Author Archives: GaltToys

Summer Holiday ‘Make and Dos’

Posted on: by GaltToys

With the summer holidays having started over a week ago, the hard task of entertaining your children has only just begun and you soon hear those dreaded words echoing through the house (especially in my household!)– I’m bored, there’s nothing to do!

So what is there to do? Well according to Supermarket.com, one in five parents will end up in debt this summer trying to keep their kids ­entertained during the school holidays, so we have come up with some Galt entertaining suggestions that won’t break the bank!

  1. We have some fantastic Make and Dos within our Activity Zone which are completely free to download.  We’ve recently uploaded our Farmyard Photo Frames; you’ll receive all five animals when you download the pack to make with your children, so they can display all their favourite photos. A great way to go through old family photos and talk about the things you have done together!
  2. Picnicking - what better way to enjoy the countryside and the weather (don’t hold me to that!) plus having some family time outside and it is completely free.  It’s the perfect time to enjoy an informal meal outdoors, as a family, with plenty of space for little ones to run around. You could always incorporate a simple game of catch, or my favourite, rounders! It’s always a good idea to involve the children from the start by letting them help with the planning, giving them one task each helps to teach responsibility and they’ll enjoy the day more than simply being taken on a picnic!
  3. The National Gallery - London, is a fantastic family day out and if you feel like seeing a masterpiece, this is the place, with 2,300 of them with big names like Van Dyke, Van Gogh, Monet and Cezanne. If you’re struggling to decide which to see first, how about taking one of the daily guided tours? They’re free too! When you get back home, you could encourage the children to paint their own masterpiece using what they have seen for inspiration.
  4. Finally, our marvellous Product of the Month – the ART JAR has everything to keep your children entertained this summer. With …. 70 pompoms, 40 wiggly eyes, zigzag scissors, sequin pack, shredded paper, 2m red fringed crepe paper…..take a quick breath….  18 plastic buttons, 7 cotton reels, 50 pony beads, 20 small star beads, 10 pipe cleaners, 10 straws, 6 sheets self-adhesive foam shapes, 7 printed card templates, 10 sheets coloured paper, 25 gummed label strips, glitter, 2m wiggly trim, and 3m elastic, plus  glue for lots and lots of sticking – what would you make?

Hope you all have a fantastic summer holiday and if you are up to anything exciting, off on holiday, or have any make and dos you would like to share, we’d love to hear from you…

A rose by any other name would smell as sweet

Posted on: by GaltToys

The Beckhams’ decision to name their newborn daughter Harper Seven may have split public opinion, but many celebrities are known for giving their offspring some very strange names.  Kate Hudson’s new baby boy was called Bingham Hawn Bellamy, but it is certainly not the weirdest! Frank Zappa, named his child Diva Thin Muffin Pigeen!

As children’s names become stranger, our pet’s names are becoming more traditional, with Poppy being the most popular name for cats as well as dogs. 

However according to the Huggies Club, Jack is still favoured for boys, with 914 boys being named Jack in 2010 and Grace is topping the chart for girls. In general, the figures show that girls tend to be given a wider variety of names than boys. Last year 4,710 girls’ names were registered compared to 3,866 boys’ names.

Some baby experts claim (and I think we agree) choosing your baby’s name is a very important task as the name is central to a child’s earliest sense of identity.

But as quoted from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet: 

What’s in a name? That which we call a rose, By any other name would smell as sweet.

So we are keen to hear your opinion – do you think the Beckhams have gone too far with Harper Seven? The fact the baby was 7lbs 10oz, arrived at 7.55 am and David wore the Manchester United Number 7 shirt, brings a sense of sentiment to the name; a lucky number, so to speak! Or perhaps you agree with maternity concierge, Rosie Pope that we should stick to more traditional names and stay away from numbers?

National Childcare Week

Posted on: by GaltToys

Next week is National Childcare Week promoting the importance of childcare, especially in the early years of development, strengthening and contributing to children’s play and learning, building a good foundation for their future.

At Galt Toys we understand the importance of development in the early years – making sure children have a good foundation will undoubtedly set them up for school and the future!  Research over the years has clearly shown that good-quality early education benefits the child in the long term, underlining why childcare is so important.

Perhaps this explains why Gwyneth Paltrow felt the need to spend £60,000 on a nanny, and Supernanny Jo Frost’s TV show Extreme Parental Guidance on Channel 4, is a huge success. According to Jo, as quoted in the Telegraph, “The average child spends less than 49 minutes a day doing things together with their parents.”

Communication and interaction are key to a child’s development. We are always designing toys to meet the needs of all stages of child development from 0-10 years, which are fun and to encourage learning through play.

Our award winning innovative Playnest is a self-contained play environment for babies and toddlers. The triangular fabric covered inflatable ring provides additional sideways support for baby during rest and play.

Around the Playnest, there are 8 multi-sensory features to stimulate touch, vision and hearing, providing the early experience and interaction a baby needs.

To celebrate National childcare week we are giving away one Playnest  – for your chance to win please subscribe to our blog.

Closing date: Monday 25th July 2011

Winner announced: Wednesday 27th July 2011