Tag: activities

Top Tips to Encourage Physical Activity in Children

Encouraging your child to be more physically active isn’t as hard as it might at first seem. First of all, children are generally full of energy, much more it seems than adults and so all you need to do is guide them into using that energy.

Physical activity is extremely important for children. It helps to build muscles, coordination, and concentration whilst also helping to maintain mental and emotional health.

It’s never too young to begin fostering a love of exercise and activity in children as it can become a habit that helps them to stay healthy and active throughout their entire life.

According to the NHS, young children (under the age of three) need around 3 hours of physical activity each day, with children older needing at least 1 hour per day.

With very young children, simply using things like a baby walker, walking around and playing is good enough, but as children get older, it can feel more challenging, especially as they start to play video games that can lead to long periods of time without movement. That’s why we’ve put together these top tips to help get your children up and active:

  • Explore the outdoors – Whatever the weather, try to explore the outdoors a few times each week. This can be as simple as visiting the local park or playground, but don’t forget to take advantage of any other outdoor areas around you such as open fields, nature reserves and woodlands to help your child burn their energy. You don’t even have to worry about structured play, so long as it’s safe to do so, let your child roam and explore, they’ll soon wear themselves out whilst benefitting from fresh air and making their own choices.
  • Meet up with friends – Bringing other children into the mix is a great way to boost energy levels and activity. Arranging a group meetup at the playground, park, swimming baths or soft play centre is a great way of getting your child active and keeping it social. Children are usually more excited to play with others and won’t notice they’re even exercising. It’ll also give you time to socialise with other adults.
  • Bring it inside – Remember that exercise isn’t limited to outside. There’s plenty that you can do inside whether it’s a dance party, home yoga class, a game of twister or simply doing the housework. They all count as exercise, so get moving.
  • Join a class or group – How about a swimming class, gymnastics or dance club? Check your local schools, community centres and Facebook groups for classes near you that your child might enjoy. Not only will they stay active, they’ll learn new skills and make new friends.
  • Set an example – Children often copy what they see, so be a positive role model. Go for walks together, do yoga or an online fitness programme at home, go swimming. Simply being active yourself is often enough to encourage your child to follow suit.

How do you keep your children active? Share your tips and advice in the comments!

Locomotor skills

Over the last 30 years children have spent increased time indoors, and less outside. Time outside is important for physical development because it encourages gross motor skills. Children need wide open spaces and encouragement to run. Jumping and climbing can be learnt in soft play areas but there’s a world of difference between jumping onto a cushioned mat and jumping in the real world, or climbing padded steps or a net and climbing a tree.

Over the last 30 years children have spent increased time indoors, and less outside. Time outside is important for physical development because it encourages gross motor skills. Children need wide open spaces and encouragement to run. Jumping and climbing can be learnt in soft play areas but there’s a world of difference between jumping onto a cushioned mat and jumping in the real world, or climbing padded steps or a net and climbing a tree.

So, what do we need to run, jump and climb? Well, these actions require pretty much the same skills, albeit used in separate ways. They need balance, and by doing them more children develop their own balance system. They need core strength, and strong leg muscles (and arms too for climbing). They require spatial awareness on a large scale, and hand/foot-eye coordination.

But these skills aren’t the only things needed to be able to run, jump and climb. They all require courage and perseverance too.

Encourage these all important skills by jumping down from low heights like a step or a tree stump, then moving on to hopping like a frog, a bunny or a kangaroo. Jumping on the flat from standing is trickier – jump over drain covers or into hoops laid on the ground. Once that skills has been mastered you’re ready to jump up onto things. Play hopscotch too, to develop stability and strength.

To encourage running play chase or run races. Children will usually run naturally to keep up with their peers, but if you have a reluctant runner try to meet other children in the park or another open space and help them join in.

Parks often also have frames, nets, or rope ladders to encourage climbing. Help little ones master climbing skills by going up the steps to the slide, pulling themselves up on a platform or hanging on to a scramble net.

How do you develop locomotor skills?

The Greatest Gift You Can Give This Christmas is Your Time

Forget the presents, simply be present this Christmas!

Think about it honestly. How many times have you noticed yourself being with your child, but you’re not fully engaged? Maybe you were on your phone checking social media or emails. Perhaps you were simply running through all the things you still need to do to prepare for Christmas. Being there, but not being present is something we’re all guilty of occasionally, but Christmas time brings with it a real opportunity to make a change.

Continue reading “The Greatest Gift You Can Give This Christmas is Your Time”

World nursery rhyme week

Hands up if you love nursery rhymes? Then World Nursery Rhyme Week, 10th-14th November 2014, is made for you. Sadly 1 in 4 adults in the UK can’t remember a single, whole nursery rhyme, which means lots of children are missing out on fun.

Nursery rhymes are important for children’s development in lots of different ways. Reciting nursery rhymes helps develop memory and cognitive skills, sequencing events, speech and language, and an understanding of the world. The rhythm of speech patterns used in nursery rhymes is ideal for helping children pick up the number of syllables in each word, and words often important sounds and identify those that rhyme.

Many nursery rhymes help with mathematical development because they involve counting forwards (‘one, two, three, four, five once I caught a fish alive) and backwards (ten green bottles….nine green bottles…eight green bottles…) and stretch children’s imagination.

You can use nursery rhymes in many different ways, not just singing! Encourage children to clap along either to the beat or to the rhythm of the syllables, make up actions, paint or do crafts using images and ideas from the rhymes, create a bag or box of props to illustrate rhymes, get finger puppets…the possibilities are endless.

The 5 rhymes for World Nursery Rhyme Week 2022 are:

Oranges and Lemons
Old King Cole
Five Currant Buns
Hey Diddle Diddle
I hear Thunder

What will you do?

Bonfire night safety

With the cost of living on the increase and many of us watching the pennies (and pounds!) you might decide to recreate some of the fun at home with sparklers or by building a small bonfire with older children, maybe even doing some campfire cooking. The most important thing to keep in mind is that fire, and fireworks, are dangerous.

Sparklers are cheap and fun. They give off sparkles as they burn and make pretty patterns, but they can also be very dangerous and definitely shouldn’t be used by children under 5. When using sparklers:

  • Make sure everyone wears gloves
  • Hold sparklers well away from you
  • Keep a bucket of water to put the finished sparklers in
  • Only light one at a time
  • Never pass lit sparklers
  • Keep children more than an arm + sparkler’s width apart – around 6ft or 2m is a good distance
  • Never allow them to wave sparklers at each other or duel with them

If you want to make a fire, then follow some simple rules and keep it small so it doesn’t get out of control. Remember that if it’s windy you shouldn’t build a fire as the wind could pick up burning sticks and quickly get out of control. If you decide to have a bonfire at home:

  • Build the fire carefully and make sure it on clear ground away from buildings, vehicles trees, fences and overhead cables. If your garden is too small to build a fire safely then go to a public display.
  • Make sure all clothing is safe to be around fires – some synthetic materials will melt when in contact with heat
  • Don’t use any accelerants such as petrol or lighter fuel to make the fire burn faster
  • Only put wood, cardboard, leaves and and paper on it but keep flyaway materials to a minimum
  • Have buckets or water or a fire extinguisher nearby
  • Follow basic fire safety rules and once the fire has died down make sure you dampen the embers to stop it relighting

And finally, we hope you don’t need it but here’s a quick refresher on how to care for a burn:

  • Cool under cold running water for at least 10 minutes
  • A burn larger than the size of your hand requires treatment in A&E, as do full thickness burns (these look white or charred) or partial thickness burns to the face, hands, feet, arms or legs (these burns have blisters).
  • Get medical help for any burn in a child under 5, a pregnant woman, someone over 60, has a pre-existing medical condition or if there are other injuries or the person is going into shock
  • Don’t pull off anything which is stuck to the burn – if necessary, cut the material around it
  • Don’t touch the burn or try to pop any blisters
  • Cover the burn with cling film or put a clear plastic bag over the hand or foot to prevent infection – do not apply ice, creams or greasy substances such as butter

Halloween Hazards

Whether you agree with Halloween or not it’s become a fixture in the calendar. A time for dressing up, a time for scary stories and a time to go out and beg the neighbours for sweets – also known as trick-or-treating – and a few additional risks.

The first Halloween hazard you need to keep in mind is costumes. Check that all costumes are safe and don’t let children carry heavy fake weapons – foam swords for your pirate are much safer just in case he or she tries to swashbuckle anyone. Make sure that they fit so the children won’t trip over and consider adding some reflective strips so you can all be seen. Any face paint or make up should be suitable for use on children and removed as soon as you get home.

Then not only can that person in a scary mask or underneath a cloak be absolutely anyone, but a child can easily get lost and not be able to find you if you’re one of a hundred witches, and you may not be able to find them easily either. Make sure if you’re going to be costumed while out and about that children know not to go off with anyone else and that you have a safe meeting point if you become separated. Even if it’s just a party in a hall you can designate a specific corner to reduce their anxiety (and yours) if they can’t find you. If you are outside make sure children have your contact details secured to them in case they get lost and that they know who it’s safe to approach for help.

How do we teach children than every other day of the year you can’t just knock on people’s doors and accept sweets from them? The safest way to do this is to organise signals in your neighbourhood which mean the occupiers are okay with trick-or-treaters knocking at their door and teach children than they can only knock when they see them. This also has the advantage of minimising disturbances to people who don’t want to be involved and forcing you to plan your route.

How will you deal with trick or treaters coming to your own door, especially if you’re babysitting? One strategy is to put a bowl out on the step with a sign warning trick-or-treaters that there are children in the bath/asleep but they should help themselves. This will prevent any nasty tricks because, after all, you’ve provided a treat. Just make sure you top up the bowl regularly! If there is a safety chain then make sure you use it if you do open the door and have a curfew in mind.

Finally be careful of any sweets you are given as well-meant treats may contain choking hawards or nuts. If it’s home-made or doesn’t have a wrapper then don’t eat it. You don’t know what it is. Monitor the amount that young children eat – overloading on sweets is the fastest way to turn your Halloween into a real-life horror story!

All about spiders

Halloween is coming up and one of the traditional symbols is a nice, hairy, eight-legged spider. This year spiders are apparently particularly big because the summer was so warm, which means spiders had lots of lovely food to eat and lots of time to grow, and that can make them even scarier to those of us who don’t like them. But spiders really are our friends, so next time you see one as you’re running a bath for your charges, don’t scream – share some of these fun facts.

Spiders don’t have blood, or any kind of blood vessels. What they use as blood is actually a kind of light blue liquid that floats around their body.

They breathe through their tummies.

Spider silk is probably the strongest material in the world.

Antarctica is the only continent where you can’t find any spiders.

There is one species of spider that is vegetarian, all the others are predators. British spiders mostly eat insects, which makes them really useful.

More women than men are afraid of spiders.

Tarantulas shed their skins, like snakes.

Not all spiders make webs, and spider webs can come in lots of different shapes and sizes.

Organisation tips for busy nannies

Failing to plan is planning to fail. Organising your time and your working environment effectively means you will feel less stressed, more in control and able to focus on the things you love rather than chores you hate.

Failing to plan is planning to fail. Organising your time and your working environment effectively means you will feel less stressed, more in control and able to focus on the things you love rather than chores you hate.

Have a diary

If you and your nanny family don’t already have a diary, ideally a page per day, then invest in one. Write down your menu plans, shopping lists, any appointments, groups, playdates or changes to the usual routine. Remind your bosses to fill things in as well and check a couple of weeks ahead or before planning anything on a specific date in case there’s something already there. Don’t be afraid to put your plans in, particularly if they involve you leaving right on time or mean you’re unable to babysit. Don’t like a paper diary? Share a Google calendar with your boss!

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Keeping fit as a nanny

Working 8-6 leaves little time and energy for going to the gym but it’s important to take care of yourself so here are 7 steps to better fitness during your work hours!

Working 8-6 leaves little time and energy for going to the gym but it’s important to take care of yourself so here are 7 steps to better fitness during your work hours!

1. Walk: Get that buggy, or that sling, out and go for a long walk. Don’t just amble round the park, take it up a level. If you have toddler or preschool aged charges get them to scoot or bike. We can guarantee that you’ll be running to keep up.

2. Skip: You probably haven’t used a skipping rope since primary school but it’s an amazing cardiac workout. Teach children from about the age of 4, and challenge each other to skip for a set length of time or learn new tricks.

3. Plank: Got a baby charge? Plank while they’re doing tummy time and chat away. Nearly crawling? You’re down on their level, cheering along? Toddler or older? Get them to do it alongside you, or let them use you as a climbing frame!

4. Squat and lunge: Squats are great while winding or soothing a cranky baby, and you can lunge your way round the kitchen while you cook.

5. Work your abs: Sit your charge on your tummy and do some crunches, or play peekaboo by placing them in front of your feet and appearing from behind your knees.

6. Yoga: Even preschoolers can do some basic yoga poses – just look at Waybuloo. The tree pose is a fun challenge for everyone, and what child doesn’t love being upside down in downwards facing dog? Make triangles with your body, practice your archery in the warrior pose and twinkle like a star.

7. Dance: Put some funky music on and get moving! Shake your head, your hips, your arms and your legs. Do some ballet to classical music. Jump up and down. Go wild.