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Review: playHOORAY Mini Pack playPROMPTS, worth £17.25

Posted on (updated ) by Tim Freed

playHOORAY Mini Pack playPROMPTSReview written by Toddle About VIP Club member, Kimberley Bick.

My little boy (just turned 2) have had great fun using the card prompts.  We’ve turned the music up and drawn to the music which was very funny as he kept having to stop to show me his dancing and then carry on but it’s amazing to see how much rhythm he has!

We’ve had a music day and filled empty bottles up with rice, sugar, pasta and water and added some elastic bands to a container and created a musical band for Mummy, Daddy, Seb and his big sister! We swapped them around and had a competition of who could be the loudest! Continue reading →

Review: VW Beetle Walker from Hape, £48.53

Posted on (updated ) by Tim Freed

Hape VW Beetle Walker

Review written by Toddle About VIP Club member, Rebecca Champion.

The walker arrived in a very eye catching box which did get my 21 month old, Jessica excited to open the package and see what was inside. My husband unpacked and commented on the careful packaging and very simple and easy to follow assembly instructions. He also liked the fact it had only 2 pieces so was built in minutes. Continue reading →

Hide and Seek as Therapy

Posted on (updated ) by Tim Freed

Hiding BoyBy Jeff Thomas – Registrar, Play Therapy UK

Children of all ages love to play hide-and-seek and it can play a very powerful role in their emotional development.

When parents play Peekaboo, this facilitates attunement and attachment – showing her baby, with a loving gaze, that she understands and meets their needs. When the mother disappears in the game, the infant may experience both anxiety and the pleasurable anticipation of reunion with her. This, in turn, increases the infant’s capacity to tolerate separation.

Interestingly, when children are referred for therapy, they often initiate hide-and-seek games over and over again.

As Hide-and-seek games consist of separating and reuniting, it is likely that the child’s attachment schema is triggered. The repetition of this game allows the opportunity for the connection and comfort of face-to-face relationships that they may have missed out on. For children who have experienced attachment difficulties, trauma, anxiety and loss, hide-and-seek games are extremely important. The children initiate this game so they will be found and thereby begin to heal wounds of feeling ‘left’, ‘abandoned’, ‘bad’ or ‘unimportant’. Continue reading →

More Than Just A Mess

Posted on (updated ) by Tim Freed
During messy play, babies and pre-schoolers are given creative freedom.

During messy play, babies and pre-schoolers are given creative freedom.

By Jo Powell, (BA Hons, PGCE), founder of Arty Splats

Messy Play might look like just a chance to play and get mucky, but it is actually a huge educational opportunity.

Messy play can often conjure up negative images and can be seen as stressful and hard work for adults, both at home and in childcare settings. Looking beyond the mess, it is well documented by education experts, such as Bernadette Duffy, that messy play makes a huge contribution to babies’ and pre-schoolers cognitive and creative development.  Engaging in high quality messy play experiences also helps children’s development towards their Early Learning Goals as set out by the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).

Messy play involves children using all of their senses in the process of exploration in which they use materials to manipulate and mould.  Messy play is unique as it offers all children a chance to explore rich textural experiences regardless of language, age or ability.  There is no right way to engage with the materials on offer so all children can feel part of a group. This type of play benefits all babies and pre-schoolers but is also recommended by professionals such as dieticians to address ‘fussy eating’ and sensory processing issues.   Continue reading →

Unique and Fun Products for Little Ones: Shop About Autumn 2017

Posted on (updated ) by Tim Freed

There are amazing products coming out all the time for bumps, babies and toddlers. Here’s our run down of some of the best things available on the market today:

Christmas Eve Box from Ellie Mai Toy BoxesChristmas Eve Box – From £30

Add to your little one’s excitement on Christmas Eve with one of these gorgeous personalised Christmas Eve Boxes from Ellie Mai Toy Boxes. Each wooden box in handmade to order and personalised with the name or names of your choice. Simply fill with treats and activities such as PJs, reindeer food, a family game and a Christmas DVD for your little one to enjoy.  Internal Dimensions: 30 x 22 x 13cm.  Last Orders: 1st December 2017.

Order at www.fb.com/elliemaitoyboxes

 

 

 

Continue reading →

REVIEW: Lift-the-Flap and Colour Books: Forest & African Animals, £5.99 each

Posted on (updated ) by Tim Freed

Lift-the-Flap Colouring BooksReview written by Toddle About VIP Club member, Caroline Temple.

We were excited to get two lift the flap and colour books, as it’s a concept I’ve not come across before. I’ve got an 18 month old (Jacob) and a 4 year old (Ben), these books are aimed at 2 years plus, so it was a challenge to keep Jacob away from them as we were colouring, as he loves lift the flap books!

As these books are story books that we were potentially going to be reading in the future, I wanted to make sure that they looked half decent, so I helped Ben more than I usually would! The upside of this was that I enjoyed the colouring too. We are big natural history fans in this house, so I had high hopes as these books are published in association with the Natural History Museum. Continue reading →

REVIEW: Hape The Jungle Journey Train, £8.00

Posted on (updated ) by Tim Freed

Hape The Jungle Journey TrainReview written by Toddle About VIP Club member, Megan Fryer.

I received the jungle journey train through the post, my first impression of it was that it looked good and I was impressed with how sturdy it was.

Taking it out of the packaging was about difficult especially the packaging around each individual train and animal.

After all of the wrapping was off, my daughter was so excited to play with it. She is 2 years old and loved the animals on the top and that they could come off of the train so that she could play with them individually. Continue reading →

The Multi Award Winning Family Arts Festival Returns

Posted on (updated ) by Tim Freed
Just So Festival enables families to step out of their day to day lives and into an imaginative outdoor adventure

Just So Festival enables families to step out of their day to day lives and into an imaginative outdoor adventure

JUST SO FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES PROGRAMME AND NEW EXPERIENCES

Just So Festival, 18 – 20 August 2017, Rode Hall Estate, Cheshire.

The multi award-winning family arts festival, produced by Wild Rumpus, has revealed its full programme of regional, national and international artists and performers and new areas for families to adventure through in 2017.

Now in its 8th year and recently awarded Best Festival by the National Outdoor Events Association, Just So is an annual, intimate, weekend-long festival – an imaginative outdoor adventure like no other as the only arts camping festival in the UK dedicated solely to children and their families.  

With a love of stories and childhood escapades at its heart, Just So Festival enables families to step out of their day to day lives and into a wonderland of world class literature, arts, theatre, dance, music, comedy and creative pursuits together. Underpinned by the Tribal Tournament, the most bonkers competition in the land, it takes audiences (from bumps to great grandparents) on a unique expedition of mischief and mayhem, to lands full of magical midnight feasts, curious creatures, raucous pillow fights, hidden retreats, top notch food, drink and boutique camping options and breathtaking beauty. Continue reading →

Tips to Keep the Kids Entertained this Summer

Posted on by Tim Freed

Tips to Keep the Kids Entertained this SummerThe summer days can be long and entertaining the children for free can be tricky. Sun-Pat Peanut Butter has created a guide that helps you keep the kids entertained everyday of the Summer holidays, with 42 free activity ideas – 1 for each day of the summer holidays.

You can download the full guide from the Sun-Pat website and you can enter a promotion to win a 1 of 420 sports kits they’re giving away over summer holidays as well.

Activity Ideas: Continue reading →

Review: smarTrike 5 in 1 Recliner Infinity

Posted on (updated ) by Tim Freed

smarTrike 5 in 1 InfinityReview written by Toddle About VIP Club Member, Natalie Collingwood.

Our smarTrike 5 in 1 Recliner arrived in a compact box that was easy to carry and not at all as large as I expected, as it was just me at home at the time this was fab as I was able to carry it from the front door through to the dining room with no trouble at all.

I was impressed that it was wrapped in a black cellophane and had very little packaging inside the box which was easy to dispose of and meant little waste, my husband is very big on recycling so it meant he was a very happy chap! Continue reading →