Fun Pool Toy Ideas for Your Kids This Summer

Toys and play time are integral to the physical, emotional, cognitive and social development of children. In fact, the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights (Article 31) considers playtime as the natural right of every child in the world. And yet, free playtime for children has been gradually shrinking over the past several decades as TV, computers have heightened pace of life and
consume the majority of our children’s time.

As another summer draws closer, perhaps it’s a good idea for parents to spend some time researching suitable toys for their children. For those with either a swimming pool in their home or access to a nearby public pool, or even those who are planning on going to a resort, it is imperative that the right toys are provided for their children so they can spend their day with productive activity
instead of just splashing aimlessly around the pool. Check out our list below of some great recommendations of water toys for kids this summer.

• Water Gun
Water guns need no introduction. They have been perennial favourites of children for a long time. However, many parents are unaware of the benefits that the toy possesses. Playing with water guns socially helps regulate emotion, as well as heightening cognitive functions, motor skills and spatial awareness. Water guns also introduce the concept of competition to young children.

 
• Toypedo
Toypedos and similar imitation products are dive toys that are shot from a launcher. These brightly coloured and hydrodynamically designed toys can be aimed to the bottom of the pool or the surface of the water, where it will glide for a considerable distance. The toypedo is great for racing games for children who can swim comfortably to retrieve the missiles, which will improve their
coordination, balance and motor skills. Don’t worry about leaving the younger kids feeling left out - the sight of the toypedo cruising underwater is very riveting on its own.

• Dive Rings and Dive Sticks
Dive rings are small, multi-coloured plastic rings that sink when thrown in water, while dive sticks are weighted plastic rods that will remain vertical once they reach the pool floor. Doesn’t sound like much, does it? However, they are actually loads of fun for children trying to improve their swimming ability. Simply throw the rings and sticks into the pool, and let the kids dive in to retrieve them. They are quite soft, so the risk of accidental injury is very rare.

• Toy Swimming Goggle and Scuba Gear
Kids love throwing on a pair of goggles or snorkels and diving straight into the water. They can literally spend an entire day snorkelling around the pool. This is great for improving their fitness levels and a great way of sneaking in a bit of healthy cardio activity! Just keep an eye to make sure they don’t get exhausted or sunburnt – and never leave them unattended.

• Waterproof Card and Board Games
Sometimes, it’s great to have an alternative form of play time for the kids. Board and card games will allow to use different forms of cognitive stimuli that will help with their numeracy and literacy skills. Get the waterproof versions, so they can play comfortably anywhere around the pool – even on an inflatable lounger!

(This is a sponsored post.)

Real Life with Two Children Under Six

Just as my eldest child (C, now 5 years old) turned one, I began to get broody again. There is a ten year age gap between myself and my sister and I knew that I wanted my own children to be close in age. I had imagined them playing together, forming a wonderful bond and eventually having each other's backs as they moved into their teenage years.

We have great times, there's no doubt about that. It is so clear that they love each other to bits and I know they will defend each other to the death when they are teens. They love to play nicely together on occasion, especially when it comes to their mutual love of superheroes. But now? It can be hard. One thing I didn't know much about as I was effectively an only child until the age of 10, were the sibling fights. Oh, the sibling fights! If they can find something to argue over, no matter how silly or trivial, they will argue over it. Arguing sometimes isn't enough.We will even have hitting and hair pulling and at these moments, I do become a bit of a shouty mum because I am not going to allow them to get away with that kind of behaviour. I have been known to leave a room and count to five before I explode.

They bounce off each other a lot too so if C is in his, what I like to call, "his funny half hour" where he just giggles and laughs about everything, taking nothing seriously, E will be right there adding fuel to the fire and thus igniting my inner rage. Usually I can let this go but if it happens over homework time, no way. At the ages of five and three, I am definitely well aware that they do push boundaries and see what they can get away with. It helps to have mum friends to message and have a little rant to (hi, Jenna!) because they get it and won't judge.

They both absolutely hate food shopping but guess what? That's life and we have to do it. They will mope and moan and groan the whole way around the shop, attempt to run off (more E than C) so Chris and I have actually resorted to pep talks before we even go into the shop which usually includes a bribe of a chocolate bar if they behave themselves. They love to talk about things like poop, farts, bogies and bums at the top of their voices in public and I swear it has to be just so they can embarrass us!

Getting two children dressed in the morning is a hard slog. E will put one sock on and decide it's funny to run away from me so I can't put the rest of her clothes on. C will then think what she's doing is hilarious and do exactly the same thing. And why does it always happen when we're in a hurry to be somewhere? Don't even get me started on the refusal to eat dinner that they specifically ask for. This is one thing that really irritates Chris. I often joke to him that turning 30 is just around the corner and FUE hair transplantation can be a option for the hair that he's losing due to the kids being stressful! Most days after we've put the kids to bed, we just need to relax on the sofa for half an hour before we even attempt to do anything else just so we can recharge a bit. I'm not making parenthood sound very good, am I? I don't think my temperament helps much as I can be a little uptight, find things harder and take things more seriously than they have to be. It's something that I have to work on.

It's not all tough though. There is nothing better than getting some family time like baking together, going to the cinema, being outdoors or having movie or game night. The children are so caring and loving and I couldn't even tell you the amount of hugs and kisses we get and we are constantly being told they love us. I do get a lot of "mum-guilt" over being a shouty mum at times but things like this make me feel a little better about it all. I wouldn't change it for the world.

(This is a sponsored post.)

Christmas Gift Ideas for Children

Happy December! 

Christmas is sneaking up on us so quickly and now that it's the first of December, I've suddenly realised how unprepared I am. I still have about 40% of my presents to buy and all of my Christmas food. Better get a move on! 

I've put together a little list of some things that I think would make lovely gifts for children this year. If you're like me and are struggling to think of what to get - look no further! 

Itty Bittys

Seriously, how cute are these little guys?! As you've probably noticed they are Star Wars and Disney characters but they've been made over for Christmas! They are so cuddly and perfect for stocking fillers. There are a huge range of other characters to choose from if Star Wars and Mickey and Minnie aren't your style. 

You can get them from Hallmark for £6.00 each. 

CAT Machine Maker Junior Operator

This set is great for little ones aged 3+ who love to build. Each tub contains all the pieces that you need to create your favourite CAT machine as well as a chunky screwdriver so your child can feel like they're really at work. 

You can choose from either an Excavator, Dump Truck, Bulldozer, Service Truck or Wheel Loader. 

These are available to buy from Hamleys, Morrisons, The Range, Toymaster and Smyths at a price of £11.99.

Ultimate Spider-Man Rumble to the Rescue

Any child who is obsessed with superheroes will be blown away by this. Spider-Man sits upon his quad bike and, as the name suggests, it really does rumble!

It drives along making realistic engine and horn sounds. It's sure to keep your child playing for hours. 

This retails at £24.99 and is available from Smyths. 

Aquabeads Disney Princess Playset

If you haven't heard of Aquabeads, they are so much fun. Each set comes with a bead palette, 1000 beads in 15 different colours, a water spray bottle and a peeler. You simply follow the designs, spray with water, leave to dry and peel off.  You then have a pretty princess! 

We love spending family time doing Aquabeads together - it's not just fun for the kids. 

You can purchase this from Argos for £21.99.

BIC Kids Kid Coulter Rainbow Case

I always encourage my kids to express themselves creatively so I always make sure I gift some sort of writing (or drawing) medium. 

Having two children aged 5 and under, I stress over lost lids 95% of the time. This BIC set is the answer to my worries as this innovative case keeps the pens and lids all in one - genius! 

You can find these at all good retailers at a price of £2.99 which makes them a perfect stocking filler. 

Sylvanian Families Baby Sleigh Ride Set

Every time I see a Sylvanian Families set, I "aww" over its cuteness but they've outdone themselves with this adorable Christmas themed set. 

The set comes with Milo the Toy Poodle baby dressed as a reindeer, Henry the Milk Rabbit baby dressed as Santa, Santa's sleigh, two presents, teddy bear toy, Christmas tree, toy Sky Ride adventure, Santa's sack. 

You can purchase this from Amazon for £22.46 (price correct at time of publication). 

Jumbo Games Disney Guess The Film

I love a good game at Christmas time and this one is so easy that even my three year old can join in. 

You get a stand and insert the image stills (the game comes with 100!) into the back of the stand. Each player rolls the dice which lands on a colour. The stand has coloured doors, you open your colour and you get a tiny glimpse of the still. You then get to guess what Disney movie it's from! 

As a family, we absolutely love our Disney movies so this is the perfect game for us. You can buy this from all good retailers, priced around £15.00.

Woofy Whoops

This is one of the top games this Christmas and it's really not hard to see why. You simply download the free Woofy Whoops app onto your phone and set Woofy up on the fire hydrant. 

Once you've filled Woofy with water, you can clip your phone into the hydrant with the app set up. You need to spin him and whoever he lands on has to pet him however many times he barks (this is also displayed on your phone). Pet him at the wrong time and he will pee all over you! The app even records your reaction in slow motion, adding to the fun! 

Woofy Whoops is available to buy from Smyths for £19.99.

University Games Glowing 3D Planets

I don't know about anyone else, but my son always tells me that he's going to be an astronaut when he's older. I've even caught him searching on YouTube Kids "How do I become an astronaut?" Adorable.

This set from University Games is perfect for any budding astronaut. It includes eight planets, Pluto, 25 feet of clear nylon string and adhesive putty. You charge each planet up by exposing them to the light then when you switch your light off, they glow! 

You can purchase these from Amazon for £19.95.

5 Second Rule Jr

This is a slight twist on the family game, 5 Second Rule, except it has been adapted so that younger children can play too. You get a game board, timer, game tokens and 200 cards (400 questions). 

You pick a card and have five seconds to answer. It might seem easy, but can you do it under pressure? 

You can purchase this game from Smyths at a price of £12.99.

University Games Paddington Colour On

The new Paddington movie was released in cinemas last month, as well as his appearance in a Christmas television advert. There's no escaping the lovable bear! 

This contains 3 metres of colouring and fun activities. The paper is rolled up so you can pull it as far as you like then it can be easily rolled back up using the dial when you're finished. Perfect for keeping little ones entertained! 

You can buy this from John Lewis for £7.99.

University Games Paddington Spot the Difference

This fun little game promotes some friendly competition. It contains 80 spot the difference challenges and two markers with eraser tips. 

Who can find the five or ten differences first and spot the pot of marmalade? 

This can be purchased from Amazon for £7.99.

LOL Surprise Tots

These little dolls are top of my daughter's Christmas list this year and she will not stop talking about them. 

Each little ball has seven layers of surprise with each layer revealing a new mystery. These tots can be fed and bathed and for an additional water surprise, she might cry, spit, tinkle or change colour. There are 45 to collect. 

You can purchase these from Argos, Toys R Us, Smyths and The Entertainer for £9.99 each. 

Lalaloopsy Jewel's Glitter Makeover

This Christmas, you can get creative with Jewel Sparkles. You can glitterise, streak or style her hair the same way that she does in the Lalaloopsy Netflix series. 

The box contains a Jewel doll, glitteriser, chalk colour streaker, a brush and clips so you can style her hair over and over again. The possibilities are endless! 

You can buy Jewel from Toys R Us, Smyths and The Entertainer for £34.99.

Magformers

These sets are amazing. They contain square and triangular pieces which magnetically connect so you can create whatever 3D shape you want. It engages mathematical and scientific thought and deductive reasoning, making learning fun! 

The Wow set comes with instructions on how to make vehicles of different shapes and sizes and the Carnival set will show explain how to build rides that you'd find at a carnival. They are so good for brain training. 

The Wow set retails at £29.99 and the Carnival set is £49.99. Both can be purchased from Smyths. 

Hope you've got some good ideas and happy shopping! 

(This post contains items that I have been gifted for inclusion in this gift guide. ) 

Weekend Box with Snazaroo - Review

If you haven't heard of Weekend Box, it is a fornightly subscription box for children filled with items that are fun, educational, engaging and stimulating. They recently teamed up with face paint company Snazaroo to include their items in the Weekend Box. 

I have heard of Snazaroo before but had never actually tried their face paints so I was really excited to give them a go. When the box arrived through the letterbox, I loved that it was so brightly decorated and addressed to my son. He's five and is delighted when he gets post with his name on it.

Inside we found two mini Snazaroo face painting sets - a tiger set and stamper set. There was also some information on entering their Monthly Competition by submitting photographs of your creations. I really like the additional "Meet the Gang" imagery inside, the children enjoyed this little touch - I think my daughter is definitely Hattie and son is Oswald!

My three year old daughter E was desperate to be painted as a tiger so of course, she had to go first. The tiger set has only three steps so even a beginner like myself can follow it easily. You get three different colours: yellow, black and white; a brush and a sponge. All you need to do to use the paints is dip either the sponge or brush in some water and you're ready to go. 

I covered E's face in the yellow first, brushed a little white paint around her nose then used the black for her tiger nose, whiskers and stripes. I don't think I did too bad a job!

C was a little less eager but for a child who has sensory processing issues, I wasn't surprised. He did, however, let me do the stampers on each of his cheeks - a smiley face on one and music notes on the other. He kept them on for a full five minutes whereas E was happy enough to wear hers all night!

After a wash with soap and water, all traces of the paints were removed easily and it didn't seem to irritate either child's skin. They are fragrance and paraben free and are suitable for sensitive skin.

We have had tons of fun with our Snazaroo paints and, if anything, it's made me want to practice my skills a bit more and buy a few other sets!

The Weekend Box that we received is priced at £2.99 which is very affordable and makes for a fun, bonding afternoon between you and your little ones. 

(We received this box for the purpose of this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.) 

 

Fuzzy Felts from John Adams - Review

Do you remember Fuzzy Felts? These little sets have been around since 1950 so I'm sure almost everyone had a set at some point. John Adams still produce them and I was so excited to introduce my children to the wonder of Fuzzy Felts.

As soon as the box arrived it was like nostalgia hit me smack, bang in the face. I remember having a set (or two!) as a child some 20-odd years ago and after bringing our new set to my parents house, my 15 year old sister gasped and exclaimed, "Remember those?! I loved mine!"

We received the My House Fuzzy Felt set but there are 15 different sets to choose from Dinosaurs to On The Farm to Little Princess. Inside the box you get one A4 Fuzz-Felt board and four sheets of felt pieces. 

Before you begin, you do need to remove the felt pieces from the sheets. I'd advise doing this before getting your children excited about playing. My daughter wasn't particularly happy about having to wait on me getting it set up. They were easy to remove and although I did worry that I'd accidentally rip some, it didn't happen. The felt sheets are four different colours so we had a range of different shapes and colours to use on our board. For example, we had lots of flowers in white, red, blue and green and some shapes only came in the one colour such as the slide and fences.

E was so excited to get creating a picture and as she is only three (the sets are recommended for ages 3-6), I loved that the set comes with a prompt sheet to give you some ideas of the type of picture to make. I gave her a bit of help when it came to making the actual house as you need to use a range of rectangles and triangles to create it and I knew that she wouldn't be able to see the finished picture in her head before she started.

Once the house was ready, she had tons of fun adding the curtains, windows and doors before making a start on the "outside". The set comes with everything you can think of. E was able to put a fence around the house, a pond with swans swimming, trees, a boy going down the slide and a woman watering a plant.

It has been so much fun for me rediscovering Fuzzy Felts but also seeing the excitement of my children and being able to encourage their creativity. I loved that the premise hasn't changed. The felt pieces are still in their traditional silhouette style and I love that even 60 years on, it hasn't been updated. It's still just as a fun as ever! The set comes with over 100 pieces so no matter how many times you play, you can always create different scenes.

The Fuzzy Felt sets are from John Adams and are available to buy from all good retailers at a price of around £10.00.

(We received this item for the purpose of this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.) 

 

Zhu Zhu Pets - Review

My children both adore animals. Unfortunately, we live in a small two bed rental home with no garden so having any real pets of our own is a no-no. To my children's delight, toy pets exist and they were thrilled to see what it was like to look after their Zhu Zhu Pets.

Zhu Zhu Pets are little hamsters but you don't have to feed or clean them - score! We received:

• Zhu Zhu Pets Hamster - Chunk
• Zhu Zhu Pets Adventure Ball 
• Zhu Zhu Pets Hamster House Playset

As soon as we opened the parcel, the children were so excited to get playing. Chunk the hamster is quite big so is perfect for little hands to play with. They come with batteries so all you need to do is push the button on it's back and watch it scuttle off! The Zhu Zhu Pet hamsters make noises too and their movements are random so you just don't know what it's going to do. The sensors mean that when they bump into things, they can turn themselves around and keep going. E kept exclaiming, "It's so cute! Look at it's pretty hair!" The little tuft on top is pretty adorable and she loves that he is soft and fluffy just like a real hamster. 

The Adventure Ball is a great accompaniment to the individual Zhu Zhu Pets. It includes one piece of plastic that you clip onto the bottom of the Pet before placing it into the ball. The ball itself is pretty easy to clip together but don't leave it near a boisterous almost-3-year-old! She managed to crack it a little but it's nothing a bit of glue didn't fix. She now knows to leave mummy to open and close it! The sets are recommended for age 4+ so it's worth going by that or supervising younger children.

The ball has a little "door" so you can put the hamster in or take it out so really there is no need to take the ball apart once it is built. When inside the ball, the Zhu Zhu Pet will run around just like a real hamster in an exercise ball. The kids prefer using this over leaving the hamster to roam free around the floor as it can't get stuck under the sofa!

The Hamster House Playset was a massive hit with C and E. It took a little instruction reading and building but all in all, it was easy enough to get right. The children were very excited to decorate it any way they wanted with the stickers that were included. You get the main base area where the hamster starts off. There are three openings but included are two yellow stoppers so if you only want the hamster to go up the slope and not escape out the two side parts, you can block them.

The slope attaches to the base area then clips into a helter skelter type part. When you place the Pet into the base part and press the button, it will find its way up the slope then back down to the ground. The slope has three opening lids and if they aren't clicked closed, the hamster can pop its head up. They do need to be closed fully for it to continue its journey smoothly. 

The Hamster House Playset comes with a hamster too (the exclusive Winkie) so we had no fighting over them. They enjoyed playing with them together and letting them take turns in the Adventure Ball and Hamster House Playset. I think the fact that the Zhu Zhu Pets are so unpredictable was a source of excitement for the children. They both let out squeals and giggles when the hamsters ran off. 

We absolutely love playing with them and they are a great idea for people who can't have pets or for practice before getting a pet! The Zhu Zhu pets are available in four different characters and are £12.99 each. The Adventure Ball can be purchased for £9.99 and Hamster House Playset for £29.99. The range of Zhu Zhu Pets toys can be purchased from all major toy retailers.

(We received these items for the purpose of this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.) 

How Confronting Nature Aids a Child's Development

Parents, teachers and children's attitudes to nature have shifted dramatically since the 1970s. During the 1970s to the late 1990s, being sent to bed would be considered punishment for a child, as they wouldn't be able to play outside. Now, the bedroom is no longer considered punishment.

This is because the bedroom is home to a whole digital world, made up of social media, games consoles and smart devices. Essentially, they are distracted from the world outside their window.

Designers of natural outdoor playground equipment Infinite Playgrounds explores how and why a child's experience has been limited when it comes to the outdoors in modern age.

Screen schooling
Despite the possibilities of offered by smart devices in terms of learning, playing and communicating, the TV remains popular with British children - 2.5 hours a day, or 17 hours per week on average. As well as this, children are also spending more than 20 hours a week online - mostly spent on social media apps and websites.

So what impact is the dominance of tech in our children's life having on their opinions on the outdoors? A screen-based lifestyle is considered by many as one of the main reasons why more children are choosing to stay indoors, instead of going outside. However, some also believe that although smart technologies can be educational, it is the well-meaning sensibility of parents that are limiting children when it comes to outdoor play.

The potential of unsupervised play
As parents rely on "stranger danger" to educate their children on potential threats, the radius around the homes where children play is decreasing. Since the 1970's, this area has shrunk by almost 90%.


Figures from 1971 suggest that 80% of seven and eight year olds used to walk to school alone or with a friend. Nowadays, this as decreased to just 10%, with many being accompanied by their parent or a guardian. If this is the case when walking to school, then the chances of a child roaming freely in natural settings with their friends are slim. No one is at fault in this scenario, parents simply want their children to remain safe; however, an almost overprotective approach can compromise a child's mental and physical health.


The physical impact of indoor and outdoor play
Playing outdoors brings many health benefits to children. This is because outdoor play is associated with an active lifestyle, whereas inactive lifestyles are associated to those who remain relatively immobile indoors.

Physical health
As such, the growth of indoor play and activities has had a negative impact on children's physical health and wellbeing. Around three in ten children in England that are aged being 2 and 15 are considered overweight or obese. If these current trends continue, then by 2050 more than half of all adults, and a quarter of all children, will be obese.


Mental health
In addition to physical issues, a child's dependence on digital has given rise to an increase in mental health problems. The Good Childhood inquiry found that between 1974 and 1999, the number of children suffering from emotional and behavioural problems increased drastically. Now, one in ten children between the ages of 5 and 16 have a mental health disorder that has been clinically diagnosed.


Living away from the countryside has altered many children's perceptions of reality and changed their physical state of mind. As well as mental health problems, a lack of engagement with the natural world has meant that many children can't learn the resilience and natural problem-solving skills that come with being outdoors and fending for yourself.


How the great outdoors can help
If a child perceives exercise and the outdoors positively, they are likely to do the same in adulthood. If a modern society is to stay healthy throughout their lifespan, children should be looking to play outdoors to make exercise a part of their everyday lives from an early age.


Natural landscapes support more varied and imaginative ways to play. By going beyond the boundaries, children can open themselves up to new experiences and sensations that they may not have otherwise experienced. Our natural world is highly complex, with an abundance of shapes, textures and spaces for children to explore, discover and hide within.


It's clear that the right type of play can be crucial to a child's mental and physical wellbeing. Letting go of the smart device and getting children outside to explore the great outdoors might just be the making of them.