Category: Views & Ramblings

1. Scottish Book Trust - Snarling of Wolves giveaway

   Posted on 11:20pm Sunday 29th Mar 2015

   Reading is as much part of our daily routine as teeth brushing and baths before bedtime and it is a fun part of our day. We never see it as a chore (unless you are the tween who would prefer to play on her tablet) but the toddler soaks up every descriptive word and beautifully illustrated image. Reading is fun but it is so important for children too as it expands their vocabulary and early reading skills have been directly linked to a childs academic success. 

   Reading to and with your children can be one of the most rewarding bonding times you can have as a family and so we are delighted to share details of the Scottish Friendly Children's Book Tour (organised by Scottish Book Trust) which takes the very best UK and international authors directly into schools across Scotland and the UK to inspire a love of reading, writing and illustration. In February this year the Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour visited schools in Birmingham with the wonderful author, illustrator, playwright and poet Vivian French!

   Vivian has published over 200 books for children of all ages including the hugely successful series The Tales from the Five Kingdoms, the first of which, The Robe of Skulls, won the 2008 Stockton Children’s Book of the Year Award. Vivian is a great storyteller, you can see her here ....

   In support of the tour, we are delighted to be able to offer you Vivian French’s ‘The Snarling of Wolves’ book in our latest giveaway.

   

   All you need to do is enter the simple question in the Rafflecopter widget below and tell us in the comments below whether the answer is:

   A - 200

   B - 2,000

   C - 20,000

   Here is a little clue 

   a Rafflecopter giveaway

   The more you read, the better you are at it and best of all ...... it is free! I only wish I could enter this competition but you can. What are you waiting for?

   UK Entrants Only.
   The winner will be chosen at random by the random winner generator on Rafflecopter and notified within 5 working days by email
   Scottish Friendly will be responsible for the despatch of the prize.
   Scottish Friends will make every effort to provide the gift set requested but this cannot be guaranteed
   There is no monetary equivalent.
   Little Lilypad Co take no /responsibility for loss or damage in the despatch of prizes
   If the prize is unclaimed within 7 days we reserve the right to redraw the winner.
   End Date 13/04/2015 at 12am

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2. Safety First : Driving Theory Test : Win an iPad

   Posted on 9:51am Tuesday 10th Mar 2015

   My toddler asked me if she could drive the car yesterday. Obviously I said no and had to explain that she had another 14 or so years before she could actually get behind the wheel. The tween then piped up that she only had 7 years to go and could she have a car for her 17th birthday (!!) but I told her that she had to pass her test first. (I must start a savings account for the car fund!)

   I passed my test first time but this was long before the theory test was introduced and it occured to me that I have been driving for some 17 years and whilst most things are now second nature, I suspect I would need to revise for today's theory test.

   

   Do you think you would pass? Have a little try of this great quiz from We Buy Any Car to test your driving knowledge - you might be surprised at how much or little you do actually know!

   This quiz was created byWeBuyAnyCar.com

    

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3. Country Kids : First signs of spring

   Posted on 8:26pm Saturday 7th Mar 2015

   I have to admit, I have been in hibernation. I love winter time (mainly for the excuse to wrap up in lots of layers and snuggle on the sofa) but over the past few weeks, I have been itching to get outside and blow away the cobwebs of winter so when I saw the first snowdrops, I was already putting away my winter boots.

   

   We woke this morning and had a play date arranged with one of the toddlers friends and rather than go to soft play, I suggested an early morning trip to the park. 

   

   Getting up early is not usually my favourite thing but the girls loved having the park to themselves, which is much more preferable for them (and ensures there is somewhere for us mums to sit!).

   

   Sadly both girls suffer from asthma, so running around too much has to be cut short by us "mean" mums, to allow them to catch their breath, so we retired to the coffee shop (and gave us a chance to catch up!).

   The fresh air this morning started my day off so differently to mooching around the house, cleaning and insisting the tween did her homework, it was refreshing to just get outside and enjoy the beautiful morning.

   The toddler wanted to get back outside this afternoon, so I was chasing her around at home on her scooter.......

   

   Unfortunately for them, the chickens were soon the focus of her chase. I was kind of hoping they maybe laying me an egg here but the toddler put paid to that.

   

   Despite no eggs, it was so good to be outside. This week has been a tough one for a multitude of reasons but being outside really does clear the head. Happy children makes for happy mums too.

   

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4. Put down the technology, pick up a book this half term.

   Posted on 7:35am Thursday 19th Feb 2015

   Put down the technology and pick up a book this half term. Sounds easy doesn't it? Well it should be, unless you have technology crazy children who love watching You Tube clips, playing on their apps and messaging their friends. A technology curfew has had to be instigated and I have dragged them (not quite kicking and screaming) back to books.

   

   I love that my girls are tech savvy but I also think that with so many devices available to help you with your every whim, there is the possibility to lose the ability to imagine, dream and use their brain. Don't get me wrong, I am a huge advocate of technology (I am never far away from it) but there is something special about holding a book and getting lost in the story.

   This is why I love The Works because there is something for everyone. They have shops all over the UK and (despite what I said about the technology curfew) you can also order online from a massive selection. They stock thousands of books at up to 90% off RRP, which definitely appeals to our money saving pockets, or in the words of the tween "means we can just buy more then Mom". I think I have her buy in here!

   

   The girls have a love of shopping (I wonder where they get that from) so once we have chosen from the books, stationary, arts and crafts at The Works, the next part is actually getting them to read the books once they have finished with the attractions of the sticking glueing and painting.

   Let them choose

   This may sound trivial but a child needs to "want" to hear or read a story. If they are not interested, they will switch off. Let your child's own interests guide his or her reading choices. It's okay to make suggestions, just don't force your conceptions of what your child should be reading onto your child. And, keep an eye on the reading level of the books your children choose, my eldest daughter will sometimes go for the easy option or pick something simply because she likes the cover picture.

   Reading aloud

   Encourage your child to read aloud to you an exciting passage in a book, or even a joke from a joke book. When children read aloud, don't feel they have to get every word right. Even great readers tend to skip or mispronounce words now and then. 

   Find time to read

   Whether it is before bed or after school, find a time where you can sit together and read. Make it part of your daily routine and this enforces that it is an important activity, not just something that you need to fit in between swimming or gymnastics or their favourite TV programme.

   As for me, I never seem to find time to read these days, so maybe if we get into this routine, I can have a browse through the books online at The Works and find some reading material and a little time just for me.

   

    

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   This is a collaborative post.