Kid Thinkers - a new series of printables!

Get your kids thinking with our "Kid Thinkers" - our own range of printables which will encourage your children to scratch their heads and do a little critical thinking! They can be used in the classroom or home and adapted to suit the age of your child, although we are aiming them roughly at the 7-8 year old. There will be a new Kid Thinker most weeks - subscribe to our free newsletter to get news of the latest...

Each week we will introduce a new concept, quote, proverb, puzzle or riddle - just something to get your children thinking a little harder than usual! We may provide a poster or another printable, and we will always provide a fun worksheet or notebooking page so that your child can build up a useful collection. Kid Thinkers are also meant to provide you with a starting point for discussion - either at home or in the classroom. We will also provide activity and extension ideas based on the week's Kid Thinker.

Kid Thinkers

Diary Of A New Mum - Week 19 - Dads Have Feelings Too

Dads Have Feelings Too

Paul had a bit of a crisis this week. It seems that fathers can also suffer from post-natal depression – this is more common than you might think.

I can’t say I hadn’t noticed that he hadn’t been himself lately. Before we had Jess I would have been on it like a shot, and we’d have talked, I guess, and maybe nipped any really negative feelings in the bud. But with my attention diverted to the helpless little mite who does nothing but feed and poo and sleep, Paul was left to sink or swim on his own. And, in this case, he sank.

Our doctor, thankfully, is very progressive and understanding. He didn’t actually go to the doctors because he was feeling low, he went for something else entirely. But she remembered me (a bad sign – did she think he had good reason to be depressed with a wife like me?), and asked how everything was. Cue good opportunity for Paul to open up and tell someone, at long last, how it has been for him.

Diary Of A New Mum - Week 20

Diary Of A New Mum - Week 19 - All Things Weaning!

All Things Weaning
This week we started the exciting process of weaning. I know ‘current guidelines’ say wait until six months, but a few years ago they said 4 months, and a few years before that 3 months. We, as Jess’s parents, made an informed decision to start at 18 weeks – and Jess’s reaction told us we had timed it just right. In fact, the look on her face when she tasted her baby rice said, ‘Why have you waited so long?!’
Diary Of A New Mum - Week 19

Clay Pot Reindeers - super Christmas craft idea!

Here's a quick video to watch with a super group or family craft idea for Christmas this year:
Clay Pot Reindeers

Teach your children the most important secret!

A friend of mine in Australia has brought out a brand new product on goal setting for kids. Winsome Coutts over at 4lifehappykids.com has brought together a team of mothers, grandmothers, schoolteachers, curriculum writers, and experts in self-help, visualization and goal setting to create a set of beautifully illustrated, downloadable books that will teach your child the secrets they need to know to fulfil their dreams and be happy and successful all their lives.



Winsome has created the books because she believes:

• Kids learn when they’re having fun. They hardly know they are learning when they are enjoying themselves.

• We can teach them when we have the tools and a plan.

• We can encourage our kids to create their own goals, and NOT impose our ideas on them.

• Happy children with high self-esteem and confidence look to the future with intention and clarity.

Winsome’s package includes two downloadable, colorful books (one for smaller children and one for older kids) as well as a downloadable, detailed parents’ guide. Your child can learn the techniques of self-actualization that have inspired the wisest and most successful people down through the centuries. Find out more about these unique e-books here.

Great activity printables from Bayard Magazines - and special promotion!

Some years ago when my children were younger we came across some really super kids' magazines and promptly subscribed both children: Josh to AdventureBox (for 6-9 year olds) and Tilly to StoryBox (for 3-6 year olds), We all loved the magazines and used to look forward to their arrival in the post each month. I am thrilled to say that during September we are able to offer you a collection of sample pages (below) - with some really fun puzzles and activities - for each of those two magazines, as well as a magazine for older children, DiscoveryBox, aimed at 9-12 year olds. We can also offer a 10% discount for anyone who subscribes - just enter aWrLuhptB6 to claim your discount! A subscription to one of the magazines would make a great Christmas or birthday present, too. The magazines are from
bayard-magazines.co.uk

Sample Pages
Some of the samples are quite large so please be patient!
StoryBox (ages 3-6): sample 1 sample 2 sample 3
AdventureBox (ages 6-9): sample 1 sample 2 sample 3
DiscoveryBox (ages 9-12): sample 1 sample 2 sample 3

Back To School Crafts - Lots NEW!

We have some fun new Back To School crafts, including this cheerful school bus, a back to school countdown poster, and a family bulletin board - perfect for displaying your child's special school work.
Back To School Crafts

White Noise Creates A Happy Haven For Crying Babies

If you were a baby, you'd cry too. After being thrust into a world full of strange people, strange sights and strange sounds, you'd want to return to the womb; a happy haven where it was warm, cozy, and the sound that lulled you to sleep was a pleasant kind of whooshing. So how do you show you are unsatisfied with your current living arrangement? You cry. And you drive your parents bonkers. What is a parent to do?

Experts believe that you can significantly decrease crying associated with colic and recreate this whooshing noise by playing white noise for your crying baby.

White Noise Creates A Happy Haven For Crying Babies

Room Decorations To Print - NEW!

Cute Printable Decorations For Your Nursery Or Child's Bedroom!
Our latest printables are perfect for younger children. We have two "themes" so far - African animals, and pink animals - and more in the pipeline. You'll find mobiles, room signs, door hangers and photo frames, all to print, cut out and assemble, and we are sure you will love Erik's cheerful animals!

Room Decorations To Print

Diary Of A New Mum - Week 18 - Pounds Lost And Gained

Jessica-Ann is fine this week – nothing exciting to report, except that she had her third lot of jabs and screamed the surgery down. Thankfully this time I got Paul to come with me so it wasn’t so bad for me. Terrible for him (he was seriously traumatized by how upset she got), but not so bad for me.

Last week I decided to start a diet. I didn’t tell anyone, didn’t make a big deal about it, just decided to try and cut out some of the crap I’d been eating and maybe do a bit of exercise.

Ha! Fat chance (spot the pun). When I weighed myself this morning, after a whole week of ‘dieting’, I’d actually managed to gain half a pound, not lose it! Not fair...

Diary Of A New Mum - Week 18

Parenting - Making A Schedule

Editor's note: This article on the benefits of scheduling your day as a parent really struck home with me. It took me a while to work this out for myself when I had young children at home, and I wish I had done so - and benefited from the much calmer household that was the result - sooner!

An excellent tool to help you navigate the course of a day more efficiently is 'the schedule.' Making a schedule is as much for your benefit as it is for your child's. It allows you to introduce specific expectations and rewards to bring about greater cooperation from your child.

Making a schedule is different from having a schedule...

Parenting - Making A Schedule

Halloween Posters To Print

We have three cheerful new Halloween posters to print and enjoy with your kids - perfect for decorating the house or classroom and welcoming trick-or-treaters to your front door! Watch out for matching invitations and party printables, coming soon!
Halloween Posters To Print

Gingham Scrapbook Paper To Print

Those of you who enjoy scrapbooking, making cards and other paper crafts may enjoy our gingham scrapbook papers, which can be printed in normal or draft mode and therefore come in (effectively) 48 different colours! The red gingham is everyone's favourite, but the pastel ginghams are great for baby or girlie projects, and the more unusual colours always come in useful, too. In our house we have used these designs over the years as the back-side of flashcards and game cards, to pack up little parcels, to cover miniature books, to make gift tags (and even ribbons, on one occasion!) and in many home-made greetings cards.

The gingham scrapbook papers come in three colourways - brights, pastels and darks - and we used to charge for them. But now they are free!

Gingham Scrapbook Paper