education, gardening, kids

The Importance of Play in Child Development

Play is an important part of childhood, with numerous reasons why children need to have fun. It plays a crucial role in social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development, providing kids with the necessary skills to navigate the world. As parents and caregivers, you need to foster a play-friendly environment to support a child’s growth and well-being.

Cognitive Benefits of Play

Play helps develop problem-solving skills, critical thinking, and creativity through activities such as building blocks, imaginative games, and puzzles. Children learn to experiment, engage with their surroundings, and explore. Research shows that unstructured play enhances brain development by promoting neural connections and improving memory and attention span. Additionally, pretend play encourages language development, and storytelling, and helps children expand their vocabulary and communication skills. Whether they’re running a pretend store, acting as superheroes, or playing house, they develop essential cognitive abilities that prepare them for academic success in the future.

Social and Emotional Growth Through Play

Interacting with friends during play teaches children valuable social skills such as conflict resolution, sharing, and cooperation. Group play fosters empathy and teamwork, helping children consider others’ feelings and perspectives. Playing together also aids in developing emotional intelligence, allowing children to express and manage their emotions in a safe environment.

Physical play, such as climbing, jumping, running, and skipping, contributes to stress relief and mood regulation by releasing endorphins. It also provides an outlet for children to channel their energy, reducing anxiety and creating a balanced emotional state, while building confidence.

Creating a Safe and Stimulating Play Area with Artificial Grass or Rubber Chippings

Ensuring that children have a safe and stimulating play area is vital for their well-being. Many schools and nurseries are now turning to artificial grass or recycled rubber chippings, as a practical way to create play areas. Artificial turf provides a soft, durable, and low-maintenance surface for schools, which minimises the risks of injuries and allows children to play freely in any weather condition. Artificial grass also alleviates concerns about uneven surfaces, mud, and injuries, making it an excellent option for schools seeking to create a safe environment for their students. Its cushioned texture provides extra safety by reducing the impact of falls and creating a comfortable play zone for your kids. Consider how artificial grass or recycled rubber chippings can enhance your children’s play experience in school’s high footfall play areas.

Final Thoughts

Play is a crucial component of childhood development, shaping the way children interact, grow, and learn. By encouraging play in safe environments, we support their well-being and equip them with the lifelong skills they need for the future. Whether through cognitive challenges, physical activities, or social interactions, play remains an essential part of a child’s journey toward living a healthy and happy life. 

This is a collaborative post.

education, kids

Types of games we think kids could be encouraged to play

As someone who has kids, you may have always been told that it’s bad for them to game. Yes, they can become addicted, but it’s unlikely. It’s a lot more rare than you believe it to be, and it’s easily manageable, using time allowance, such as egg timers, and not having consoles in bedrooms for example. Mix this up with NHS recommended game activities for a great balance. In this post, we’re going to be looking at some of the types of online games that you could be encouraging your kids to play with you, or on their own.

Brain Games

Brain games are not something that you should discourage your kids from playing. Some of them are rated a little higher than for younger kids, but it all depends on the kid. You can look into things like solitaire and spider solitaire which is a variation of the same game. You can also look into things like sudoku and word searches to help them develop their number and letter skills. These are great to play on journeys too with a paper and pen.

Some people find that brain games help their kids to develop and foster advanced problem-solving skills and inspire innovative creativity, making them a great choice for the growing mind.

Board Games

Something that you can and should do together is play board games. There are so many to choose from, so try to get a variety so that they can all be tested out. Some will test balance, others will test knowledge and patience, where others are more strategy based. It depends on what games you find you like to play, but it’s good to spend this time together. They will be developing their skills while having fun and bonding with the family, what could be better?

Video Games

This is where we are going to lose most people, but you shouldn’t go just yet. Video games have their place in the world and it has been known for kids to improve their social skills. Now, we’re not advocating talking to strangers, but playing with friends can really lead to their leadership coming out in certain games. It’s worth letting them explore and come to their own conclusions, you just need to ensure that you stay on top of this and watch out for any signs of addiction.

If you do notice that something isn’t quite right, pull back on this. You should already have a limit for how long they can play and how much they can spend, but you can tighten this if need be.

We hope that you have found this article helpful, and will now think about encouraging your kids to take up some kind of gaming in the future. You have to try and remember that the media have a habit of making everything look worse than it is, and that as long as you keep an eye on things, games are a completely safe and fun way for kids to pass time.

There are a couple of amazing films that might be interesting in terms of positive online gaming friendships – Grand Theft Hamlet. An award-winning feature film about staging Hamlet inside Grand Theft Auto, and The Remarkable Life of Ibelin is an emotional ode to connection and gaming. In this documentary, filmmaker Benjamin Ree and animator Rasmus Tukia honoured the life of gamer Mats Steen. Using World of Warcraft-style animation, this documentary tells the story of Mats, a boy with muscular dystrophy whose online popularity was only revealed after his death.

This is a collaborative post.

crafts, google+ hangouts, key stage 2, kids

Christmas Cards – Stained Glass

There’s still time to make your CHRISTMAS cards, let’s get creative!

KidsChaos_ChristmasCardsStained-Glass

So we’ve gone all churchy and made these lovely stained glass window style cards…. cutting shapes from the card, and gluing coloured tissue paper behind the apertures.

Eek… I let the boys use a scalpel!

These look fab with a tea-light popped inside (battery operated for safety) or stuck to a window.

Christmas-Card-Hangout-RedTedArt

You may also like our Potato print button nose rudolph cards, and to watch the google+ hangout which was hosted by @RedTedArt here: and Maggy’s fabulous round-up with LOADS of ideas from some amazingly creative blogs including some more stained glass from peaklepie here: christmas-card-ideas-for-kids.

KidsChaos_ChristmasCardsMantle

Oh, by the way, Pinterest! Pop over say hello x LIKE IT? Pin it!

Published 4 Dec 2013.

crafts, FREE printables, kids

Teaching Your Kids Patience

Tired of hearing “Are we there yet?” on every trip? Wish your kids could wait their turn at the slide, or not pounce on your fresh batch of cookies as soon as they leave the oven? You need to teach them patience, which is not as difficult as you might think…

1. Start Small

Don’t expect your little one to magically transform into a patience Jedi overnight. Begin by helping them endure tiny waits. For example, if your child demands apple juice this very second, calmly say, “You’ll have it in two minutes.” Then set a timer—something visible and fun, so the waiting feels like a game rather than punishment. Two minutes might not sound like much to you, but it’s an eternity in kid-years. Eventually, you can stretch it out to three minutes, then five, building their tolerance for that terrifying abyss known as “not right now.”

2. Model, Don’t Just Lecture

You can shout “BE PATIENT!” until your vocal cords give out, but if you fly into a rage because the internet takes seven extra seconds to load, guess what your kids are going to learn? Yup, impatience. Your own behaviour sets the stage. If you gripe incessantly at the slow cashier or honk your horn the instant a light turns green, your children will absorb that frustration like a parched sponge. Instead, show them how to handle delays gracefully. Sigh dramatically if you must (this is real life, after all), but try a calm comment like, “Looks like we have a wait—maybe we can think of a silly story while we’re standing here?” Lead by example, and your kids might just start copying your newfound Zen vibes.

3. Let Them Earn Their Rewards Over Time

Kids want everything now. Scratch that: kids want everything yesterday. To help them realise that not all gratification is instant, give them something to look forward to that requires patience. Create a simple rewards chart where they earn stickers or marks for each day they wait for something. Maybe they want a new toy, but instead of handing it over the moment they mention it, give them a timeframe—like a week—during which they can gather “patience points.” Each day they wait without nagging (too much) earns them a star. By the time they get their prize, they’ve learned that waiting actually pays off.

4. Tackle the Tough Task of Boredom

Patience and boredom are close cousins. If your child believes boredom is the worst fate imaginable, they’ll do anything to escape it, including losing their cool when forced to wait. But boredom can be a breeding ground for creativity. Introduce activities that encourage kids to entertain themselves when they’re stuck waiting—like those deadly dull car trips or the eternity between ordering food and it arriving at a restaurant.

KidsChaos-PetPlan-Lizard-photo-with-pencils

Carry a “boredom kit” in your bag: crayons, a silly notepad, maybe a squishy toy or two. Challenge them to think up a short story, count all the blue cars they see, or guess how many French fries are on the plate before the waiter arrives. By giving them tools to deal with downtime, you subtly teach them that waiting is an opportunity rather than a nightmare.

5. Make Waiting Tangible: Timers and Visual Aids

Kids struggle with abstract concepts. “Later” might as well mean “never” in their world. Use timers, hourglasses, or even a phone app with a countdown to show them that time is moving, and the wait will indeed end. Watching the sand slip through an hourglass or the numbers tick down on a digital timer helps kids understand that waiting isn’t just an arbitrary punishment—it’s a measurable, finite thing. And when the buzzer finally rings, celebrate it like a victory parade.

6. Teach Them the Power of Distraction

Waiting doesn’t have to mean staring at the wall. Show your child how to occupy their mind productively. Suggest playing a quick round of “I Spy,” humming a favorite tune, or counting backwards from 20. You might be thinking, “Aren’t I just tricking them?” Yes, but in the best possible way. Distraction is a skill they’ll use for the rest of their lives. By finding ways to pass the time, kids learn they have the power to ease their own impatience.

7. Turn to Good Old-Fashioned Puzzles: Hello, Sudoku

Look, I know Sudoku doesn’t scream “kid fun” at first glance, but bear with me. Sudoku (or any puzzle, really) can teach patience indirectly. Start with a super-simple, kid-friendly Sudoku or a puzzle that’s more pictures than numbers. Show them how they can’t rush through it, they have to pause, think, and figure out the solution step-by-step. As they practice, they’ll realize that slow and steady can be both satisfying and rewarding. They’ll feel mighty proud when they finally solve that puzzle they wanted to give up on after the first 10 seconds.

Not a Sudoku family? Try jigsaw puzzles, mazes, or even building a model car together. Anything that requires sustained focus and can’t be bulldozed through at top speed becomes a mini patience workshop.

8. Praise the Patience You Do See

Kids respond to positive reinforcement like cats to catnip. If you notice your child handling a waiting situation calmly – even if it’s for 30 seconds – praise them. “Wow, I saw how you waited quietly without complaining. That was really grown-up of you!” Positive recognition cements the idea that patience is something to be proud of. Eventually, they’ll go looking for reasons to impress you with their calmness – because who doesn’t love a pat on the back?

9. Share Stories of People Who Waited for Greatness

Kids love stories. Use that to your advantage. Talk about famous individuals who had to wait for success: inventors who tried hundreds of times before getting it right, athletes who trained for years before winning a medal, or chefs who spent hours perfecting a recipe. Show them that waiting patiently often results in something amazing. This makes the concept more relatable than just nagging them to “be patient” because, well, you said so.

10. Keep Your Cool When They Can’t

Kids lose their patience partly because they pick up on the grown-ups’ stress. If your child starts whining, complaining, or demanding instant gratification, try responding calmly rather than snapping back. “I know it’s hard to wait, but it’ll be worth it,” said in a gentle tone, can work better than an eye roll or a sigh of exasperation. Of course, you’re human – you might slip and roll your eyes anyway. Just remember that each calm response you manage to muster is helping build their sense of security and trust in the waiting process.

11. Involve Them in Slow Activities

Consider incorporating some sloooow pastimes into your family’s routine. Think gardening: watching seeds grow requires more patience than waiting for paint to dry. Or baking bread from scratch: kneading, waiting for it to rise, waiting some more… all these steps show your child that good things (like warm, fresh bread) are worth the wait. Crafts like papier-mâché or painting a detailed picture also teach that patience can pay off in the form of something beautiful at the end.

12. Gamify Waiting Whenever Possible

If you’re out in the wild (i.e., the grocery store) and your kid’s fuse is running short, turn waiting into a game. Can they stand on one foot until the line moves forward one customer? Can they guess how many people in line are wearing hats? Gamifying waiting transforms the experience into a silly challenge rather than a grim endurance test. Your child might even start looking for small waiting periods as opportunities for a quick mental game. Now that’s progress!

13. Acknowledge Their Feelings, Even If They’re Impatient

Telling a child “Don’t be upset” when they’re already huffing and puffing is about as helpful as telling a tornado not to swirl. Instead, acknowledge their feelings: “I know you really want that ice cream right now. Waiting can be tough.” Validating their frustration shows that you understand and respect their emotions. Once they feel heard, they’re more likely to calm down and work through the waiting with you as an ally rather than an enemy blocking their path to dessert.

14. Celebrate the Journey, Not Just the Destination

Lastly, remind your kids that the waiting process itself can be fun, illuminating, or creative if they let it be. The car trip to Grandma’s can become a journey of spotting funny billboards, playing verbal games, and singing off-key duets. By highlighting the enjoyable parts of the wait itself, you teach them a valuable life skill: appreciating the experience rather than just the reward at the end.

In the end, it’s a marathon, not a sprint!

This is a collaborative post.

kids, life

Laundry hacks to change your life

Laundry is no-one’s favourite topic, nor their favourite way to spend a weekend but you know what? We all have to clean our clothes, so it’s definitely worth spending some time to learn a few hacks that will make laundry time a little more bearable, right? Well, read on – you’re in for a treat.

1. Say Goodbye to Lost Socks

If you are sick of doing the laundry only to find that one-half of your favourite pair of socks has seemingly taken leave of your home for pastures new, then you need mesh laundry bags in your life. Place your socks inside a mesh bag before cleaning and it will not get sucked into the washer vortex, and you won’t have to wear a mismatched pair for work the next day.

2. Sorting Without Losing Your Marbles (Or Your Mind)

Sorting clothes is about as fun as watching paint dry, but if you streamline the process, it becomes a tiny bit less soul-sucking. Get three hampers (or laundry baskets) and label them: Whites, Darks, and Mixed Colours. Voila! You’ve turned your laundry area into a self-sorting paradise. By the time you’re ready to run a load, you’ve done 90% of the mental work in advance. Sorting at the source means no more dumping a mountain of clothes onto the floor and squinting at them like they’re abstract art. You’ll just grab a basket and go. Easy-peasy.

3. The Holy Grail of Freshness

Let’s talk about the nose. Sure, we can’t all strut around in couture, but we can at least smell fabulous. Enter the scent booster—tiny fragrant crystals or beads you toss directly into the washer. These magical pellets seep into your fabrics, leaving your clothes smelling like a field of lavender or a crisp Alpine breeze (take your pick). When you walk down the street and people ask if you just returned from a spa weekend, you’ll know your secret weapon. It’s basically aromatherapy for your wardrobe, and trust me, your nostrils will thank you.

4. Pre-Treat Stains Like a Pro (Before They Become Legendary)

That marinara sauce you spilled on your shirt last Tuesday? Don’t let it become a permanent addition to your personal textile museum. The key is speed. Keep a stain stick or spray by your hamper and zap those blemishes before they set in. For grease stains, a dab of washing up liquid works wonders: just gently rub it in and let it sit before washing. For ink, try a splash of rubbing alcohol. For coffee, cold water is your first line of defense. Address stains ASAP, and you’ll avoid that “Ugh, I can never wear this shirt again” moment we’ve all faced at least 27 times.

5. Chill Out and Save Your Threads

If you’re still blasting your clothes with hot water for every load, take a step back. Cold water is not only gentler on fabrics, preventing shrinkage and fading, but it also saves energy. That means less guilt about your electricity bill and fewer times you’ll have to bid farewell to a sweater that suddenly shrank to hamster size. Unless you’re dealing with seriously grubby gym gear or certain bedding that needs a hot wash, give the cooler settings a try. Your clothes (and wallet) will appreciate the chill attitude.

6. The Art of Drying

Over-drying clothes is like overcooking a steak, (if you are a meat eater, naturally) just plain wrong. If you have a dryer with a moisture sensor, trust it. Otherwise, learn the approximate drying times for various loads. Stop the machine when clothes are slightly damp, then hang them up to finish drying. This reduces wrinkles and static. Bonus hack: toss in a couple of dryer balls (wool or silicone) to fluff up the load and reduce drying time. They’re like tiny gym buddies for your tumbling T-shirts, keeping everyone separate and well-aerated.

7. The Dynamic Duo

We all know these two household staples are great for cooking and cleaning, but they’re also laundry heroes. Add half a cup of distilled white vinegar to the rinse cycle to banish any funky odours that might be lurking in your fabrics. Bye-bye, mysterious mustiness. For whitening and brightening, a half cup of baking soda in the wash can give your whites extra sparkle without harsh chemicals. Just make sure you don’t mix vinegar and baking soda in the same cycle, or you’ll end up with a science fair volcano reenactment in your washing machine.

8. Ironing Hacks, Because You Deserve Better

Ironing is, let’s face it, the least fun part of looking put-together. If you want to spend less time wrangling that board and more time sipping iced coffee, try these tricks. First, hang clothes immediately after the dryer cycle ends, this nips wrinkles in the bud. For shirts that need some serious de-creasing, slightly dampen them before ironing. And if you’re really feeling lazy, hang your crinkled clothes in the bathroom while you take a hot shower. The steam works as a makeshift iron, and you can pretend you’re running a fancy spa for your outfits.

9. Colour-Saving Hacks: Because Your Red Shirt Isn’t Supposed to Turn Pink

Want to keep your colours vibrant? Wash darks inside out to reduce friction and fading. For new, brightly coloured garments, toss in a cup of white vinegar to help set the dye. And if you’re paranoid about that brand-new, deep purple dress turning your entire load lavender, test it first by dampening a hidden area and pressing it with a white cloth. No colour transfer? Game on. A little vigilance prevents awkward colour-mixing surprises.

10. Set a Laundry Schedule To Tame the Monster

Laundry has a way of piling up until it looks like a textile version of Mount Everest, especially if you have kids, but you know what? It doesn’t have to be that way. You can tame the beast that is dirty laundry by simply setting a schedule that lays out exactly when you are going to wash everything from the sheets to the kids dirty soccer shirts, and then stick to it.

11. Storage Smarts

Once your clothes are clean and fresh, you want to keep them that way, right? Well, the way to do that is by using scented draw liners and putting your clothes away immediately. You can also spray a little fabric freshener into closets and, of course, never fold clothes until they are completely dry or they could end up with a must odor!

Laundry? Let’s do it!

this is a collaborative post.

cooking with kids, gardening, gardening with kids, google+ hangouts, kids

Papier-mâché seedling pots from cereal boxes
KidsChaosPapierMache-craft-how-to-MAKE

Chaos writes:

So… what does one do with cereal boxes, if you can’t bear to stick them in the recycling, how about cooking up some cute little Papiermâché seedling pots.

We ripped the cardboard cereal boxes and rice cake boxes into small pieces, and gave them a good soaking. Then pulped the pieces with water, in the blender (sssh, don’t tell Daddy).

Draining the pulp in a colander, squeezing the excess water. Flour the work surface, and mix, knead in some flour {SECRET INGREDIENT ALERT!}.
And take small quantities, pushing into the silicone muffin cases to mold the little pots. We air-dried the pots over-night, however, for speed, you could pop them into the oven, if you were baking spuds, or home-made pizza anyway!

We DID try to make a batch of these seedling pots in conventional metal cake trays… FAIL!, they set solid, glued in… so yes, silicone rules!

First Published April 12 2013.

Updated September 2024 to include a link to a recent post from incredibusy about paper clay… here

KidsChaosPAPERMACHE


Click this image below to watch the youtube video of our Google+ hangout – and watch Maggy from Red Ted Art sharing her shadow puppet theatre and her ‘everlasting’ picture frame, Playful Learners made another gorgeous puppet theatre Aly at Plus 2 Point 4 showed us how to use a box as a weaving loom, and my fave, Me and My Shadow and her vintage style secret book

To read more on our gardening adventures click here to see where we got our delicious compost for our seedlings.

To see how our garden grows, follow our Gardening With Kids posts here.

and how to make an indoor watering can here!

kids, travel

What Are The Best Attractions In London For Families?

While there are many attractions in London catered solely to adults, there are also many attractions aimed at families with kids. While travelling to London does mean having to brave the trains and tubes, it’s well worth it for some of these incredible day out ideas. How many of them have you experienced?

London Zoo

Few zoos are quite as immersive and exciting as London Zoo. Many of the animal enclosures here have been specially designed to mimic the home environments of these animals and there are lots of unusual animals here to see that you might not see at other zoos around the country. Kids will love exploring the Land of Lions, Penguin Beach and Butterfly Paradise. There’s also a petting zoo with goats and sheep, as well as an adventure playground. There is designated parking near the zoo, or you can take the tube to Camden Town and walk from there if you’d prefer not to drive into London. 

Natural History Museum

Got kids that love dinosaurs? The Natural History Museum has a whole section dedicated to these prehistoric creatures that includes fossilised skeletons, realistic models and even a robotic T-Rex! There are so many more exhibitions here to explore too that kids will love. This includes a photo opportunity with Andy’s Clock from CBeeBies show Andy’s Adventures, an earthquake simulator and a life-size model of a blue whale (among many other animal models). To reach the Natural History Museum, take the tube to South Kensington station and walk from here. Entry is free into the museum, but it’s worth booking a slot in advance to fast track the queues. 

battersea power station at night Ali Clifford

Battersea Power Station

An old power station may not seem like the perfect place to bring kids, but in fact it’s a top attraction among families. Why? Battersea Power Station has since been renovated into a shopping centre and contains several playgrounds outside for different ages. There’s also a Go Ape treetop adventure course outside. Meanwhile, there’s a shop dedicated to Lego inside the shopping centre, and two upcoming shops dedicated to Peppa Pig and Transformers (for those planning a future visit). You can access Battersea Power Station via Battersea Power railway station.

Hampton Court

Hampton Court Palace was once the residence of Henry VIII. Visitors can explore the impressive Great Hall, tour the expansive Tudor Kitchens, see the oldest grape vine and creep through the Haunted Gallery where Catherine Howard’s ghost is said to wander. However, what makes this a truly incredible attraction for families is its Magic Garden playground sporting sandpits, aerial walkways, climbing frames and 25ft dragon that breathes smoke once every hour. There is no tube station near Hampton Court, however there is an overground station and parking. 

Madame Tussauds

This wax museum was founded by French wax sculptor Marie Tussaud in 1835. Today, it contains over 150 lifelike waxworks of celebrities. While adults are more likely to recognise these celebrities, kids are still likely to enjoy many of the attractions here. This includes the scary Chamber of Horrors, the thrilling Spirit of London ride, and the 4D Marvel movie held in the museum’s former planetarium. This museum is located on Marylebone Road and is situated in an iconic domed building. You can find lockers at Marylebone station for storing your stuff – this is a 5 minute walk from the museum. 

London Transport Museum

Those interested in the history of transport will love the London Transport Museum. Here you’ll find vintage cars, carriages and buses dating back to the Victorian era. This museum is free for under 18s and contains craft areas and singing/dancing workshops aimed at kids. The All Aboard Playzone is meanwhile a transport-themed play area made up of mini vehicles that is perfect for young kids. What is the nearest station to this museum? Most people arrive via Covent Garden,which is a two minute walk away, but Leicester Square and Holborn are also only five minutes away. 

Shrek’s Adventure London

This immersive walkthrough experience is centred all around Shrek. It’s a chance for the whole family to step into Far Far Away, while meeting various characters from the Shrek movies along the way. Kids who love Shrek are certain to enjoy this theatrical experience, while parents are likely to be equally charmed by the humorous acting and incredible special effects. Shrek’s Adventure is located in Westminster directly near the London Eye (which could also be worth combining into a trip). Make sure to book tickets in advance. Both Westminster and Waterloo station are a five minute walk away.

This is a collaborative post.

FREE printables, halloween, key stage 2, kids

Halloween Pumpkin Paper Pom-Pom FREE printable

Pumpkin-Halloween-Pompom-Kids-ChaosHalloween-pumpkin-face-template-Kids-ChaosWe got a little bit seasonal and decided to turn our giant orange paper pom-pom into a PUMPKIN!
So here’s a halloween pumpkin FREE printable for you to download, print off and stick with a Pritt stick onto to the paper pom-pom – how cool is this! If you like this, you’ll like 11yo’s spin on it – with his FREE downloadable Witch’s face here.Witch and Pumpkin Halloween Pompoms

Really easy Pumpkin face – halloween pumpkin free printable, have a go by clicking here for our FREE downloadable template just print off, and cut out the shapes, in fact, print two, and use one as a template for your pumpkin this year too!!

step-1-4-make-a-paper-pom-pomclick here for FULL HOW TO instructions on making the paper pom-poms

12 simple steps – really easy to follow, our kids have been making them in ALL sorts of colours – we’ve even mixed up different shades of green here…
If you fancy having a go yourself click here.

Free printable Pumpkin face, just attach to giant paper pom-pom or use as a template to carve your pumpkin!

If you have a thing for giant paper pompoms, click here to see our crepe paper version, with raindrops!

This post was first published Sept 29 2014. inspired by a *how to* video by RedTedArt and myself

Ali also blogs over on aGreenerLifeforus.com and is a lover of Instagram too… pop over and say hello!

kids, life

Preparing For A New Baby? Here are some things you need to know

Are you starting to, or have you been preparing for a new baby recently? If so, the first thing that we want to say is congratulations. That’s such exciting news, and we’re super happy for you. Now though, you want to start preparing for a new baby as much as you can to get ready for their arrival. It’s going to be tough sometimes, and you’re probably going to question whether you can do this at least 100 times over the next few months, but we promise that you can. Keep reading down below if you are interested in finding out more about what you need to know when it comes to preparing for a new baby.

Understanding Sleep Safety

First thing that we’re going to mention is that you need to understand sleep safety. Now, there are so many different views and opinions on this, but the facts are the facts. Your baby is going to be at their safest when they are swaddled in a blanket, in their own sleeping space. However, a lot of people do not agree with this, or this becomes too difficult if they have a fussy baby, so they tend to co-sleep instead. 

Co-sleeping is a super controversial topic, and not one that we want to get in the middle of. You need to do whatever is best for your baby, but if you are going to co-sleep then you need to read up on how to do it in the safest possible way. Of course, they are going to be safer in their own space, but sometimes you’ve gotta do what you’ve gotta do. There are lots of people who co-sleep, but there have also been many problems with it in the past.

Breast VS Bottle Feed?

Another controversial topic that we want to address is breast fed or bottle fed. Every mother has the right to choose which way they decide to feed their child, and you should make that decision according to what you feel is right for you and your baby. Yes, that’s right, we said what is right for you as well. Your baby is not the only consideration that you need to make here, you are important as well and you need to take your feelings into account. 

For example, if you don’t like breastfeeding, if it’s too draining, if it’s hurting you too much, or if you generally just do not like it, you do not have to do it. Yes, there will always be those people out there who say that breast is best, but this is mainly the colostrum in the beginning. You don’t have to do anything that you’re not comfortable with. Fed is best. Always. 

Typical Gifts You Will Receive

There are some gifts that you are more likely to receive than others, and you need to know this so that you know what to buy and what to expect from others. Of course, you should never expect anything from others without a reason to. If someone has said they’re going to get you a gift or if you know them to be that type of person then sure, but try not to rely on anyone else if they have not voiced their intentions.

Your friends and family may go online and type in newborn boy gifts or girl gifts depending on the gender of your baby. They will then use whatever comes up to help them decide on a gift which most of the time are cute little outfits, blankets and things like this. If there is something specific that you would like though and you have someone who asks you what you want for the baby, it’s okay to ask for things. Of course, as long as they are not outrageously expensive 🙂

You Do Not Need Everything

One of the things that we feel you need to know is that you do not need every baby item and product that you see. We promise you that. It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that you might need this, that, and the other, but more often than not, you don’t.

You don’t need 500 muslins, five or six will do (although you will be washing them a LOT!). You don’t need 500 blankets, a couple will do. You do need quite a few outfits because they tend to have a leaky nappy or sick up their milk, quite a bit in the beginning, especially if they have reflux issues.

You also do not need mountains of toys for a new baby. Yes, getting a baby swing, a baby mat, or a baby chair is a great idea as it keeps them entertained when you need to do something, but you definitely don’t need all three until they get a little older. Most of the time, you won’t use half of the things you purchase, so try not to go too crazy.

You Will Never Be Fully Prepared

The final piece of advice, and potentially the most important piece of advice that we are going to give you is that you can never be fully prepared. This doesn’t mean that you should not try, and it doesn’t mean that it’s pointless to do so. You can get as prepared as possible, and it will definitely help you in the long run, but you will never be fully prepared as it’s impossible. Your life will change a lot, and you will never be able to fully comprehend that until you experience it for yourself. We don’t say this to scare you, just so you understand the reality of the situation.

We hope that you have found this post helpful, and now have a more firm understanding of some of the things that you need to know about preparing for a new baby. It’s a long journey, but it’s one of the most rewarding things that you will ever experience in your life. You’ve got this, even when it seems impossible, even when it seems like you can’t do it anymore. We promise,  you can.

This is a collaborative post.

crafts, father's day, FREE printables, kids

Tin Can crafts – savings tin

How about a Tin Can Savings Tin?

With Father’s Day looming, we decided to do something a bit different for Dad and as one of his foibles is collecting coins. *Saving* £2 coins in piles around the house, particularly on shelves… So we came up with a genius tidy-up plan…tin can fathers day savings

We decided to tidy up the favourite shelf for Mr.KidsChaos, our bedroom mantle piece.To assist with the tidying, we made him some Savings Tins, and they look nice too don’t you think?

Can we call this photo a #Shelfie?
Our bedroom ‘Shelf’ is often very cluttered, with our favourite wedding pressie painting from Jill Barker & Jonathan at Middlewick, and the odd pair of his daft colourful sunglasses. His collection of coins tumble constantly, as they get knocked and fall to the floor and it makes me go a little crazy!!

FREE printable tin can printThe kids decided he needed somewhere to save his £2 coins, and told me what the text should read on the tin cans. They picked the colours, and I designed the graphics. Bonus is, you can print these off and do the same thing too, for FREE!

Simply print them off here, and trim them out, and glue them on to your clean tin cans.

Don’t tell him, but I often BORROW the odd coin when we’re dashing off to Martial Arts club, or Cubs…. Sssh, he never reads this anyway, he’ll NEVER know. Perhaps if he saves enough, I could BORROW some of it for a bit of Bathroom DIY…watch this space!

For more FREE printables for tin cans, click here for a fun game for the summer – kick the can.

For more FREE Father’s Day Printables, try our Monster Truck card and Jigsaw Puzzle Cards.

And other uses for bean tins, and soup cans can be seen over on A Greener Life For Us, using up old paint to make plant and pencil pots click here.

Oh, and I’m on twitter.com/MoreKidsChaos too… Erm, and funnily enough on instagram, Facebook and Pinterest! Pop over to say hello x Like it? Pin it!

Ali also writes over on AGreenerLifeforus.com