Encouraging children to sing? Singing is one of the most joyful activities we can do. It’s been a part of our human heritage for thousands of years. Encouraging children to sing and helping children to develop their own voices is a great way for parents to support the growth of self-assured and confident youngsters and to give them a creative outlet to express themselves. So read on to find out some tips and tricks. The benefits of singing There are many benefits of singing that have been identified over the years, not just for individuals but for communities too. Singing […]
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Easy ways to prevent childhood obesity in young children
Let’s face it, lockdown has not been kind to many of us in terms of our mental health. We have struggled with isolation or missing loved ones. For some of us, there has been a double negative blow to our health as we piled on the pounds with lack of exercise and general movement. Many of us comforted ourselves with food and our bodies have paid the price. As adults, we can be more conscious of this and finally return to the gym or reduce our calorie intake. Many of our children are still suffering with maintaining a healthy weight. […]
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Write a letter to Queen Elizabeth II for her Platinum Jubilee
Have you ever thought about writing a letter to The Queen? Do you know how to address it? What would you like to say? And if you don’t already know, The Queen has multiple residences, so where would you send it? Every year, Queen Elizabeth II receives hundreds of thousands of letters, not only from her British and Commonwealth subjects but from many different people across the world. A lot of the letters that The Queen receives come from children, and every letter gets a personal response. So in this platinum jubilee year, is it time you wrote to Her […]
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Children’s Mental Health Week 2022
There has been a lot of coverage in the media about mental health in recent years which we welcome as the topic finally comes off the ‘taboo’ list. The pandemic has only exacerbated the problem as people have struggled with lockdowns, redundancies, and loneliness. However, there has also been increasing concern across many factions about the deterioration in the mental health of our children. In the last year, we may have developed treatment strategies, coping mechanisms, and vaccines to tackle the virus, but we are also still years away from understanding the full impact that restrictions, school closures, and limited […]
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National Storytelling Week 2022
National Storytelling Week 2022 “Are you sitting comfortably? Then I’ll begin.” 29th January – 5th February 2022 Do you remember hearing this phrase as a child and understanding that it meant a story? Even if you are too young to remember the original children’s BBC radio programme called “Listen with mother”, which this phrase came from, or you do not live in the UK, you can appreciate that for over 30 years, it was the cue for children of all ages to settle down and listen to nursery rhymes, songs, and of course, stories. Stories and storytelling telling are immensely […]
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30 ways to celebrate International Friendship Day
If there is one thing this pandemic has shown us, it’s that we need our friends – not just the ones we know, but the ones we have yet to meet! As many of us were locked down over the last 18 months, (and some places of the world still are), we began to realise that it really is the little things that mean a lot – a hug, a genuine smile, a friendly pat on the back. These things matter because these are the things that really make us feel good – not our car, our house or our […]
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Simple ways to have fun with food this summer
Simple ways to have fun with food this summer As the famous song says: “Roll out those, lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer Those days of soda and pretzels and beer!” Hooray, summer has finally arrived here in the UK, and thermometer mercury levels are on the up faster than a third wave COVID graph! And somehow, through it all, we are all still looking forward to enjoying a cool beer after work as the nights get warm and balmy. And let’s face it, we could all do with a break, albeit another ‘staycation!’ Looking on the bright side, in […]
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Ten ways to celebrate National Simplicity Day
National Simplicity Day When was the last time you stopped to smell the roses? Yesterday? Last week? Or so long ago you can’t really remember? Have you EVER stopped to smell the roses? Or is the thought of switching off from daily life, unplugging from the internet and social media, something that you wouldn’t wish on your worst enemy? Then it’s time you heard about National Simplicity Day! On July 12th, many people will celebrate National Simplicity Day – the birthday of Henry David Thoreau, an American philosopher, naturalist, and ardent advocate for simple living. They will switch off their mobiles […]
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Healthy options for Pancake Day
Pancake Day – healthier options On Tuesday 25th February, most of the UK will be reaching for their frying pans to celebrate Shrove Tuesday – the traditional day for cooking and eating pancakes! The 40 days immediately before Easter (known as Lent), are observed by Christians to remind them of the time that Jesus travelled into the desert to fast fasting in the desert before starting his ministry. To mark this, in days gone by, many Christians would give up certain foods for this time including fish, eggs, meat as well as fats and milk. The period of lent officially […]
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Fun and practical things to do to help nature in winter
Most of us loved winter as children – think of all those happy times you spent making snowmen, lying in the snow creating snow angels and all those lovely, crisp, winter walks breaking the ice and throwing snowballs. Whilst we as humans can return to a cosy, warm house after enjoying the outdoors, our British wildlife is not so fortunate and winter can often mean a life-and-death struggle many; food supplies become scarce and there can often be little respite from the biting-cold weather. However, this can be a perfect time to help other creatures and also teach any children […]
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