Activity Ideas for under 5’s

Messy play is always fun but must be supervised if using glue,paints and small bits. Encourages focus and problem solving and good team work.

Puzzles are fun for children they gain so much confidence each time they get it right. shows good motor skills,  concentration and problem solving.

Dressing up encourages roll play.

Ride ons are a good physical activity for children.

Reading is important for all ages as it encourages speech development, listening and encourages children to enjoy reading.

Nursery Rhymes are good for teaching vocabulary and numbers.

There are lots of  fun educational games I hope to encourage in Super Star Tots 🌟

fun ways to teaching colours and shapes to a 2 year old.

My Tot is able to count to 10 next on the teaching list is colours and shapes.

I find the use of everyday things helps teach new things and makes boring stuff fun. describing everything also it gives your child a great vocabulary.

I teach colours when hanging up the washing, most little ones want to help a mimic adults. I encourage my little one to help and give her tasks to keep her busy. I will ask for the blue top. I night get the red trousers (ha) but it’s all part of the learning process.

I teach shapes when drawing and encourage my little one to copy me. I also teach shapes when going shopping. my favorite is coloured  bricks you can combine the two,  colours and shapes.

The key is you are there to motivate your child, if they get it wrong it’s fine! just keep going it takes time. most importantly you combine play and learing.  I find this so important as it is the best time to teach your child the love of learning as learning is part of constant self development.

How do you teach your child shapes and colours???

 

There are so many different ways to teach children and so many different ways a child learns remember not all children are creative and not all children are academic but it is your role to help them find their way and give them the best tools to reach their full potential.

 

 

 

 

Super Star Tots first group …. was it worth it???

I have been building up to this day. van loaded with fun packed activities suited for all children possible. Puzzles, Arts and crafts, tents, books, ride ons and tables and chairs. Making sure all the noisy toys had batteries.

I was up at 7am preparing fresh refreshments for all the Super Star Tots. Cheese sandwiches and ham sandwiche’s shaped into a ginger bread man. blueberries, strawberries and bananas.

I arrived early to off load everything and get set up. trying to be organised … of course it took longer than expected but I was done and able to interact and organise activities… play dough, cutting and sticking, easter cards were a hit.

I was a lovely two hours everyone had a fantastic time. Parents and children all happy. I loved every part of it …except the packing up. After the ‘party’ I was knackered.

on terms of financially great it was not ..let’s just say I won’t be quiting my day job just yet 😉

However,  yes I absolutely plan on doing another one. I learnt a lot today and will continue my journey with a positive attitude and be greatful I’m in a position to make this happen for my daughter and other children.

I hope my next one is an even greater success.

Building the ideal parent child relationship.

The fact there is so much resources available to offer interesting and creative advice is amazing but can also be a bit overwhelming I can imagine especially if you try to incinerate everything you read.

I will be reading this book as it seems veRyan suited to my style of parenting. However, everyone is different and everyone has their own style of parenting.

What is your measure of success? My hope is that my children will grow into confident adults with a sense of well being. I imagine them in a career that feels fulfilling. I imagine a life with healthy relationships. Health, happiness, independence, financial freedom… all these things are part of success. But how do we as parents […]

via How Do We Raise Successful Humans? — simply.cindy

‘It’s mine!’ my tips to encourage your toddler to share. 👫👬👭

My little super star has just turned 2 years of age and is a funny, happy and friendly little girl. On one hand she is great at making friends and confident in approaching other children. However,  the problem is the sharing with other childrend.  My tips for facing these situations are as follows.

Firstly remember little one learns everything from you.

Secondly,  if your child isn’t the caring sharing kind then encourage more play dates and interaction with other children don’t avoid the situation thinking it will improve in time.

Playing games with your child is a good way to introduce sharing. For example when you child is eating they may offer you some,  this is your opportunity to show a positive happy response and say thank you for sharing. This shows that sharing makes you happy which is what your little one wants to see!

I also find it easier when tensions get heated during play time and the idea of sharing is about to fly out of the window if you sit down with your child and play mates and play a game. For instance my child doesn’t like sharing her ball. When another child wants to play with it I observe for a while to see if they can work out an agreement if unsuccessful then I go in and take charge of the ball passing it around playongoing me to your everyone can then play with the ball.

I hope these little tips are useful if you have any tips of you own feel free to comment.

Sharing can be a hard thing to teach children can be so territorial and just coming to terms with these new found emotions. Like everything else in parenthood consistency is key.

My struggle of mum and baby attachment issues. Creating a new venture.

I love my little one very much. when we are together she follows me everywhere and loves to mimic everything I do. when she wakes up she looks for me. The  my day begins if I leave the room so does she.

When my little one turned one years old I went back to full time work. I decided to leave her with a childminder. In the evening she is picked up by grandparents rotates between my mum and In-laws. Due to my long days. The idea seemed perfect. This also meant on my days off I wouldn’t need to spend my time visiting as much as family see my little one regularly.

However,  I expect the fist day back to be hard we had some trial days that didn’t go great. My little one cried all day. that made me cry. I really did question was I doing the right thing. Everyone said keep going it gets better. I knew we are better off if I work. So one year on. I am still working full time my little one still hates being away from me. Work doesn’t really accommodate motherhood so rarely get two days off together and I work most weekends and bank holidays.

Therefore,  I thought long and hard about making my situation work. I need to work to make money to live. But being a mum is my number one priority I want to be the one raising my child teaching her all the important things in life.

My solution being Super Star Tots. I am to set up toddler groups in Purley and Wallington area. I want to spend time with my little one giving her a child friendly environment and supporting other parents, grand parents, careers and child minders.

I no longer want to start my day with my little crying out for me. I no she is fine and looked after. I no 10 minutes after she isn’t worried anymore but I also have attachment issues leaving my little one. It’s so hard I feel like I don’t give her enough of my time.

I hope to make my business venture a success and enjoy spending more time with my daughter. Instead if giving all my time to a company that doesnt respect family life. A career should enable you family to grow, develop and enjoy new opportunities. A career should not take you away from your family or change your priorities.

My first toddler group is Wednesday 5th April. 9.30-11.30. Purley Quakers Hall. come and have fun. message me for more info. it’s  £3 entry. Refreshments and snacks included and lots of fun things to keep little ones entertained.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

mummy and baby’s day out.

It’s that precious day off again. The sun is shining already. Baby slept with mummy again but that’s OK as a full nights sleep was needed.

I get up early washing cleaning all done to spend the day with little one.

I have no problems getting ready my tips are getting your little toddler involved. My little one helps hwang the washing sits on the side  with a sponge and helps wash up. When I’m getting ready I give my toddler a baby to dress and this gives me enough time to get ready. I have narrowed this down to 10 minutes! theno it’s the  little ones turn, I let her help pick out her outfit for the day. She also helps me pack her bag for the day with added extras.

It’s been  a lovely morning so a play date in the park is in order …burn off some steam and lunch in the park is always fun.  The football we packed is a great distraction technique for any situations where little one doesn’t not what to co-operate.

After the park the hope of a nap on the way to the shops would have been ideal but clearly not today little one hardly naps with me… it’s as if she thinks she will miss something.

we enjoy a trolley trip around the shops to buy so fresh vegetables for our dinner.

Little one enjoys a story about numbera and counting then plays with her musical instruments making as much noise as possible and showing me some interesting dance moves. Then the building blocks come out I am trying to teach colours and shapes at the moment.

Finished off with a yummy Sausage casserole for dinner with lots of veg.

followed by bath and story time. I am hoping for an early night seems as little miss refused a nap time. Then I can get everything prepared for my next 4 days at work.

Top Tips for soothing teething.

Teething can be the most difficult time for baby and parents. Most parents I speak to struggle find a soothing method. The problem is you can’t cure it. Teething is very painful and distressing. The are all kinds of signs of teething I didn’t no about. I knew about the red cheeks and the crying alot and the need to put everything in their mouth. I didn’t no that other signs where cold running nose and rubbing of ears. I also didn’t expect the temperature, some times teething can cause a very high temperature.

You can get all kinds of aids to help baby through this tough time. Some of the popular ones are.

Teething granules, calpole,  ibuforen and bongela.

The problem being this will only dull the pain for a little while the discomfort is still there hence the reason baby will still cry and put everything in their mouth to rub the gums.

I remember teething for my little one was the toughest time she had all her teeth by 1 so was OK after that but 8months to a year was a tough time. She cut two teeth at a time. And was up every two hours in the night.

I found day time easier as you can give a teething ring. or a frozen chube yogurt was very helpful to chew on. The fact that you could play and use distraction to forget the pain was a massive help to me. I also encouraged lots of water to help with discomfort and Bikkie pegs where very good for chewing.

The problem being night time. No distractions nothing to put in her mouth and the dummy was not a great help. At night time I found calpole and lots of cuddles was the only solution for my little one. I also stuck to our routine regardless still bath bed story and bottle  of milk.

I have heard about teething necklaces but never tried one with my little one? would anyone recommend those?

Working mums and Holiday pay and childcare how it’s supposed to work and the reality!

On my maternity I decided to go back to full time work. I have been with my company along time and always told people the biggest benefit was my huge holiday entitlement! which meant I had lots of time to take off to raise my daughter.  This Holiday was also to allow me free time to fit around my childcare weekends and bank holidays off. Thank goodness I do not have to deal with half-term breaks.

I go back to work and reality kicks in.

The signs where already there when the management team where no longer family orientated. They had been moved to the area no friends, no family and no partner their sole purpose was work. Which is great if you don’t have enough a family to take of. A toddler to exhaust you and a home to run.

I have ended up working every weekend. taking holiday is always an issue even with enough notice it’s always inconvient…basically the harder you work… they know they can loose you for two weeks.

This of course as a parent makes life alot harder.

I have come to the conclusion the one benefit of going back to full time work is not my benefit.  I had by December over 4 weeks holiday left to take before end of March.  This goes to show the extent of the company not wanting to give holiday.

This is one of the reasons I have decided to take charge and go independent and make myself self employed and be in charge of my own time. I aim to make my toddler groups successful and thriving. I wish to other other parents and careers support and advice. I the hope that these companies will no longer be able to run in such away.

5 reasons to take your child to a toddler group.

1. It’s been a long night. 

The first on my list is the long sleepless nights alot of mums are still going through. Coming to a toddler group means you get that little break without the guilt of leaving your baby with someone you can still see them and play with them but you are not alone. You can get tips of other mums and enjoy a much needed cup of coffee and a bite to eat. 

2. It’s low cost.

My group I ask for £3 entry which is avaerage to cover costs. It’s two hours play and refreshments. You can’t go wrong. 2 hours in the morning and will get you little one ready for a nap. 

3. Adult conversation

It can feel isolating looking after a little one all day get out and have some adult convosation. Break up the day for yourself. Meet new people and you child can make new friends good for preparing for nursery.

4. Child development.

A play group is a great why to teach your child social skills and how to play teaching caring and sharing. There are lots of fun things to do and you don’t have to tidy up! messy play, dressing up, noisy toys,  and story and rhyme time fun.

5. Support.

If you are a mum, dad, grandparent, childminder or career. Come and get some support if you need some tips or advice or just need a break from home come and enjoy. No judging everyone has their moments and parenting isn’t always a walk in the park.

How to demotivate a workforce? Take away breaks! – not a good idea… let me tell you why?!

I have worked for a company for 10 years. I have seen management come and go. They all make the same mistakes and wonder why they get no respect.

It is give and take within business. Yes the sole purpose is to make profit. However, how can you be successful? It is a common issue that mangers seem to struggle with. Inorder to make profit and gain efficiency within a workforce team work is essential and hard work should be appreciated. I have seen in my 10 years amazing people who come to work and go that extra mile everytime. Until one time they need holiday or the need a small favour and they are told no. Not because it will cost the business but because they can’t cope without this person so they refuse to give them the time back they need. the person gets demotivated and no longer goes the extra mile, does basic job role then leaves in 3 months.

Today we meant manager number 5 in 6 months. After seeing good results, team work and motivated workforce. the decision is made no more breaks to be given. where is this good management?

Firstly it’s illegal. The law of the land states over 6 hours of a working day entitles you to an hour lunch and a 20 minute break.

Most people work a 8-9 hour day and will work extra if jobs are not completed.

Being a full time working mum I need a break to recover before starting my second job as a mum.

I just think it’s wrong and I can’t believe this still happens. However,  the same pattern will occur it won’t work because it is wrong. people will leave everyone will be demotivated,  sickness will increase. A new manager will be placed… Again.

Anyone disagree????