Mathematics

Slicing and sharing takes the cake

Children have the right instincts about cake. They’re usually very excited to have some for dessert, and so they should be.  Not only is cake comforting and tasty, but as I’ll explain in this blog, it’s useful too! Serving it is a great way to practise fine motor skills, to learn about sharing and even… Continue reading Slicing and sharing takes the cake

Understanding the World

Chocolate soup! Food science discoveries to get children cooking

It’s never too soon to involve your child in the basics of food preparation. There are so many safe, messy and yummy activities you can share with to get kids cooking. But when do you start to introduce your child to the science of cooking – with what happens when ingredients are combined, heated and… Continue reading Chocolate soup! Food science discoveries to get children cooking

Misc

Best of the Blog 2021: raising a confident, curious grandchild

Here’s a roundup of my best educational content from 2021. It's filled with activities and observations to make learning fun for your child or grandchild... I’ve been reflecting on the many blogs that I’ve written during 2021.  A lot has changed in the past year. My granddaughter Daisy started the year in a Nursery class… Continue reading Best of the Blog 2021: raising a confident, curious grandchild

Understanding the World

Buried treasure: harvesting potatoes with your grandchild

Most parents and grandparents will understand that spending a healthy amount of time outdoors brings huge benefits for children – sometimes the trick is to find those activities which enable children to enjoy the natural world with ease.  Planting and harvesting fruits and vegetables is a great way to do this in your own back garden.… Continue reading Buried treasure: harvesting potatoes with your grandchild

Misc

Lockdown Storytime: homeschool activities for preschoolers

My granddaughter Daisy has several storytimes throughout her busy day.  Storytime is an integral part of a young child’s day, one that helps to develop their creativity and imagination, especially for preschool learners. Parents very quickly discover that young children have their favourite stories, which they enjoy listening to over and over again – these… Continue reading Lockdown Storytime: homeschool activities for preschoolers

Communication & Language

The joy of cooking together with your grandchild

Whenever my granddaughter Daisy comes to stay with me, her visit creates a series of highlights in my day from early morning cuddles to evening bath times.  These special moments now regularly happen in the kitchen. As she’s grown older and more independent, Daisy has discovered that, if she drags her little red chair over… Continue reading The joy of cooking together with your grandchild

Mathematics

Weighing up Autumn produce – a seasonal activity for preschoolers

As the English seasons roll around, the pumpkins and squashes are piling up in the supermarkets, and the conkers and acorns are falling from the trees. Although I’ll dearly miss the longer days of summer sun, autumn is a season that always brings special experiences to our family.  From the Harvest Festival to Halloween, Autumn… Continue reading Weighing up Autumn produce – a seasonal activity for preschoolers

Physical Development

Children should play with their food

Given the importance of healthy eating to physical development, and the way that many governments have struggled to deal with childhood obesity, not just in the UK but around the world, it’s surprising that we don’t spend more time encouraging our children to play with their food.  Well, perhaps not during mealtimes (when it can… Continue reading Children should play with their food

Mathematics

Counting on repetition: helping your grandchild to master numbers

Daisy first started to learn about numbers from rhymes and action songs then last year she started to watch Numberblocks programmes on Cbeebies.  This series of programmes has really improved Daisy's understanding of numbers. Over recent months, with the help of Mummy, Daddy and her childminder, Daisy has learnt the names of numbers up to… Continue reading Counting on repetition: helping your grandchild to master numbers