Hey, its been a while since i wrote again, i will be better at this one day.
A few people asked me to share my advent activity ideas after seeing the post on my stories. I did get most of my ideas from Pinterest! (my go to place for ideas!) so you have probably seen most of these before, but if not then I hope it helps some of you.
I haven’t put dates on them, because you can print them out and cut them into strips like I did. Then you can choose which activity suits you for each day. For example the baking, film night and walk I’ve saved for weekends, so we’re all together, and more time. The smaller activities like Christmas coloring mat, and hot chocolates for a Friday or Monday when the girls have both been at school and we need a quick activity.
I have a wooden advent calendar that I just put the paper slips in. Then the girls get a separate chocolate calendar each, but if you want to put them together, then you could put the slip in and a chocolate! (might do that next year!)
I have also made a scavenger hunt checklist which is down below, that you can print off and use. If you do use it, make sure you tag me so I can see.
I am by no means, a professional teacher. I do however have a level 3 in childcare, and am pretty good at the crafty side of things, if I don’t say so myself. I am a fond lover of Pinterest, I use it at least once every day for an idea for something!
In these worrying times, there are a lot of things that can play on your mind, and I would like to help out in at least one way if I can. I can imagine quite a few parents, who aren’t in to their arts and crafts, and don’t have a clue how to entertain a child or more all day inside! (Obviously you can go in the garden, and for a walk as long as you follow the guidelines!) but spending the foreseeable future in the same four walls seems a little daunting.
Remember when you were a kid, and you used to play schools. Well I did anyway. Well now Is your chance! Make a daily routine, make a register if you must! HAHA! Pretend your the teacher, and boss it! Get on Pinterest and find some ideas of how to entertain the kids, inside, in the garden etc or you can just come back to my blog daily, and my Instagram, for ideas. Because I’m making this promise, that I will have your back, with easy activities etc every day! Some things you may not have, but I can answer any questions, link you with the websites I brought things from, and you can improvise with other things you may have around the house.
If you read my previous blog post, you’ll see my daily routine, I strongly advise you make one! Even if you don’t follow if everyday, its there as a back up! Having a routine also really helps children, having one with photos/ pictures is the best! So they can see what they are doing next. You can refer to it, and let them know throughout the day what is coming up etc.
So on my routine you’ll see that I have 4 activities a day. All around an hour each time. Try and make the activities different each time for example:
Activity One –
Read some stories
Sing some nursery rhymes
Simple maths problems
Board Game
Dancing
Fine motor skills
Role play
Activity Two – (outdoors)
Role Play
Running Around – chase, hide and seek
Just free outdoor play, make use of outdoor equipment
Throwing and catching, kicking a ball
Water play
Chalk, Bubbles etc.
Activity Three – (arts and crafts)
Painting
Playdoh
Mark making
Colouring
Sticking and Gluing
Baking
Any other crafting ideas
Activity Four (CHILDS CHOICE) This activity is solely for your child to choose what they’d like to do for an hour. They could revisit something you’ve already done today. Or choose something new, if it was up to Arabella she would choose a board game, or something crafty and Matilda would probably play with babies.
I also have an hour of screen time on my routine for the day, sometimes this might be more, sometimes this might be less. Its up to you how you look after your kids! No judging! There have been days, before where the girls have sat in front of the tv for 3 hours, so I can work, and sometimes that’s what you have to do!
So if you’re interested in my crafts and ideas, you can turn my post notifications on, on Instagram. Just click on the following button under my bio. Select notifications and turn my posts to on, and my stories if you want too see more. Also you can subscribe to my blog, where I will go into detail more, about the crafts and activities we do each day.
I made the decision yesterday, to not send Arabella to preschool for the foreseeable future! Which is a shame for her (and for me), she’ll miss her friends and I’ll probably tear my hair out after the first week!
If you’re a bit worried about how you’re going to entertain, your kids at home without going out for day trips etc. I’m here to help. Before I got pregnant with Arabella I worked in a nursery and I have my level 3 in childcare. So I have some ideas from my old setting.
Last night I sat down and made a plan, I made a daily routine, for us to follow as a guideline. We won’t be sticking to it completely but it helps us to have something to follow. I highly recommend making one. I’ve just made a rough one at the moment, but if you’ve got a printer or good at drawing, it helps to have pictures next to each thing that the children can understand too. Ie – snack – an apple and a banana, outdoor play – sun, clouds etc. You get the gist.
Some tips for the next few weeks
I think as far as isolation goes, its really important to still get up, get dressed, make your beds etc. Treat it as a normal day, just that you’re staying in because the weather is bad. Think of the money you’ll save!
Getting the children to help out with daily chores! Make it fun, make a little chore pot, (see my stories!) My nan used to do this, when we went there as kids and we loved it! Having to look after the kids and do all the housework is going to have its difficulties, and honestly my house is never perfect. There will be days where I think ‘f*ck it’ , you know those days! But getting them to help out even for just half an hour a day! It will help massively.
Snack times; get them to help. Get them to cut their own snacks, they really enjoy it! and it kills some time. Also really encourage the importance of washing hands! Don’t forget just because they’re at home. At preschools they wash their hands before snacks and lunch time, don’t let them forget!
You can still get outdoors, in the garden. National trust parks are still actually remaining open, except the restaurants, houses etc. So get outdoors and get fresh air, just make sure you stay away from others, where possible. (obviosuly not if you’re actually in quarintine.)
Have a little rearrange, prepare your space. I’ve moved my table out of the middle of the room, and the girls have lots more space for playing. We sorted the toy boxes, and they have ‘new’ old toys, that they haven’t seen for a while. Make sure you change it about regularly. Keeps it exciting.
Activity Ideas:
I have lots of activity idea’s to share with you all, so I’m not going to post them all here right now, but keep an eye on my instagram page for easy ideas, for you to do at home.
Check out Pinterest, for lots of ideas. That’s my go to place!
Twinkl is giving their premium membership for free for the next month, which has lots of really good printables for all ages. Obviously not everyone has a printer (we do but i don’t know how to set it up and i don’t think we have any ink – might look at it later ) but you can copy some ideas from there.
Day One:
We moved around the dining room, and sorted out all the toys.Snack time: the girls enjoyed making their own snacks today.Outdoor play: we played with chalks in the garden, and had a little run around for some fresh air.Then the girls had a go with their new blo-pens, probably not by best idea with sharing germs! haha!
The girls have also played lots of role play, with the babies, dollies, and are now watching ryans toy reviews on youtube! It is ok for your children to watch tv, and use their ipads or whatever. It is not a crime, I do it! No judgement here, a whole day entertaining kids is hard, and sometimes you need a break.
Every January I feel like its a new black canvas. We’ve got a fresh start! This year, we’re in a whole new decade, so somehow that seems like even more of a fresh blank slate, and I feel good about it!
I make resolutions every year, they are all usually along the same lines; drink more water, eat healthier, lose weight and start fitness, bla bla bla.
This year I have set more realistic goals
Goals for 2020:
Every year, I say I’d like to journal more and blog more, which I’ve never really kept on top of, but I feel this year is the year! If I stop watching so much Tv/ Netflix – the half an hour/ hour I do doing that can be put to use, in journaling and/ or writing new blog posts.
I would like to try and eat healthier, and lose some weight, but i’m not going to beat myself up about it. I’m going to try and take an hour out of every day and go for a run/ walk with the girls. Even just walking to preschool instead of driving, or a walk to the park for an hour – I’ve not done this in so long! The weather doesn’t help, but I’ve got lazy with it, and would prefer watching crappy tv, but that’s got to stop!
I am going to say I need to start drinking more water again this year, because quite frankly I do! I literally have about 4 cups of tea a day and that’s it! So i really do need to get into a habit of drinking more!
I’d like to be more organised. So my diary is going to be put to good use!
Visit the grandparents and family more – this is really important!
Start saving money! Stop buying the girls so much things that I want, and only get things that they actually need! Stop buying junk food! And put the money that I spend on all these things away.
I would like to save enough to be able to go away in the summer with the girls, to one of those glamping yurts or something with friends. And maybe a weekend break away with Marco
Sort photo’s on my phone, I have 40,000 photo’s on my phone! yes you read that right… 40,000!! so I need to sort them out and delete some!
Take some time out for myself, have a bit more self love! Read more! Stop comparing myself to others on Instagram. Look at what I have and how lucky I am, and make use of what I do have! Stop looking for negatives and focus on the positives!
Expand my business, keep on top of it! Keep up to date with orders and tax return and think of new ideas, to make more money, but not get stressed about it!
Meal plan – start planning meals for the week, and stick to it. Don’t just cook fishfingers and waffles because its easier. Make healthier meals, and bulk cook so i can freeze things for those days when I want something easy! Stop buying so much junk food for the hell of it, and cook veg with every meal!
Ok so it seems a bit lengthy, but I think they’re all reasonable enough, to keep on top of!!
So today was the starting week of mine and @rhiannoniles hashtag challenge.
We’ve had some lovely entries already today, but you have all week to join in. Our hashtag challenge lasts a week, because we know sometimes that doing it on a certain day can be difficult with busy schedules, and parenting in general.
Every Sunday, we shall share our favourite photo from that week! The winner will also receive a 40% discount code on orders over £10 at @prettybaby93
I wanted to make this blog post to go into detail a little more about some ideas that you could use over the next 6 weeks.
Summer ootd
• ootd flatlay
• just a photo of your child in your favourite summer outfit!
• could be a selfie of you in your favourite outfit
Make a splash
• bath time: You could even get creative and do a milk bath? Use flowers etc.
• trip to the seaside.
• at the swimming pool / or in a paddling pool/ water play!
Something fruity
• strawberry picking
• get creative with a flatlay?
• baking. Make a cake and add fruit!
• sensory play: you could do some water play with lemons and oranges? Have a little lemonade stall! 🙂
Tea party
• a picnic out / or in the garden.
• baking? Why not use this prompt to get baking with the kids, make some scones or fairy cakes and eat in the garden, or set up an indoor picnic!
• you could even do some baking an invite friends over for a tea party!
• role play
Let’s go camping
• make a den
• toast marshmallows
• set up a tent in the garden
• role play
• holiday pics? You could even reuse an old one. Here is one from our camping trip (doesn’t necessarily have to be one of a tent!)
Nature walk
• a walk in the woods/ park etc
• make a scavenger hunt list, and go out looking for them
• pick some wildflowers
• make a flatlay with things you find on a nature walk
• find a wild flower meadow/ or visit lavender fields!
Myself (@fernrochelle) and @rhiannoniles have teamed up to bring you a new Instagram photo challenge to run throughout the 6 week summer holidays, 1 prompt per week!
Anyone can join in, just simply follow the prompt as closely or loosely as you like, tag myself (@fernrochelle) and Rhiannon (@rhiannoniles) and use the hashtag #HolidayHashtagChallenge
The idea is to give you some summer inspiration, get your creative juices flowing and perhaps discover some new accounts you haven’t seen before!
We have been inspired by Cathryn (@littlepaperswans) and Laura (@edinburghwithkids) who are running a summer hashtag challenge which we will be joining in with too!
We have carefully selected these prompts in the hope that you will have a wide range of ideas/activities such as crafts, baking, day trips etc to incorporate into creative Instagram posts
Some ideas to help you get started:
Make a splash
• trip to the seaside
• bathtime
• water play
Tea party
• role play
• baking
• picnic
Let’s go camping
• role play
• make a den
• holiday pictures
Head over to @rhiannoniles blog to see some more ideas.
We can’t wait to see what you come up with! Check out my insta stories for more ideas etc 🙂 make sure to tag us and use the hashtag #holidayhashtagchallenge
I think the number one worry about going on a holiday abroad with kids, is the flight. How will we keep them entertained? How will they sit still? How will we keep them quiet? A million questions you ask yourself…
I didn’t feel quite as anxious last time, with just one child. But now with two of them I’m feeling it much more. I know the girls get ratty and wind each other up! They can’t even play nicely for more than 5 minutes at home, so how the hell are they going to sit in one spot for 4 hours and share and play nicely without annoying me (let along everyone else!) 😂.
So after some research on Pinterest (my favourite website after Instagram) 😂 I’ve put together some bags for the plane.
As you can see, it’s just the small cath kidston backpacks which are perfect for the girls to carry and have on their laps, or by their feet. Most of the things I have brought fit, except two books which I’ll put in the changing bag.
So inside we have:
• stackable containers. Which are also great for the pool! I found these in the kids toys section for the bath in our local shop called buy and save. But you can get them in lots of shops. When we went on holiday in 2017 a little girl had these and Arabella kept trying to take them all the time!! So this year we’re taking our own! Also figured they’d keep them entertained for a bit on the plane too.
• bobble it. It’s like a foamy sort of thing, similar to play dough. I got 4 tubs from the entertainer for £3 but just putting 2 in the bag.
• a ball from Poundland. Which again will be ideal for the hotel/ in the pool. Probably not the best thing for on the plane 😂 but maybe at the airport the girls can play fetch! 😂😂 they love doing that!
• some more bath toys, again from Poundland and for the pool. But Matilda will enjoy playing with these and the containers on the plane.
• magic paint book, I think was a couple £ from the range. All you need is water and a paintbrush! (Which I’ve packed) and you paint the pictures.
• moana sticker book! Was from Aldi. The girls both love stickers.
• lol doll top trumps. Arabella chose these from the top trumps selection in the entertainer. They were £5. She won’t be able to play these properly but she can be on my team against daddy. And she’ll just love looking at the pictures anyway!
• sticky notepad. Which I’m sure will get stuck all over the backs of the seats but should keep them entertained! Play a few games, and draw some pictures.
• crayons! Chunky crayons from Poundland.
• I also have got 2 plastic tubs to put the crayons in, so they don’t roll off the tables. And the other too put some of their Disney figurines in! (If I can find them!)
• I also made a busy book for the girls, which is not the best looking thing! But it covers, shapes, numbers, colours, and more. I’ll show some pictures of that another time! 🙈😂.
• I will also be packing the iPad in the changing bag which we will use nearer the end of the flight when we’ve used and gone through everything else.
• and then snacks! Snacks and more snacks! Can never have enough snacks! My girls eat and eat all day long! 😂 inside arabellas bag she has:
Which was £1.25 in the range and the refills were £1. I also have put in a lolly for the take off.
Then in the changing bag, I will pack their yumbox with some more snacks:
• multi shapes (cereal)
• grapes
• blueberries
• mini cheddars
• strawberries
• banana chips
• yoghurt raisins
• choc chips
• babybels
• biscuits
Also some juice cartons.
So that’s it, I hope I’ve given you some ideas! And if you have any other good ideas: let me know!
So with less than two weeks to go until our family holiday, I’m feeling more unorganised then ever.
Suitcases aren’t even here to begin thinking about packing yet…
I’m anxious about the flight with the girls, and just in general flying. I’m not great with heights (or the idea of falling!) but I am desperate for this holiday, so you won’t see me scared to get on the plane. I may be a bit quiet when we take off 🙈.
So last time we went on holiday, was 2017. Arabella was 2 months older than what Matilda will be this year. So I can sort of expect how it will go…… 🤷🏻♀️
I was not very good with my photography back on our last holiday and I didn’t have a good camera, so I’m hoping this year I’ll get some good snaps, if the girls play ball.
I’ve insured the camera and have ordered a camera case (which hopefully arrives in time 😳!)
So I just wanted to upload a few pictures here, of our last holiday. Just because I’m so excited about going back again!
Yesterday we decided to go for a little photo shoot in the woods, amongst the bluebells.
I packed a few photo props including the girls teepee 🙈 and off we went!
When we arrived at the top of the woods, we got out the car (Matilda had already fallen asleep!). Arabella and her friend Ellie ran straight down into the woods holding hands. We walked down the path with bluebells all around us until we got to the clearing at the bottom and the most beautiful bluebell patch I have ever seen. I left the girls with my friend and ran back to the car to get the teepee.
With a bit of a struggle, I managed to finally get the teepee standing 🙈😂 and we started taking some pictures. The girls had such good fun running around in the woods, picking bluebells and asking lots of questions.
I absolutely love going for little adventures like these and recording memories for the girls to look back on. Especially this trip , it reminded me of the film ‘ the fairytale’ that I used to watch every day after school for like a year! 😂 (that and the secret garden were firm favourites!) I hope the girls love those films when they’re a bit older too!
I plan to take the girls on lots more adventures, like this, now that the weather is getting better!
) but you can copy some ideas from there.
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