10 handmade toys for kids

Jul 29, 2014

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Welcome to TUESDAY TOTSBrought to you weekly by Learn with Play at home (that's us), Rainy Day Mum and One Perfect Day.



This week we are showcasing

"10 Toys for kids that you can make yourself"

So many of the toys nowadays have such limited uses for kids. When buying toys for kids, I try and look out for open-ended educational toys with multiple uses. The price of toys has also gone up so why not save yourself some money and have a try at making some of these fun items for the kids to play with? Many of them use materials that you should already have around the house and it's great to recycle wherever you can. Time to get making!
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6 ways for Baby to Play

Jul 23, 2014

Follow us on Pinterest for tons of great kids activities and ideas.


Welcome to TUESDAY TOTS. Apologies that it is late this week (again). I really should call it Wednesday Tots, haha. 
Brought to you weekly by Learn with Play at home (that's us), Rainy Day Mum and One Perfect Day.



This week we are showcasing

"6 Play Ideas for Babies"

There are a million and one "baby toys" available in the shops. That should be enough to keep baby entertained and learning, right? Shame my babies were never really interested in the colourful plastic that kept showing up at our house, and the uses of many were so limited that it's no wonder they never really captured their attention. There are so many ways that babies can play and learn from the materials you already have in your house or can buy cheaply from craft shops. (They usually find them much more exciting as well.) Here are 6 interesting ideas for babies that will keep them entertained and more importantly will aid in practicing a variety of different skills and learning areas.  **As with all activities involving young children, be sure to supervise.

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Invitation to Play. Pinecones, playdough and pompoms

Jul 19, 2014

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We have many pine trees around where we live so every time we go for a walk, the kids are bound to come home with at least a couple of pinecones to add to the collection. 

In a simple Invitation to play, I set out some of the pinecones alongside some of our homemade playdough and pompoms. 

We used this activity to further fine motor skills, creativity, sensory development, language, learn colours, textures, letter sound knowledge and more. Mainly just for fun though. :)

Ages: 12 months+
(See the handy tips at the bottom for ideas to suit your child's needs)

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5 Activity Ideas for Creative Kids

Jul 16, 2014

Follow us on Pinterest for tons of great kids activities and ideas.

Welcome to TUESDAY TOTS. Apologies that it is late this week. 
Brought to you weekly by Learn with Play at home (that's us), Rainy Day Mum and One Perfect Day.



This week we are showcasing

"5 Activity Ideas for Creative Kids"

Here are 5 creative, arty, open-ended activities for your kids. Most of these activities use materials that you're bound to already have in your supplies and are simple to set-up. Suitable for creative kids of all ages. (My 2 year old and 5 year old both equally loved doing #1 in their own ways and would have a red-hot go at any of the others.)
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Bricklaying for Kids. Invitation to Play.

Jul 13, 2014

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Here is a fun construction building invitation to play that I set out to occupy my toddler (currently aged 2.5). The main components for this easy set-up activity are simply playdough and blocks. Making the playdough a grey colour to simulate concrete and providing a couple of little construction tools all added to the scene but aren't necessary to still have a fun and creative activity for kids of all ages. My kids loved this little bricklaying activity.

We used this activity to further language skills, fine motor skills, building skills, knowledge of gravity, understanding of bricklaying, sensory development, imagination, role play and more.

Ages: 12 months+
(See the handy tips at the bottom for ideas to suit your child's needs)

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Keeping kids safe in the car

Jul 10, 2014

This post is sponsored by TAC and Nuffnang

When it comes to the safety and well-being of our children, as parents, most of us would value this above anything. We try to minimise risk as best we can through supervision, education and vigilance, but no matter what, there are always circumstances for potential injury or even death. (Yes, being a parent/carer is the scariest role ever.)

One of the most common ways that children are exposed to potentially dangerous circumstances is in the car. In my state, Victoria (Australia), alone, an average of 13 children under the age of 15 are killed on our roads annually, with more than 400 under the age of 17 requiring hospitilisation. (Stats here and here).  

For us, trips in the car are a very common occurrence. Some days can see me making up to 8 or more short trips here and there in one day, with each of those trips housing the potential of something going wrong. So, how can I best keep my kids safe in the car?

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How to make a Water Wall for kids

Jul 7, 2014

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Even with the weather turning colder and the rain becoming more frequent, we are determined to get outside as often as we can. I find the kids sleep better when they've had a chance to run around outside during the day and it's one of the easiest ways to keep them entertained. 

A while back I finally got around to turning the pile of bricks I'd been saving into a wonderfully simple, and now much used, mud kitchen. It turned out that I should have made it ages ago instead of just thinking about it as in the end, it was so much quicker and easier than I'd imagined. Armed with that knowledge, last weekend I decided we would finally build the water wall that we'd be talking about for ever.
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