I write about the importance of reading a lot on the blog. Reading has so many benefits including improving language, vocabulary and fueling the imagination. There are some great children’s books out there and some fantastic stories, but there are also many books that have much more meaning behind them. One of these is Mud […]
A parents guide to school plays and concerts
It’s that time of year again when our little darlings are all frantically rehearsing for their school concerts and plays. Any parent with a child who has been in school a few years will be very familiar with this, but if you have a new starter you might be wondering what to expect, so here […]
Inspiring a love of reading
I frequently write about my children’s love of books and reading on the blog. It’s something I actively encourage and it helps that I am a little obsessed with children’s books myself. There are so many wonderful books out there and not enough time to read them all – usual story! Twice a year the […]
Encouraging active children: part six
Welcome to part six in our series on encouraging active children. I am firm believer that if as parents we make being active part of every day life then it simply becomes the norm to children and not something that is a chore or ‘add on’ later in life. It is just part of normal […]
Developing cognitive skills at bathtime
What is bathtime like in your house? Busy? Stressful? Fun? Action packed? Bathtime has always been lots of fun in our house. It is busy of course but it has always been one of the children’s favourite parts of the day. Bathtime creates so many opportunities to share special moments with your children, as well […]
Christmas gift guide: part fifteen
Welcome to part fifteen of our ‘Christmas Gift Guide’ – how is your shopping going? Do you wrap as you buy or do it all in one go? I love the idea of doing it all in one go in front of a good Christmas movie with a glass or mulled wine, but these days […]
The benefits of learning a second language
How many of you speak a second language? How many of you are completely bilingual? Perhaps some of you readers speak three or more languages. I loved learning languages as a child, French was the most natural for me as we spent a significant amount of time there whilst I was growing up and that […]
Family-friendly days out: part eleven
Welcome to part eleven of our series on family-friendly days out. All four children are real bookworms. They love reading and have a bookcase each which was handmade by their grandfather and which is full of their favourite books. We spend time reading together, they read to each other and they read to themselves. As […]