Parenting

50 Fantastic Ideas for Engaging Dads Review

- cupsofcharlotte Leave a comment

We all know the feeling there is so much that we want to do this year with our children. We want to create memories with them which are going to last a life time. This time of year can be tight for money but you still want to have some amazing times. I know this is personally something which me and my family want to do. As you know Joe works away a lot which makes family time even more special . Jess loves spending time doing things with her Dad.

Just before Christmas, I was contacted to see if I would like to review a new book. Full of ideas for Dad’s to do with their children, of course, I said yes because we are always looking for ideas of new things to do with Jess. 50 fantastic ideas for engaging dads is it sounds it is a book which has 50 ideas of what do to with your children. All of the activities which are in the book are very engaging meaning that you have to be hands-on.

There is a range of activities some which we are going to have to wait till the weather becomes warmer. However, there are plenty of the activities that Jess has done already. Even though the book does say for Dad’s we all know Mum’s can do it as well. The reason it is aimed at Dad’s is because they can find it harder to think of ways to engage with their children. When it comes to a fun and educational side of play. There are some activities in the book which I would never have thought about doing. Such as discount shopper allowing your child to go into bargain stores with a budget and allowing them to purchase items. Another one is a door colour challenge find doors which are the colour you say.

The activities tell you what you are going to need don’t worry if you don’t have them all. We have improvised with some elements and still had as much fun. The book also tells you what the children get out of it apart from spending quality time with their parents. One part which I think is the great is the way that it tells you how to develop it to make it even harder. We all know that children can get bored when something becomes too easy for them. It has progressions some of them we are going to be using as Jess is finding some of the activities easy now.

We have been doing the read me a story activity most evenings before bed. This is something which has been part of our routine for a while now and we find it seems to settle Jess before drifting off to sleep. She also will speak about the book in the morning and sometimes for days after. We will let Jess point to things within the book for example where is the frog . This is helping her learn the different animals and also be interactive with the story. For sure, this is something which we can keep up because books is something we have a lot of .

Block tower is another one which we have been enjoying this is something which we can do as a family. We use megablocks which is something that Jess has owned for a while and we have a race to see how can build the highest tower. Then we will ask her to count how many bricks there is again enhancing her learning. This is something I love doing in fun ways where it is possible. Another way we have done this is that you can only use a certain colour to build your tower this incorporates Jess learning her colours. Of course this is also teaching her hand eye cordination fan which is vital for when she starts writing.

The final one which I am going to share with you is the den building. Of course, we have not been able to go outside and do this one yet as it may be a bit too cold and windy. However, we have been using our home to do it we have blankets often around in our house so we have been throwing them over the sofa and footstool. Jess usually demands that I crawl around and she giggles her head off. I think this is one of her favourites from the book because it is one she demands even after nursery. Daddy I am sure will get roped in to play when he is back as well.

I know that we are going to have so much fun doing more of the activities. Another thing which I love about this book is the fact that the ideas in this are not that expensive. A lot of the things which are required you will usually have if you have children. For sure this is a book which is going to get a lot of love in our house. It would be a great present for some who has a toddler as well.

The book is available on Amazon, for £9.99 and can be found here. 

What activities do you like doing which engage with your children?

Charlotte xx

This post contains a PR sample however, all views are my own.

Talking PANTS with Pantasaurus

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, . 

A few days ago when I was dropping Jess off at nursery I was informed that they were going to be talking PANTS. I was very confused to what this was all about.  They told me that it was a campaign with the NSPCC and it was to teach children to stay safe from abuse. The children were going to be speaking about this at circle time and may have some questions. This is something which since that conversation I have researched more myself. I could not believe that this is a campaign which I had not heard of.

PANTS is a campaign which is fronted by Pantosaurus who is a friendly dinosaur. Using a dinosaur is friendly is going to encourage children to engage and interact with the campaign. PANTS is a campaign which has been going for a over a year which I have not heard of. It is important because we do not want the young children to be subject to sexual abuse.

PANTS actually stands for privates are privates, always remember you body belong to you, No means No, talk about secrets which could be upsetting you, and finally speak up someone can help.

Privates are Privates.

Which means that you do not need to show them to anyone else. Your private parts are something which only you should see. It encourages children to keep their genitals in their own pants so they are not going to be flashing. This is something important because you do not want your child flashing all because it is not socially acceptable.

Always remember your body belongs to you.

This means that you do not have to do things which others tell you. If you are asked to show some private areas which you do not feel comfortable in doing you can say NO. Your child needs to know that they can tell someone who you actually trust if they are in this situation. For example they need to know that they can tell you because this is important . It means that you can actually deal with the situation in the way you feel most appropriate. This may include going to the relevant authorities if you feel this is required.

No means No.

This means that people have consent to see anything private. If for some reason you do not want them to see you can say NO. For example if they wanted you to show something private you do not have to show them at all.  It’s important that your child knows that they can say no if they do not feel comfortable doing something. They are in control of their own body if they do not want to do something they do not have to which is very important. It is also important to make sure that they know there is sometimes times when they will have to do things which they may not like. For example show an area to a doctor, nurse or an adult who has responsibility for them.

Talk about secrets that upset you.  

This is going to help you because the child to know that they can speak to you about anything which could be upsetting them. This could be anything it does not have to be anything to do with sexual abuse. It could be anything which is upsetting them all children want to know that someone cares about them. If they have any worries that want share with you they need to feel comfortable in been able to do this.  This will hopefully easy any worries which you have as a parent because they can talk to you about things which may be worrying or upsetting them. This can be even things which may seem really small to them like they have had a rough day at nursery because someone has not wanted to play with them or something like this.

Speak up, someone can help.

This is be about anything no matter how small your child may think the issue actually was. If your children are feeling sad, anxious or frightened they know they are going to be able to speak to people. It does not have to be you who your child speaks to. We all know it can be hard to speak to your own parents when something is the matter. However if, the person they speak to is a teacher, someone at their nursery or a family member. Children and for that matter adults should not have to worry about things there is always people that you can speak to and they are not going to judge you for how you are feeling.

I feel like the PANTS campaign is something which should be spoken about more because we do not want children been scared. Sexual abuse is one of the worse things which can happen to you and it is not pleasant so been able to protect more people is key. Talk to your children or other children who may trust you about the PANTS campaign and keep them safe. They are never too young to learn about things like this.

Have you heard about the PANTS campaign?

 

Charlotte xx

 

Tackling Sleeping In Own Room As Toddler With Gloclock

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As, I am sure you know by now we have just moved into our first family home which has meant there has been a lot of changes around here.  One of those changes has been Jess getting her own room for the first time, this is something which I was semi worried about. I know this may sound really silly as she is 3 years old and she has been sleeping through the night since she was very small. However, I was scared that the whole change of moving into an new area, getting a big girl single bed instead of a cot may be all too much for her. Jess usually is pretty good at going to be and always has been an early riser even on a weekend on the whole.

I decided that because I have seen so many people on blog or instagram use the glo clock which is a sleep trainer for toddlers. Jess in the few weeks before the move had been pushing and pushing her bed time to the stage that I was asleep before he for example some nights could see her still awake at close to 11pm. The constant battle to get her to sleep was something which was wearing me out and of course due to the fact she was not going to sleep on a night it impacted the time she woke up. Regular I would have to go and physically wake her up in order to make sure she did not miss too much nursery.

I knew when we got the house which would mean she got her own space this was going to have to change. I wanted her in a routine as such more during the week to make sure that she was less grumpy and had the energy to be able to complete tasks throughout the day.  Jess now goes to bed usually happily between 7-7.30pm on a week day of course sometimes, she does get longer on a weekend, we find she wakes around 7am. This does mean that she is getting the recommended 12 hours for her age group because she is not napping at nursery any longer.

Can I put the change and the increase in sleep down to the gloclock? Well it does make Jess want to go up the stairs to see if the blue Mr Star is on which indicates that it is bed time. You set the gloclock to night mode which turns it blue in turn the brightness goes down which of course you want because you do not want your child awake all night due to the distraction. When it goes into night mode it also has the starts around the edges which indicates to your child how many hours it is till they have to wake up again, for example if they woke at 4am and the sun was set to tell them they can wake from 7am it would have three stars. We have found that it does promote Jess to stay in bed a bit longer instead of trying to sneak out at 6am she will wait until it goes Yellow and Mr Sun rises.

We have found in the time which we have been using the groclock that Jess will sit and play in her room, reading stories or something similar till the time that she is allowed out. I have even debated setting it later on a weekend so I can have a lay in because she is still waking up around 7am when she does not need to be. I do wonder if she would notice if I did this?

You do not have to worry that the gloclock is going to run out of battery due it been connected to the mains, there would be nothing worse that it running out of battery during the night to be honest. The gloclock is so lightweight that it does mean you would be able to take it on sleepovers to grandparents houses or even if you go on a weekend away if this is something you would like to do it’s so easy to set up I think it took me under 5 minutes to do.  Another feature it does have is the option to add a nap time on it so this would be used if your toddler still naps this is something we have not done because she is out all day at nursery and then on a weekend she naps if she wants.

I found them so reasonably priced around the £20 mark because who can put a price on your toddler’s sleep, however, I regular find them on local facebook selling pages if you do not know how much use you will get out of one but fancy trying it.

Have you tried the gloclock if so what are you thoughts?

 

Charlotte xx

The Mama Tag

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Tags are something which used to be on my site a lot of the time when I first started blogging, These are something which I have not done in a long time now which makes me said as I think this is a good way to get to know bloggers who you read a lot. Today I have been tagged in the mama tag by the wonderful Claire here is my answers to the questions which means you can learn more about me which is always fun because who isn’t nosey and want to know more.

HOW OLD WERE YOU WHEN YOU HAD YOUR FIRST CHILD?

I had Jess when I was 20 but I would have been classed as a teen mum for the start of my pregnancy .

WHAT WAS THE HARDEST THING ABOUT BEING PREGNANT FOR 9 MONTHS?

My pregnancy with Jess was pretty fast as some of you may know if you have been around for a long time. I actually only knew for about 14 weeks that Jess was on her way I did not find out till I was 26 weeks so of course it flew by. I think the hardest part for me was the fact that I had to adjust in this short period of time that I was going to be a mummy and of course this was very scary.

CAN YOU THINK OF ANY GOOD THINGS YOU ENJOYED DURING THOSE 9 MONTHS?

Again because it was not long I will not say that I did not love it however, I hated not been able to be as active as I had been.The adjust to now been heavily pregnant and showing was something which I struggled with I am sure if I had another child I would enjoy it a lot more than I did.

IN YOUR OPINION, WERE ALL OF THE THINGS YOU HEARD ABOUT CHILDBIRTH ACCURATE OR WAY OFF?

I had heard all the horror stories of course before I had Jess however, it was not too bad for me even though I ended up having an emergency C section. I think there were points which I became scared in but of course everyone has different pain thresholds and people think different thinks are scary, So childbirth is going to be different for every single Mama.

WOULD YOU HAVE HANDLED CHILDBIRTH DIFFERENTLY IF YOU COULD RE-DO IT?

I think that I would love to be able to have my partner at the next birth or if we could actually do this again. I think that I would love him as well as have been able to have my mum this I am sure is going to calm me down when I am feeling scared and stressed out. It is very unlikely that my mum would be at a next birth because someone will need to be on hand for Jess.

WHAT WOULD BE YOUR ADVICE FOR SOMEONE WHO IS ABOUT TO HAVE A BABY?

RELAX do not over think it because of the fact that is the more you stress and worry the worse you are going to be. There is nothing you can do if you are going to end up needing a C section to become a mama this is going to happen it usually is only offered if it is the safest option. Things can change so fast and you can not do anything about them I am glad I did not worry too much about my c section because I had done some research about them previously.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE HARDEST THING ABOUT BEING A MUM?

I would say it is the work-life balance because as you will know I have been doing my degree alongside been an mum. I feel guilty when I am spending time doing work or when it is nice weather and she is in childcare so at the moment I can get things ready for moving house alongside actually trying to find a job. I know this is something which most mamas struggle with even if they are at home the guilt is real. I have a feeling I feel it more because there is weeks where I have to solo parent due to Joe’s job and at one stage she hated me leaving her in case I did not return as well.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST REWARDING THING ABOUT BEING A MUM?

I would say this is like watching Jess grow up because it is amazing watching her personality she has become a really cheeky but funny little girl with a hint of sarcasm. I love watching her face when she is on days out or experiencing something for the first time that sheer look of wow. It doesn’t even have to be big things it can include her just been able to have an ice cream, I am loving the toddler stage minus the tantrums.

WHAT WAS THE MOST SURPRISING THING YOU DISCOVERED ABOUT BEING A MUM?

How tired it is possible to become and this does not actually stop even when they become older they still can wear you out. Jess makes me so tired watching how much she files around the tantrums which she gives me even wears me out which is never great. I thought that I was tiered before when I was a student well I can tell you when your a mama there is only so many nights you can burn the candle at both ends.

WHAT IS THE BEST MEMORY YOU HAVE INVOLVING YOUR CHILD?

I think think it was when we actually became a family for the time when the drama has stopped and we could enjoy having Jess. This mixed with the first time I saw Jess once I knew that I had to stop her from been adopted because this had been the plan. I knew I could no longer go through with it and i wanted my daughter to be mine.

WHAT WAS THE MOST EXCITING MILESTONE?

I would say them all because they are so special in their own way. Talking or walking I would say are the big two but now we can not get her to stop running off along with the fact that we sometimes we would pay for a little bit of piece and for her not to be constantly talking. We want them to hit the milestones as soon as they can but sometimes we regret it when they can do things we really don’t want them to do.

WHAT IS THE WORST THING YOUR CHILD HAS EVER DONE?

Tell people I have broken her ankle when I have not done anything must be up there as one of the worse. If only more people heard I am sure that social services would have been quickly round to make sure I am not a bad parent. I also hate it when she has a tantrum in public but I know sometimes that she can not help it and that’s how she can communicate that something is wrong.

WHAT HABIT DO YOU WISH YOUR CHILD DIDN’T HAVE?

Getting everything out instead of just a few toys is one so the whole floor looks a complete mess rather than just one area of the room is one of them. Another one which she does is been so sarcastic things like when she says thank you very much sometimes I do not know if she is been real or taking the piss out of us.  I know it is part of her personality but this can be so annoying.

WHAT HABIT OF THEIR MAKES YOU MOST PROUD?

I am proud of how polite she is she will say please and thank you without having to be asked which is amazing. She is so nice as well as will try and make everyone happy without you having to ask she will end up including everyone.

DO YOU SHARE ANY SIMILARITIES WITH YOUR CHILD? (BOTH PHYSICAL AND PERSONALITY?)

I think she is more like her daddy in personality but she can be stubborn like me. She is my double when I look at pictures of myself when I was her age I wish I had some of them I was Jess’s age to share with you.

WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE YOUR CHILD TO BE IN 10 YEARS?

I just want Jess to be happy and healthy that is all that matters to me.

IS THERE SOMETHING THAT HAVING A CHILD HAS TAUGHT YOU?

That the things which may have mattered so much to you before you became a mama maybe are not as important when you have children. You change and of course, have to put their needs ahead of your own which can be super hard sometimes but it becomes natural as a mama.

DID YOU IMAGINE YOU’D BECOME A MUM AT THE AGE YOU BECAME A MUM?

No, Jess was not planned and in an ideal world I would have waited and had her when I had finished uni and has been more settled. But I would not change it at all now I love being her mama.

DESCRIBE YOUR CHILD IN ONE SENTENCE.

Jess is a ray of sunshine, a bundle of energy and just someone I always want to be around. I am proud to say she is my daughter.

I am not going to tag anyone as everyone I can think of has been tagged however, if you have not done it and would like to I tag you to do the mama tag. If you do please leave your links in the comments I will be sure to check them out.

Charlotte xxx

 

Making Trips So Much Easier With Micro Trike Review

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Jess is like any two year old who is closer to three she wants to be able to walk however, this is not always possible.  Regular Jess will have a tantrum if we have to put her in the pram now she claims she wants to be a big girl. Recently we were lucky to be sent a micro trike to test out and promote.

Micro trike is something which we had so many questions about from people when we have been out and about with it.  I think this is because it is so much different from a normal toddler trike this does not have pedals like a standard trike would have.  Instead, it has a parent handle and you push your child like you would in a buggy and this is without the battle of them not wanting to go into the buggy. The Micro Trike is suitable from 18 months and up to a maximum weight of 20kg which is great. However, I know Jess is close to this weight so may only be able to use it for a few more months maximum a year.

The micro trike is something which we have taken on the nursery run when we want to get there fast. To be honest, we have been using it every day since we got it, Jess has been around outlets, shops and even Ikea on it.  One of the bonuses is that it is so light so if Jess wants to get off the micro trike she can and we can either continue to push it until she wants to get back on or carry it. It does fold flat which is always a bonus one less bulky thing to carry. Also, this is good for storage as space when you have children can be golden ours lives in either the footwell of the set we do not use in the car or in the boot depending on how full the boot is.

The trike is so simple to put up and down all you need to do is one movement to push the seat to flatten, in order for your child to be able to sit on it. Then you have to extend the one-handed push handle one of the benefits of this been one handed is you still have on arm free. We have found it actually makes me walk to nursery a lot quicker because I can swing my arms.  You could use the extra arm for carrying shopping bags or holding your child’s hand when they are not on it.

The push handle on the micro trike can be adjusted if you need it to be meaning different heights could push it.  The footrest for the child can also be adapted however, this is something which we have not yet had to do with Jess.

We now have tantrums is we do not use the trike it is so easy to push just glides.  It really is so easy to manoeuvre you just need to be careful if there are holes in the path not to get the small wheels caught. This has happened a couple of times to use and Jess has gone over the handlebars. I know I should really have the harness on but Jess wants to be a big girl and get on and off when she pleases.  I will warn you as well about going on and off the pavement this can be a bit of a hassle and something you need to take care of doing.

Micro Trike claim that this could replace your buggy, for us it has at the moment but I do not think I will be in any rush to sell the buggy. The reason behind this yes at the moment we have had a lot of nice weather, however, when it changes there is no protection from the elements for your child.  There is also the fact if your child does fall asleep a lot this is not really possible on this trike, we try and avoid using it when Jess is really tired.

Where can you purchase?

Micro Trikes can be purchased on Amazon for £80 and come in a range of 4 colours, Black , White, Pink, and Blue.  I would recommend them and can see them been very popular in the next couple of months to a year, if the amount of people who have asked me about it purchase one.

Do you have a micro trike if so what are your thoughts on it?

Charlotte xx

We were gifted this Micro Trike but I was not required to write about it, I just wanted to share our thoughts as we are really impressed.

First Aid On The Go

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Traveling is something which we spend a lot of our time doing or it feels like we spend more and more time in the car.   Whether it be traveling to do things with the new house, which is like a 40-minute drive, going to see the grandparents or a day out.

I am one of those people who feels like something is going to happen. When you have a toddler it is easy for them to fall over and hurt themselves this is something which Jess does frequently. I swear her legs have more bruises on than anyone I know because she is always falling over. Because of the fact that Jess is always falling over, I thought that I would share with you what we have in the car first aid wise.

Calpol

I have added some elements into the first aid kit bits that I knew that I might need which was not included. The first thing which I added is some Calpol, well Morrison’s own brand this has actually been a help because once we needed it as Jess had bumped her head and was complaining about pain. Calpol can come in for a number of different problems such as teething or generally feeling unwell so it is always worth having it to hand.

Ibuprofen

The same can be said for ibuprofen I think we picked this up from Home Bargains. A headache is something which I can struggle with if I am in the car for too long. I sometimes end up hurting myself on a day out I have been known to have injuries so trying to the amount of pain I am in is always a bonus.  These will also come in should I have any other pain the same could be said for Joe.

 

First Aid Kit

We do have an actual first aid kit in the car which is full of most of the things which we could ever need in it. It does have some first aid cream in which is essential for us because Jess seems to be having a lot of grazes and cuts.  We also have the dressings in because you never know when you are going to need to cover a wound and we have a range of the sizes.

This also includes some bandages which if you remember at the start of the year I bruised my arm so badly I had to have it in bandages so these would have been needed.  There is plenty of plasters there which we need. I actually ordered this from Amazon but unfortunately, they no longer sell it so I can not link it. I think this was about £9 and we can fill it should we need anything else in the first aid kit.

Anti Bite

Getting bitten is something which happens to a lot during the summer months. I must have tasty blood or something this is the reason why I have decided to add some anti bite stickers for to the first aid kit. It does not matter where I am at the time I  can even be indoors and get bitten these are basically like plasters for your bites.  These are something which I may remove from the first aid kit when the weather becomes a lot cooler.

Paw patrol plasters are a must if you have a toddler like us who is obsessed with the pups. Jess does like using plasters is there is a need for her to have one, however, we have found that it can be hard to get her ones small enough more so when she damages areas like her toes. We picked these up on offer and they seem to cheer her up when she has a graze.

Antibacterial Spray

The final item which we have in the first aid kit is one which has been a godsend to us. This is the Morrisons Sterilising and Antibacterial spray. This is designed to spray on any cuts which you have to make sure that they do not become infected. When Jess managed to cut her chin and it would have been able to put the cream on. This spray has actually meant that Jess has not go anything infected. If she now gets a cut even if we are in the house she will ask for the spray. This is something which I would recommend putting in your first aid kit.

What do you have in the first aid kit in the car? Or do you not actually have one?

 

Charlotte xxx

Review: Hopster TV & Learning App

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There is a time when Jess wants a little bit of time when she has quiet time. Sometimes she will use YouTube but that does mean that she can access anything because I do not have any parental control on the app. However, recently we were contacted by Hopster who is a learning and TV app for children who are between the ages of 2-5 years.

Screen time has allowed Jess to be able to learn a lot of her numbers and colours . It also gives me a break when maybe she has been a little bit full on and I do not want her to push me too much or the fact that I need to do something which means she needs to actually entertain herself.  Hopster is also a great app to download if you happen to be traveling this is something which Jess used so much when we used to commute.

We have been using Hopster for a couple of months now this has allowed us to form actual opinions.  We have used previous apps in the past, however, even when you have paid for them we have noticed that it has still had adverts.  This is something which you do not have on Hopster it is 100% advert free this does mean that Jess that on the app rather than actually getting on something else which causes her to get annoyed.

The app is far from basic they have so much on it including

  • Shows
  • Music
  • Books
  • Games
  • Create
  • Plus a themed area which changes regularly

The shows can be downloaded which means there is no need to use up your data when you out and about. This is something which I love because there is nothing worse than having no data left.  The choices of shows on there include Pingu, Ben and Holly, Thomas and also Fireman Sam.  I have actually downloaded some of them to my phone so that when Jess is losing her mind and needs to wait for something such as food I can give her this to ease the meltdown. I think there are around 800 shows which means that Jess should not get bored of the same episodes.

The books section is one which we love this is because Jess loves books and not always been at home means reading can be hard.  There are some of our favourite stories on the app including the tiger who came to tea which is one that I have loved since my own childhood.  There are also a number of books which I have not heard of on the app because it is always amazing to be able to find more books. Again there is such a good selection which means your child can not get bored with the books.

Painting is something which Jess adores but she is only able to do at nursery. This is because we do not have the space to be able to paint when we are at Daddy’s I can not wait till we can craft at the new house.  Jess for sure loves to be able to paint and create artwork on Hopster regular I find Jess has saved pictures onto my camera roll. She even has used it in the car when I do not want Jess to nap because the trip is not too far. I think that this is great should you not be able to do traditional arts and crafts.

I have had a lot of fun on the games with Jess. A couple of our favourites on Hopster include the app where you have to collect the flies and feed them to the frog. I know this is one which Jess enjoys playing on as well. I know that another game which Jess loves on the game is the alphabet hotel which is where you have find the same letter as your playing on, trace the letter and make words using the letter. This is something which Jess can spend hours playing on and I think this is the way she has learned a lot of the alphabet along with attending nursery. I am glad to see that over the time which we have been using Hopster Jess’s knowledge has increased and I do put this down to the fact that she has been playing games which are educational.

Hopster is available via a paid subscription for £3.99 a month, £19.99 for 6 months or £34.99 for 12 months. There is no contract and you can cancel the subscription at any point. You do get 1 month free trail which means that you can see if the app is for you before forking out anymore for it.  Personally I feel for the amount of quality content and the variety you get, the prices are great value for money. Once subscribed you can then access Hopster on multiple devices. This is something which I need to do but it on Joe’s phone so I do not always lose my phone to Jess.

Have you used Hopster with your child? If so what did you think?

 

Charlotte xxx

We were given a subscription to Hopster in exchange for review, however, all thoughts as my own.

2 Year Old Summer Essentials

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Unless you have been living under a rock for the past 6 weeks at least you will know the UK is experiencing a heatwave. This is fun because it does mean that we can go on days out without having to worry about whether it is going to rain or not. However when you have a toddler it means that you have to take extra steps to make sure that they do not become too unhappy or unwell in the heat. Today I am going to share with you the things which we have been using this summer to make sure that Jess has the best time possible.

Canvas Shoes

The first thing which we have been using so much is the Jojo Maman Bebe canvas shoes. These remind me of the Clark’s doodles however, they are a fraction of the price coming in at the £15 mark which is about £5-10 cheaper than doodles. We have been using them for nursery because they are so comfortable for her to wear. They are lightweight which means that her feet are not sweating as much which is a bonus in the heatwave. These canvas shoes do actually dry really quickly if she gets them wet which is good because playing with the water is something which Jess really enjoys same with playing with sand this can easily be banged out of the shoes. They are so easy because Jess can even put them on herself which is a bonus because she wants to be such a big girl now.

 

Sun Cream

Sun cream is something which is essential because we never want our little humans to burn or damage their precious skin. In the summer applying sun cream is one of the tasks which I dread I think this is because of the fact sun cream is sticky. Applying it to a toddler can be like having to wrestle a crocodile to get it on however, with the Nivea sun cream which comes in a roll on is so simple. Jess loves to stand there and let me draw pictures on her with the sun cream which allows you protect her skin all summer long. Then we rub in the pictures so that it does not end up all over her clothes. I would recommend trying this we usually have one which lasts us all summer long. You can pick this up from the supermarkets for around £4.  Another bonus is the fact it is factor 50 which means your child is protected from the harmful sun rays.

Summer Hats

These are something which we could not do without I think Jess owns like 5 summer hats. 3 of the are actually paw patrol which is because she sees them wants them sometimes we allow them. This does mean that she is not very far from a hat which is always a bonus because you never know when the sun is going to come out. Jess is a good girl when it comes to putting hats on this may be due to the fact nursery tell her she needs one on when the sun is out.

We have picked up the majority of the hats from the supermarket and they rarely cost us more than a few pounds. I would recommend having more than one in case you do actually lose the hat or something happens to it. Keep your eyes peeled as soon stores will be reducing them ready for the autumn ranges this is when I tend to pick up new ones and store them till next summer. I only do this if I think Jess will need some new ones next summer.

Sun Glasses

These are something which Jess could not be without she frequently put them on when she is in the car. I think Jess loves wearing the sunglasses in the summer because it is what me and her daddy do and she wants to be a grown up like us. I know that she is not going to hurt her eyes when she looks at the sun which is a bonus because nobody wants to hurt themselves. We actually picked them up from Morrisons which is place which we like to look in for Jess. These were about the £3 mark which is a bargain I have seen them for like £9 in other stores they might be reduced soon again as the weather changes.

Back Pack

In the summer months there is more trips out and days spent in the park which means you need to carry more stuff. This means that you need a good bag which is going to be able to take all of the weight meaning you have your hands free. This is a skiphop bag is actually the one which Jess has used for nursery for a couple of years now. We find that having a bag allows us to have hands free and still be able to take drinks, nappies and a spare change of clothes in case of any accidents. This bag is great because we can change the length of the straps so that I can carry it as well as Jess. I would recommend getting a good bag because it will last you for a number of summers as well as been able to use it for the rest of the year.

What are you essentials for a two year old in the summer?

Charlotte xxx

Tips For First Trip to Cinema

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Going to the cinema is something which Joe and I love to do. We regularly go when there is a new marvel film out but trips to the cinema are less frequent since having Jess of course. This weekend saw Jess attend the cinema for the first time she actually went to see the new Thomas the Tank film, so today I thought I would share with you some tips to make sure that a cinema trip with a toddler goes as smoothly as possible.

1. Be Prepared

Cinema snacks can be expensive and your toddler will want everything. A tip which I would recommend no matter the age of your child is to take snacks and a drink. This is something which you allowed to do an can save you a small fortune. We did purchase Jess some popcorn and an ice blast because it was her first trip but we took some other drinks and sweets so she did not become hungry.

2. Start with a kids club showing

Many cinemas do kids club showings which occur at the weekend around 10am. This means that it is not nap time for toddlers like Jess meaning that they are not too tired and are going to fall asleep in the screening. Another bonus is that kids club usually are a little bit cheaper with some only been £1 for children which is a hell of a lot cheaper than a normal child’s ticket to the cinema.

3. Sit somewhere accessible

You will want to sit somewhere accessible this means should your child need the toilet during the film you can just pop out. It also means if your child wants to sit on the stairs they can this is something Jess did because I think she got a little bit restless during the film because she had been sat there for 2 hours, even though it was only a hour and half film.

4. Check if the cinema have booster seats

There is nothing worse than paying for your child to go the cinema and then them not been able to see. This could be due to the fact there is a tall person in front of them by your child having a booster seat this will allow them to see over the person or chair in front. If the cinema does not have the booster seats like the one we attended why not take a cushion or a pillow for them to sit on so they are raised up.

5. Don’t be afraid to leave

We all know that small children do not have an amazing span do not be afraid to leave. If your child is making too much noise and you feel like it is impacting other peoples cinema experience. If your child is really not enjoying the film what is the point of staying and forcing them to watch something which they are not enjoying it may make them think negatively of the cinema and they may not want to return. You never know that if your child is ready to go the cinema so do not be afraid if you do have to leave.

6. Pick the right film

Just because it is a children’s film does not mean that it is right for your childs. Of course, you know them best but some films can be too old for certain children for example I would not want to take Jess to a film which is over an hour and half. The reason behind this is I do not think that she has the attention span. I would not want to take her to a film which I think could be too sad for her for example something like the Lion King or Paddington.I know cinemas from time to time show films like Peppa Pig, Paw Patrol and Thomas these are good to give your a toddler good first experience. If you have taken them before and they did not enjoy it this could be a viewing to take them to next.

What are you tips for taking a toddler to the cinema?

Charlotte xx

Days Out- Hull Explorer

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It is not often you get to be a tourist in your own city, recently I was contacted by East Yorkshire.  Seeing if I would like to review their back for 2018 open top bus tour in Hull called the Hull Explorer.  Jess and I actually managed to go on the bus on one of the hottest days of the year which meant she wanted to sit in the shade in order to make sure she was not poorly.

The bus tour lasts between 80-90 minutes depending on traffic of course, and it a hop on hop off bus service. You learn so much about the history of the city of Hull, see parts which you may never have seen even as a local there was parts I had not been to in a long time. Due to the bus been hop on hop off it does mean that you can get off for drinks or have a closer look at some of the sites of Hull. This is something which we did not have the option of doing due to the fact it was a training day we attended but this is for sure something which I would do if I went back on the Hull explorer.  I think on a nice day getting of the bus and having some drinks down Humber Street and the Marina would be very nice and refreshing.

While you are on board the Hull Explorer you will have a very knowledgeable guide who will enlighten you about the story of Hull. Also some of the landmarks which it is home to.  I actually learn so much on the bus, for example, the reason why the city is called Kingston upon Hull is that it was the second biggest port outside of London.  So it was the king’s town upon the River Hull.  I also learned that Hull has a statue to King Billy who is the one who brought Gin to England so I think we owe so much to him.

On the tour you get to see places such as Queen Victoria square which is home to the city hall, and the maritime museum. This is along with the statue of Queen Victoria who sits above the public toilets. This allows you to see some of the old buildings despite being in the city center close to all of the shops.  This would be a great place to get on or off if you want to browse the shops or learn more about Hull’s fishing history.

Just around the corner from the Queen Victoria Square there are queens gardens as I said it was a very nice day there was a lot of people enjoying the sun. This would be a great spot to grab some lunch or having a drink. These are beautiful fountains and around the back, there is a huge pond which you could enjoy. This is close to be two of the old docks in Hull and close by in Beverley gate you can see some of the remains. The King was locked out of the city by the people during the start of the English Civil War.

High street is another place where you get to visit on the Hull explorer. This recently had been filmed as the streets of London in Victoria the hit tv show. This is still home to some of the old warehouses which used to be used by the fisherman when Hull was still a thriving fishing port.  This is a cobbled street so it can be pretty bumpy when you are on the Hull Explorer.

The marina is another stop which the you will get to visit, this is very close to Humber Street. Both areas have been redeveloped as a result of the city of culture this is a thriving area with a lot of bars and restaurants.  This for sure is an area which you should get off and spend some time around there is some amazing ice cream areas.

There are other amazing areas which you visit including:

  • Cenotaph
  • Wilberforce Monument
  • Museums Quarter
  • Hull Minster
  • The Deep

This year, Hull Explorer runs for every Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday from 7 July until 2 September.  This means there is plenty of time this summer to explore more about the city of Hull.  The Hull Explorer is not expensive with adult day tickets at £8, students and OAps’s £6 and children £5. Those who are under 5 are free and a family ticket can be purchased for just £21.

Conclusion

I would recommend visiting Hull and going on the Hull Explorer I learn so much on this tour. Jess enjoyed seeing some of the different cities around the city however, it may have been due to the heat that she got fed up. However, we she is only 2. I would recommend going on this tour even if you are a local because it is always good to learn more about your own city.

 

Have you ever been to Hull if so what did you think?

 

Charlotte xx

This post is in collaboration with East Yorkshire however, all views are my own