This week we have been experimenting with Cravendale’s Epic Straws, kindly sent to us by BritMums. Daddy and the toddler have really enjoyed playing with them and made lots of really cool things from the different straws, curves, coils and loops, turning the act of drinking the wholesome white stuff into creative fun. Daddy is quite logical so first they built a simple structure. The only problem was that the toddler kept drinking. First milk, then he wanted to put the straw into his juice bottle, which he drained and asked for it to be filled up. We didn’t really…
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I can write about our love of Lego ad infinitum. At the moment it seems all encompassing which is great because as a parent I believe it’s a great educational toy. We’ve had lots of fun with Lego. We make endless towers, houses, tunnels, bridges, and manage to use it alongside other toys such as cars and trains too. We’ve been trying to think outside the box and made Lego crayons, Lego biscuits and even painted using Legos. We started off with some pots of paint and chose some different sized bricks and figures. Initially the toddler started off…
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The toddler is 29 months old. He has always loved toys, the noisier and more interactive the better. He’s a typical boy and despite my best intentions at introducing a variety of toys his firm favourite is his train, set since he was about 18 months old. Now I have to be honest and say I may have spoilt him a little by getting him 4 different sets. We’ve been really lucky and he was given a wooden Brio train set. This was his first set which we’ve added to and is his firm favourite. Next up was a Chuggington…
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We’ve all been getting a bit fed up with the Lego/train play cycle so today we tried something different – small world play! In case you haven’t heard of it before small world play enables children to learn through the manipulation of small equipment. In my previous life (before children) I trained as an archaeologist so thought it would be fun to teach the toddler about what that involved. Sounds clever but it actually involved a box of sand with small dinosaurs hidden in it. When I showed the toddler he was intrigued but soon dug in with a little…
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With the cost of summer escalating to ensure children are kept entertained, Morrisons has partnered with Play England to host a number of ‘M Savers Summer Play Parks’ that are touring the UK. There are a whole host of free activities and workshops for you and your children from potato stamping to kite making. The events are being held all over the country in the following locations: · Centenary Square, Market Street, Bradford, BD1 1LH – (13th & 14th Aug) · Barkers Pool, Sheffield, S1 2JA – (16th & 17th Aug) · The Forum, 2 Millennium Plain, Norwich, NR2 1TF…
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The other week I was asked if the toddler liked Thomas. Only the biggest Thomas fan in Paisley Road, I answered. A couple of days later this turned up. Fisher Price very kindly sent him the new R/C Thomas Steam ‘n Speed with real working steam! It wasn’t too difficult to get out of the packaging, just a couple of fancy plastic ties, which was good as the toddler was sooo excited when he saw it. He won’t say Thomas but “TT” so there was lots of shouting and I had no option but to get it out of the…
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We were sent a (very large) box of the new limited edition Colour Me In Rice Krispies and a Bumper Colouring Case with 58 different pens, pencils, glitter glues and markers so the toddler and I could decorate the characters on the Rice Krispies box and personalise breakfast. Quite a long time ago the toddler went off breakfast (spot a theme in our house!?) and for the last year he’s eaten toast and a yoghurt everyday without fail. However, the arrival of the Rice Crispies, or “crisps” as he calls them, has him eating breakfast cereal again! On the day…
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I was a bit sceptical when I heard about a new Lego range for girls which was launched in December 2011 with 14 sets. I loved Lego when I was younger (and still do today!) and loved my Lego bricks and Technical Lego too. Extensive research suggested although girls enjoyed playing with Lego they found it difficult to identify with – Lego Friends was born. Each character has a distinct personality and a variety of interests ranging from invention and design to animals and performing arts. Lego Friends is the first LEGO building experience that has been fully tailored to…
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The toddler has become obsessed with Thomas the Tank Engine and I don’t use the word obsessed lightly. His whole day seems to revolve around the little blue engine which means mine does too. His first words in the morning are Thomas and Gordon, his favourite engines, and the first toy out of his toy box is his Thomas track and engines. I totally blame my husband who wanted to wean him off Chuggington. Little did he know his passion for Chuggington would just become a passion for Thomas. In a bid to reclaim my lounge floor and introduce a…