The Home Corner

Important News

2010-07-26T10:12:00.000+01:00

Please note that this blog is no longer updated. Instead, you'll find all the relevant content posted on A Life More Lived.

Hope to see you there.

Sarah x

Attach-a-Tag

2010-07-09T13:55:00.000+01:00

With new school uniform being bought in piles, we're all going to be faced with the joys of labelling.

I've tried sew-on (ages), iron-on (fall-off) and laundry pens (long job), so when I was asked to try Attach-a-Tags I was happy to give them a go...read more

Getting the balance right

2010-06-21T09:38:00.004+01:00

A lot of discussion lately about child-led verses adult-led activities in early years settings, this mostly sparked by a parent being told by nursery staff that their child hadn't made a Father's Day card because he hadn't asked and all activities must now be child-led.

This is completely bonkers! - My almost 40 year old - partner can't remember when Father's Day is, so why should a young child?

The reality is that young children don't have as much experience of the world as adults, so naturally there are times when children need some kind of direction as to where their learning should be focussed. Observation and knowledge about individual children should enable the adult practitioner to offer a few suitable starting ideas, but the child can then take the lead with the adult being on hand to offer help and encouragement as the task progresses.

As adults, we know what skills we want young children to learn to help them to move on to the next step of the learning journey. We need to take responsibility for our youngsters and guide them to learning the skills they need to become fully rounded adults with the knowledge they need to take our world forwards not backwards.

Book Review - Alphabet Woof by Sherrie A Madia

2010-06-04T17:16:00.003+01:00

Reviewed by Sarah & Jonathan (aged 41 & nearly 11)

Patrick Carlson's illustrations for this story are fantastic, bright and colourful with lots going on. The rhyming text and repeats of "talk talk talk talked", will really encourage children to join in as they share the story with grown ups.

Sherrie wrote the book over a decade ago on scraps of paper with the help of her young daughters Emma and Anna - something you could try with your kids!

The rhyming language is great for reading out loud, so Alphabet Woof will definitely be going into my bag for my next storytelling session in school.

The book isn't available on Amazon at the moment, but you can order it direct from www.alphabetwoof.com

Co-sleeping made easier

2010-06-03T22:33:00.003+01:00

I wanted to post a link to the wonderful co-sleeper cot you can find here, it can also be used as a freestanding bassinet, changing table, travel cot and playpen. If I'd known about the existence of a product like this when The Boy was born back in 1999, I would have bought one.

Robynne who runs the company is a wonderful and inspiring lady and deserves a shout out, so if you're looking for a versatile piece of kit, this one's for you

Help for tummy troubles

2010-05-28T10:02:00.002+01:00

Do you know what your baby's poo should look like, how to deal with diarrhoea, or what to do if your baby has constipation?

SMA Nutrition have produced a range of really useful factsheets to help you deal with the common problems your baby or toddler might face.

They're short, clearly written, focussed on both breast and bottle-fed babies and are also backed-up by a freephone careline (088 0 81 81 80), staffed by mums, supported by healthcare professionals and nutritionists.

Visit the site, click on "Know How" and choose the advice you need.

National Letter Writing Day

2010-05-21T13:32:00.002+01:00

Is today (21st May 2010) and is being championed by WorldVision.

We're so out of practice at writing letters today, even my mum sends me texts now, and she's nearly 70.

So, why not get out some paper or postcards and a pen and get your kids writing (even if they're using emergent writing skills, ask them what they've said in their letter & write it underneath). Then make sure you send your letter (take them to the Post Office and let them buy a stamp and post the letter).

Go on, it's a great cheap activity and it'll really brighten someone's day when a letter or postcard drops through the letterbox.

Book Review - Annabel Karmel 'Top 100 Pasta Dishes', released May 13th RRP £9.99 (Ebury Press)

2010-05-13T10:27:00.005+01:00

Remember falling in love over a bowl of pasta? Remember spaghetti bolognese being one of those 70's cordon bleu cookery dishes? Remember pasta with olive oil and black pepper being the only thing left to eat at the end of every university term?

If you love pasta, how about introducing it to your kids? Annabel Karmel's latest book "Top 100 Pasta Dishes", has sections for 'Baby', 'Toddler' and 'Family' (with fish, poultry, meat and veggie recipes), and also includes information on nutrition.

If you're just starting out on solid food, did you know that - according to the British Nutrition Foundation - eating pasta encourages chewing and is also an easy way to introduce lots of vegetables and interesting flavours to new eaters.

Pasta is quick and easy to prepare and encourages families to gather round the table to linger over a delicious and hearty meal to talk about their day.

The book is bright, colourful and inviting, the recipes look and taste great (yes, I've tested a few and will be going back for more!)

Recipe

Bow-tie pasta with bacon and peas

(Cheap and easy store cupboard food)

Serves 4

Prep: 5 minutes

Cook: 10-12 minutes

200g (7oz) pasta

150g (5.5oz) frozen peas

100g (3.5oz) smoked bacon lardons)

1 onion, finely chopped

50ml (2 fl oz) boiling water

50g (2oz) Parmesan cheese, grated

2 tbsp parsley, chopped

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cook the pasta in boiling, salted water according to pack instructions and add the peas 3 minutes before the end of cooking time. Drain and set aside
Fry the bacon lardons in a frying pan for 2 minutes. Add the onion and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the water and Parmesan, bring to the boil, then add the pasta, peas and parsley. Season to taste and serve.

If you have older kids, pop over to A Whole New Boggle for a recipe for bigger people.

Zoobookoo's Top Holiday Tips

2010-05-11T18:25:00.002+01:00

The wonderful Zoobookoo website, the place to order educational toys and gifts, that we've featured many times on The Home Corner, have come up with some great advice and ideas for surviving long holiday journeys. There are ...

10 Quick Tips For Travelling

10 Simple Brain Games

Travel Lotto

There's no doubt that these are going to be absolutely great resources for all the travelling we've got planned over the next few months.

Visit the website for a great range of educational toys and gifts along with information and resources on a whole range of topics.

National Puffin Share-A-Story Day, 8th May

2010-05-07T16:33:00.003+01:00

As Puffin celebrates its 70th birthday as a front-line publisher of children's books, they'd like you to take this opportunity to join in Share-A-Story Day.

For loads of information in the "70 best books for children", a "Party Pack", for the day and lots of ideas for Share-A-Story Month, Puffin

Lashings of ginger beer

2010-05-05T11:09:00.002+01:00

The Famous Five have been our bedtime reading for a while now (Nannie & Grampa having bought The Boy a set).

Enid Blyton's great stories have been slightly updated (there are pound coins, but still 1940's prices and the children wear jeans), but they continue to be exciting and engaging.

The basic plot of every story goes...

Children come home from boarding school for the holidays
They end up without adult supervision
A mystery presents itself
The children have an adventure
They solve the mystery and get the police to arrest the baddies

There are ALWAYS huge meals and lashings of ginger beer.

The books are pacey, exciting and remind us of days when children could go off on their own and have adventures.

Theres' no doubt that here at The Home Corner, we love Julian, Dick, Anne, George and Timmy.

Welcome The Waussies - Books Review

2010-04-30T16:08:00.003+01:00

Jacqui Taub with her "Waussies" books (Pic: Deborah Kaye Photography)

I was recently sent a set of books featuring the adventures of the Waussies (Wacky Aussies, but their tongues kept getting twisted, so they shortened it!) I read

Tennis Racquet Waussie's Space Adventure

Boomerang Waussie To The Rescue

Beachball Waussie's Lost Air Stopper

Hiccup Waussie Loses his Hiccups

Pineapple Waussie's Tickly Problem

Burger Waussie's Lost Bun

Written an illustrated by Australian Jacqui Taub (pictured above), and dedicated to her 13 grandchildren, the books are aimed at 3-7 year olds (though I think their themes and quality will make them useful right up to the end of Key Stage 2), the books are colourful, engaging and encourage good manners, kindness, patience, motivation, perseverance and and teamwork.

Each book comes with an audio CD including a dramatic reading of the story and the Waussie song.

They're perfect for reading out loud and starting discussions and are available from Amazon.

With The Guardian today reporting on a study of 300 teachers by Oxford University Press, showing that many children start school never having been read a story, there's no better time to get to know the fantastic Waussies.

For further information visit www.waussieproductions.com

Clothes for girls

2010-04-14T16:39:00.003+01:00

Thank goodness Primark have decided to withdraw a line of padded bikini tops for young girls (see here), shame they thought they were appropriate for girls in the first place.

When I help to run discos at the DS' primary school, I'm horrified at some of the sights, girls of 11 and under wearing tiny skirts, revealing tops and strappy shoes.

I only ever remember wearing trousers, shirts, skirts and sensible shoes. I had party clothes of course, but nothing strappy or revealing.

Clothes issues are one of the things that make me grateful for having a son. He's interested in looking smart, but he's not a wacky dresser. He's growing his hair at the moment, but he's quite clear that he doesn't want his ears pierced.

I've nothing against pretty girly clothes, or a little make up for children, but rushing the process of becoming an adult is simply wrong.

Childhood should be celebrated and enjoyed for as long as possible, the world has enough horrors once you reach adulthood without having them thrust on you as a tiddler.

Review - Timmy Time Magazine

2010-04-13T16:33:00.003+01:00

Published by Titan, under their Titantots imprint, Timmy Time Magazine launches on Thursday 15th April.

Timmy is the cute little lamb from Aardman Animations' (yes, the Wallace and Gromit people), Shaun The Sheep.

Timmy is 3 years old, has just started nursery and needs to learn all about making friends, sharing and the skills that will make learning a fun adventure for the rest of his life.

Timmy Time Magazine takes these key themes from the show and develops them through big, bright, colourful pages of stories and activities for your pre-schooler and you to enjoy.

The first issue has a musical theme and comes with a free tambourine and stickers.

At £2.25 every 4 weeks (so 13 issues a year), it's an excellent way to help children develop key skills like number and letter recognition, observation, motor and social skills.

Timmy Time Magazine gets 5 stars from The Home Corner and we wish it every success.

For more information about the magazine, visit www.titantots.com

Books for boys

2010-04-13T14:51:00.003+01:00

So, footballers are picking books for boys are they (see today's Guardian). Whilst I think it's going to be great for some boys, I don't think it's going to encourage all boys to start reading.

My own DS is an avowed bookworm, sometimes his teachers have to take books off him during lesson times, but he has absolutely no interest in football. Now if actors, or scientists, or inventors, or even writers were choosing books for boys, he'd be paying attention.

So, come on powers that be, don't just assume that premiership footballers are going to engage every boy in the country, cast your net wider!

The sun is out, the sky is blue...

2010-04-10T20:18:00.002+01:00

...It must be spring time!

We got our bikes out for the fist time on Friday. We did the wonderful ride from the Millennium Bridge in Lancaster to the Crook O' Lune (around a 10 mile ride by the time you add in the ride from our house). Turner may have painted the Crook, but we go there to have tea and bacon rolls from the wonderful Woodies. The view really is good too!

Download the Cycling for All Guide here and follow Route 1 to the Crook O' Lune

Moving the goalposts

2010-03-22T21:53:00.003Z

Recent changes in the basic qualifications for workers on holiday playschemes could pose a problem for working parents.

Playleaders now need an NVQ playwork qualification (which can take up to a year to achieve), rather than just an Induction level course which has been acceptable before.

Playschemes typically run for a week at Easter and four weeks of the summer and are usually staffed by students, so it seems crazy that they should now need the same qualifications as playworkers who are in post all year.

SkillActive (the Sector Skills Council for Active Leisure and Learning), are working with the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), to try to find a realistic solution.

The reality is however, that with less qualified staff available, there will be less playscheme places available and parents will be faced with the prospect of finding alternative & potentially more expensive childcare solutions during the long holiday periods, or taking more annual leave so that they can look after their children themselves.

Additionally, children face missing out on excellent play experiences provided in safe environments and students (typically teaching and childcare students), could find themselves missing out on wages in their long vacations, but also vital experience of working with youngsters.

It is to be hoped that some solution can be found so that all the groups involved can continue to benefit from the real opportunities and experiences that holiday playschemes offer. In the meantime, book your playscheme places as soon as possible so that your children don't miss out.

Pizza, pizza, pizza and a lot of mozzarella

2010-03-22T21:33:00.004Z

The DS had some friends round for tea and I figured three boys aged around 11, could manage making their own tea.

I made some pizza bases (see below), rolled it out and provided tomato puree, grated cheddar, chopped onion, mushroom, pepper, ham, pineapple, sweetcorn, cooked pancetta and mozzarella.

The three of them piled their bases high, put them in the oven and disappeared off until they were cooked.

The meal was topped off with a chocolate fondue (I could have gone for chopped fruit, but chose marshmallows instead).

A great time was had by all, but I was glad to give them a good walk to get them home.

Pizza bases (thanks to Cas Clarke's Grub on a Grant)

4oz (100g) flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

pinch salt

3fl oz (75ml) milk

mix ingredients into a stiff dough

roll out and place on a greased baking tray

add toppings

cook in a pre-heated 220C/425F/Gas 7 oven for 20-25 minutes

World Book Day - 4th March 2010

2010-03-08T20:28:00.002Z

I didn't blog about this before the day because I was wrapped up in preparing for a mammoth story reading at my DS' school (and making a pirate costume, more later).

As with many primary schools, his encourages pupils (and staff), to attend on the day dressed as their favourite book characters.

The DS appeared (see above), as Jim Hawkins from Treasure Island (complete with aged map and Black Spots in the satchel). He won one of the Year 6 prizes (a poetry anthology).

I was really heartened by the response of the children to my story choices (listed below), they all sat enraptured and were still talking about them at the end of the day.

Roll on next year I say!

My story choices...

Reception

"Rosie's Walk" Pat Hutchins

"The Gruffalo" Julia Donaldson/Axel Scheffler

Years 1 & 2

"Curtis the Hip Hop Cat" Gini Wade

"The Big Noses" Terry Jones

Years 3 & 4 "Dr Bonocolus' Devil" Terry Jones

"The Wine of Li Po" Terry Jones

Years 5 & 6 "The Empty House" Arthur Conan Doyle

World Maths Day - 3rd March 2010

2010-03-02T06:57:00.004Z

3rd March is World Maths Day, and to celebrate, those wonderful people at www.zoobookoo.com have put together their Top 10 Maths Tips. They've also provided some helpful downloads and links to products and resources to make maths even more fun for you and your little people!

mumsense magazine

2010-02-21T19:55:00.003Z

Here's a link to the Feb/March 2010 issue, with my piece about how to empower girls to be what they want to be. It's called "supergirl"

mumsense magazine

National Storytelling Week 2010

2010-01-28T13:54:00.004Z

Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year and your opportunity to share your favourite stories together.

Don't just restrict yourself to your usual stories, think back to your favourites from your own childhood.

Also, try and create some stories based around your own lives or photos from a family occasion.

Whatever you do, have fun together.

More info here

Micro Pets-i

2010-01-28T11:55:00.004Z

Do you remember them back in 2002? Tiny, interactive pets (my DH still has his lion "Nash").

Well, they're back! 35mm high and jut £9.99. This second generation have artificial intelligence sensors, so that they're even easier to train.

You can train them to dodge obstacles; follow a ball or your fingers; sing; communicate with other Micro Pets-i by infra-red and sing together; lastly, once 2 Micro Pets-i have communicated together 5 times, they go into "fortune teller" mode and sing a wedding march or a darker tune.

Perfect for kids who want a pet, but will forget to look after them and for busy execs who could do with some stress relief.

They'll be available in the UK this week.

Zoobookoo.com

2010-01-18T10:35:00.005Z

On Friday I featured Zoobookoo's top 10 homework tips, but today I'm giving a mention to the company themselves.

They make quality educational toys and games (I WANT the bears, I have no need of them, I just WANT them, they're soo cute).

The site looks good, is clear and simple to use and the products are fun, educational and sensibly priced.

I'll certainly be paying the site a visit next time I'm looking for some games and activities for the DS.

Well done Zoobookoo for a really inspiring and useful resource. Visit them at www.zoobookoo.com

Ten Top Tips to help your child with Homework

2010-01-15T14:33:00.003Z

www.zoobookoo.com - designers of quality educational toys! have come up with these great tips, designed to help parents develop a happy homework routine for primary school children, which will hopefully become a healthy habit by the time they reach high school.

Spookily, they arrived just as I was helping my DS with his Yr6 science homework!

They make perfect sense.

1. When and where for homework

Decide with your child a regular (daily / weekly as appropriate) time slot to

do homework and stick to this. Check with your school as to the

appropriate length of time for homework for your child and explain this to

your child. Choose a place to do homework: Decide with your child

where homework is to be completed eg at the kitchen table, specific

desk… Initially you will need to be seated with your child, but with time you

will be able to be busy with other tasks, but in the same room. Inevitably

the kitchen tends to be the best place. Be ready to sit down if the child

needs support.

2. Avoid distractions

Turn off the TV, the Xbox, the DS and the computer – unless required.

You need to help your child focus on their homework

3. Help get them started

If your child has understood the work at school they will be able to explain

what they have to do. You may need to gently ask some questions and/or

inform, if the child did not understand. You may need to openly discuss

how to get started and discreetly point them in the right direction.

4. Child completes homework (not parent)

Ensure your child completes the work – you can explain where necessary

but do not provide answers. This is a great opportunity for your child to

think for themselves – encourage this

5. Patience and praise

You may have to explain some things several times. Resist temptation to

rush your child. Consider this quality time – try to be relaxed and jolly this

is not a chore, it should be fun. If your child associates homework with

quality time with you they will be more likely to do it and enjoy the routine.

Praise your child often, particularly their efforts and not just final efforts: ‘I

really like the way you are sitting their doing your homework…’

6. Look, say, cover, write

Your child is unlikely to learn by just looking at work, so encourage them to

LOOK at it, SAY it out loud, COVER it up, then WRITE it out

7. Tools of the trade

Set your child up with pencils, pens, colouring pencils, ruler, rubber and a

good pencil sharpener - all in a special stationary holder – you might make

or decorate this together. Or choose and buy them together – you can

add to it as rewards. Let your child choose a special notebook for writing

out work when they are learning with the Look, Say, Cover, Write method

8. ‘Real-life’ testing

Sometimes, perhaps in the car or out and about, you can discreetly test

your child by incorporating what you know they should have learned

recently. Try to make it relevant to the situation, so they do not feel

‘tested’ – and never at bed time

9. Parental role model

Children copy the behaviour patterns of their parents and others around

them. It is great if you can do your more ‘administrative’ chores (bank

statements, letters…) while your child does their homework. Then they

see you do your ‘homework’ too – be ready for interruptions

10. Communicate concerns with teacher

Communicate all queries or notes to the teacher on the homework

completed by your child. You could discuss this first with your child so that

they understand what you are doing. Follow up on the response as any

frustration and failure to understand should be addressed as soon as

possible

iMinds for the soul

2010-01-15T14:17:00.003Z

I love picking up little bits of general knowledge (my DH is amazed at how many films I've never seen that I can talk about quite knowledgeably), imagine my joy then when I discovered iMinds!

8 minute audiobooks in 12 main categories:

Ideas & Concepts

Politics, Law & Business

The Arts

History, People & Places

Medicine & Inventions

Sport & Action

Crime, War & Conflict

Pop Culture

Science & Nature

Culture & Religion

Mystery & Conspiracy

are available from iTunes for 95p in the UK (there are also multi-track versions available for between £2.39 & £12.95

The plan is to release one or two new recordings every week during 2010. Each "book", enables listeners to fill gaps in their general knowledge or just familiarise themselves with new areas of interest.

I particularly enjoyed the one on Japanese Anime films.

I can honestly say iMinds' audiobooks are well worth popping onto your iPod.

Sarah x

The Mom Song

2010-01-15T12:17:00.002Z

I LOVE this song as much as my DS HATES it. And yes, I've said way too many of these things to him and in classrooms!

Happy New Year

2010-01-07T18:05:00.002Z

It's very belated I know, but with getting the OH back to work and then having the DS' school closed due to the snow and ice, I'm a bit behind schedule.

Anyway, I wanted to wish you all a Happy New Year and say that I hope 2010 brings you all you wish for.

I've already got some lovely posts lined up for The Home Corner, which I hope will inspire you to have a go at some new things with the kids in your care.

I'm sharing one of my favourite bits of The Muppet Christmas Carol with you here, just because it make me well up every time I see it.

So, bless us all in 2010.

Sarah x

Chocolate Log

2009-12-24T19:27:00.003Z

As requested by many of my friends from St Joe's, who were taught to cook by the awesome Mrs Berry

3 eggs

30z caster sugar

2 oz flour

1oz cocoa

Filling

2oz butter (ok, the recipe says MARGARINE, but not in my house!)

3 - 4oz icing sugar

Topping

Chocolate

Pre-heat ovens to 220c/425F/gas 7

Grease and line a swiss roll tin

sieve flour and cocoa onto a plate

whisk eggs/sugar in a bowl until a figure 8 stays on the surface for a count of 10

fold in flour/cocoa

put mixture into tin, cook for 7-10 minutes, until springy

turn onto sugared greaseproof paper, place on a damp tea towel and roll up with paper in the middle

leave 2-3 minutes for shaping

unroll and leave to cool

Make buttercream and spread over, roll up, trim ends, spread melted chocolate over, sealing cake to the board.

Gingerbread Heaven

2009-12-21T15:31:00.004Z

For those of you who -like me - believe that Christmas isn't Christmas without gingerbread biscuits on the tree and in a tin for nibbling, I give you this recipe. The DS and I tested it today (see above), and it really is easy, tastes delicious and makes LOADS!

If this one is anything to go by, I'll definitely be checking www.cookuk.co.uk out for more lovely food ideas.

Gruffalo Crumble

2009-12-19T17:48:00.002Z

The Cruickshank Family would like to heartily recommend this recipe. We had it for tea this evening (cold and wet in Lancaster), and it was just right for warming the old heart.

The Gruffalo was one of my favourite books even before the DS came along, and even now at 10 years old, he's looking forward to watching the animated film on Christmas Day.

I still have the copy of the story we bought him as a baby (well, I'm a teacher, it "might come in useful one day")

Christmas Craft

2009-12-17T14:40:00.005Z

Tomorrow is the DS' last day at school and so tonight (before going to the Christmas disco), he will be making a Christmas card and an angel decoration for his teacher. Here are the templates -

penguin

angel

Hopefully his teacher will like both.

In the next few days we'll be making gingerbread biscuits for the tree and a chocolate yule log, so watch this space for those recipes.

A biscuit recipe (at last!)

2009-12-11T07:00:00.002Z

Way back in the mist of time, I promised you a recipe for biscuits and here it is. This is a basic recipe, which tastes great, but you can add extras like dried fruit or chocolate chips or different flavours to change it a bit.

Ingredients:

100g of self raising flour

10g of caster sugar

10g of butter

1 egg (beaten)

Juice and rind of half a lemon

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 350F, 180C, gas mark 4

Sift the flour and sugar together in a bowl

Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs

Add the egg and lemon and mix to a stiff paste

Roll out the dough thinly and press put biscuits using cutters

Put on a greased baking tray and cook for 15 minutes

Cool on a wire rack

Decorate and enjoy together

If you want to use these biscuits to decorate a tree, make a hole in the top of each one with a skewer, chopstick or knitting needle before cooking and then thread with thin ribbon when cool.

These are great, really simple biscuits and you can talk about maths and science concepts whilst making them (like textures, how mixing things together changes them, what will happen when they're cooked/cooled).

Most of all, it's just a great way of spending time together though!

The Boy and I are testing out a gingerbread biscuit recipe this weekend, so we'll share it with you next week if it works out.

Top ten hints for buying toys for Christmas

2009-12-04T09:43:00.002Z

I make no apology for lifting this advice straight from the press release, it's excellent, straightforward advice.

NATIONAL TOY COUNCIL SHARES TIPS FOR CHOOSING THE RIGHT TOYS THIS CHRISTMAS

With just 20 shopping days left until Christmas, the National Toy Council has revealed ten top tips to guide parents and gift purchasers over the holiday season. The ten tips are:

1. Pick and Mix – children gain most from play that’s varied, so buy a range of toys.

2. Pink is for boys, blue is for girls - if boys want feminine toys and girls want masculine toys, that’s fine!

3. Keep it simple – always choose a toy your child can cope with; avoid toys and games that are too complex for their abilities.

4. The right place to play – children will have the most fun and get the most from toys when they feel secure and comfortable in their surroundings, with supportive adults available.

5. Let your child choose – children who are encouraged to get involved in choosing toys will play with them for longer.

6. Team toys - choose toys that encourage children to play together – social play is important!

7. Going it alone – solitary play is also important – think about models, construction toys or craft kits.

8. Get active – outdoor toys like ride-ons can keep children – and you! – active, fit and healthy.

9. Use your imagination! – ‘let’s pretend’ with, for example, dolls, puppets and arts & crafts materials is one of childhood’s most pleasurable and important forms of play.

10. Safety first! – always consider safety when buying toys for a child. Most of the toys on the British market today are carefully made and safe to play with but it’s always better to be safe than sorry, so here are some useful and simple guidelines:

• Always buy from a reputable retailer who is a member of the Lion Mark Scheme.
• Be vigilant when buying from street traders and fairgrounds.
• Look for the Lion Mark, an indication of safety and quality.
• Beware of second-hand toys - there is no guarantee that they are safe.
• Follow the guidelines. If a toy is ‘not suitable for children under 36 months’ take this literally. If a toy is ‘recommended for children aged 3-4’, use your discretion.
• Check for sturdy, well-sewn seams, sharp points and rough edges. Ensure eyes and noses are fastened tightly.
• Choose the right toy for the child.
• Keep toys meant for older children apart from toys meant for younger ones

“The National Toy Council hope all families have a fun, safe and happy Christmas and enjoy their toys and play throughout 2010,” Professor Jeffrey Goldstein, chairman of the NTC.

New craft inspirations from an old hand

2009-11-27T10:58:00.002Z

A new site from Patti Barker who you might know from the Barker Ross and Yellow Moon catalogues. The site is fairly new, but already has loads of great craft ideas. It can be found at www.patticrafts.co.uk

Back in the Home Corner

2009-11-27T10:55:00.002Z

Late last year I moved this blog to Wordpress and changed its emphasis a bit and - I have to admit - it bombed!

Anyway, here I am, back on Blogger and ready to post a couple of times a week with seasonal inspiration and news of little treats to spoil you and your kids with. Do check back often and let me know what you think.

Sarah x

Choxi+ Minibars

2008-10-14T16:22:00.000+01:00

Choxi+ Minibars retail at 89p and are available in both milk and dark chocolate varieties.

As well as being delicious, they provide a day’s supply of flavanol antioxidants. These antioxidants help to neutralise free radicals and oxidants in our bodies which can - if left unchecked - trigger cholesterol problems, premature aging and even cancer. Free radicals can be helpful in fending off infections, its just that we tend to have too many of them in our bodies.

At the moment the bars are selling in Boots, but later in the year, they will roll out to other stores. The 89p RRP may seem a bit steep for a small bar of chocolate, but both the milk and dark versions are so rich and filling that you can get away with giving your child half a bar and they’ll be more than happy.

I really enjoyed the Choxi+ bars and will certainly buy them again (I might even share them with my son!)

Keeping it Together

2008-10-14T09:14:00.004+01:00

Mum's Diary - RRP £14.99 - The idea of Emma Fletcher, a mum of 4 from London, the diary is pink, hard-backed and the size of a paperback book.

As well as having a week to view format for you, it also includes a 4 x 7 grid so that you can see what the rest of your family are up to for the week - no excuses for being in the wrong place at the wrong time now!

The collection also includes:

The Family Address Book - £12.99

The Big Family Diary - £12.99

Mum's Weekly Calendar - £9.99

Mum's Shopping List - £5.99

All the products can be viewed and purchased from www.mumsoffice.co.uk

Baking is the new...

2008-10-09T14:22:00.002+01:00

... well, baking! People are concerned enough about what goes into foods and also about the rising costs of things like bread that they're now making their own. To this end, I'll be "beefing up" the recipes section of the site.

On another baking strand, apparently biscuits are the new cup cakes! I'll ad some biccy recipes to the site, but I'll leave it to you and the kids to decide on what delights you'll put on the top.

Sarah x

Our boy is growing up

2008-10-09T09:10:00.002+01:00

This week our son - who started Year 5 in September - decided it was time to start walking to school on his own. Quite a few of his classmates were already doing so and I guess he felt he should give it a try. So on Monday I made sure he had all his bits and bags and let him out into the world by himself. He was talking to himself and telling himself he could do it, right until the last moment, I was ready to put my shoes on and go with him. I figured that if he didn't make it the school would phone and ask where he was. On Monday afternoon he pottered out of school as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened and said all had been fine!

On Tuesday I had to go to school too and I assumed that we'd go together. "Actually mum, I'll have a 5 minute head start, then you come". So, that's how it was, he went and I followed behind. I cheated and started a bit before the 5 minutes was up so that I could see what he did. There are no roads to cross, but there are a few alleys and long driveways and he stopped at each one and looked carefully before continuing on his way. He was fine.

Yesterday he informed me that now he was confident of getting to school, he thought he's try coming home by himself too. I was a bit less keen about this as the road he walks along is busy and the pavement is pretty thin, if there are people coming the other way you sometimes have to go onto the road to pass. I told him to stick next to the houses and not to move from there for anyone. I heard him before I saw him, he was counting down the houses until he found the right one. He was fine. He had brought home a boot bag that wasn't his, but he'd remembered to give in all the things he needed to and had also brought home all the things he was supposed to.

He's 9 years old and he's heading out on his own. I haven't been as nervous or upset as I'd expected, but I do feel a great sense of loss that suddenly my baby doesn't need me quite as much as he did, but I'm proud to think we've given him the confidence to be able to tell us when he's ready to move on.

3 great blogs

2008-10-01T07:20:00.003+01:00

3 blogs here by childminder Hazel, who has 32 years experience (so probably knows a thing or two worth sharing! You can find her writing at

http://thingschildrensay.blogspot.com

http://storieslovedfromchildhood.blogspot.com

http://magicalchildhood.blogspot.com

Sarah x

Method Products

2008-09-24T14:36:00.004+01:00

The range of bathroom products are made from naturally-derived, pure ingredients that aren't harmful to the ultra-porous skin of little ones. Method Baby & Kid are 99% natural (95% for the nappy cream), in rice-mallow and milk scents, even the packaging is non-leaching and recyclable.

The baby range includes a body and hair wash, body lotion, bubble bath and nappy cream.

The kid range has a 3-in-1 shampoo and body wash in crisp apple or fuzzy peach scents.

Priced at £4.99 each, the range is available from Boots.

Method also create non-toxic, bio-degradable, naturally-derived and never tested on animals, priced at £1.75

Visit www.methodproducts.co.uk

I'll be testing some of these products, so watch out for my feedback.

Sarah x

Your Complete Guide to Naming Ceremonies

2008-09-24T14:33:00.003+01:00

Launching on 17th October 2008 at The Baby Show at Earl's Court, London, this book guides you through organising a non-religious ceremony to mark the birth and naming of your child.

The book retails at £8.95 and is available from most good bookshops and direct from Civil Ceremonies

Big Green Smile

2008-09-24T10:25:00.003+01:00

A lovely site for parents/carers who are looking for eco-friendly products. Click on the Babies and Kids section for some great products - I'm fancying the recycled card play buildings!

Funky Feet Fashions

2008-09-24T10:16:00.003+01:00

Two great products for babies here...

First the fabulous soft shoes. Hand-made in Shropshire U.K., they're soft, funky, machine washable and come in a range of designs from animals (like the monkeys above), to daisies and strawberries. they're suitable for children aged 0-5 years.

At a RRP of £16-£21 they do have quite a high price tag, but the look, feel and quality make them well worth the money.

The other product is a comforter, Baby Deglingos (pronounced Deh-gling-oes), French slang for "the crazy ones, the whackos".

There are 5 characters with up to 12 different fabrics used for each one. There are different textures and different looks. Again, they're machine washable at 30 degrees and are suitable from birth up.

They retail at £15 and they're certainly worthy of that price tag.

Fink Cards

2008-09-11T17:48:00.003+01:00

Created by Lisa Warner and available for £4.99 from Finkcards.com These cards will help encourage your family and/or the children in your care to talk, listen, share ideas and come to respect each other's views.

You can use them as conversation starters at the meat table or as part or circle times.

I really love the idea of these, especially if you agree to ground rules where only the person holding the card can speak, everyone else has to listen until the card is passed on.

Giveaway Number 2

2008-08-18T12:09:00.004+01:00

For a great room update, don't reach for the paint brushes, instead, use Fun to See stickers. They're easy to put up and are removeable and restickable if you change your mind.

Full details can be found on their website

We've got a set of 42 "Wish Upon a Star" wall stickers to give away to the first person who emails. The stickers are in blues and a light tan colour.

Good luck.

Sarah x

Our First Giveaway...

2008-08-07T13:42:00.004+01:00

If you're potty training, or just want a bit of fun at toilet time, check out the review of Max Balls on the "Product Reviews" page of the website.

If you like the sound of Max Balls, we have a 2-pack of the balls to send to the first person to email their details to sarah@sarahcruickshank.co.uk

Good luck.

Play Day UK

2008-08-06T11:59:00.002+01:00

Today is Play Day. For info on events visit the website.

If you can't get to an event, make some time to just play with your kids and enjoy some special time together.

JCB Workbench

2008-07-09T07:57:00.004+01:00

This JCB workbench is a great addition to any home or childcare setting. My son had an earlier version of this and played with it for YEARS. It was a great investment and was passed on to friends once he had finished with it.

It sat in a corner corner of his bedroom and was played with by both boys and girls. There are plenty of pieces and they work well with other tool sets too!

Details: Encourage kids to use their imaginations while playing with the JCB Workbench. With a battery operated drill and 79 other pieces of kit, it’s the perfect way for budding builders to develop their skills.

For stockists, visit: http://www.jcbexplore.com/

8 Active Activities

2008-07-08T10:45:00.003+01:00

A summer is upon us - although my DS's sports day was postponed today due to "weather", and the Olympics are a mere 31 days away, I thought I'd share a few active things you can do with your kids. As with most of the things I promote, these ideas are mostly cheap and cheerful...

8 Active Activities

1. Young babies should have opportunities to spend time on their backs and tummies every day. Place interesting toys and objects just beyond their reach to encourage them to stretch and move when on their tummies. Attach some bells of ribbons to socks for them to wear when they are on their backs.

2. Encourage children to walk every day. Start small, walk for 5 minutes, turn around and walk home. Gradually build up the length of time you walk for. Take some water to drink and maybe add a picnic in the middle some times.

3. Choose to walk whenever you can, you will need to give yourself more time to get places, but you will have time to talk, sing, observe the landscape, or make a photo book of your walk.

4. Put some music on and simply dance. Move, stretch, crouch, bend, clap, march and sing along. Thinking about the beat of different kinds of music will also help children develop their appreciation of maths and language concepts.

5. Have a selection of scarves, bean bags and balls to throw, catch, roll, kick and even juggle.

6. Create obstacle courses using cushions, cardboard boxes, skipping ropes and anything else you have around.

7. Find some big spoons and potatoes and have potato and spoon races. Emphasise that in this case ‘slow and steady’ really does win the race!

8. Take a football to the park and simply have a ‘kick about’, it burns off energy and is lots of fun.

Enjoy

Sarah
x

Life with a 3 year old...

2008-07-07T10:38:00.002+01:00

Not me you understand, my DS hits 9 tomorrow, but a great blog by my friend, fellow SAHM and freelance editor/proofreader Dougal Fish.

I love her blog, which you can find here. I'm sure life was like this for me too, but I don't really remember! I do know that I spent a lot of that year as DS's nursery teacher when I was on supply, it was a relationship I kept up with that class right up until last year.

Anyway, I'm sure you're not supposed to enjoy the naughty step, but this is just too good not to share.

Sarah

When you're waiting to give birth...

2008-07-04T20:15:00.003+01:00

Try reading this article that I wrote for a great site called Women's Everything. I have to say that I tried virtually all of these when Jonathan was overdue and they didn't do much for me, but some people swear by them!

Twins and multiple births

2008-07-04T19:43:00.001+01:00

If you have twins or more, visit this great site by my friend and fellow journalist Linda Jones.

Foolproof Playdough

2008-07-04T19:35:00.003+01:00

This is my favourite recipe for playdough.

To make really good play dough you need really CHEAP ingredients. I’ve been making this recipe for about 20 years and somebody finally told me this year that its the fact that cheap flour is less refined than the more expensive stuff that makes it work!

There is nothing too terrible in this basic recipe if any of it gets eaten, but I wouldn’t encourage it!

To make play dough you will need:

1 cup flour
½ cup salt
2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup water
few drops of food colouring (optional)

Method
• Put the flour, salt and cream of tartar into a pan (non-stick if you have it, but it doesn’t really matter)
• Add the oil, water and a few drops of food colouring and stir well
• Place the pan on the hob over a medium heat and stir constantly until the mixture forms a ball in the middle of the pan
• Turn out onto a floured surface and knead well (at this point you can add some glitter if you like)
• Leave to cool before you play with it.
• Store in an airtight box or bag in the fridge and it will keep for several weeks.

If you enjoy this recipe, you can download further play recipes for FREE here.

Welcome...

2008-07-04T19:30:00.002+01:00

To this new site offering a whole range of articles about parenting and childcare.

You'll find recipes, articles, product reviews and giveaways, all designed to give you inspirations for the time you spend at home with children - whether as parents or childcare professionals.

Please feel free to comment on posts, or ask a question (which I'll try to answer!)

Anyway, enjoy!

Sarah
x