Category: Toddler life

How To Make Frozen Oobleck

How To Make Frozen Oobleck

Posted on by Rebecca

Hot Summer days are the perfect excuse to be outside with messy play. Frozen oobleck is such a perfect activity for this and it literally doubles the fun and play time of normal oobleck. “Oobleck” is just a fancy term for good old cornflour and water and with the help of some silicon moulds this is one super fun activities and absolutely safe for younger babies and toddlers to experiment with.

You’ll Need:

  • cornstarch
  • water
  • liquid watercolors or food coloring (optional)
  • ice-cube trays, silicone molds, or a container to place in the freezer

How to Make the Frozen Oobleck:

  1. Add about 1 cup of cornflour to a bowl.
  2. Slowly add about 1/2 cup of water. I found with this you want to almost double the amount of cornflour to water, because your freezing it, to make sure it melts into a proper gooey oobleck. Less water is better!
  3. Add food coloring or liquid watercolors. Obviously for younger kids you would want to use food colouring as its non-toxic.
  4. Pour the oobleck into molds. We used our favourite Mickey shaped moulds, because someone turns 90 on the 18th of November!
  5. Place the molds in the freezer for at least a few hours.

Take it outside! This activity was perfect and the boys banged about trying to break up the frozen moulds for ages before getting stuck into the gooey mixture afterwards. it goes without saying its messy, but that’s why we were in our swimming suits ready to rinse off in the pool afterward. Interest was held for much longer. Once melted, It has properties of both a solid and a liquid depending on the amount of pressure applied. When you press down, the cornstarch and water mixture acts like a solid, but when constant slow pressure is not applied, the mixture acts like a liquid.

The perfect activity for summer holidays coming up!

The Ultimate Kids Christmas Gift Guide

The Ultimate Kids Christmas Gift Guide

Posted on by Rebecca

Its officially “Gift Guide Season” and I have been scouring the best toys across leading suppliers in South Africa to compile my gift guide for the Christmas Period. To make your life a little easier I’ve divided them into Toddlers, Kids and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math).

Toddlers

That’s every cute age where they don’t reaaally understand what the Festive Season is all about, but they do enjoy ripping wrapping paper apart quicker then you can put on a nappy! I speak from experience when I say these are fabulous from ages 1 to about 3, my little niece even has a few of them!

Here are my top picks:

From Top Left to Right:

Mini Mickey Plush Toy from Prima Toys (avaliable at all leading retailers) // Leap Frog Shapes and Sharing Picnic Basket R259 // Leap Frog Sweet Treats Learning Cafe // Playdoh Kitchen Creations Spinning Treats Mixer R329 // LeapFrog Popping Colour Mixer Truck R429 // Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Microphone R199.99 // LeapFrog Water & Count Veggie Garden // Playdoh “Wavy the Whale” Set R219

 

Kids Selection

I haven’t separated these into “Boys or Girls” as I really don’t believe girls should only play with girls toys and boys with boys. Children should be allowed to play with whatever they choose too! There are so many incredible toys out there, and I know I haven’t even included half they things my son asks for on a daily basis, including a “Paw Patrol Helicopter”, however, these are some of my top picks:

From Top Left to Right:

From Mattel we have the Barbie Colour Surprise Doll. Available across all ethnicity’s and body shapes, children can spray and style Barbie’s hair however they please! R489.99 // Prima-Toys Scruff-a-Luv is still one of my favourites. They arrive as a sad, matted ball of fur, but once you bathe them, dry them, brush them and love them, you’ll discover what kind of pet they really are and reveal their true beauty R360 // The Hot Wheels® Track Builder Epic Challenge Race Crate contains everything needed
for creativity, building, imaginative play, and problem solving R789.99 // Super Hero Super Stretch is one of my boys favourite, Stretch him, pull him, tie him in knots. When you release him he uses his amazing stretch to slowly return to his normal shape. R509 // Baby Thando speaks both English and IsiZulu and has proven to be one of the most popular dolls of this year R699 // Fingerlings come in a wide range of different animals including dragons, panda’s and monkeys. See how they react when you swing them, pet them, rock them, startle them or hang them upside down. R399 // Transformers are everywhere this year and Hasbro has released the Power Charge Bumblebee. Action figure converts from robot mode to
classic Volkswagen Beetle mode in 17 steps so kids can amp up the power in 2 modes R949 // LOL Surprise have taken the world by storm. Children unwrap the ball finding a surprise in each layer. Prices vary dependent on the type you buy.

 

 

From Top Left to Right:

Thomas & Friends Perfect for early childhood fans, this shiny assortment of durable die-cast Thomas & Friends large engines is suitable for age 3+. RSP: 114.99 // Treasure X, I love the sensory element to this toy! Treasure X is the ultimate surprise-reveal collectible with a multi layered reveal process, cool figures, and the chance to find REAL treasure! // Join the buzz with the Bumblebee Showcase Helmet that captures the cool swagger of the loyal Autobot scout R1400 // Barbie Dream Camper -The signature pink Barbie® DreamCamperTM transforms from a camper van into a campsite play set with the push of a button R1949.99 // The Barbie® Cooking & Baking Ultimate Kitchen is a must-have kitchen play set for little chefs aged 4+, complete with its Barbie® chef doll and 20 accessories R829.99 // The My Little Pony Equestria Girls fashion dolls, each dressed in a stylish outfit, complete with fashion accessories that match their character personalities // Little Live Pets: These little dogs are the cutest pups around. Lil’ Cutie Pups are full of life and love to show off their own personalities as they scamper about, beg and play with you.

STEAM RANGE:

This is an absolute passion of mine! Doing STEAM/STEM activities with my boys and broadening their thinking and problem solving skills. My educational gift guide from last year still has some fantastic choices that are still in store, added to my list from this year you’ll have no shortage of ideas.

 

 

From Top Left to Right:

VR Real Feel is the ultimate in experience in 3D. We got the racing one for my son for his birthday and the graphics are incredible! It works alongside your mobile phone and can be bought in a variety of options, including fishing and racing. R649.99 // Tower Products has an incredible arts and crafts range for kids, available from most leading toy and craft stores. Prices from R34 // V-Tech Light and Flight Discovery Globe . As they pretend to travel the world, the globe teaches kids basic geography skills with colourful lights, playful phrases and cool sound effects. R725 // GeoSafari Bug watch R349 // Magna Tiles are a firm favourite in our house. The options to create are endless ! Well worth the price! R2489 // Tower Products delivers again with their fantastic range of STEM home kits. Make your own slime, crystals or snow! R68 // I’m seriously crushing over National Geographics range of exploration sets. It varies from Dino Digs to Volcano sets and Shark Tooth Kits from R199 on Takealot // Toby Tower’s Bath Crayons are perfect for Picasso creations in the bath! RSP 60.

 

{Giveaway} – The Importance of Oral Hygiene In Our Children

{Giveaway} – The Importance of Oral Hygiene In Our Children

Posted on by Rebecca

Last week I had the opportunity to sit down with an Oral Hygienist from Colgate-Palmolive and we spoke about all things related to Oral Health, not only ourselves, but in our children as well. I have a life long fear of the dentist (don’t tell my kids), and I’m determined to pass on positive oral hygiene habits. Having a sister in law as a Dentist adds to the pressure 🙂

As parents I think we all face the same struggles getting our toddlers to brush their teeth. My eldest has always been easy going and has pretty much mimicked mum and dad, down to the gargling and all. My youngest on the other hand, had to literally be pinned down whilst screaming just so I could get in and do a quick sweep of his mouth. I certainly didn’t encourage this, I’ve always “given” my boys the toothbrush and let them learn through experimenting. My youngest however always just bit the brush and then threw it down, with his affiliation to anything sweet I knew I had to do more. Thankfully that period of persistence has paid off and now he confidentially brushes his teeth with mummy doing a “once over” afterward.

On our first few trips to the dentist we took a teddy with to make it a more positive experience. The dentist first did a once over of “teddy’s” teeth, before moving onto the boys. This in itself created a fun, positive experience.

I asked if you had any questions related to Oral Hygiene in your kids and I have your answers, and then some! Have a read to see some of the most common problems we all struggle with as parents:

– I sometimes have to literally hold my two year old down screaming while i brush their teeth, is this normal? Should I continue to force him until he gets used to it, or should i adopt a more gentle approach?

The best way to teach a child to brush is through mimicking their parents. That being said up until the age of about 10 years old, children should be supervised by their parents when brushing, to ensure an effective brush. Sometimes children do need a “little forcing”, its not something that should ever be done in a rough way, but its essential their teeth are clean. Routine keeps kids safe so starting that routine of morning and night time brushing as soon as possible is important.One of the best things to do with your children is to let them brush their teeth in front of a mirror, so they can watch themselves brushing.

– What age should you let your child start brushing their own teeth?

You should start brushing your child’s teeth from the time the first tooth erupts. In babies you can wipe their gums with a damp face cloth. Its recommended that parents brush their child’s teeth until about 9 or 10 years old.

– Can drinking cows milk before sleeping (after brushing teeth) cause erosion?

No. Simply drinking from a bottle cannot cause teeth decay, however, it’s the length in time you let a child suck on that bottle that can cause milk caries. Sometimes referred to “early childhood caries”, a common problem among children under the age of five, but can be avoided through awareness and prevention. White spots on a tooth’s surface are early symptoms of baby bottle tooth decay. At this stage, fluoride treatment or placing fluoride varnish can be used to remineralize all of the teeth.

– What is the recommended age for a child’s first trip to the dentist?

From the time the first tooth erupts. The sooner you go the better. Even if it Is just to familiarize them with the environment. Remember a Dentist’s office is very clinical. There are scary looking instruments, masks and gloves, so taking a child from as young as possible just to eliminate fear is often a good place to start.

– Ive heard children are starting to loose their first teeth earlier? previously I thought it was 6 and 7 but now I hear children as young as 5 are, is this normal?

Yes perfectly normal. There is a broad spectrum and depending on genetics and care, children between the ages of 5 and 7 can loose their teeth. There is an eruption chart but this is only a guideline.

– At what age do children start using a normal fluoride toothpaste? Should it be when big teeth come through?

Children can use an “adult” amount of fluoride toothpaste from the age of about 6. The Colgate toothpaste for 6 years + actually contains the same amount of fluoride in it as adults toothpaste, its just the flavor that differs. You should always use an age appropriate toothpaste for your children as higher amounts of fluoride in the toothpaste can damage younger teeth. Colgate’s toothpaste are all designed to cater for the age groups with the appropriate amount of fluoride in them.

– Is there a proven correlation between strong teeth and calcium intake in children? Should I be making sure my kids drink full cream milk/ yoghurts?

Genetics has a strong role to play in overall teeth and bone health. We should always encourage a healthy diet in our children

– How long should we brush our teeth for? 

Two minutes is the ideal amount of time. You can use a little sand timer to show your children the length of time, or some of the more expensive tooth brushes also play songs or have a light.

– What age can a child use mouth wash?

Mouth wash is not recommended until 6 years of ages. All of Colgate’s mouth washes are alcohol free. For children between 6 and about 10 its not advisable to use a mouth wash daily, rather twice a week.

So what is the “correct way” to brush your teeth?

Yes, ill admit it, I’m a bit of a “scrubber” when it comes to my teeth, but there is a recommended way that we should be brushing:

For effective oral cleaning, its always best to use a soft toothbrush (not medium or hard as this can cause gum erosion) . Hold the toothbrush horizontally against the teeth, with the brush halfway between your tooth and your gums. Brush in small circles, focusing on the areas between the gum edge and tooth to gently remove plaque. When it comes to the surface of your molars, there it is effective to ‘scrub” back and forth. Always remember to brush your tongue from back to front and to rinse with water well afterward.

Buy a brush, help a child:

Colgate is also running an incredible CSR initiave. Everyone deserves a future to smile about, and now you can help too! In partnership with the Dis-Chem Foundation, Colgate-Palmolive South Africa is running the“Buy A Brush, Help A Child” campaign. For every toothbrush bought at a participating Dis-Chem pharmacy, a toothbrush, toothpaste and access to oral care education will be given to a child in need. With the help of Dischem, the aim to is reach 1.7 Million Children. So if you need to stock up on new toothbrushes, head on over to Dischem and purchase a Colgate toothbrush to help a child in need.

GIVEAWAY:

Ill be giving away a hamper from Colgate-Palmolive valued at R400 to one reader. The hamper is packed full of Colgate products for your whole family, including new toothbrushes and toothpastes.

  • To enter, all you need to do is comment on this blog on your biggest challenge when it comes to your child’s teeth.
  • For an extra entry comment on the “In these Stilettos” Instagram or Facebook posts.
  • The winner will be announced on the In these Stilettos Facebook page (so please make sure you have liked and are following the page) on Friday 19 October 2018 – T’s & C’s apply – *hamper contents may differ slightly from the picture below.

Rainbow Rice For Sensory Play

Rainbow Rice For Sensory Play

Posted on by Rebecca

I often get asked, “but what do you do with rainbow rice”; It may look pretty , but how does one incorporate it into “play”?

First, lets look at how to make it.

It is super easy and you can choose whether to use paint or food colouring. There are two ways to make it, I chose to use paint as my kids are a bit older and I know they won’t “eat” the rice. For younger kids, use the vinegar and food colouring method. I just find the paint makes a more vibrant colour.

1 cup of uncooked rice ( I used 2 for a larger batch)
Sealable bag / container
A blob of paint

Place your rice into the bag, with a good blob of paint and seal your bag. Rub the paint around until all specs of rice are coated (I got the kids to do this). Lay out to dry on a flat tray in a warm area for about 2 hours. You don’t want the paint transferring on your hands.

Vinegar Option
1 cup of rice
1/2 top vinegar
A good few drops of food colouring

Use the same method as above but you may need to dry overnight.

How do you play with it?

Now that you have made it, lets look at all the different things you can do with it, apart from admiring the pretty colours. The benefits of using rice in sensory play are second to none. From an OT point of view its great for kids that have low tactile input, the rice stimulates receptors on the skin so they can interpret sensory input more accurately. It’s the perfect medium for fine motor skill development. For those kids that avoid any tactile input completely (your kids that don’t like to walk barefoot or don’t like to get messy), because they can play in a controlled manner. Place it into a smaller container/ tray lets them control their experience more.

Here’s a couple of ways we use our rainbow rice to give you some idea’s:

Sensory Trays – any rice makes a fantastic base for sensory trays. It’s a bit like sand in that you can grab it, dig in it, scoop it etc. We use rice in a lot of our sensory fun. I have used it in themed sensory bins like our valentine one, or our outer space adventure.

Imagination Play – rice is perfect for “cooking”, making potions and baking. My boys like to stir it about in pots or “sprinkle” onto cupcakes.

Scavenger hunts – using the rice as a base for treasure hunts. Hide their favourite toys or treasures inside and make a checklist for the kids to dig through and find.

Scooping and Pouring activities – Great for fine motor skill development in little ones. Give them a try with the rice and some pouring jugs and let them scoop and pour away.

Letter recognition – add in an extra dimension by chucking in some magnets and a wand, magnetic letters are a great way to start letter recognition. Another exercise is to place the rice on a tray and get your child to “trace” the letters of the alphabet (from pictures), this is a great way to get them used to the shape of letters for recognition and to prepare them for writing.

“I-spy” Bottles – create personalized little “I-spy”bottles like this one over at lalymom.com , these are great for long car or plane journeys to keep little ones entertained.

Use it for art – ever tried sticking rice onto glue? It makes a fantastic piece of artwork for kids. Let them get creative with their glue sticks and create masterpieces with the rice.

Music Makers – If you have babies or young toddlers, you can also put the rainbow rice into bottle or plastic egg. The baby can then shake, shake, shake the bottle like a maracas.

I hope some of these idea’s helped you with some inspiration. The beauty of coloured rice is once you make it you can literally store it in an airtight container for life. We pull ours out quite often. Be careful though, rice does get everywhere. I always put done our messy play mat (a plastic sheet) and take it outside. Happy Playing !

20 Outdoor Activities To Do With The Kids

20 Outdoor Activities To Do With The Kids

Posted on by Rebecca

Yaaay for warmer days and longer hours of sunshine. I’ve missed outdoor activities with the boys so much and in the past two weeks every day after work we try to fit in some “play time”.

Most of these can be done in a smaller outdoor area, so if you’re in a high rise with limited balcony space, worry not! You can still get creative.

Here are my favourite outdoor activities to do with kids:

  • First and foremost, I just like to sit back and observe. Let their imaginations work. Get them outside and let them make their own fun. On their own accord they have been countless hours “building” forts, making houses behind trees, turned into imaginary chefs mixing up soup with leaves and their ultimate is to pretend they are gardeners. Whilst I’m a huge advocate of doing things with them, trust me, my absolute number one thing to do is just to let them do their own thing. It’s a magical thing to watch.
  • Set up a “Mud Kitchen”- All kids, no matter what their gender love to spend hours mixing and creating. Give them a couple of old bowls and spoons with a jug of water and some soil and you’ll be amazed at the creations put in front of you to sample.
  • Paint with Ice Lollies – a lot of my outdoor activities include paint, because to be honest, I much prefer the kids painting outdoors than in, in the interest of keeping my walls and floors paint free of course. This is super easy. Mix a little paint with water (you can also use food colouring and water) and pour into an ice container. Once the cubes are partially frozen add in your Popsicle sticks and take out when completely frozen. Yes it’s just paint, but it adds a completely different dimension and texture to painting.

  • Paint with Nature – Spring time with all the flowers out is the perfect time to do this. Grab a few flowers, leaves and sticks and get the kids to paint with them. Observe the patterns they all make and which ones are easier to paint with.
  • Pack up your lunch and take it outside. Most kids adore picnics, so instead of sitting inside to eat, grab a blanket and take it outdoors for a bit of an adventure
  • Set up a mini Olympics – This really doesn’t have to take too much thought or effort. We have used things we have around the house. Examples include: drawing a target circle on the wall outside in chalk, get the kids to try and hit the targets with a ball or bean bag. Tying a hoola hoop onto a tree to create a ring to throw through. Place cones out and create a mini obstacle course to run and jump through.
  • Build a Fairy House – Using popsicle sticks, sticks, matchboxes, moss, leaves, and small items from inside your home to build a fairy-sized house.
  • Build a Bug Hotel – My husband hates this one but the boys love it. Find any interesting artifacts lying around. Old bricks, pipes, pots with holes and rolled up newspaper work really well. Layer with straw and leaves to create mulch and make a really interesting little “hotel” for bugs to make their home in!
  • Go on a bug hunt – Look around said hotel 😊 Take a magnifying glass and create a list of possible bugs in your garden. Encourage the kids to look under pots and logs to try and find the bugs
  • Create a scavenger hunt – I like hiding figurine animals around the garden for this one. You can use a magnifying glass or make a pair of binoculars out of toilet paper rolls. Hide your mini animals all around the garden and let the kids find them.

  • Create a wash station – whatever it is, be it windows or bikes and cars. Get kids involved with a sponge and some soapy water and they are in their element. My boys love washing their bikes, or my windows and ultimately it always turns into a wet, messy affair. You are outside, so its OK 😊 
  • Make some bird feeders – Out of pine cones, peanut butter and bird seed. The kids will love making their own feeders and will often keep checking to see if birds come to feed.
  • Paint Stone Pebbles – My boys loved this ! Collect medium-sized stones and arrange them in the garden. Get your kids to paint the stones with acrylic paints of different colours. They can paint anything they like from shapes, to pets and insects. Mum can come in after and draw in any finer details.

  • Create Giant Bubbles – Bubbles are one thing I despise doing inside. The sticky bubbles pip all over the tiled floors leaving a slippery, sticky mess. Outdoors is the perfect place to create bubbles to your hearts content. To make the giant bubbles add one cup of dishwashing soap to a litre of warm water. An extra two to three tablespoons of glycerine, (makes your super big bubbles). Pour your concoction into a flat, rimmed tray, like a sheet-cake pan, and dip in a large DIY wand, made by bending a wire hanger into a loop. Lift the wand slowly and walk backward to let loose a gigantic bubble. Experiment and try different mediums, a fly swat perhaps with large holes. The crazy store has a lot of possible options to use.
  • Collect flowers and leaves and make a magic potion – Using food colours and petals let your kids mix away and create any “magic potion” they desire. I love the pretend aspect here.
  • Sensory Trays – If you have been following my blog for a while you know I’m a HUGE fan of Sensory boxes. Why not make some foam soap, a slimy swamp or a sandbox sensory tray with cloud dough? The possibilities are endless and being outdoors or on a balcony means easy clean up!

  • Go crazy with chalk – I must admit I LOVE chalk. It’s the one time my boys are allowed to draw all over the walls and floor. If we are outside of course. We love to colour in bricks and then find things around the garden to match the shade of brick, or just graffiti the driveway up. Whatever it is, it only takes a rain shower or sprinkler to wash away. Easy clean up!
  • Create a Nature Weave – We have been meaning to try this for ages and it looks pretty simple! You will need to find 4 pretty straight twigs to bind together into a square shape. Take some string (or you could even use bits of palm leaf) and weave close together to form a weave. The kids can find flowers, leaves or any interesting objects in the garden to thread through the “dream catcher” or “Nature Weave”.
  • Make a Water Wall – We have done this a number of ways and its so easy and very educational for little toddlers. The easy way would be to cut out scoops from the middle of plastic bottles. (I used 500 ml water bottles as well as 1l and 2l soda bottles. Attached them to the wall in a descending order, I just used tape as It was a makeshift one. Give your kids a scoop or jug to pour water into the top container and watch in amazement as the water flows through ! My dad then got involved and make the most awesome water wall out of PVC piping for the boys. If you have a good hardware store close by it shouldn’t be too hard. Place a tub underneath to collect all the water and let them play!

  • Make Ice Fossils – One of our all time favourite activities. Take any small figurines you may have around the house; we have used “dinosaurs” for dino eggs as well as marine life. Put them into an empty water balloon, fill with water and tie. Freeze the balloons overnight and then cut off the balloon cover. Place out bottles with water, plastic syringes and chipping hammers and let the kids try to uncover their fossils in the ice !

Imagination Play, The Magic of Dolls – Win with Shimmer and Shine

Imagination Play, The Magic of Dolls – Win with Shimmer and Shine

Posted on by Rebecca

If you have been following my blog for a while you probably would have picked up that I’m a bit of a fan of “Imagination Play”. Good old acting, letting the boys immerse themselves and act out experiences they may have had or dreams they want to pursue. I read somewhere that imagination really develops in children between the ages of 2 and 4. To help deal with experiences and make sense of the world around them, they engage in imaginary play.

Its also no secret that my boys love the show “Shimmer and Shine”, and as a parent so do I.  Shimmer and Shine has long been a favourite in our house, it tells a story about the magical adventures of genie sisters “Shimmer and Shine” and their best buddy Leah. “Newly qualified” twin sister genies, Shimmer and Shine, grant Leah 3 wishes to try to help solve her problems. Along the way they go through a number of challenges and often overcome the problem at hand, no thanks to the wishes. I love that it teaches the boys problem solving abilities and positivity. In addition, it teaches kids the value of friendship because Shimmer and Shine shows how friends can rely to each other when times get rough.

We love dolls. I have absolutely no qualms in giving the boys dolls to play with. I bought Yusuf his first “baby doll” when he was 2. He loves babies and playing with dolls helps to develop a sense of empathy and care. The boys were absolutely thrilled when they got sent a “Shimmer” Doll to review. The only conduit being there was one and they had to share. (These school holidays have tested my patience slightly when it comes to the sharing lesson – but thats another blog altogether).

Personally, I feel dolls are one of the best toys to encourage and foster “Imagination play”. Children can act out how they feel and create opportunities for trying out new ideas, ways of thinking and problem solving. The Shimmer doll was perfect and within minutes of unboxing Aadam was transported to “Zahramay falls”. Shimmer is the sister thats always looking to maximize the fun. Her pet monkey Tala is always mischievously by her side and I love that they have incorporated that into Shimmer’s hair comb. The doll comes dressed in a pretty purple satin genie outfit and along with the comb you also get special gem stickers. She’s the perfect size too, fitting into a little ones hand comfortably and being small enough to accompany us on our adventures. My youngest loves to play with hair and had delighted in brushing and playing with Shimmers’ long hair (anything to stop him messing up mine :)).

WIN A SHIMMER AND SHINE DOLL

Our little Shimmer Doll has been the perfect toy to spark curiosity and send them into a world of play. Together with Mattel South Africa, I’ll be giving away one “Shimmer and Shine” Doll which retails at R269.99.

To enter:

  1. Make sure you are subscribed to the blog
  2. Like and Follow “In these Stilettos” on Facebook , https://www.facebook.com/inthesestilettos/ 
  3. Comment below on who your favourite Shimmer and Shine character is!

Its that easy!

  • The winner will be announced on the In these Stilettos Facebook page on Tuesday 24th July. The competition is open to all residents of South Africa. T’s & C’s apply.

 

 

 

10 “At Home” Activities For Kids To Do During The Holidays

10 “At Home” Activities For Kids To Do During The Holidays

Posted on by Rebecca

Previously holiday breaks during the school term were never a big thing, because I worked from home and had my mornings free, it meant that I was on hand to entertain the kids. We would adventure, we would play, we would explore. Fast-forward a few years and now I’m not at home, I’m in an office, (like 80% of South African mothers), and my “mom guilt” is going into overdrive that my kids are sitting watching TV all day. I now fully understand “holiday clubs” at school.

So, I’ve been thinking…. thinking of activities to set up for the boys that they can play with limited supervision. I’m lucky enough to have a fantastic nanny to take care of them so they can enjoy a bit of a break from school, but, she has other work to do and is not on hand every single second to supervise activities. Enter good old “google”, and I am shocked. Almost all the “holiday activities” designed for children require mom to be around or set up… Scrap that plan. So, I do what I do best and get to thinking of crafts to keep them busy. That’s why I enjoy crafts so much, they stimulate kids but they also don’t require much supervision. So, they can get on with sticking, creating and crafting and everyone else can get on with their work too.

So here is my top 10 list of crafts (Ok there are 11 but I couldnt choose) to keep your kids entertained these school holidays. These do require some forward-thinking mums and dads. Setting up the night before and putting the crafts out, it shouldn’t take longer than 10 minutes and are ideally suited to children up to the age of about 7.

Paint and Play Day

Set up some paint and a variety of materials for the kids to paint on and play with. Sponges, brushes, flowers and stamps make great tools for the kids to explore with and play with different texture canvases such as foil, cardboard and bubble wrap. Make sure you place a suitable ground cover down to stop the paint from getting all over your floors.

Create a Collage

Cut up a big piece of cardboard from a leftover box to use as a nice big canvas for little hands. Gather up a variety of items, ribbons, stickers, magazine cut outs, paper doilies, muffin cases, pomp oms, anything your heart desires. Better still I normally do a craft cupboard stock up at CNA before the holidays start. You could get creative and chose specific colours. Kids love nothing more than gluing and sticking. Trust me, it’s a winner every time! Lay out all the materials on a tray for them with the glue and canvas and let them stick to their hearts content.

Create a Scavenger Hunt around the house

Hide a few objects around the house (choose distinctive things or specific pictures). Draw up a list of all the things hidden and tell the kids to go on a treasure hunt! Once they tick everything off their list tell your caregiver he/she can give them a small treat.

Clay Play

Get some good old fashioned air dry clay OR modelling clay. I prefer air dry clay as I can keep their creations forever. You can find this at any stationery store like CNA or your plastic-land/ Westpack stores. Make up a bowl yourself the night before, I often find if I am not there it is easier for my kids to see what to do when they have an example to follow. Ask your caregiver (if you aren’t home) to place down a floor protector and give each child a nice fist sized amount of clay. Let them create to their hearts content and let the final product dry in the sun. Once dry (probably by the time you are home), let them paint it.

Movie Day

I’m pretty sure this is one we have all done before. Surprise them by renting their favourite movie, or download it on Netflix. Layout some blankets and pillows (or a tent if you have one) in the lounge and pre- make some popcorn before you go to work. Let them stay in their PJ’s for the morning and watch their favourite Netflix while snuggling up with some popcorn and hot chocolate.

Create a mini activity centre

This could be done in or outside the house dependent on your situation. Create a “bean bag” toss – put a strip of tape down as the standing line and some “Hoola-Hoops”. The aim is to try and get the bag into the target area. Bowling – If you done have tenpin pins at home grab some paper cups and stack them together in a triangle shape. Using a ball or a bean bag, let your child try to knock down the cups. Golf putting – Simply take a plastic cup to use as your “hole”, the kids must try and put their ball into the cup to sink it. The possibilities are endless here.

Have a baking day

Yes, this is possible, even If you aren’t home. If your caregiver knows how to cook buy some pre- mixes from snowflake or Pillsbury. Easy ones like muffins or brownies. Lay out the ingredients the night before and the kids can mix away and then whoever is home can pop it into the oven. OR if you aren’t comfortable with the “baking” aspect they could ice some Marie Biscuits (Just make up the icing the evening before), or make some Jelly.

Montessori inspired Activities

Have a look at my blog post on my favourite Montessori activities for toddlers around the house. Most of these are independent and allow for easy clean up. Another great “keep busy” one is a good old peg board! Developing those fine motor skills while keeping them focused.

Sidewalk chalk

Buy a pack of good old sidewalk chalk from your local stationery store or plastic land. Let them draw their masterpieces wherever they feel free (outside of course). It’s the only time my boys are allowed to draw all over the walls, and the pavement outside. A quick rinse with the hose, or a rain shower will leave absolutely no trace of Picasso’s masterpiece.

Playdough invitation to play trays

My only disclaimer here would be, if your kids are younger and they will be playing partially unsupervised, maybe make your own playdough. I have a super quick recipe here. That way you can have peace of mind that it is non-toxic and “safe” if they decide to swallow a mouthful. Set out the playdough on a tray and put individual items of interest in separate containers around it. You could theme it, for example; construction you could make a brown dough, add in a few toy diggers and some “stones” (fake or real), some sticks and tools. Let them create their own little universe. Alternatively, pre- order some carefully thought out themed packs from party play dough.

Sensory Trays

Limited supervision required depending on the route you take. I often post up our sensory tray adventures on Instagram and then forget to post them on the blog, so if you are looking for ideas make sure you follow my Instagram account here. Ideas to do could include a winter wonderland (with snow made from Bicarbonate of Soda and white conditioner), an undersea adventure, either made with jelly, cornflour and water or sludge, or an outer space galaxy made with some painted black rice, marbles, stars and figurines.

You can have a look at my sensory mud tray here or a cloud dough experience here.

 

So there are some activities to get you going, now that I’ve started I have a couple more up my sleeve. Sometimes you just have to write things out a little to get your mind going! I hope I’ve inspired you in some way. The “Mom Guilt” will never subside but we can make ourselves feel a little better.

Montessori Inspired Activities for Toddlers

Montessori Inspired Activities for Toddlers

Posted on by Rebecca

I’m a huge advocate of Montessori, in particular in the early learning phases of a child’s life. They say people come into your life for a reason and my friend Mandy did just that. A trained Montessori teacher, Mandy opened up my eyes to learning and development in children. We used to have the most fantastic mum and toddler classes all in a Montessori environment and my little one thrived.

I’ve put together my top Practical/ Life Skill Montessori activities. These are specifically tailored for toddlers aged about 15 months to about 3 years old I would say and  have literally saved me on so many occasions, when I just need 10 minutes. My boys really focus and get involved in the tasks. Most of these materials you would already have either in your Kitchen or Bathroom and cleaning up is a breeze (in fact the kids should do the cleaning up through play).

Montessori activities are life-based. They help children build skills for everyday life,  building upon the necessary foundations needed in academia. Most of Montessori activities are done on a tray. The purpose of having a tray is to concentrate the child’s attention on one activity, to isolate distractions and in a typical Montessori school a child will select their own tray from the shelf, and put it back again after.

Here are 5 quick and easy Montessori activities to keep a toddlers learning mind busy. 

Basics you’ll need are:

A large tray/ sensory bin

Two similar sized bowls

Shaving cream

Spray Bottle

An empty bottle

Straws

Kitchen Cloth

Sponge

 

Spray Bottles

These should be a staple in any toddler household. The trigger action is great for development and coordination and the wiping motion helps them cross the midline.  Get your toddler to spray a large window or mirror and wipe it up after. Crossing the body’s mid-line is an important developmental skill needed for many everyday tasks such as writing, hitting a ball with both hands etc.

Shaving Cream Fun

Want to keep a toddler busy for at least 20 minutes? Give them some shaving cream ! The possibilities are endless and as your kids get older it really aids in writing skills as well. I digress, if you have a big window or mirror spray a little cream onto the surface. Taking a plastic fork, or their finger, let your toddler draw designs through the cream. Afterward get them to wipe the surface down with the cloth.

 

 

Sponging and transferring water

Sponging is one of the first basic lessons a child learns in an Early Childhood Montessori classroom.  It works on fine motor development, focus and concentration. They also indirectly learn about absorption. Take two bowls and place a little water into one. Your toddler must place the sponge in the bowl with water and transfer and squeeze the water out into the other bowl until the activity is finished. Then complete moving the other way.

The Spooning Exercise (Transferring)

This activity saves me on a weekly basis. Cooking in the kitchen and have a toddler in your hair? Stick two bowls in front of them and let them work. It develops control and movements in your toddler, learning independence and concentration. ALL toddlers LOVE sorting and I vary this activity with different ingredients. Flour is a favourite but we also use lentils, dry beans and popcorn seeds. In one bowl pour in your ingredient of choice and give your toddler an appropriately sized spoon. My boys are so careful to try and ensure each and every lentil falls into the bowl and they dont stop this activity until each piece has been transferred.

Placing Straws Into A Bottle

This activity is actually perfect from as young as 12 or 14 months old. As your toddler gets older you can also add in a degree of complication by adding in varying factors. For example: Adding in pipe cleaners and sticks to the tray, your toddler must sort them out and ONLY add the straws to the bottle, or get them to list the colour of each straw the place in the bottle. As with each of these activities you’ll have to show your toddler what to do first and then let them take over.

 

Toddlers from about 14 months onward are probably at my favourite age for learning. Everything is fascinating and exciting. These activities are great for calming kids and encourage independent learning. I’ve got a whole lot more to share but I hope these simple activities will inspire you to get your child involved in daily activities around the home. What are your favourite activities?

“Crafting for Mom: 3 DIY Gift Ideas”

“Crafting for Mom: 3 DIY Gift Ideas”

Posted on by Rebecca

May to me is “Mothering Month”; Mothers Day of course, falls in May as well as my own mama’s birthday. While Mums special day may have come and gone, I’m always looking at unique gift ideas to give to the special ladies in my life. There’s something special about a homemade gift to me, the time and effort that goes into it and the fact that it was made just for you, it’s my favourite type of gift to give (and receive). Having two young kids to jump in and help with the crafting is just the cherry on top!

Here are 3 quick and easy DIY gift ideas to use for your next gift – ALL are kid friendly, in fact my boys did 70% of these and all take no longer than 5 minutes (apart from the drying process).

1.Popsicle Stick Picture Frame

You’ll need:

  1. 4 craft ice cream sticks, in colours of your choice (I got mine from CNA)
  2. Glue Gun
  3. A Magnet
  4. Various decorations of your choice (I used stickers and pom poms)
  5. A picture of your choice

I used a glue gun to stick all four sticks together, i wanted this to be strong so the kids didnt help me here as glue guns can get super hot! Attach the picture to the back of the ice cream sticks.

Using a good quality graft clue (for kids) or a glue gun (for mama), stick on any decor items of your choice. For the first frame i found a gorgeous paper butterfly that I wanted to utilise so I stuck that on the corner and then the kids went crazy with their stickers (a good compromise 🙂 ). For the second I hoped onto the pom pom trend and made another frame with a fiesta feel.

Lastly I took the glue gun again and just put a blob of glue on the back of the photo to attach the magnet to, so it can sit proudly on Grandma’s fridge!

Seriously one of the quickest and most heartfelt gifts you could give, and what kid doesn’t like decorating their own masterpiece?

2. Air Dry Clay Necklace

You’ll Need:

  1. A Packet of Air-Drying Clay (I also got this from CNA) – you could also use Salt Dough, see my previous recipe here – but the Air Dry Clay is easier and more time effective
  2. Paints of your choice
  3. Ribbon/Twine
  4. A straw

Get the kids to knead their clay to a nice soft consistency. Roll it out to the thickness you desire and take your mould, whatever shape it is ( I used cookie cutters). Cut it out and take a the straw or toothpick to make the hole for the chain to string through. Dry your pendants by placing them on a flat tray with some wax paper. Drying time varies, I gave mine 12 hours and it was perfect. Once the clay is dry let your kiddies paint away ! Its quite hard to tell from the picture but the purple heart has the boys thumbprints indented into it. I filled their thumbprints with glitter and now I’ll always remember their little thumbs at 4 and almost 3 years old.

The sky is the limit with this one. The versatility of air dry clay is endless and really with this idea your imagination can take you anywhere. I have seen so many options, you could add beads at each end, stamp an initial for a monogram charm, really do whatever your heart desires.

3. Personalised Mug

You’ll need:

  1. Plain porcelain mug of your choice (I feel white is most effective)
  2. Porcelain pens/oil-based pen markers (Any guesses where I found mine? Yup, CNA is my go to craft shop).
  3. Vinyl stickers – the thicker the better

To start off; make sure your mug is completely grease free. Take a little bit of vinegar on cotton and just wipe your mug down. Once that is prepped use your stickers to spell out whatever you want, or just use a monogram. Give your pen a good shake and press it down on a piece of paper a few times to get the liquid flowing. Next, make dots all around your stickers, you want your dots as close as possible at the start and you can gradually space them out as you move further away from your chosen word. The closer together they are initially, the better your word is formed. You can add in as many colours as you like, or you may even chose just one. You have to let the paint dry before peeling the stickers off. 4 hours is a safe bet. Once dry, preheat your oven to about 160 Degrees Celcious and “bake” your mug for 90 minutes. This sets the paint and ensures it wont come off in the wash. Its best to hand wash these mugs in any case.

Its that easy!! Your Eid/Christmas presents for this year are sorted ! You can personalise a mug for every member of the family. We have literally done this as teachers gifts, Christmas gifts as well as Mothers Day. The boys adore it and in a way, their designs are more effective (they have less patience with the dots and tend to scribble towards the end).

SO there you have it! 3 super quick and easy DIY gift options, perfect for the Mothering month of May.

Avoiding Entitlement in Children – Discovering Responsibility Through Chores

Avoiding Entitlement in Children – Discovering Responsibility Through Chores

Posted on by Rebecca

Entitlement – It’s a word that can send shivers down my spine, and something I’m petrified of creating in my children. According to my husband I have already lost that battle and cave at my children’s every whim. If they grow up with a sense of entitlement, thinking the world owes them something, then I’m not doing my job as a mother well.

My boys have a slight obsession with money, a little early right? I tried introducing the concept of pocket money a little while ago to my eldest (now 4). He was 3 at the time and had a meltdown in a kiddie’s toy store for a wooden fire truck. I had to walk out of the store with him crying and throwing a tantrum. I know he is young, I know he doesn’t understand, but I never want to raise a child that’s gets whatever he wants. That day when we got home we created a “Fire Truck Jar”. For every task successfully completed, he got R5. Of course, mommy ended up forgetting half the time, and yes reached my hand into the jar if I was short on cash in a moment. The Fire Truck was eventually forgotten about. The obsession with money however, not so much.

 

We had another episode with my eldest last weekend. I constantly hear “I want”, “I want” coming from his little mouth. Actually the more he gets, the MORE he wants. China Town with its cheap R20 toys is actually a problem. The latest “NEED” is a Robot. No matter how often I sit him down and speak to him about the value of things, it doesn’t seem to make a difference. I try to make a point of taking the boys with me to under privileged schools and orphanages, so that they can see how much they have. At this age, they actually don’t see the difference (which warms my heart), all they see is potential friends to play with.

Which leads me to question, what is the right age to start introducing chores to our children? As a mom of two boys I want more than anything to raise independent, able men, who are able to do their own dishes and are able to cook their wife a meal. Men that know the value of hard work and that with a little effort and perseverance they can achieve their dreams.

So, we started introducing chores.

It actually turns out, little kids can do a lot around the house.

So we started again, and this time it set. Chores help children to see themselves as people who help, as opposed to people who are helped by others. Aadam now has 3 main chores now every day. He loves to choose his own clothes, so every morning he has to get himself dressed for school, “pull up” his bed (It gets remade but the action of him doing this is enough to melt my heart). He also has to put his toys away before we go to bed. This for some reason, gets him every night. Perhaps it’s because he’s tired, but he is physically incapable of doing this by himself. You have to “help” him through it. I’ve found that creating a “sorting” game out of it helps a bit. By putting cars with cars, colours with colours it’s more of a challenge to him as opposed to just “cleaning”.

Here are some more tips I’ve found when it comes to introducing chores.

Manage your expectations – My boys love to do the dishes, letting them actually do them however a pure action of love on my end. The amount of water that ends up on the floor is more than in the sink. I don’t expect them to do it perfectly, I just expect them to try.

“Help” mummy – Most children LOVE the opportunity to “be a helper”. By making them feel important and choosing them to help you put the toys away for example, your child is leaning so much.

Start off with smaller tasks initially, ease them in with one or two important tasks a week.

Praise matters – Make sure you praise them as much as possible when it comes to chores. Make it an exciting, important task. Use dish-washing as an example; I had to bite my tongue when the boys did their first lot of dishes as so much water ended up on the floor, but to them, they did the best job in the world.

Be flexible – give them a choice of tasks for that week, vacuuming (which my boys will never say no to), or picking up their toys.

Not all rewards are created equal – Star charts don’t work for every child. I tried it with Aadam initially, maybe he was too young at the time, but he didn’t grasp the context. Now with actual, physical coins he is more motivated than ever before. He counts his “gold coins” every morning to find out how many more he needs to buy his robot. Each plastic gold coin is worth R5.

 

Not sure where to start?

Some basics that are great for toddlers include:

Sweeping, vacuuming, mopping

Wiping, dusting

Watering the garden

Washing the windows

Cleaning the car

Getting dressed

Putting their plates in the kitchen after eating

Packing toys away

 

I would LOVE to hear what chores you have your children do in your house, and how do you “reward” them? Do you think “chores” with rewards create a bigger sense of entitlement or should they be done with no expectation of reward?