This month, we’ve been really enjoying getting back to nature by participating in 30 Days Wild. One of the activities we’ve enjoyed is to make a Hapa Zome print. Hapa Zome is the Japanese art of print making by hammering plants in to fabric. I first came across it when a class of mine did […]
sensory play
Baby Play: Circles Treasure Basket
I’ve written before about the concept of Treasure Baskets and how they provide valuable sensory and learning experiences for very young children. The idea is that babies aged 6-18 months can enjoy playing with a ‘treasure basket’ of ordinary household items which can provide more stimulation and sensory input than traditional toys.
- Baby Play
- ...
Messy Play: “Ooey Gooey” Cornflour Gloop
Cornflour gloop is such a simple messy play – easy to set up and easy to clear up, too, since it all wipes off easily with a damp cloth! It’s a great one for doing with babies, since it is taste-safe – although in the end A didn’t try eating much at all, which came […]
- Messy Play
- ...
Messy Play: Car Track Painting
A really quick post today to share an idea that we had a go at last week. I’m always on the lookout for simple messy play ideas and last week I wanted something super quick that I could set up ready for T when she came home from nursery. I cam across this car track […]
Messy Play: The Beginnings of a Mud Kitchen
I’ve been keen to make a mud kitchen for T for a long time. They’re such a fun way to spend time outdoors, and are brilliant for all kinds of learning opportunities: sensory development; imaginative play; language development; learning about capacity and measuring; and scientific exploration as they mix different materials. When T started at […]
Garden Sensory Play
It is so lovely that Spring is finally here! I love the beautiful sunshine we’ve been having and have been admiring the beautiful cherry blossoms coming out down our road. We’ve been doing a few jobs in the garden to get it ready for summer and it’s lovely to be spending more time outside again. […]
Baby Play: Banging Tuff Spot
I’ve noticed recently that one of A’s favourite pastimes is to bang and to hit objects. For Christmas, T gave him a small xylophone and there is no doubt that it is one of his absolute favourite toys! In particular, he loves the beater, and can often be found crawling around the house armed with […]
Baby Play: Sensory Eggs
I don’t know about you, but I find it much harder to think of ways to entertain A than I do for T! I think a lot of it is to do with the fact that he is at the age where everything will go in his mouth, so everything needs to be taste-safe and […]
Bread Making with Playdough
I love finding different ways for T to play with playdough. Playdough is so much fun; great for keeping kids entertained; and helps improve fine motor skills by strengthening hand muscles. While the usual play dough cutters and tools are fun, I really like to incorporate different elements in to our dough play, such as toy […]
Baby Play: Balls!
T & A were given a tuff spot tray for Christmas and we’ve been enjoying putting it to use. In the last couple of months A has become increasingly engaged in playing and exploring the things around him. I love this age; it’s so fun to see what they enjoy and how they react to […]