bond between your child and any future pet is to evaluate both the needs and personalities of different animals. For example, if your child is active and loves to go outside, they may see dog-walking as a fun activity to participate in! However, if your child prefers to stay indoors and may not be motivated to change that aspect of themselves to dog-walk a few times a day, a dog may not be the best choice for them, since the dog’s needs may not be met. Also, every pet is unique! It’s important to ensure that the pet and child’s personalities mesh well. For example, a child who loves physical activities and play styles may match better with a cat that is also energetic and playful, rather than one that prefers to nap all day. In contrast, a child who likes mindful activities and dislikes moving around too much may not be in the mood to engage with a bouncy cat and would much rather have a stationary pillow of fur to pet as desired. In any case, it is quite important to monitor your child and pet in the early stages, so that you may inform your children if they unintentionally do something that could upset or agitate the pet. It’s important to be patient with both child and pet during this process! In conclusion, the key to finding the perfect pet for your child is to research different animals’ daily needs and individual personality traits, and match what you best think your child will jive with. You may just find that you’ve created an inseparable bond between human and animal! If you're looking to adopt an animal then please feel free to check out: The RSPCA: https://www.rspca.org.uk/findapet/rehomeapet or the DogsTrust https://www.dogstrust.org.uk/rehoming/ If you have any recommendations, please do leave them in the comment section below. References: Rost, D. H., & Hartmann, A. H. (1994). Children and their pets. Anthrozoös, 7(4), 242-254. https://doi.org/10.2752/089279394787001709

Depending on their age, children can find it very hard to express themselves. They just don’t have the experience with their emotions that you do, and they just can’t find the words necessary to tell you what’s wrong from time to time. And this can lead to a real communication issue; floods of tears, poorly tummies and restless nights, and there’s you as a parent tearing your hair out over how to help your child! But there are many good ways to get through to your little one, and one of the best is via the use of arts and crafts. And kids usually love getting stuck into finger painting or learning how to use a paintbrush! After all, kids can draw how they feel through pictures that actually make sense to them, or they can make a big mess that represents the anger or frustration they may be experiencing. And let’s face it, art is often a lot easier to interpret at this age compared to a contemporary piece you’d find in an art gallery, so your child’s artistic ability is of a lot of help to you as well! The benefits of art for kids There are many benefits to allowing children to experiment with their creativity. Most of all, arts and crafts materials are incredibly accessible to children, simply because they’re easy to use and there are literally no rules! You can encourage them to let loose, and express themselves using art materials even as simple as a set of crayons. And kids tend to respond well to being able to make a mess using all manner of sparkly pens, glitter, pipe cleaners and glue, and it can be a great way to really help to relax them as they open up. The colours and textures involved in using these materials make for a great sensory activity that draws their attention and helps to develop their visual communication skills. It’s a safe way to experiment with their emotions Another big reason why art helps a child express themselves is thanks to how safe the medium is. There’s very little chance your child could get hurt while painting a picture or colouring in a book, and they’re far less likely to throw a tantrum during the activity, compared to trying to participate in a sit-down talk with you. We all know that our emotions can get messy, and they can lead to us saying silly things or hurting others, but with art, you can help your child channel how they feel into something creative and productive. It’s a good way to show them how to deal with what they’re feeling in a healthy manner and sets a good example for the future. It’s also super fun! And that’s why kids respond so well in the first place. Art is one of the best ways to allow your child to have fun, thanks to just how creative they can get. Even just throwing a bit of paint around can help your child to get their emotions out, and make them laugh again after a day or two of heavy tears and a frowny face. And the fun part of making art is incredibly important. We don’t want our kids to feel like emotions are scary, or that they can’t talk about the way they feel with you. Kids need to know that their feelings aren't something to bottle up or be afraid of, and when there’s a piece of paper and some paint pots, or jars of Play-Doh in front of them, your child immediately understands they’re in for a fun afternoon! Ducklings also has a great DIY Play-Doh recipe to try at home, which can be found at: https://www.ducklingspreschool.co.uk/artists Art activities to try with your child Art can be very easy to make using just simple household items. Have a dig through your kitchen drawers or your office desk to find the necessary items to try out the art activities below! Make some Salt Dough If you don’t have any dough in the house already that your child can use to make models, you can easily make some Salt Dough of your own with them. Kids will love learning about the process! As long as you have some plain flour, salt, and water from the tap available, you can get this recipe done in about 10 to 20 minutes. Pass the pen This is a great way to bond with your child over the creation of art and is usually a good way to get your child to open up about why they’re drawing certain shapes, or using certain colours. Take a pen and let your child draw something, say for about 10 seconds, and then have them pass the pen to you and you draw for 10 seconds. Repeat until you’re both happy with the picture you’ve created together! Straw blow painting This is a very fun activity that kids of all ages will love to do. If you’ve got some straws in the house, and you’ve got some runny paint or watercolours on hand, you can have a laugh and a giggle together overblowing the paint in different directions to create big, messy, and colourful pictures! So, if you’ve got some paper and pens in the house, let your child have a go with creating art of their own, and check out some of the benefits for yourself. Let us know in the comments which activities you tried at home and loved! If you're looking for more ideas too please check out https://www.ducklingspreschool.co.uk/artists also.

All parents know that if their fussy child doesn’t want to eat something, they will put up a real tantrum to avoid it. Vegetables are one of the most common food groups that children avoid, and it can be hard to know how to work them into food without kids knowing (or without it taking you all night to prepare dinner). But it is vital that they eat the recommended daily amount. In 2018, only 18% of UK children aged 5 to 15 ate five standard portions of fruit and vegetables per day, according to a health survey by the HSE, with most only managing three portions. Why do children need vegetables? Vegetables are a relatively easy way for your child to get an intake of energy, vitamins, minerals, fibre and water. Eating plenty of fruit and vegetables is essential in a balanced diet and can even reduce the risk of some illnesses in later life, such as cancer and heart disease. You will have heard the phrase ‘5-a-day’—for children, one portion of fruit or vegetables is the amount they can fit in the palm of their hand, as a rough guide. The UK’s guidelines were developed based on World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations in the prevention of chronic diseases. So, if you have run out of ideas, we have some tips below which could see your child eating vegetables in no time! Blitz it into sauces Everybody loves a Spaghetti Bolognese-style dinner (even if it can be a bit messy). Tomato sauces are simple enough to make from scratch, but you can also use a pre-made option and add blitzed broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, pepper or carrots into the sauce. Just boil or steam the veg, then blend until fine and undetectable. They won’t be able to see the vegetables, and the tomato and other flavourings such as garlic will also mean they can’t easily taste them either. The same applies if you’re making something like a chilli con carne or mac and cheese. Prepare soups Soups are one of the best and easiest ways to get vegetables into diets, even for adults! Use a slow cooker, soup maker or even just an ordinary saucepan to cook all of the vegetables before blending into a smooth soup. Serve with bread or crackers. If there is a particular flavour of soup they already like, such as tomato or cream, try to make that the dominant taste so it is even more undetectable. Add to a smoothie Kids are usually more accepting of fruit than vegetables—the natural sweetness can play a part. If this is the case for you, make a smoothie from scratch but add extras such as spinach, beetroot or courgette. Think of things that will blend right down and be undetectable. However, if your child isn’t bothered about texture, adding things like grated carrot or cauliflower is also an option. Smoothies are even a great way to use up any leftover vegetables which are past their best! Just remember to use a maximum of two or three kinds of fruit in a smoothie for children, due to the natural sugars. Don’t overload with veg until they adapt to the taste, either. Make burgers and meatballs Vegetables which can be pureed or chopped right down are great to add to mince as a binding agent. Think chopped mushrooms, onions and peppers, as well as pureeing carrots or sweet potatoes. Cooking pulses such as chickpeas or lentils before grounding them down is also good for something a bit different. Bind with an egg and shape before serving. Try the meatballs with the tomato sauce idea above and you’re well on your way to getting your kid enough goodness. ...Or make something sweet! Mashing vegetables such as sweet potato, carrot, or avocado means it can be added to a batter mix, and also means you don’t need to add as much extra moisture such as oils. You can even use a blender to break down broccoli or spinach before adding to the mix. There’s plenty of recipes out there for healthy versions of sweet bakes, such as beetroot brownies or vegetable and banana bread if you’re not confident with experimenting. Something like these Carrot & Courgette muffins is a perfect start. Be playful with their food If your child is only just being introduced to vegetables and hasn’t grown to recognise and hate them yet, make dinner times fun. Carrot sticks aren’t carrots, don’t you know—they’re X-ray vision batons. Broccoli florets can be mini trees, and most foods can be arranged to make a face or animal on their plate. Sugarsnap peas can be popped open to reveal sweet, podded peas hidden inside. You can even cut carrot, cucumber and peppers into batons along with pitta bread strips and create a mini serving platter with their favourite sauces or dips. As long as the food is eaten, it’s okay for them to have some fun. Ensure they try everything Just because they don’t like things you have given them so far doesn’t mean they will hate all vegetables. Peas are nice and sweet if you stick to smaller, frozen versions. Sweetcorn is great both on and off the cob. Turnips and swede are nice mashed, and parsnips are great when turned into chips or roasted with a bit of honey. They may even like the vegetables we don’t tend to buy all of the time, such as spring greens, cabbage, squash or aubergine. Finding something they love will at least make one or two dinners every week a bit easier for you to prepare. Remember to lead by example If you wouldn’t want these new experimental vegetables to be wasted, cook them for yourself and allow them to try a bit of your dinner one night to see their reaction. Remember that children ultimately learn from their caregivers; if they see you eating something regularly, or something new, they will eventually want to try and copy. Don’t make a big deal about forcing vegetables on them, either. They need to know it's just another food group, and turning it into a chore won’t help. For longer-term results, if your child is quite fussy when it comes to food, try to work out why. Is it a texture issue, or do they avoid anything sweet/sour/a certain colour? If so, it may be easier to work around these issues and find things that they do like, while slowly introducing the kinds of things they’re not so certain about.

Children are always absorbing new information. One minute they’ll be perusing through their toys and the next they’ll be copying what you say. Therefore, it is very important to monitor the environment and information they are exposed to and to embed positive influences into their lives early on. Below is a guide (in no particular order), to the best shows that are available to cater learning opportunities to your little ones - while being enjoyable! 1. The Octonauts Summary: Based on children’s books written by Vicki Wong and Michael C. Murphy, this show follows a group of underwater adventurers, eight to be precise. Barnacles the polar bear, Kwazii the cat, Peso the Penguin, Inkling the Octopus, Shellington the sea otter, Tweak the rabbit, Dashi the dog, and Turnip the vegimal. They live in a subaquatic base called the Octopod, travelling through the waters, exploring different locations. Although the show itself is fictional, the creatures and locations the crew encounter are based on real marine animals in their natural habitats. Duration per episode: 11 minutes Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXLLQkbYE-G9jYrra7R4Qsw 2. StoryBots Super Songs Summary: Based on the world of StoryBots, centred around the inquisitive little bot pals, Beep, Bing, Bang, Boop, and Bo. This is a music-centric spin-off from its predecessor Ask the Storybots. The format of the show allows a broader learning experience, featuring music videos and real-life kids, as they explore different topics. Catchy and fun! Duration per episode: 20 minutes Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Heeq6RPA45s&list=PLPphPHIzdSQOalc1JEGpPHdfSAQNKOm45 3. Rhyme Time Town Summary: This series reimagines classic nursery rhymes from the perspectives of best friends, Daisy the puppy and Cole the kitten. They use their imaginations and solve problems in their nursery rhyme-inspired village. Each episode begins with the duo engaging in an imaginative adventure and is followed by the entry of their neighbours coming to them with problems to solve. A musical and joyous experience to educate children about positive friendships and teamwork. Duration per episode: 24 minutes Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFHibAwfMzY 4. Llama Llama Summary: Llama Llama lives with his Mama Llama and is roving out into the world. Encountered with new and thrilling experiences, Llama is supported by his friends, his Mama Llama, his grandparents and his teacher, Zelda Zebra. Every day is an adventure for this precious Llama. "Beloved children's book character Llama Llama springs to life in this heartwarming series about family, friendship and learning new things." —Official Netflix Synopsis Duration per episode: 24 minutes Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Pn-1zxYN8I 5. Fireman Sam Summary: A classic children’s television series about a fireman names Sam, his fellow firefighters, and residents of the fictional rural village, Pontypandy. This show first appeared in 1987, a favourite to many. Sharing valuable lessons in safety for preschools, Sam and his crew come to the rescue. Duration per episode: 10 minutes This list only represents part one of the best educational shows out there, stay tuned for the next article to get more suggestions 😊 Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ME-Bgb09yA

Are you tired of hearing, “are we there yet?” or “I’m bored” on every car journey you embark on? If your answer is yes, then look no further. The six-week break is vast approaching and that means an influx in family holidays. We have spent the best part of eighteen months under restrictions and even the inner child in us all will be desperate to break free, see some sun and hit the road, as a family. The film Shrek 2 shone a light on a specific scene. The characters Shrek, Fiona and Donkey embarked on a trip to Far, Far Away. For most of that journey, we heard Donkey complain, “are we there yet?” multiple times. It’s a scene in which we can all relate to when it comes to a car journey with children, as their minds struggle to understand the concept of time. Their brains also require a lot of stimulation, and a monotonous journey can be frustrating for them. Therefore, in this article, I will provide simple ways in which you can be rid of those dreaded thoughts about the journey ahead. Plus, it may even reduce the number of complaints of boredom. “I spy with my little eye…” This is a classic favourite and personally one I played as a child. It provides brain stimulation and even the whole family can play too. One player chooses an object which is in view before announcing, “I spy with my little eye, something beginning with the letter…” and then complete the sentence by dropping the first letter of the object. The rest of the players are expected to then guess the item in question. It helps the children understand words and phrases as they are required to list objects that start with those specific letters. Though since I was a child, times have definitely developed. You can now purchase interactive wipe-board templates of ‘I Spy’ and this includes diagrams or words of objects that the child may spot on the journey. They even come in family packs so adults can participate too. The idea of the game is to spot nature throughout the journey and it can be as simple as natural scenery or animals in a field! This game involves winners and runners up too and the one who spots the most listed items on the list is the winner. As a further persuasion tactic and engagement, you could offer them ice cream when you arrive at the destination or another form of reward. We love to work towards goals and reap the benefits, it’s a natural reaction and it also helps us feel more determined to win the game or give it our best shot at least. It helps them understand numbers and how to count in order to work out the winner as well as the difference between the overall scores. The activity also allows there to be room to understand that ‘sometimes you win some and sometimes you lose some’ too and this creates a sense of development and life skill. Why not incorporate colours into the activity? - For example, “the first one to spot a red car.” Pinterest Printable: *If you don’t have an account, it’s free to make one. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/282882420323793007/ https://www.pinterest.com/pin/112730796907834375/ “The wheels on the bus…” I am sure most of us can recite these in our sleep from the number of times we have sung or even heard the nursery rhyme. However, these rhymes are also educational. Children learn to remember the lines and the sequence they occur which helps expand their brain capacity. It is also a fun way to learn for them as they often like to sing, especially when it’s an inclusive activity. The rhyme often incorporates numbers, sequence of events, colours and shapes too. Children thrive on routine and their brain works in exactly the same way; it feeds off of the rhythm and pattern in the language used. Once they understand the order of events in the nursery rhyme, their confidence will begin to increase and in time they may recite it completely from memory. For those who struggle with communication, it can be a beneficial way to help those skills develop through the use of song, rather than generalised conversation methods. Nursery Rhyme List: https://littlelearningcorner.com/2019/05/nursery-rhymes-for-kids.html *Need the backing tracks to sing-along to? You can purchase a CD or two from the likes of eBay and Amazon. There is also a playlist on Spotify for the streamers of society, https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5VwTGBeSxVeYeylCS8sno9. *It is free to join and use, but without a subscription, it does contain ads! In recent years, technology has advanced so much since desktop computers and floppy disks. We now have smartphones and iPad’s/Tablets. The digital world is all around us, along with the constant access to the Internet. In the next few sections, I will highlight the ways in which technology can be a blessing, especially on a car journey. “Lights, Camera, Action…” You can turn your backseat into a movie theatre without the screen built into the headrest of the car. The absence of Wi-Fi can hinder the ability to stream movies through the likes of Netflix. There is a step-by-step guide for downloading movies onto your device. Cloud Storage (Apple): https://www.wikihow.com/Add-a-Movie-to-Your-iPad. Google Drive (Android): https://www.wikihow.com/Add-Files-to-Google-Drive-Online. However, if you’re a bit like me and the idea of downloading films onto a device is daunting or a little bit too technical, then a Portable DVD Player would definitely be the way to go. There are a number of models, designs and colours to choose from and some are priced at no more than £20* on eBay and Amazon. *Price accurate as of July 2021. “I don’t feel so good…” This sentence alone creates a wave of panic and desperation to pull over. I am a poor traveller, and I was as a child too. The mere thought of watching a film in the backseat of a car or drawing is more than enough to make me feel nauseous. I would often listen to music via a portable cassette player, soon replaced by a portable CD player and so forth. It helps occupy the time, without the awful motion sickness. Some devices now have the chance to add audiobooks to them too. This can help them get lost in a book whilst they gaze at the scenery or closing their eyes for a well-needed kip. Children learn from stories, especially those who are classified as auditory learners or struggle to read and understand a novel. Apple users: https://help.audible.co.uk/s/article/how-can-i-use-my-ipod-to-listen-to-audible-audiobooks-mac. *The application audible does have a free trial period. Android users application installation guide: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ak.alizandro.smartaudiobookplayer&hl=en_GB&gl=US. *Offers in-app purchases. Have a safe journey and a wonderful summer holiday!

If you wish to reduce your child’s screen-time, or just engage in a new (mess-free) activity, origami could be the answer! It may come as a surprise, but aside from the obvious fun (for adults too, let’s not forget), origami holds many educational benefits. Benefits of Origami: Improves fine motor skills It’s no secret that origami can be somewhat fiddly, but that is no bad thing! For pre-schoolers it is important to (quite literally) get to grips with using their fingers; before long they will be asked to perfect their pencil grip, turn pages, and navigate a computer mouse in school. Practising origami is a great form of brain training for children – by using their digits in this refined way, it can give them a head start in the activities just mentioned. Requires perseverance One beauty of origami is that the creation really comes to life in the final fold, even though children (at first) may not see it this way. The process of origami is all part of the fun, but of course, one wrong fold could jeopardise a once hoped for a masterpiece! Origami can teach children the important lesson that persevering through mistakes truly pays off – the final creation wouldn’t be so impressive if it was easy to achieve! Enhances memory In early childhood, the ability to remember is largely developing and origami can be a useful tool in progressing memory skills. Through origami, children can initially follow step-by-step instructions closely, then gradually work from memory; the satisfying, therapeutic nature of origami can help children soak in the process of it. In starting off with simple designs and working towards more complex ones without guidance, young children can origami all sorts off by heart! Builds concentration We cannot deny that sometimes it is difficult to keep a young one’s attention fixed. It may seem as though origami is often short-lived; after all, creating a paper crane does not take as long as some parents might hope! There are, however, perks to brief origami. It provides children with an achievable end that they are more likely to work towards; it challenges them yes, but not to the point where they are faced with an impossible task. By this, origami can have children occupied for longer than first thought. Although individual creations are quick, finishing these encourage children to attempt others. This can have them occupied for hours which, of course, is not only beneficial for them! Develops creativity At its core, origami is an art. Engaging with it allows children to get their creative juices flowing. In starting out with origami at a young age, children can be provided with artistic skills that can be transferred into later life whether that be in creative writing, lateral thinking, or play. How to Origami a Cat Face: Having addressed the benefits of origami, let’s put it all into practice! Here is a step-by-step guide to creating an origami cat. 1. Start with a square piece of paper. This need not be origami paper, nor a specific size; the bigger the square, the bigger the creation! Place the square diagonally. Pull the top corner down to the bottom, and fold. 2. Once folded, place the paper back into its original position. Pull that same top corner down towards the first fold you made, and fold again. Leave that in place. 3. Fold the paper over the first-ever fold you made, so that the small triangle is tucked underneath. 4. Take the right-hand corner down towards the bottom one. Fold, and repeat this step from the left-hand corner. 5. Take the (now) top corner and fold so that it lines up with the edges left and right. 6. The bottom corner should be split into two. Take the right-hand side and fold it up so that the edge of this triangle lines up with the top one. Repeat on the left-hand side. 7. Fold up a small triangle at the bottom of this creation, so that the bottom is no longer pointed. 8. Turn the paper around and get creative; you can draw, paint, or even get the glitter out to make the cat come to life! Go have fun and send us a photo of your completed Cats!

Storytelling is something that’s integral to our development as we grow up. Humans have been telling each other stories for thousands of years, both via the spoken and written word, and we’ve all grown up consuming stories that have fed our imaginations like nothing else. We can lose hours to an imaginary world that’s been lifted straight from the page, and what we see in our head when we read is so much more vibrant and colourful than a TV show or movie could ever be! And the same is true for your child as well. Storytelling is one of the most constructive ways to introduce your child to the world around them; it’s one of the best forms of showing, not telling. Whether they’re reading a book on their own, or you’re curled up and going through a book together, storytelling is the number one way to help your child lay the foundation for a rich and exciting imagination. And why is this important? Simply because such a strong imagination has a lot of benefits! But what are the benefits? Helping your child to relax If a child has something positive and creative and fun to think about, they’re going to be a lot more relaxed and carefree. This is especially true for the nighttime. According to the Sleep Foundation, nearly 50% of children between the ages of 3 and 6 experience a high level of nightmares. It’s why the art of bedtime storytelling is always strongly encouraged, and why you get through so many books per month! If you need a new bedtime story for your child, Ducklings has plenty of bedtime story recommendations to keep your child’s imagination fed for hours on end. But the relaxing nature of storytelling can work in the daytime as well. Whether they’re attending nursery, or an activity club, or they’re just at home with you, your child’s imagination can become their best friend. It’s an endless treasure trove of stories they have total control over, and as little people who follow a schedule set by the adults around them, this is imperative to helping them to stay calm. Encouraging their confidence Children who engage with their imagination on a consistent level tend to be better readers, simply because they’re encouraged to interact with stories! It’s a very positive feedback loop: children want to feed their imagination, which leads to reading more books, which leads to a higher reading level, which helps them to develop a much stronger sense of self, which feeds into their confidence at a young age, and then the cycle starts all over again. Similarly, a rich and wide imagination helps your child to ask questions. It helps them to learn more about how things work, simply because they have the necessary tools to think about it. They’re able to identify different angles that others may not and approach educational tasks and activities more constructively. Knowledge is often the cornerstone of confidence, and with a developed imagination on their side, your child will have no problem learning from the world around them. Developing a sense of playfulness Reading does the mind good. Stories give your child the resources to also create and tell stories of their own, which is the basis of developing the way they think. It allows them to become more creative and a lot more playful with how they interact with the world around them, and one good story can stay on your child’s mind for months on end! And having a more playful sense of self is important. Being playful is a child’s prerogative! You don’t want your child to grow up too fast, and you want them to enjoy their childhood whilst they can, and that means allowing them to mess around and have fun. And this in turn has a lot more benefits: Being playful helps a child connect with those around them, whether they be caretakers or other children. It helps them to cope with their emotions; Due to approaching them in a comedic manner.. Most of all, it helps them to deal with any struggles they come across in their young life; they don’t have much experience, but their playful imagination can give them what they need to overcome difficulties. As a parent, that’s all you’ve ever wanted for your child! Does your child love a story? Let us know! Storytelling is one of the best forms of enrichment for children of developing age. They’re going to love hearing or reading a story, and they’ll love telling you stories of their own, which is always a lovely sight to see. So let them have fun with their imagination, and help them to develop it with a good book or two!

Ducklings has just designed and published a FREE printable pack called "All About Me", which you can download and complete for free by clicking below;

Exercise is essential in young children for nurturing both a healthy mind and body. Creating habits and incorporating daily activity from an early age is invaluable in terms of social, motor, and sensory development. Moreover, with recent NHS figures showing that over 1/5th of reception pupils aged 4-5 are obese or overweight, regular physical activity can counteract the potential for associated health problems. Just like adults, children become overweight when they consume more calories than they expend; combining a balanced diet with sufficient exercise is crucial for children to have a healthy start in life. Promoting physical activity Physical activity includes light, moderate, and more energetic, aerobic activity. Daily guidelines can comprise activity of any intensity, this can be anything from rolling and crawling to walking, skipping, and bike riding! Babies (under 1 year): aim for 30 minutes a day There are plenty of ways to encourage activity in a safe, supervised environment from birth – even if your baby isn't crawling yet. Floor play, tummy-time, and water-based activities all contribute to your child's sensory-motor development. Think pulling, pushing, reaching, and grasping, this will promote sufficient movement of the head and body during daily activities. Toddlers (aged 1-2): aim for 180 minutes a day Outdoor play is encouraged for toddlers, and active play in the form of climbing frames, balance bikes, and water activity is a great way to encourage movement. Lighter activity includes standing up and moving around and more moderate activity can range from jumping and hopping to running and water-play. Pre-schoolers (aged3-4): aim for 180 minutes a day For this age group, at least 60 of the 180 recommended minutes should include higher-intensity physical activity. Children under the age of 5 should not be sedentary for long periods, except for when they're sleeping. Encourage more vigorous activity by teaching your child how to ride a bike, playing outdoor ball games, or creating dance routines. As important as it is to formulate a routine, exercise shouldn't be boring and monotonous; get involved and excited about being active! Play hide and seek, create obstacle courses and supervised races or look into community-based sports teams – the options are endless! Being active whatever the weather Children love outdoor play, but the British weather isn't always on our side, and modern life's sedentary distractions – TV, PlayStation, iPad – are often an excuse for inactivity. The reality, however, is that children are likely to play no matter what the weather! With wellies and waterproofs, they can stay active come rain or shine. Jumping in puddles and splashing in the mud is a great way to encourage sensory development. In cooler months, take advantage of any snow by going sledging, making snow angels and snowmen. As we head into the summer months, pack the SPF and a sun hat and make the most of the sunshine with a bat and ball, hula hoop, or skipping rope! Fun ideas to get moving Making play-time a fun, family-all activity serves as a bonding experience and allows parents and caregivers to model healthy exercise habits for children. Be sure to support and congratulate your child's activity; this builds a positive self-image and esteem as children take pride in their physical accomplishments. Together, families can: Take walks together Ride bikes If you have garden space, utilise it by playing throw and catch, cricket, or football Create and supervise obstacle courses and races Play hide and seek Visit a soft-play area for younger years or a trampoline park for older children Take indoor lessons such as swimming, gymnastics, dance, or karate All movement counts, the more the better!

Within the EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage) there is an area of learning and development known as ‘Mathematics: Shape, space and measure’ that every child should learn. This article will provide advice on how to create your own shapes out of common materials found around the house, so you can increase involvement and discovery at home. Furthermore, EYFS has an area entitled 'Expressive arts and design: Exploring and using media and materials' which these activities will definitely support! For more information, you can search ‘Development Matters In The Early Years Foundation Stage’ or check out these PDF provided by the Department of Education: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/988004/Development_Matters.pdf https://www.foundationyears.org.uk/files/2012/03/Development-Matters-FINAL-PRINT-AMENDED.pdf Additionally, feel free to ask your nursery about their EYFS Framework used, and carry out these basic learning activities at home with your children to further develop their learning, while having fun at the same time! Ducklings also provides a ton of free resources and activities to try at home, which can be found here: https://www.ducklingspreschool.co.uk/activities So let's get into exploring shapes at home - Paper towel and toilet paper rolls, with tape. Like in the photos below, save up your paper rolls and experiment with making shapes at home today! To construct your own 3D triangle shape you can create this by building up large cylinder cardboard tubes. This is a simple activity in which children can engage in themselves or/and with the help of an adult showing them how to create the triangle shape if they do not already know how to. If older they could create this themselves. You might be able to find these cylinder cardboard tubes from something you have bought to then use for this junk modelling construction activity or/and you may be able to find other large cardboard tubes from items such as an empty wrapping paper roll, smaller cardboard toilet rolls at home and just placing these together to create this shape. You could ask the children “what shape have you created?” You could ask “how many sides does this shape have?” Arts activities can be combines with learning about what you can find in the outdoors such as from forest school or just simply at home in a garden or on a walk. Items that children can find and pick up from the outdoors can be identified. You can ask them what they have found, what colour it is, look up the type of item and its name in a book to refer to and stick down these items onto art paper in detailed artwork arrangements and then they have already learnt what it means to create their own outdoor artwork and what can be found in the world and the environment around them in which they live, play and go to nursery in. - Materials found around the house and garden, a piece of paper, and tape. Like in the photos below, gather items around your house and garden. These activities will support the EYFS 'Understanding the World'. Arts activities can be combines with learning about what you can find in the outdoors such as from forest school or just simply at home in a garden or on a walk. Items that children can find and pick up from the outdoors can be identified. You can ask them what they have found, what colour it is, look up the type of item and its name in a book to refer to and stick down these items onto art paper in detailed artwork arrangements and then they have already learnt what it means to create their own outdoor artwork and what can be found in the world and the environment around them in which they live, play and go to nursery in. If you would like to create one of these detailed, artistic, floral and garden outdoor artwork arrangements please read further. This can simply be created by finding various outdoor items in your own back garden or even out on a walk by a forest. You might find different types of leaves, flower heads, twigs etc and then all you need to do is glue and stick them down using a craft glue such as this one called ‘HI-TACK ALL PURPOSE VERY STICKY GLUE’ which can be found and bought or ordered from art shops such as Hobby Craft. Or if you cannot buy this type of glue another simple alternative option that would be more child friendly would be to get a plastic cup, a plastic glue spreader, some plain flour and some warm water and just simply pour a bit of the plain flour into your plastic cup, add some warm water and stir and mix this up with your glue spreader until it's made a thick but smooth paste ready to act as glue which you can then spread straight onto your paper or onto the back of your outdoor items which you have found to stick them down onto the paper where you want them. If you want to create artwork such as this you can arrange and group together the same colour and type of outdoor items you have found into small clusters on your art paper page and stick them down together, then continue to do this same process with the same group items until eventually you have filled your whole page and have also created a much larger detailed, artistic, floral and garden outdoor artwork arrangement. This activity, in particular, would be better suited to pre-school and holiday club children who may even come to the nursery to carry out activities in forest school or for these age groups to carry out at home or/and with families, friends.

“The most beautiful world is always entered through imagination” – Helen Keller. In the following article, I will discuss the benefits that arise from a simple game of dress-up, including those who are on the autistic spectrum. I will conclude with different ways in which you can incorporate pretend play and have the same experience, but with the absence of clothing, for those children who do not find the idea of dressing up appealing. Brain Building: This activity improves brain stimulation as well as expanding their memory skills. Their natural creative juices often flow and are endless just like their imagination. A child may incorporate a memory or event into their play sequence. They learn from others and during the developmental stages, their mind is like a sponge and absorbs every detail as well as every piece of verbalised information. This is often why we are informed to be careful of the actions and words we use around children. Though, a prime example of using a daily activity in pretend play would be if they witnessed an adult using their mobile phone to conduct a conversation and the child then proceeds to mimic the phrases and actions through a toy mobile phone of their own or even an object that looks similar. A child may even love to play one of the following games: checkout assistant, a doctor/nurse, a joiner and/or a cleaner. The list of possible occupations is endless but each one provides a form of brain activity, one in which allows them to flourish. This is also sometimes where a child may get the idea for a dream job. Most of us would have had aspirations as children, some dreamt of becoming astronauts, others veterinary nurses, or mechanics. The options were endless, and not impossible to achieve once grown up! The key to the development of these dreams often stemmed from passion, enthusiasm and most importantly through pretend play! Children often watch a form of moving picture and those influence their actions, vocabulary and memory absorption. They will often hear and/or visualise a specific scene and then re-enact this. It can even include something they have seen in a movie, cartoon or on YouTube (children’s channels of course). Technology has advanced and now there are ways in which we can protect our children from the dangers of the internet, through the ability to lock specific apps and I was recently informed of the variation on YouTube which is specifically designed and focused on child-friendly content. Those with autism may not understand the concept of a specific cartoon or the reasons behind the character’s costume but they will often still enjoy the concept of pretend play. For example, they may love the idea of wearing a cape and running around whilst it flaps in the wind, but the reason behind superhero’s wearing capes may not be clearly understood. Finding Their Voice: A child’s vocabulary can increase through pretend play, especially if they incorporate specific lines and catchphrases from influential people or sources. It can be as something as simple as a few lines or a couple of words that their favourite character airs. Nevertheless, this phrase usually encourages the child to speak up or an attempt to mimic their favourite’s actions too. It also goes hand in hand with the memory absorption as they are accurately able to recollect the vocabulary. Though these words are often not used in reality or in generalised conversation as a whole, it can give the child a new sense of confidence and the ability to try and use them in conversation. A positive reaction to these new catchphrases can help their self-esteem, as well as encourage them to talk and engage with others more often too. Motor Skills: Children often love to dress up as their favourite character, but this comes with the challenge of putting on that specific outfit. Fasteners can be difficult to do, especially for children and this activity allows them to be able to learn how to fasten the attire. Those with autism may struggle to understand how a zipper may fasten for example but incorporating this with dressing up makes it more fun and definitely less daunting. Though, there are those who do not like dressing up and that’s also perfectly okay. If this happens to be the case, I have included alternatives at the end of the article to help. * We often hear the horror stories from parents/carers about their children who did not want to wear clothes that particular morning. It can often be interpreted as a mission and a half whilst the clock continues to tick away. I once heard a tale from a friend of how her child became as stiff as a board when she tried to place their legs into a pair of trousers. Though, with the use of pretend play and dress up, it can often encourage them that the necessity is not as mundane as it appears. Sometimes children wear their fancy attire to parties, the walk to school/nursery and even in the local supermarket. Once they are dressed head to toe in their chosen outfit the child can then mimic their favourite character’s actions and phrases too. They may incorporate multiple abilities such as: memory absorption, vocabulary skills and/or motor skills. Each of these play an important role in terms of pretend play and go hand in hand with each other. Emotional Development: As previously mentioned, children love to partake in occupational roles, including veterinary roles and even doctorial or nursing too. Each of these positions require a definitive level of passion, empathy and understanding. Therefore, encouraging a child to demonstrate these factors in pretend play can improve their emotional development. For example, the child may be a nurse/doctor and they would need to perhaps take care of you and provide advice for how to become as fit as a butcher’s dog, metaphorically speaking. On the other hand, they may use a stuffed animal and a figurine/doll to practice their empathy, skills and knowledge on. A child may have a passion for animals and caring for them, to which incorporating veterinary care into pretend play can be highly beneficial. Using toys and first-class enthusiasms can automatically pique their interest and this is the first step to including the emotional aspect into their everyday world. This developmental skill can help when interacting with others too, through the use of inclusivity, imagination and even vocabulary wise. Gender-Exploration: Children often choose an outfit they wish to wear, and this allows room for exploration and a difference in terms of gender identities too. In terms of social normalisation, it is perceived that, girls should choose princess, fairies and female-based character’s outfits whilst boys on the other hand should choose pirates, fireman and superhero’s. Though in some aspect this has changed, and it is becoming more acceptable for there to be gender equality in terms of occupation and therefore it should be acceptable in a younger age too, including pretend play. A child should never be ridiculed for pretending to be a different gender and this aspect of pretend play allows them to dress up and enter a world in which they feel comfortable, safe and can be happy. Socialising With Others: The concept of pretend play allows children to freely express themselves and this encourages self-belief which then transpires into engaging with others. It can help them expand their vocabulary, memory muscle and even their imagination. Interaction is beneficial for us all, we are classified as social beings and therefore including this early on can help reduce social anxiety. It is important for a child’s emotional welfare too as they can feel less secluded in a classroom or friendship circle. Children will feel more relaxed and able to communicate freely with others once they are made aware of how to do so. Granted, it has been difficult for us, as adults, to interact and be sociable creatures due to the pressures of lockdown, never mind children. Therefore, due to the influx of a desire to communicate and mix with others it has brought to our attention just how vital it is to talk and engage with likeminded folk. Children learn through social interactions with similar aged friends as well as adults and this goes hand in hand with how their mind works like a sponge. It is almost like a snowballing effect, because the more words they learn, the more their muscle memory expands, and this then links with the concept of recalling events and memories which are already embedded in their mind. These memories can then be incorporated into pretend play. *What if my child doesn’t like to dress up? Some children like to partake in the concept of pretend play and mimic their favourite characters without the need for the outfit and that’s perfectly okay too. It can arise in those with autism due to the sensory stimulus. They may dislike a specific fabric, and this can have a negative impact on the idea of pretend play. Their brain processes the clothing with negative connotations, and this creates deep disengagement in the beneficial activity. If you’re aware of what they like and dislike in terms of clothing wise, you could make your own if you’re quite the seamstress. If not, there is always the option to locate sellers and entrepreneurs who thrive on making personalised products. Some even explain the fabrics they use and allow room for adaptation. So, if your child loves a particular fabric, why not log on to the likes of ‘Etsy’ and find that suitable material to print their logo or pattern onto. An example would be if say your child loves superman and they can then advertise the well-known logo on a fabric the child prefers. If they struggle with getting dressed as a whole, then you can make stuffed animals or buy toys that are linked to their favourite character, and they can still interact with them on the same level. This way, their introduction to pretend play is accessible despite the alterations required to make it possible. ‘Dress-up’ is fun and creates a sense of alternate reality but it is not for every child. Yet, pretend play is for every child and it benefits them in multiple ways.

Before we know it the summer holidays will be upon us! A time where all the children are excited about their summer plans, and the staff are excited to get a much-deserved break to relax. So to help celebrate this, we've designed a few Teacher Award Certificates the staff can give out and reward to one another. Some being funny, others being caring and genuine. With 20 unique certificates available, we're confident any nursery and preschool setting can use these to help with their team bonding and end of term celebrations! To download these certificates for FREE please click on the Download ZIP icon below! And please, leave a like below and comment some ideas/recommendations of your own that you've previously used at your centre, to further help out others! Although some of these ideas are original, others were provided and shared by some lovely members of the Facebook group Early Years Managers 2021 which can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1105292516178952, so a special thank you to those members for the help.