Category Archives: parenting

Outdoor Play: Making Potions

Posted on May 10, 2013 by

My eldest daughter has been an avid potion maker all her life.  We are always finding concoctions in her bathroom and when she was young she would leave them on the windowsill of her bedroom or on the side of … Continue reading →

Posted in childhood, children, early education & play, imagination, outdoor play, parenting, parents, play, pre schoolers, science, sensory play | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Autism Awareness Month: Parenting a Child on the Autistic Spectrum # Story 3: The Wilkins Family–A Step Parent’s Story.

Posted on April 30, 2013 by

The Wilkins family; Kirsty, Mark and Connor(4). Kirsty separated from Connor’s father when he was small. Kirsty and Mark lived in Local Authority housing and were expecting a child together. Connor received a diagnosis of autism at the age of … Continue reading →

Posted in autism, families, parenting, parents, pre schoolers, Special Educational Needs | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Autism Awareness Month: Parenting a Child on the Autistic Spectrum # Story 2 : The Simpson Family–A Single Parent’s Perspective

Posted on April 29, 2013 by

The Simpson family are Leanne, Chloe (age 6) and Robert (age 3). Leanne separated from the children’s father before Robert was born. Robert received a diagnosis of autism when he was 2 years 4 months. The main concerns at this time … Continue reading →

Posted in autism, families, parenting, parents, pre schoolers, Special Educational Needs | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Golfing with Toddlers at Willows Run Golf Club: 8 Things a Toddler Can Learn From Playing Golf.

Posted on April 26, 2013 by

Today I met with a group of mums and their toddlers to play golf at the pitch and put, Willows Road Golf Course. All of the children were new to golf and most of the children were below the age of … Continue reading →

Posted in days out, early education & play, families, games, Life in the US, outdoor play, parenting, play, pre schoolers, toddlers | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Autism Awareness Month: Parenting an Autistic Child # Story 1:The Evans Family.

Posted on April 25, 2013 by

Before I had my own children I had a really rewarding job, working with families with pre-school children on the Autistic spectrum. As a parent myself, I now appreciate even more how challenging life was for these families and how … Continue reading →

Posted in autism, parenting, Special Educational Needs | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Juice Recipes for Kids: Inspired by ‘The Hungry Caterpillar.’

Posted on March 24, 2013 by

In a bid to get more healthy we recently invested in a juicer.  I now start every day with a healthy mean green as featured in the film ‘Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead’. It looks pretty grim but I assure … Continue reading →

Posted in books, healthy diet, parenting, reading, world book day | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Outdoor Play: Making Muddy Footprints Isn’t Always Easy.

Posted on March 23, 2013 by

I had a bit of alone time with my middle daughter. We thought it might be fun to try to make muddy footprints. Do you want to make shoe prints or do it in bare feet. Her face lit up … Continue reading →

Posted in early education & play, outdoor play, parenting, play, pre schoolers | Tagged , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Happy 40th Birthday to The Hungry Caterpillar – 10 Hungry Caterpillar Inspired Activities

Posted on March 20, 2013 by

To celebrate the 40th birthday of one of the world’s most famous picture books, I have 10 Hungry Caterpillar inspired activities. Maths: Build caterpillars from dough or clay. Count the number of segments that make up the caterpillar. Play a matching game … Continue reading →

Posted in music education, early education & play, literacy, books, parenting, play, teaching, outdoor play, pre schoolers, singing, science, wildlife, imagination | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

CBeebies – Magic Hands: Translating Poetry into British Sign Language

Posted on February 27, 2013 by

Often as parents we are unsure about  introducing  children to poetry, fearing that it is difficult to understand. My children however love poetry and will often choose to read it rather than prose. A new CBeebies programme Magic Hands launching soon … Continue reading →

Posted in early education & play, education, parenting, pre schoolers, Special Educational Needs, UK | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Outdoor Play:Water Painting

Posted on February 20, 2013 by

Getting my children to put things away when they are finished is often a struggle but sometimes it has its advantages. A tub and paintbrush were left on the driveway. After a few rainy days it inevitably filled with water. … Continue reading →

Posted in early education & play, imagination, outdoor play, parenting, play, pre schoolers, toddlers, writing | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments