Toddlers Christmas Gift Guide

Christmas is a truly magical time of year, and I’m so excited for it this year. Archer has hit the magical age of two and a half and is really beginning to take the world in and understand things- we’ve been mentioning Father Christmas and presents and it seems he’s finally grasping it (even though when asked what he wants, he responds “pizza” every time). I’m really excited for him to experience opening presents this year, and I’m sharing what he’s getting with you all so you have ideas what to buy your own toddler for Christmas this year. 

Some items were gifted in exchange for inclusion in this guide. 

Archer Goes to Sleep

If you have a toddler, you’ll know they don’t sleep. Archer especially is a very light sleeper and often finds ways to delay bedtime- thankfully a story always helps and we’re gifting him this lovely personal book for Christmas! I was able to customise the features of the child in the book to represent him and the story features his name throughout which I believe will fascinate him. Add in the fact the theme is going to sleep and I’m hoping this story becomes a regular bedtime feature!

Atlantic Nano Junior 3-Wheeler Scooter by Skates.co.uk

Archer has been asking for a scooter for as long as I can remember and now he’s close to 2 and a half years old I think he’s finally big enough to try one out. It was really hard finding one that I felt was suitable for his size (he isn’t the tallest) while still being easy to use with three wheels and that could grow with him. We got this scooter from Skate Shop- they have a huge range for all ages and the quality is amazing. The wheels are sturdy which will help him balance and the height can be adjusted as he needs which was a must have feature for us so it will last!

Where's Archer? Personalised book by Its Your Story

I’m absolutely in love with this book. It’s fully personalised with Archers name and face and tells the story of his Christmas preparation- from sneaking downstairs to check the presents, to eating snacks when he shouldn’t! The story is beautifully presented and I know Archer will find it hilarious to follow himself and see his face doing all the things illustrated. You can add a message at the beginning too when personalising. It makes a wonderful gift and it’s something I know will be kept a very long time and read over and over. 

Mini Manta's Mani Swim Support

Swimming is completely essential life skill for children and we are planning on starting swimming lessons for both our children in the new year. As part of this, we are giving Archer a Mini Manta swim support so he can begin practicing before hand. The float is perfect for his age and building his early confidence floating in the water and is designed to promote the proper body position in water for learning to swim. It’s the perfect practical gift for this age group, rather than purely buying toys!

Count with Peppa

I’m so excited by this toy as not only does it feature one of Archer’s favourite characters, but it’s educational too. Peppa comes with ten different coloured coins and helps teach your little one their basic counting number skills, as well as first colours in a fun interactive way. I can see him sitting and playing with this for hours (he is very into posting things at the moment) and I’m happy knowing it will be teaching him too- when he posts the coins into the slot it adds them up and I can see he will pick it up quickly by copying!

Mr Tumble Learning Pad

Archer absolutely loves Mr Tumble and the programme Something Special, and I’m really excited by this toy. He’s always watching us use phones and computers so he’s been keen to get his hands on his own “tech” so this first tablet is perfect for him at this age where he’s still too small for a proper one. The Tumble learning pad teaches numbers, letters, instruments and more in a fun interactive way and again, at this age, I’m a fan of any toy that can provide an educational element while still being fun. It features most of the characters from the show and its so colourful, I know it'll capture his attention.

Crackle Baff Colours & Gelli Baff by Zimplii Kids

Archer is a huge bath addict- I can’t have my own without him insisting on taking over with toys and bubbles and I am so excited by the Crackle Baff and Gelli Baff by Zimplii kids. We’ve used the Gelli Baff before when he was younger (yes he ate a fair bit but thankfully it’s non toxic and he was fine!) to create a fun colourful sensory experience in the bath. There are also smaller packets available for fun sensory activities including ones that make snow which are perfect for tuff trays or sensory boxes this winter! The crackle baff are a definite favourite for my children as it literally makes the water snap and crackle like popping candy.

Is my son ready for potty training?

Potty training. It sends shudders down some parents spines, it’s messy and it’s often difficult. It isn’t something we can avoid though. We had Isla potty trained by two years and two months old, and she was dry at night by around three and a half years old (probably longer but that’s when we realised she didn’t need the nappy at all!)

So how did we know she was ready? Archer was a baby and pretty much as soon as he was born, she began helping us change his nappy. We’d had a potty around the house for a while but we never asked her to use it, it was just there. A couple of months after he was born, she began fussing during her nappy changes. Crying, running away and acting very shy about it all unless she was hidden and just with me or Jack- strange considering she never used to care about who saw her bottom before. It didn’t take long at all for her to be fully dry- two weeks at most!

Archer is another story. They say boys take longer, but we’ve also put off trying as he isn’t as talkative as Isla was at two. He talks yes, and he uses sentences and tells us what he wants, but he’s not talked about his business much. He did go through a stage where he would tell me “my poo coming” a minute or so before one came and I tried to use that as a signal to get him on the potty but he would scream and hold it in, absolutely terrified of sitting on the potty. 

We left it. I didn’t want to traumatise him and he’d never mentioned wee so I didn’t know if he was even fully aware of all the functions enough to begin potty training. 

They say with boys, there are a few signs to watch out for, hinting at readiness and he wasn’t covering them all at the time, but I think he is now:

1. Pulling at a wet/dirty nappy 

2. Hiding to wee or poo 

3. Showing interest in or talking about other family members toilet habits 

4. Larger intervals having a dry nappy 

5. Communicating a need to wee or poo, or that they have already 

Other than pulling at a nappy I’ve noticed all of these in Archer. He does hide and then reappear when he’s done a poo (though he doesn’t tell us in advance as much anymore). He’s definitely interested as he has no concept of personal space when one of us is using the loo- I have to remind him that everyone does their own wiping! We also had him come to us and ask to do a wee a few times- we’ve sat him on the toilet and he hasn’t like it as it’s “too big” so we didn’t get anywhere. 

I think our next step is going to be finding a new potty. He thinks the toilet is too big and he isn’t keen on the low down standard potty- I think squatting is too unfamiliar so I’d like to find something more similar to sitting on a chair. 

We have pants now and we’ve talked about when we will wear them a little. He doesn’t let on that he understands although he does ask to put them on. 

It’s hard. He understands so much and talks so much but he just doesn’t seem to want to talk about this very much so it’s hard to know if he’s taking any of it in. 

I think potty training till definitely start over the next few weeks though, and if it doesn’t work perhaps in the new year. He’s not even two and a half so I know he still has a long time! 

I’m not ready for her to start school.

I’ve just sat down, and had a little cry. Maybe it’s just my hormones, I told Jack. He said I’m being silly.

How can I explain how excited I am, but also very very sad? 

Tomorrow is the last day before Isla starts school. Yes, she’s done a whole school year at preschool already, five days a week- but that was only three hours a day. In reception, she will be in someone else’s hands from 8:45am till 3:30pm. 

Most mornings, by 8:30, she’s still parading around in her dressing gown, trying to swindle me out of more coco pops in exchange for cuddles under the blanket while we watch CBeebies with her little brother. Now, she will be running up the hill to school, stifling yawns as she spots her friends and disappears for the day. 

Lunchtime, I’d let her come into the kitchen to pick what she has. Archer wants a banana, she wants an apple. Sometimes if she was lucky I’d make noodles or pasta, and she could help me cook. 

She would go to preschool for a couple of hours. I’d relish in the quiet as it meant just chasing after one child for a while and getting some housework done. If she was tired, or had a sad day, at least it was only a couple of hours and she’d get to come home. 

We’ve had four years of long days together. Some days we made the most of every minute. Some days I swore I couldn’t wait for her to start school as we argued like we were both children- we are both strong willed and stubborn. Some days, I’d tell her I was too tired or too busy to play as I tried to keep up with the housework. 

It breaks my heart with regret to remember how often I said no to things. It’s impossible not to compare my parenting over the last years with those Pinterest perfect mums online who seem to have time for a trip, healthy lunch, educational craft activity and housework every day. I did my best for her, I have to keep telling myself we didn’t waste a moment. 

I feel so excited for her. School will help her grow and teach her things I never could. She will be permanently surrounded by all her little friends. She will flourish. 

I feel sad because the time with her felt so long, but now it’s done I feel like I really didn’t make the most of it. She will be in someone else’s hands most of her days now. 

I’m so so proud of our Isla, she’s grown so much and so fast- but it feels like it all went too fast. Isla is completely ready for school- more than ready. I think it’s just going to take me a little longer to stop seeing her as my baby. 

The Ultimate Softplay Survival Guide

On a rainy day, with an empty schedule, you may find yourself wondering- should we take the little ones to the soft play? Even the name is suggestive of a warm, padded area in which a parent can set their little mite free to burn off energy in a lovely safe environment perfectly suited to them, while they enjoy a coffee and some peace.

It’s all a bloody lie. 

The truth about softplay is that it is a sticky, noisy battlefield that the inexperienced parent will leave in a hurry with the changing bag and child being dragged unceremoniously to the car, undoubtedly covered in someone else’s snot and tears. 

Want to survive? Keep reading. 

1. SOCKS

Socks are required for hygiene. Never assume this is an unnecessary rule, I guarantee the day you forget socks is the day someone steps in something disgusting underneath the ballpit balls. 

Of course, if you’re heading into softplay without prior planning, I can guarantee the only pair (or “close enough” pair) you can find will have a hole in, perfectly placed for a toe to pop out. Embrace it. Don’t let the tutty mums judge you and attempt to hide your feet under an infant- act like you MEANT to give that toe some air. Own it, and you’ll feel like you can do anything. 

2. THE BABY SECTION

If you’re interested in sitting around and watching your baby “try” to play by rolling near something vaguely resembling a padded slide, head to the baby section. Usually reserved for under 4’s, you can rest assured that they’re out of harms way for a while and finally have that hot cup of tea you’ve wanted for months. 

Until the “I don’t care” mums who are far too distracted by their phones and having a chat arrive along with a rambunctious and rather large child. Of course, no matter how close to adulthood that child is, they’re going to be clambering all over the baby section. If you glare and mumble loud enough, the child is usually embarrassed enough to leave and go to the (apparently) less appealing section for children their age. 

3. LIE

Of course, the best thing to do is lie. Don’t want to go? The soft play is closed. 

Don’t want to buy a snack or drink and you’ve been caught sneaking in 10p cartons of juice too many times to risk it again? The cafe section is closed. 

Don’t want to pay full child price for your newly turned one year old who hasn’t magically gained the ability to play like a big kid? Lie about their age for as long as possible!

As much as softplay does suck, and as hard as it is to survive at times, my children love it. They’ve just got to the magical stage where they bugger off and play alone for at least 15 minutes at a time and I trust they’re okay on quiet days. 

Even after the worst experience, something about being a parent makes you forget and you’ll be back- and now you’ll be ready.

Looking for a GRUFFALO at Wendover Woods [Vlog]

We’ve been trying to get the kids outside as much as possible this summer. While I’m still mostly mobile in pregnancy and the weather is good, we’ve looked for as many free/cheap days out as possible. Why blow the bank before school uniform has to be bought right?

When looking up things in our area, I stumbled across Wendover Woods. Living in Bedfordshire they’re around 90 minutes in the car from us- it’s a bit of a drive but we spent all day there so definitely worth it! 

Wendover Woods are absolutely enormous, Id have called them a forest. Among the wood there are loads of trails to take- running, orienteering of different levels and for children they have a “play trail”, Gruffalo orienteering trail and even a Zog trail!

We took on the play trail first, which has wooden structures dotted along it for children to explore and play on- a very easy course with two length options it was perfect for our two and four year old.

After a picnic we took on the Gruffalo trail. We paid £1.50 for a pack which had a map and stickers and questions for the kids to answer at each stop. This course was very bumpy and steep at times so difficult with a pram but we managed and they loved the big statue at the end!

Check out our video of the day, and definitely check out Wendover Woods if you want a good excuse to get outdoors!

Helping a child with nightmares- Dream Pillow Review & Giveaway

It's heartbreaking, to hear my daughter crying out in the night. For around a year now, around 3-4 times a month, Isla has nightmares. Sometimes her nightmares are mild and she tells us about them in a hazy half asleep way, before dropping back down onto her pillow- but there are some nightmares where she runs around her room and doesn't understand she isn't asleep anymore until we come in and turn on the light.

It's not a huge issue thankfully, and we put it down to her having a very big imagination, but it does disturb her sleep and she worries about going to bed sometimes in case a bad dream hits.

That's why I was so thrilled to be contacted by Dream Pillow. They have created three beautiful soft pillows designed especially for children aged 2-12, to help them combat bad dreams and get a good night sleep.

Isla was sent the "Lamby" pillow, which came with a pad of cloud shaped paper for her to write down her wishes for good dreams. For her first night trying it, she drew a rainbow and said she hoped she would get to go "over the rainbow" like Dorothy, just without the witches! After drawing or writing what she wants to dream about, she just has to slide the dream into the pillow and get to sleep.

I hoped that her having the positive images in mind in such a prominent and happy format would stop her imagination running away into scarier thoughts, and it seemed to ease her mind as well as she was actually excited to go to sleep!

She didn't dream about rainbows, but she didn't have any nightmares and said she will just have to try harder in her dreams the next night!

Dream Pillow is such a fantastic idea, and the creators have also produced a revolutionary sleep mask that reduces all light and up to 40 decibels of sound- so once the kids are settled with their pillows you can rest easy (or use it to ignore a snoring husband like me!).

If you'd like the chance to win both an original Dream Pillow and Sleep Mask, please do enter in the widget below! Thank you so much Dream Pillow for the good nights sleep!

Dream Pillow & Sleep Mask Giveaway

I was sent one Lamby Dream Pillow and sleep mask in exchange for this review. All words, photos and opinions are my own.

Best Rides for Under 3's at Disneyland Paris

We were a little apprehensive about taking Archer and Isla to Disneyland initially. Isla is nearly four, but she is not the tallest in her class and she barely tops a meter. Archer is another ball game, as he is under two years old and much smaller than a meter.

There was little to no information online about what actual height limits were on all the rides, so is there much point taking such small children if they can't go on much?

Yes there is! There are so many things they can go on, so I'm listing the best rides for under 3's at Disneyland Paris right here for you.

1. It's a Small World

It's a strange one, and it's got that song that everyone loves to hate, but there is so much to look at that we were dragged on it 5 times by our little ones and didn't get bored.

2. Peter Pan's Flight

Try to get fast passes as this one is hugely popular, or get there as soon as the park opens... but it's so good! Fly in a ship over London and Neverland, no scary bits and plenty to keep children fascinated (a huge favourite for me as an adult as well).

3. Slinky Dog Zigzag Spin

They do ask your childs age for this one- it isn't to do with their height, they just want to know that they're old enough to hold their heads up as this one goes around and around pretty fast! Not too fast for little ones, but enough to be one of their first thrills.

4. Casey Jr's Circus Train

Remember that little train from Dumbo? They have it hidden in a corner of the main park, and it's great for kids and adults. Mine loved how fast it went around the track, and they get to pick which animal cage they sit in!

5. Dumbo's Flying Elephants

An absolute classic, and no doubt it's the one you've seen on all the adverts. Your little ones will love the views of Fantasyland with the maze and castle. If the queue's are too big and you want something similar, head over to the Studios and get on Aladdin's flying carpets- just as good!

6. Ratatouille: The Adventure

A 4D trackless ride that takes you running through the kitchens, the size of a rat! Archer kept his glasses on for the whole thing, and while a couple of bits may make your children jump (the chef is trying to catch you) it had Isla in hysterics. A fun ride if you have braver children.

7. Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast

If you've got a Toy Story fan (both of mine are!) and have already run through all of the Toy Story section in the Studio park, head over to the main park for this ride! Though the little ones are rubbish shots, they loved the rotatable cars and getting to try get Zurg, as well as all the other cameos from Buzz throughout!

There are plenty of walk through areas if you aren't sure if your child will like rides- such as Alice's Labyrinth and Aladdin's Enchanted Passage, and there are so many rides I haven't even listed that your children might like. 

Some are a bit scarier despite small children being big enough to ride (Snow White and Pirates of the Caribbean for example) but they let the parents judge that one, and surprisingly mine did pretty well on both even so young!

I hope this helps with your planning! Let me know if there are any rides you'd add to this list.

REAL tips for flying with toddlers!

Flying with toddlers. Flying with a lap toddler.... it doesn't sound fun.

Thankfully, our first flight was only an hour and a half long, but that doesn't even begin to cover any of the time dragging them through check in, security, milling around the departure lounge, heading to the gate, boarding the plane, sitting on the plane before and after take off, waiting to collect luggage... you catch my drift.

Airports are bloody boring if you're under 5 and have no money or patience. They're even more dreadful for the parents who have to endure those bored little people for half a day, even when the flight is "only" an hour and a half.

I've read so many posts with top tips for flying with small children and toddlers, but none of them truly touched on all that travelling by plane encompasses, so let's delve in and I hope that by the end of this post, if you're planning on flying with children you either change your mind (retreat!) or have a little more faith that you'll manage it.

When you first arrive at the airport:

Check in and luggage, security and of course...lines. Quite a lot of airlines these days allow you to check in early, so if you aren't checking luggage, chances are you're far more savvy than I am and you get to head right over to security. We did have luggage to check, because I am an over packer (plus we were getting tags to check our prams in at the gate, thank you for this huge convenience easyjet!).

The most important thing at this point, is to keep your little ones from going mad while they wait, because chances are there's a queue. I found with my oldest (she's nearly 4) the best thing to keep her mind occupied, was to invent jobs for her. She had her own little suitcase, and it was her job to wheel that along for example. Throw as many snacks as you can at them while they wait, promise them there is a McDonalds in the fabled departure lounge, and tell them they can watch as much Peppa Pig as they want on your phone. 

Also, make sure they wee before you start to line up because I promise you, they will decide they need one. Right away. Right before your turn with the X-Ray machine (especially if they've had to chug their drinks so they don't get binned!)

Departure Lounge:

If you manage to wrangle them through the X-Ray machines in security without a meltdown as they bin their water bottle, you've made it to the departure lounge. If you are lucky, unlike me, the promised McDonalds will buy you another 45 minutes of entertainment and a new toy. There was not a Maccas in the lounge when we flew, we had to sadly persuade the kiddies that Pret was just as good. It wasn't.

We watched planes, we gave Isla the job of watching when the board had new things appear, and we watched as much Peppa Pig on mummy's phone as we liked. Honestly, I keep repeating it. I'm not a fan of screens- my two don't get to use my phone or tablets, and they don't have their own and won't for a while. In the car, I tell them to look out the window... but at the airport, you gotta do what you gotta do to get by and just give in. Your sanity will thank you.

When it's finally time to get down to the gate, don't assume you don't need to move instantly. Yes, you have around 40 minutes before it leaves and before I had children, that was enough time to buy a magazine and a Toblerone before I wondered lazily away from the shops.... move move move- do it. We got to around 3 gates away before Archer decided it was prime pooping time and ended up at the back of the line to get on that silly little bus, Isla was wandering along with her little suitcase as slowly as she could and we just made it before they started boarding children.

On the plane:

I had a lap toddler. Archer is under two, so he had to be strapped to me. I used Netflix to "wifi free" download as many cartoons as I could onto my phone, and stuck it inches from his face in an attempt to keep him happy. He was lucky enough to get a go in the pilots seat in the cockpit before we took off, which meant while Jack was upfront with him I could get the bags and belts and older child all ready and settled.

Stickers, snacks, colouring (don't get round pencils, get the ridged edge ones so they don't roll off!) and cartoons were our saviours. If you bring things for them to do, take into account that they only stay focused for around 5-10 minutes before getting fidgety again.

Let them watch as much Peppa Pig as they want.

Being honest, nothing will prepare you for flying with children for the first time. I am no expert, but we did survive and we didn't piss off the people sitting around us too much and we all landed fairly happy but exhausted. Children get bored, it just happens, and no matter how you prepare, you never know how they'll handle a trip.

The real tip is don't beat yourself up or worry about the people around you, just focus on yourselves and try to enjoy it without letting the stress take over. They are people you will never see again and it'll be over before you know it.

8 Toddler & Child friendly activities for Spring

The sun has been shining, and the daffodils are really making themselves known. This can only mean one thing (unless we are super unlucky and hit with another late snow)- Spring is right around the corner!

Spring really is a wonderful time for children, especially since it means after a long cold winter, they finally get to go outdoors more and take it all in. Newborn animals, flowers, seeds, baby birds, Easter... I've compiled a little bucket list of all the things we are going to do this season to both have fun and teach them about the changes in the world around them.

Toddler & Child Friendly Activities for Spring

1. Flower Planting

I've been explaining to Isla, that after everything has died or "gone to sleep" in nature during Winter, Spring is the time when everything gets it's colour back! Blossom, new leaves on trees, and new flowers! I want to get some seeds and bulbs and teach her how to plant them so she can see this for herself.

2. Making birds nests

Spring- the birds are tweeting as the sun rises earlier, and the trees are absolutely stuffed with nests ready to hatch the first chicks of the year. A simple craft activity that can be done with twigs, yarn, straw (or anything else you have to hand really!) and some glue. Get it all moulded around something round and non-stick like an inflated balloon, and once it's dry you pop it off and your little ones can display their nest with pride! Throw in some of those cute plastic eggs from the poundshop and they'll be so pleased.

3. Go on a nature walk

It sounds simple, but Spring really is a great opportunity to get outside as the weather warms up. Head outdoors and point out all the changes you can see happening, smell the flowers and take it all in together.

4. Jump in puddles

Spring isn't all sunshine and picnics- in England especially, it's often wet and rainy! Let your little ones throw on their wellies and jump in as many puddles as they can. At least it will be warmer so other than laundry, you don't really need to worry too much about anyone catching a cold and it's a great way for them to use up some energy.

5. Flower Printing

If you have any flowers around that are looking a little sad and limp, why not give them a final purpose? Let your little ones dab paint on the petals and stalk, and use them to print shapes on paper to make a Spring picture or collage! Let them glue petals on or even dip them in paint and just splat with them. Just make sure they know not to pick wild flowers or they'll be hoping to paint with whatever they see outdoors!

6. Pack a Picnic

Isla is obsessed with picnics, she loves eating outdoors and taking a football and all sitting together with sandwiches. It's such a simple thing but something kids of all ages enjoy, and a great way to get away from screens and distractions and get some good fresh air and a bit of vitamin D.

7. Visit a local farm

If you're lucky like us, there'll be plenty of farms around you with baby animals coming any time soon... We were lucky enough to catch some lambs being born last Spring and the children absolutely loved seeing all the baby animals and learning about it all. Most are pretty cheap and it makes a great day out!

8. Go on a bug hunt

With all the flowers and warm (often moist) air, it's the time when all the bugs come out to play. Take your kids out in the garden with some spades and help them look for worms. Or take a magnifying glass and see what you can find in the flowers. It's fun, dirty, and potentially educational- perfect for this time of year.

What do you plan on doing with your little ones this Spring?

Isla at Three Years Old

I may sound like a broken record when I gush about how time has flown, but my little baby girl is now a whopping three years old and it's honestly blowing my mind.

I look back at the last three years and I can't believe my first baby and all her rolls and dimples, has grown into a such a smart and beautiful little girl.

Gone are the toddler days- Isla has the conversational skills of a 5 year old (from what the health visitors have said) and an understanding of the world to match.

We've recently began teaching her phonics and she nearly has the entire alphabet covered- with help she can sound out basic words like "cat" and "dog", though properly reading is likely a long way off now still.

Physically, she's doing wonderfully. She loves to run and jump, though she's often a little more cautious in this area. We've just started to teach her to ride her bike (with stabilisers of course) which has been an exciting new challenge for her, and she's absolutely loving it.

Isla has been potty trained since she was around a month off her second birthday, and she is also dry at night (though we wear a pull up at night in case, as we have no upstairs bathroom for her to be able to use at night) which is fantastic as I can't imagine having gone through changing two lots of nappies when her brother moved onto solids haha!

At three years old, Isla is a hugely curious and confident little girl, with a sassy smart ass attitude and a love for asking questions. Sometimes she is cautious, and she is very in touch with her emotions- she will tell you when and why she is feeling sad, or angry or even just tell you that she's really happy.

She loves to tell us when we're breaking the rules and she absolutely loves to "mother" her little brother and boss him around. A persistent little girl, ever since we started playgroup she has flourished and loves to chase the other boys and girls and talk to them until they become her friends.

Favourite Things: puzzles, arts and crafts, Sylvanian Families, Disney, David Bowie, playing at playgroup with her little brother, playing dolls houses, reading, coco pops, spaghetti and tacos.

Least Favourite Things: Eggs, Burgers, Pizza, washing her hair, saying goodbye, watching Trolls (no idea why on this one), being tickled.

I honestly couldn't be prouder of who she is becoming.

Is it my fault she's shy?

When I was a child, I can remember feeling nervous in big groups. I would get very anxious about whether or not I would fit in, and I would panic and think about all the things that could go wrong. For a large period, I was terrified of going out or taking the bus or having to use the phone. Usually, once I acclimatised I was okay and I was quite good at smiling and pretending my heart wasn't trying to break out of my chest.

This reflects pretty heavily on my personality as an adult. I have pretty severe social anxiety and don't have very many friends at all- I've always panicked about what people think of me, reading between the lines and creating a situation in my head which leads me to believe people don't want to be around me.

In a lucid moment, I always know I'm being ridiculous and as I was as a child, I'm still very good at forcing myself to just get on with it.

The hardest part of it all, is seeing my toddler be shy. Once a super outgoing pre-walker who had no sense of "stranger danger" in the slightest, Isla is now terrified of new people and experiences. I take her to the soft play and she is very anxious about playing with other children.

You can see that she really wants to join in and be a part of it all, and she talks furiously about going to meet new friend and asking me if she can play with the boys and girls.. it's just once she's beside them she panics and runs back to me.

She is similar to how I was, and once she gets used to a new place or being around someone new, she can relax... but it's heartbreaking when she sobs into my lap and I don't know how to reassure her.

I honestly believe it is my fault. What if she has picked up the vibe from me? I've only taken her to toddler group twice and that is a new development that took me 24 months to be brave enough to do. Can she tell I'm terrified? I worry my own anxiety and shyness has stopped her getting socialised outside her circle of friends and family. I do try very very hard to make a point of being friendly and chatty to everyone we meet so she see's they aren't frightening.

I'm doing everything I can now. Isla recently had her 2.5 year review with the health visitor team who were shocked by how advanced her speech and mental development is. They said she is on par with a four year old but in order to keep her from playing up and struggling in future, I needed to try offer her more situations to "get it all out" and use her skills. So I took the plunge and have finally started taking her to toddler group every week.

It's a small step, but I'm already seeing improvements in her- she is keener on other children besides the ones she already knew, and she was even brave enough to play away from me at our last session.

If anyone has any tips or just knows what I'm going through do share in the comments or tweet me. I need some reassurance that it isn't forever and she won't always be shy...!

Thank you for reading.

Steph xo

Spider Grab- Toddler Friendly Activities

Carrying on the theme of Halloween, we've been playing a new sensory game this week- Spider Grab!

The whole thing only cost around £2.50 and took less than five minutes to put together, and Isla has been playing with it for days now.

I found this small storage basket in Poundland, as well as the crochet wool/string and some spiders. I weaved the string through the holes and then placed the spiders in the bottom of the basket.

The idea is that the string makes it quite challenging to collect the spiders as they get tangled, and with it being pulled taut Isla had to weave her hand around to reach the bottom. It's a lovely activity to help develop fine motor skills and to develop problem solving skills.

With the spiders and the string "web" it's a lovely themed activity for the season. We've also tried putting conkers in the bottom, and doing it timed! You can also make it harder by adding more string or using tweezers instead of fingers.

Halloween is getting so close now!

Steph xo

Toddler Favourites- September 2017

September is over and gone already- and boy did it go fast. We were gone for a week in Great Yarmouth, Isla started attending a playgroup every  and we've had barely five minutes to stop and notice we're now in October.

A lot of the things Isla has talked about and enjoyed this month were discovered on our holiday! It was the first one we've been on where she actually understood what was going on and we had a wonderful time. With that said, here are Isla's favourite's from September.

1. The Aquarium

Watching penguins at the aquarium.

During our trip to Yarmouth, we visited the Sea Life Aquarium. We've been to pretty much all their branches now it feels like! Isla was always quite young though and didn't overly get the point before, but this visit she was loving life. She ran around collecting stamps, learning, and searching for Nemo and Dory who we found at the end. It was weeks ago and she's still talking about it like it was the best day of her life. I'll be doing a post about the aquarium later this month.

2. The Clever Sleeping Bag

We stayed in a static on our holiday, and with the adult to child ratio... Isla ended up needing to be in a travel cot. Some toddlers her age are still in cots and use the travel version, but she's been using a big girl bed since around 18 months old so we spent months looking out for a travel alternative comfier than a sleeping bag. We found this- and honestly it's amazing. She was comfy and warm and it's the perfect size for 2-5 year olds. It wraps up compact and she loves the fact it has ponies on it.

3. Magazines

Mostly because of the gifts, but she does get a good kick from the pictures and stickers too! Isla got several magazines this month- Peter Rabbit, and a Swashbuckle one being her favourites. She finally got her hands on some "Gem's Jewels" (Swashbuckle fans will know) thanks to that mag and they were great for quiet time on our holiday too.

What're your little ones enjoying at the moment? Let me know!

Autumn Soup Sensory Bin- Toddler Friendly Activities

Autumn is finally here! Besides the fact that it means the spiders are also here, it really is my favourite time of year.

I've been trying over the course of the year to tell Isla all about the seasons we are in. She knows that in Spring, the flowers all come out, baby animals are born and it starts to get warmer. She also knows that in Summer the sun is hot and it's holiday time, and now it is Autumn I want to teach her about the changing leaves, harvest and cooler days.

We took a walk to playgroup on Monday, and on the way back I decided to start telling Isla about the leaves and conkers and she was fascinated. She started to pick up the leaves and tell me all about the colours- red, orange, brown... we took them all home and tried to think of something to do with them.

Lately, I've really started enjoying creating sensory bins for Isla- something to encourage her to explore new objects, textures and concepts. With this in mind, I decided we were going to have a play making "Autumn Soup".

We took all the leaves and conkers we'd found on our walk and mixed them with some nice warm water. I added in a teaspoon of ginger and a teaspoon of all spice to give the water a nice cosy smell and to make it look nice and brown and muddy (without needing to bring actual dirt indoors!). I then threw in some spoons and other kitchen bits and just let her explore the tub while we talked about what we had learnt about Autumn.

Isla absolutely loved it and has declared she loves Autumn the most, just like mummy.

What activities are you using to teach your little ones about this new season?

Steph xo

Halloween Crafts- Toddler Friendly Activities

Did someone say Halloween?! Yes it is only September- there's actually over a month before Halloween hits us (although the shops would think it was Halloween as soon as the summer ranges left the shelves) but it's my favourite holiday so I just couldn't resist getting Isla into it a bit.

We've simply taken a bunch of old bits from our arts and crafts box- straws, pom poms, lolly pop sticks, foam shapes, googly eyes and glitter- and used them to make these spooky monster puppets and pom pom spiders.

Both crafts take less than 25 minutes (not including drying time) and there's no real directions to follow. I just encouraged Isla to copy me and try out each stage of putting bits together while talking about all the things we will do for Halloween to get her in the spirit.

Using the small googly eyes and small grains of glitter are also great ways of helping strengthen the fine motor skills and pincer grip. You can also ask a lot of questions to get your child thinking while they create e.g. "What colour are you using?" "Which eyes are the biggest?"

What spooky activities are you going to be trying out before Halloween? Let us know!

Steph xo

Painting with Straws- Toddler Friendly Activities

Painting is always a big hit in our house. It's a fantastic activity for children who love to get messy, and can be used in educational setting as well. It encourages the exploration of colour, fine motor skills when holding brushes and it's a great sensory activity if you let your little one get their hands involved.

I decided recently to do something new with Isla and let her try painting with straws.

To begin we combined bubble mix and paint- the resulting fluid can be quite watery however so we added in a good dollop of PVA glue to keep it thick and make an interesting texture. Then I handed Isla the straws, ensured she knew not to drink through them and let her go to town!

There is no set method and it is always good to let your child lead- I feel like hovering and instructing too much would discourage them from using their imagination. 

When you blow bubbles with the paint mix, they pop and create a fantastic splat effect on the paper. Blowing bubbles with the paint through the straw also helps to develop oral motor strength which helps to aid pronunciation and speech skills.

Isla also really enjoyed scribbling through the paint with the straw as it made a scratchy effect, blowing bubbles and blowing the paint already on the paper.

We talked a lot about what colours we were using and what happened to the paint when we tried different things- flicking, blowing bubbles, dotting onto the paper and mixing with the colours together. You can encourage them to understand their understanding of cause and affect by asking lots of questions e.g. "What do you think will happen if we blow the pink into the green?" and letting them test it for themselves before answering.

It was a lovely way of adding in some new skills and learning different ways to put paint to paper.

We also found that because we had used PVA glue as a thickener, Isla had a cool colourful layer dried on her hand which she really enjoyed pealing off- it fascinated her.

How do you like to shake up a simple activity like painting? Let us know!

Steph xo

Toddler Holiday Essentials- What's in Isla's suitcase

I know that summer is basically over, but because of the cost increases in the school holidays we usually go on our holiday after the children go back at the start of September. This does mean unless we get a rare hot September, our holiday is cooler (and as we holiday within the UK it's often wet), but the resorts are always much quieter which is great if you've got toddlers or very young children.

We're off on holiday in the next months, so I'm sharing my essentials you should pack for a toddler, and what's in Isla's suitcase.

Clothes

We are going away for a week in Autumn so we will be taking outfits where layers can easily be added and taken away for the changing temperatures. I always pack for the possibility of an outfit change a day (potty training toddlers are unpredictable) but don't over pack more than this- if she were to need more, there are always shops around.

Just in case it is sunny, we're taking sun hats for good measure to keep her protected!

Swimming

• Huggies Swim Nappies. Isla is potty trained in awake times but all that exercise and time in the pool.. I'd rather play it safe and I love the Huggies swim nappies- we've never to this day had a leak with them.
• Swim ring & Armbands. Previous years, Isla has had one of those inflatable seats or been limited to our arms but we find that with a ring and arm bands she can swim freely without being held. The armbands stop her slipping through the ring so with supervision we are confident she is safe.
• Beach Ball. Even in an indoor pool, it isn't a proper holiday without one!
• Swimming Costume (and a spare just in case!)

Travel

• Mess free colouring (so she doesn't stain anything where we stay or in the car)
• Snacks
• Spill free cup (Nuby and Munchkin have some trustworthy options that wont flood your car or aeroplane seat)
• Travel Potty, for the inevitable stop

Toiletries

• Travel Potty Seat. Isla is dry in the day so we will need this for in the caravan and about the town.
• Sun cream. Even on cloudy days she will need protecting as we are outside most of the day.
• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• Shampoo
• Shower Gel
• Night nappies
• Talc (Throw it at them after being on the beach and the wet sand dries up and drops off!)

Do you think there's anything we've forgotten? We will of course be taking a few toys but will 

probably be too busy to stop and play!

Let me know what else you'd take in the comments!