Category Archives: First Years

Something for all weathers!

Posted on: by Galt Toys

We are delighted to introduce a guest post today from Rachel Dove who blogs over at Frustrated Yukky Mummy Blog. Over to you Rachel!

Something for all weathers! 

I don’t know about you, but with the half term holidays pending and the big summer hols firmly on the horizon, the fact that the weather has, so far, been a bit of a damp squib is a slight concern.

Having already bought a paddling pool, I had visions of having meals in the garden, planting pots, using sand and water trays, and having days and days of riding bikes and trikes in the sunshine, but now I have faced with the worry of entertaining the children indoors!

Soft play centres and days out are lovely, but what parent can afford to do this every day to keep their little ones entertained?

I love crafting and having boys means they often like the ‘gross’ stuff too! I found these fabulous experiment kits and I can’t wait to buy these to try them out!

  

 

Some other great ideas for the great indoors:

Making dens – sheets, tables, chairs, cushions – ignore the mess and make a fort!

Making your own playdough – simple, inexpensive and can be stored and used again

Jigsaw puzzles – great for hand – eye co-ordination and working together

Reading time – libraries double as a day out too, and they are free!

Make your own raincatchers – this is great fun, and teaches children about the weather too!

Using old wooden spoons, decorate them to make a face, googly eyes, hair, whatever you fancy! Then cut the top from a soft drink bottle and mark some measurements on the spoon, centimetres are better. Then pop them outside and wait for the rain!

Obviously, we all want a nice bit of sunshine, but if not, then it pays to be prepared at home, and wrapping up warm in coats and wellies for a trip to the park or to feed the ducks is not a bad day out either….

Rachel Dove is a mother, author, and student childcare tutor. She is also a contributor for http://athome.readinghorizons.com/community/blog/ and values all things childhood.

Her debut novel is out now on Amazon. Follow her blog http://frustratedyukkymummy.blog.co.uk/

 

 

 

 

 

 

Imaginations lose out to ‘skills packing’

Posted on: by Galt Toys

FEWER VISITORS TO THE LAND OF MAKE BELIEVE

Children using imaginations less as more focus is put on learning new skills

 A precious aspect of childhood is at risk according to a survey of more than 1,000 parents. The research shows that a third of parents think children don’t know how to use their imaginations for make-believe games anymore. Nearly all parents (99%) believe that children need time for imaginative play but, according to 6 out of 10 parents, children aren’t given enough time and space for this type of playing.

 

April Fool’s Day highlighted the decline of imaginative play with fewer practical jokes played on parents than ever before. In fact 55% of parents said they had never had a joke played on them by their children. More than a third put this decline down to a lack of imagination to come up with the pranks and nearly 60% of parents thought that children just preferred watching TV or playing computer games.

John McDonnell Managing Director of Galt Toys which conducted the research said, “It’s very sad that there is concern about whether children are being given enough opportunity to use their imaginations as this is a crucial tool for learning and sensory development. Playing imaginary games helps children to try out new experiences and scenarios by using different parts of their brain and creates a safe environment for exploring different aspects of the real world. Above all it is lots of fun.”

Some parents focus more on ‘skill packing’ without realising that imaginative play is just as important for learning. The research also shows that 70% think parents feel under too much pressure to develop their children, which accounts for the drive to increase children’s skill set. Some parents (more than 1 in 10) even admitted they prefer their child to be always learning rather than ‘just playing’.

 

Celebrating Mothers everywhere!

Posted on: by Galt Toys

We love Mums!

Did you know that Mothering Sunday dates back to the 1600s in England? Traditionally children bought their mothers Simnel cakes, gifts and flowers – tokens which are still popular today. The idea of celebrating mothers actually dates back as far as the ancient Greeks and Romans with spring festivals dedicated to maternal goddesses. The custom of Mothering Sunday had almost died out by the 19th Century but was reintroduced after World Ward II due to American servicemen. We salute you for doing such a worthy thing!

Now the celebration is bigger than ever, recognised across 46 different countries. So it’s official – we love our Mums!

At this time of year the shops get crammed full of gifts to buy, and in fact sales figures show we dig deep into our purses collectively spending in excess of £1.6 billion on Mother’s Day gifts. However here at Galt Toys we still believe the true spirit of showing Mum how much you treasure her and all that she does, is to put some effort into a home-made gift. At the very least a home-made card! If you agree and are looking for some inspiration, we have some lovely colourful templates for you to use to help guide your creative juices.

 

Why not try baking some biscuits or cupcakes, or even a traditional Simnel cakes? We’d love to see your creations if you do, just upload a picture to our Facebook wall for all to admire!

For many Mums, this year will be their first Mothering Sunday – they keep good company along with celeb mums such as Fearne Cotton, Mrs Robbie Williams, Adele to name but a few. Anyone have any thoughts on what they might be doing, or even better, recommendations on what makes a truly memorable first Mother’s Day?

 

Spending time with family is key on Mother’s Day, eating lovely food, going for nice walks and playing games together. Here are a couple of new treats we’ve got for you to enjoy with all the family, just in case the weather might a little ‘under the weather’!

 

Our fantastic new board games will keep everyone amused. From Fancy Dress to Farmyard Frenzy, these games will have you collecting clothes and treasure, chasing each other round the board, doing funny actions and jumping around generally having a brilliant time.

Little ones won’t even realise they’re learning key numeracy and literacy skills – bonus!

 

Whatever it is you do this Sunday, we’d love to hear your stories and hope you have a wonderful time.