Today we went to a couple of different Kinder Cafes in Berlin. They are so fantastic! The first one had a whole soft play climbing frame, as well as other toys and a baby area with a ball pool. The second one that we went to had a large outdoor area with plenty of ride on toys and even an indoor sand pit. There were lots of opportunities for Physical Development with climbing, peddling, digging and jumping.
Ethan loved both Kinder Cafes that we visited. It was difficult to convince him to leave! He played in the soft play area for ages, cautiously at first and then much more confidently. He loved all of the ride on toys, he's always loved the little cars but this was his first opportunity to try out some bikes and tricycles and learn how to pedal. He also had a lot of fun playing in the sand pit, digging up the sand and filling up different toys. I would definitely recommend a visit to the kinder cafes to anyone visiting Berlin.
Ethan loved both Kinder Cafes that we visited. It was difficult to convince him to leave! He played in the soft play area for ages, cautiously at first and then much more confidently. He loved all of the ride on toys, he's always loved the little cars but this was his first opportunity to try out some bikes and tricycles and learn how to pedal. He also had a lot of fun playing in the sand pit, digging up the sand and filling up different toys. I would definitely recommend a visit to the kinder cafes to anyone visiting Berlin.
Today we went to the Berlin Zoo. It's a lovely big zoo in the centre of the city, a perfect day out for little ones. A great experience for Ethan's Knowledge and Understanding of the World as he now knows many animal names and sounds from books, and is now able to connect them to real animals.
Ethan absolutely loved the zoo. He was running around between the enclosures, pointing out the animals and making animal sounds. We were able to see many different animals in one afternoon (although we didn't get around to them all as the zoo is very large). There was even a petting zoo where Ethan was able to feed and meet the animals up close. It was a fun day and Ethan really enjoyed it :)
Ethan absolutely loved the zoo. He was running around between the enclosures, pointing out the animals and making animal sounds. We were able to see many different animals in one afternoon (although we didn't get around to them all as the zoo is very large). There was even a petting zoo where Ethan was able to feed and meet the animals up close. It was a fun day and Ethan really enjoyed it :)
Today the heat wave has followed us from London to Berlin, it's a scorcher! Luckily we found a park with a fantastic water play area. There were four big elephant and seal fountains that shot out water at different timed intervals. It was the perfect place to play on a hot day, great for Knowledge and Understanding of the World while figuring out where that water was coming from!
I thought that Ethan would absolutely love it as he is such a water baby, but he actually didn't take to it. I'm not sure if it was because the water was quite hard that came out of the fountains or if it was the unpredictability of when it came out. Either way, he was not a fan. He happily played around the edges, splashing in the puddles though. He still got to cool off and have his own fun, just not how I expected him to.
I thought that Ethan would absolutely love it as he is such a water baby, but he actually didn't take to it. I'm not sure if it was because the water was quite hard that came out of the fountains or if it was the unpredictability of when it came out. Either way, he was not a fan. He happily played around the edges, splashing in the puddles though. He still got to cool off and have his own fun, just not how I expected him to.
Today was our first full day in Berlin. It seems to be quite a child friendly city. There are lots of parks around and a lot of the restaurants seem to have play areas. This evening we went to see some of the sights; Brandenburg Gate, the Holocaust Memorial and a part of the Berlin Wall. Although Ethan is still very young, we were able to take him to these sights (as they were outdoors, so there were no worries about him being noisy in a quiet museum) and when he's older we will be able to explain their significance to him.
Today we got up bright and early to fly to Berlin! We brought a bag full of fun favourite toys and new toys to keep Ethan entertained. I bought Ethan a few new books that I knew that he would like (Postman Bear, Hide and Seek Pig, Meet the Piplings and Who's There, Spot?) some colouring books with characters that he loves (Mike the Knight and Peppa Pig) and lots of stickers and sticker books. I kept some aside for the flight back and brought the rest in Ethan's toy bag for the flight today. I also threw in a couple of cars and other toys that Ethan likes.
Ethan was very good on the flight, especially as he had to sit in our laps in a very small space. The books and sticker books were definitely the best thing that we brought, very easy to do whilst sitting still. The colouring books were also good, but couldn't be used during take off and landing as you can't have the tray table down. I did regret not having a small toy plane for Ethan to be able to show him what the real plane was doing, I'll have to remember for next time.
Ethan was very good on the flight, especially as he had to sit in our laps in a very small space. The books and sticker books were definitely the best thing that we brought, very easy to do whilst sitting still. The colouring books were also good, but couldn't be used during take off and landing as you can't have the tray table down. I did regret not having a small toy plane for Ethan to be able to show him what the real plane was doing, I'll have to remember for next time.
We are going on holiday tomorrow, Ethan has been playing with his airport set and today we made him a play passport. I bought the cutest little Moleskine notebook, that looks just like a mini passport. On each page I've written the trip that we've been on and the dates that we went. There's plenty of space in the middle for Ethan to decorate with stickers and draw little pictures. Such a fun activity to remember and reflect on the trips that we've been on as a part of Ethan's Knowledge and Understanding of the World.
Ethan enjoyed sticking the stickers on each page as I told him about the trips that we've been on, and how we're going on another trip tomorrow. We talked about going to the airport and flying on the aeroplane. I think he's going to be very excited tomorrow!
Ethan enjoyed sticking the stickers on each page as I told him about the trips that we've been on, and how we're going on another trip tomorrow. We talked about going to the airport and flying on the aeroplane. I think he's going to be very excited tomorrow!
The Royal Baby has finally been born, and luckily for us we received a lovely book called A Royal Fairytale in the goody bag from BritMums Live. I've been saving it to read to Ethan after the baby was born. It's a sweet story about Prince William and Kate meeting, getting married and having a baby. A perfect way to introduce the royal family to a young child, it's got lovely illustrations and a simple story to follow along with. Great for Ethan's Communication, Language and Literacy as he follows along with the story and for his Knowledge and Understanding of the World as he connects the story to real life.
As we've just recently got back from the hospital it was the perfect day to stay in and read books. Ethan enjoys bringing all sorts of books off his shelf, climbing in someone's lap and being read to. It was nice to introduce a new story to him today, and he enjoyed pointing out the pictures he recognised (sheep, dog, baby, etc). We were also able to watch The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge bring the baby out of the hospital on television. Ethan was very sweetly waving back at them and saying 'baby, baby!' I've seen some other lovely books and toys commemorating the arrival of the Royal Baby, I think it's so wonderful that the whole country has something to celebrate again and we'll definitely look into getting some of these other lovely items.
*While this has not been an official review, we did receive this book for free from Egmont Books and we happily reviewed it today by choice. To read more about our reviews please read here. *
As we've just recently got back from the hospital it was the perfect day to stay in and read books. Ethan enjoys bringing all sorts of books off his shelf, climbing in someone's lap and being read to. It was nice to introduce a new story to him today, and he enjoyed pointing out the pictures he recognised (sheep, dog, baby, etc). We were also able to watch The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge bring the baby out of the hospital on television. Ethan was very sweetly waving back at them and saying 'baby, baby!' I've seen some other lovely books and toys commemorating the arrival of the Royal Baby, I think it's so wonderful that the whole country has something to celebrate again and we'll definitely look into getting some of these other lovely items.
*While this has not been an official review, we did receive this book for free from Egmont Books and we happily reviewed it today by choice. To read more about our reviews please read here. *
It's been quite a difficult week for us, as I mentioned in previous posts, Ethan has a chest infection, and it got a lot worse over the weekend, we ended up having to admit him to the hospital for breathing difficulties. We were very lucky that he only had to stay in for one night and he is already on the mend, but it certainly was not a pleasant experience. I have so much respect and admiration for those that spend long periods of time in the hospital with their children, I really do not know how you do it.
I would love to write a fantastic post about all of the wonderfully creative ways that we've kept busy while Ethan's been ill and while in the hospital, but I'm afraid that I'm just too exhausted for all of that. So here's a quick list of things that we've been playing with and that we brought to the hospital that have helped:
At home
In the hospital
I would love to write a fantastic post about all of the wonderfully creative ways that we've kept busy while Ethan's been ill and while in the hospital, but I'm afraid that I'm just too exhausted for all of that. So here's a quick list of things that we've been playing with and that we brought to the hospital that have helped:
At home
- random boxes and around the house items - Ethan seemed less interested in toys and more interested in bizarre objects this week, we got very creative!
- books, books and more books! - Ethan loves to be read to, but this week it has been even more than usual. Especially his favourites, he kept bringing the same books over, I suppose the repetition is comforting.
- colouring - a great activity to keep Ethan still and occupied, even if it doesn't last for so long.
In the hospital
- favourite soft toy - nice for a cuddle and to show how monkey take his medicine, has blood taken, etc.
- toy cars - an all time favourite, he could drive them around everywhere
- books - of course we brought all of his favourites (even though we're getting tired of them, he loves them) and I think it's a comfort to have those familiar things from home
- magazines - Ethan's Aunt brought him loads of magazines from the gift shop, they always come with stickers and little toys, great for keeping Ethan entertained
- toys from the hospital playroom - while in A&E I was able to pick up a few things from the playroom to distract Ethan while he was having tests done. The nurses also brought him a fun car track to play with in his room the next day.
- the ipad - some people may be against it, but I have to say that when Ethan was going a bit stir crazy from being stuck in one room for so long it was a great help to calm him down.
With this heat and Ethan's not being very well, we're getting creative with quiet indoor activities. Today Ethan climbed into an empty box, not decorated like a bus this time, just a plain old box and he set off to his own imaginative play. It's very exciting for me that he's now able to use his imagination and make his own games up, a fantastic part of his Creative Development.
Ethan climbed into the box and first it was a bus, and he sang The Wheels on the Bus, he's learned to say 'all day long' so he just sings that over and over again, it's adorable. Then it was a boat and he sang Row, Row, Row Your Boat, for this one he sings 'row, row' and then 'merrily, merrily' and then he screams (from the crocodile) while rocking the boat back and forth. He really is the cutest, even when he's poorly he still finds ways to have fun.
Ethan climbed into the box and first it was a bus, and he sang The Wheels on the Bus, he's learned to say 'all day long' so he just sings that over and over again, it's adorable. Then it was a boat and he sang Row, Row, Row Your Boat, for this one he sings 'row, row' and then 'merrily, merrily' and then he screams (from the crocodile) while rocking the boat back and forth. He really is the cutest, even when he's poorly he still finds ways to have fun.
Today we had a tiny little visitor in our house, in the form of a caterpillar that I found in with our blueberries. I took this as an opportunity to show Ethan this little creature up close and personal. He has recently started noticing flies and bees buzzing around, but hasn't yet taken any notice of bugs on the ground. So Ethan's Daddy held the caterpillar up for Ethan to get a closer look, a great experience for his Knowledge and Understanding of the World.
At first Ethan didn't really seem to understand what we were pointing at, but soon the caterpillar started moving more, reaching up and crawling around and then Ethan took notice. He moved out of the way a little bit as he just wasn't sure about it. We tried to encourage him to hold the caterpillar, but he was absolutely not interested! We'll definitely have to go on a little walk to search for bugs one day, to get him used to them.
At first Ethan didn't really seem to understand what we were pointing at, but soon the caterpillar started moving more, reaching up and crawling around and then Ethan took notice. He moved out of the way a little bit as he just wasn't sure about it. We tried to encourage him to hold the caterpillar, but he was absolutely not interested! We'll definitely have to go on a little walk to search for bugs one day, to get him used to them.
Today has been another scorcher, and to top it all off Ethan has a chest infection and a raging fever. The poor little guy is burning up, and in this heat it must be unbearable for him. This afternoon I was a bit desperate for a way to cool him off, and as we don't have a garden (and it's a lot of effort to set up the paddling pool in the communal garden area like we did the other day) I decided we had to improvise. We set to paddling and splashing around in the bathtub. Splashing and playing in the water is great for his Physical Development.
Unfortunately I have no photos today, it was all a bit too wet to bring the camera in! But Ethan had lots of fun, and it definitely cooled him off. He was looking at me like I was crazy when I stripped him down to his nappy though, and then placed him in a cool bath (I didn't make it too cold, but it was colder than his normal bath water). So I had to go in with him and hold his hands to distract him. Once we started kicking and splashing he thought it was hilarious! A great way to cool off on a hot day :)
Unfortunately I have no photos today, it was all a bit too wet to bring the camera in! But Ethan had lots of fun, and it definitely cooled him off. He was looking at me like I was crazy when I stripped him down to his nappy though, and then placed him in a cool bath (I didn't make it too cold, but it was colder than his normal bath water). So I had to go in with him and hold his hands to distract him. Once we started kicking and splashing he thought it was hilarious! A great way to cool off on a hot day :)
Today we have been reading Bing Get Dressed. We received an advance copy from Harper Collins as the book will be re-released on August 1. You can pre-order a copy now from Amazon for £5.94.
It is a lovely book, Bing and Flop are very cute little characters and the story goes through Bing getting dressed, putting on one item of clothing at a time. It is a great book to read together with Ethan as he can point out many of the items when I ask him to, and there are several items of clothing that he can now say, which makes it good for his Communication, Language and Literacy development.
The book also has a situation at the end, where Bing has an accident and has to get dressed all over again. A somewhat funny situation, and I'm sure all too familiar for potty training parents, but I think it's a lovely realistic touch. I'll definitely have to be sure to revisit this book when Ethan is potty training. It's nice to reassure him that it's ok to have accidents and we just get dressed again.
Ethan really enjoyed the book. He liked pointing out the different things that he could recognise in the pictures. He thought it was very funny when Bing forgot to put on his dungarees before his shoes. We also looked together at the pictures at the end which have the clothes in different orders and chose which order Ethan gets dressed in.
* This has been a review post, Harper Collins sent me Bing Get Dressed so that we could read it and write a review for them. To see more about my review process please click here. *
It is a lovely book, Bing and Flop are very cute little characters and the story goes through Bing getting dressed, putting on one item of clothing at a time. It is a great book to read together with Ethan as he can point out many of the items when I ask him to, and there are several items of clothing that he can now say, which makes it good for his Communication, Language and Literacy development.
The book also has a situation at the end, where Bing has an accident and has to get dressed all over again. A somewhat funny situation, and I'm sure all too familiar for potty training parents, but I think it's a lovely realistic touch. I'll definitely have to be sure to revisit this book when Ethan is potty training. It's nice to reassure him that it's ok to have accidents and we just get dressed again.
Ethan really enjoyed the book. He liked pointing out the different things that he could recognise in the pictures. He thought it was very funny when Bing forgot to put on his dungarees before his shoes. We also looked together at the pictures at the end which have the clothes in different orders and chose which order Ethan gets dressed in.
* This has been a review post, Harper Collins sent me Bing Get Dressed so that we could read it and write a review for them. To see more about my review process please click here. *
Today we went to another summer fair! We do love a fair, although it was a bit much in this sweltering heat! This time there was a bouncy castle that was just for under 3's (such a great idea as I worry that Ethan could get trampled by the bigger kids in one open to all children.) A great activity for his Physical Development as he enjoys bouncing and is learning how to jump!
At first Ethan was really reluctant to go into the bouncy castle, I was so surprised as I thought he would jump right in. We would put him through the opening and he would climb right back out again! This went on for a bit and he explored the area outside of the bouncy castle, then finally we tried again and he decided to give bouncing a try. That was it, he loved it! Bouncing around (mostly on his bottom, but eventually he was brave enough to stand up and try walking around) and giggling away. Of course then it was impossible to get him out, and he had a little tantrum when our time was up. Next time hopefully he'll go in straight away and not waste those precious minutes ;)
At first Ethan was really reluctant to go into the bouncy castle, I was so surprised as I thought he would jump right in. We would put him through the opening and he would climb right back out again! This went on for a bit and he explored the area outside of the bouncy castle, then finally we tried again and he decided to give bouncing a try. That was it, he loved it! Bouncing around (mostly on his bottom, but eventually he was brave enough to stand up and try walking around) and giggling away. Of course then it was impossible to get him out, and he had a little tantrum when our time was up. Next time hopefully he'll go in straight away and not waste those precious minutes ;)
We are just starting to prepare to go on holiday in a couple of weeks, so the lovely people at Learning Resources have sent us the Pretend & Play Airport Set to review. It's a great way for Ethan to learn how an airport works to get him ready for our trip as part of his Knowledge and Understanding of the World. He has been on a few trips before, but now that he's older I feel like he will understand a lot better. He also loves pointing out aeroplanes in the sky now, so I think he'll be very excited to be flying in one himself. I also wanted to go through the process of what it will be like for us on the day, as it can be quite hectic, this is good for his Personal, Social and Emotional Development as it will help him to be prepared for what's happening.
The set sells for £47.94 on the Learning Resources website. It is a little bit pricey I'll admit, but I've had a quick look around and I wasn't able to find anything similar that isn't in the same price bracket. The airport set includes many vital areas (parking ramp, customs, souvenir shop, air traffic control centre, etc) as well as lovely little touches like the tunnel that leads from the plane to the airport, a helicopter landing pad (no helicopter included, but we have one that fits) and the landing gear that can be taken down and pushed back in on the plane itself.
The first thing that I did was to let Ethan explore the airport on his own. He absolutely loved driving the cars up and down the ramp. He also loves the little people that came with the set (he said people for the first time, as if it's two words pee-pole!) Putting the people in and out of the cars and the aeroplane, and of course flying the plane around.
Then we started our journey, (I've used some toys that we already had and added some extra bits for our play, please have a look on the Learning Resources website to see exactly what comes with the set if you plan on ordering one). We used little people to represent Mommy, Daddy and Ethan, added some luggage and put them in a taxi to the airport.
Mommy, Daddy and Ethan then went through the check in and security process (there is no security section in the set, so we used a little box to put our suitcase through the 'x-ray' machine). Then they boarded the plane through the tunnel and set off on their journey. I used our picnic mat as the airport base (the back of it is shiny black) and made a runway using masking tape for the plane to take off.
The first thing that I did was to let Ethan explore the airport on his own. He absolutely loved driving the cars up and down the ramp. He also loves the little people that came with the set (he said people for the first time, as if it's two words pee-pole!) Putting the people in and out of the cars and the aeroplane, and of course flying the plane around.
Then we started our journey, (I've used some toys that we already had and added some extra bits for our play, please have a look on the Learning Resources website to see exactly what comes with the set if you plan on ordering one). We used little people to represent Mommy, Daddy and Ethan, added some luggage and put them in a taxi to the airport.
Mommy, Daddy and Ethan then went through the check in and security process (there is no security section in the set, so we used a little box to put our suitcase through the 'x-ray' machine). Then they boarded the plane through the tunnel and set off on their journey. I used our picnic mat as the airport base (the back of it is shiny black) and made a runway using masking tape for the plane to take off.
The aeroplane then flew through the air (the landing gear got pushed in whilst flying, then came back down before landing) and we arrived at our destination. Then time to go through customs and pick up our luggage before getting into a taxi and heading to our hotel.
We had such fun playing with the airport today, and Ethan continued to play on his own after our 'story' ended. We think this airport set is a great starting point for imaginative small world play, we did add a few of our own bits to suit our story, but it could certainly be used on it's own as well.
Think this airport set is as great as we do? Why not enter to win one yourself. (If you live in the UK only please)
If you order online from Learning Resources and use the code BLOGGER13 during checkout you will get free delivery on all orders. Offer valid until December 31st 2013. (Let me know what you order!)
* This has been a review post, Learning Resources sent me the Pretend & Play Airport set so that we could play with it and write a review for them. To see more about my review process please click here. *
* This has been a review post, Learning Resources sent me the Pretend & Play Airport set so that we could play with it and write a review for them. To see more about my review process please click here. *
Today we attempted jello / jelly play for the first time. In general jello / jelly play is a fun way of developing Knowledge and Understanding of the World, a great sensory activity, fantastic for exploring texture and getting those little fingers working when there's toys hidden inside.
I decided firstly to leave the jello / jelly play until after a meal. I know Ethan, and nothing was going to stop him from eating it, so I'd rather not have him fill up his tummy before dinner. I prepared the jello / jelly in the morning, thinking that it would be fun to make it into little shapes, so I filled up cute shaped ice cube trays with the mixture and put them in the fridge to set. The plan was to turn out the shapes into a big bowl and mix in some little toys for Ethan to find. The problem was that the jelly didn't want to come out of the mould So the activity changed to Ethan using his fingers to free the bits of jelly from the mould and then of course eating it. Still a good sensory activity, great for fine motor as he had to get the jelly from the little crevasses and much more fun than eating jelly with a spoon!
I decided firstly to leave the jello / jelly play until after a meal. I know Ethan, and nothing was going to stop him from eating it, so I'd rather not have him fill up his tummy before dinner. I prepared the jello / jelly in the morning, thinking that it would be fun to make it into little shapes, so I filled up cute shaped ice cube trays with the mixture and put them in the fridge to set. The plan was to turn out the shapes into a big bowl and mix in some little toys for Ethan to find. The problem was that the jelly didn't want to come out of the mould So the activity changed to Ethan using his fingers to free the bits of jelly from the mould and then of course eating it. Still a good sensory activity, great for fine motor as he had to get the jelly from the little crevasses and much more fun than eating jelly with a spoon!
Today we set up a little game of water bottle bowling! We had quite the collection of empty water bottles, which were perfect for our 'pins'. Then we just used one of Ethan's balls to roll towards them and knock as many over as possible. A great activity for Ethan's Physical Development as he learns to roll and to aim.
This was an absolutely hilarious game to try to explain to a 21 month old. I showed him how to play by rolling the ball towards the pins. Then I said it was his turn, and he just kept saying 'kick, kick!' So for Ethan's turn, he kicked the ball towards the pins. We continued this way, both playing our own version of the game. It was very funny, he didn't even consider rolling the ball. Maybe next time ;)
This was an absolutely hilarious game to try to explain to a 21 month old. I showed him how to play by rolling the ball towards the pins. Then I said it was his turn, and he just kept saying 'kick, kick!' So for Ethan's turn, he kicked the ball towards the pins. We continued this way, both playing our own version of the game. It was very funny, he didn't even consider rolling the ball. Maybe next time ;)
Another gorgeous hot and sunny day in London! Today I decided to find something different for Ethan to do in the sun and as he loves to play in the water I thought that was where we would start looking. I did a quick search around (and asked Twitter for suggestions) and found that there are paddling pools in a couple of local parks. Unfortunately none of these are very close to us, but I found one just a short way away (half an hour bus ride and 10 minute walk). However, we arrived at the park to find that the pool was being painted!!!! Complete rage followed, as of course this was not mentioned on the council's website (very tempted to name and shame my council, but I will resist). This meant that we had to get creative! As I've mentioned previously, we do not have a garden, but there is a small communal garden that no one really uses beside our houses. It really isn't ideal as it's rocky, not well maintained and on a main road. But for today, it was the location of our paddling pool! Playing in the paddling pool is a fun activity for developing Ethan's Knowledge and Understanding of the World as he explores the water.
The whole experience of trying to set up the paddling pool was hilarious! Obviously we don't have a hose leading to this communal garden, so instead I bought 2 massive bottles of water (5 litres each) from the shop down the road and used them to fill the pool (my baby only swims in spring water, lol). Then to get Ethan changed and collect all of the things that we would need, paddling pool, mat for under the pool (because of the rocks), mat for me to sit on, toys for the pool, etc, etc. Finally we had it all set up (note the size of the pool, apparently when you buy things from a shop that sells everything for a pound they may not always be the size you expect!) Ethan absolutely loved it though, he was pouring water and splashing water and having a ball. It was actually really difficult to get him out of the pool when it was time to go inside! Definitely worth all the hassle to see him so happy :)
The whole experience of trying to set up the paddling pool was hilarious! Obviously we don't have a hose leading to this communal garden, so instead I bought 2 massive bottles of water (5 litres each) from the shop down the road and used them to fill the pool (my baby only swims in spring water, lol). Then to get Ethan changed and collect all of the things that we would need, paddling pool, mat for under the pool (because of the rocks), mat for me to sit on, toys for the pool, etc, etc. Finally we had it all set up (note the size of the pool, apparently when you buy things from a shop that sells everything for a pound they may not always be the size you expect!) Ethan absolutely loved it though, he was pouring water and splashing water and having a ball. It was actually really difficult to get him out of the pool when it was time to go inside! Definitely worth all the hassle to see him so happy :)
Today was another scorcher, and sadly we don't have a garden, so I took Ethan to our local one o'clock club (playgroup) this afternoon, hopeful that they would have some water play. We were not disappointed as they had water tables, a sprinkler going and a paddling pool. Water play is great for developing Knowledge and Understanding of the World as they scoop and pour water and splash it around to explore it's properties.
Ethan loved playing in the water! The sprinkler was especially intriguing for him. He sort of just stood there by the edge while the water spun around and sprayed him, I tried to encourage him to get closer to it, but he wouldn't budge. Maybe next time ;)
Ethan loved playing in the water! The sprinkler was especially intriguing for him. He sort of just stood there by the edge while the water spun around and sprayed him, I tried to encourage him to get closer to it, but he wouldn't budge. Maybe next time ;)
Today we went to see In The Night Garden Live. It was the first television show that Ethan started watching, so it was appropriate that it was his first live show as well. It was a great experience for him to see his favourite characters on stage, and a fun activity for his Knowledge and Understanding of the World as he saw a tv show come to life.
As soon as we arrived at the venue there were big posters of all of the characters outside, Ethan was excited while we were still in the queue! There's plenty of room inside to park buggies, buy souveniers and food and of course a baby change area. We were handed our program / activity books and we went inside to find seats. It is open seating, so it was a good thing that we were early so we got a nice seat in the middle with a good view of the stage (being a bit closer to the front would have been nice as Ethan had to be held up to see over some tall adults, we'll remember to be even earlier next time). It was well set up though, there were projections of the characters around the stage which kept Ethan occupied while we waited for the show to start. Then it began and Iggle Piggle came onto the stage, Ethan was mesmerised. I didn't even watch the show, I just watched his little face go through the different emotions of awe and excitement, and as he joined in with the dancing and clapping. He also knew all of the characters names (we only thought he could say a couple) and would recognise their music before they came on and call out their names. It was such a fun experience and I highly recommend it to any little fans of the show.
Today Ethan went swimming at Hampton Pool with his Daddy as it was such a beautiful day. They had lots of fun and it's a great activity for Ethan's Physical Development. It's such a lovely, heated, outdoor pool and we're lucky to have it close by.
Ethan had such fun splashing around with his Daddy. It was different from his other swimming experiences as he'd previously only had lessons and swum in private pools. This was a very crowded pool, but he did really well and didn't seem bothered by all of the kids splashing around him. He really is a water baby!
Unfortunately we weren't able to make it to the big Cabbage Patch Kids 30th Birthday Party at Hamley's on the weekend, but we were lucky enough to receive a goody bag in the post today! Filled with all sorts of fun party toys for Ethan, his favourite item in the bag was the little Cabbage Patch baby, which he played with and took care of, nurturing his Personal, Social and Emotional Development.
Ethan was so excited to receive the goody bag in the post, of course it's not the same as being at the party. We did look through the photos of the party together, and it looked like great fun! Ethan took everything out of his party bag, and straight away wanted to open up the baby in the box. The baby comes with a little bottle (too small for Ethan to play with on his own, but we could 'feed' the baby together). It was very sweet that he wanted to care for the baby, very different to his reaction with the doll the other day, but I suppose that wasn't a baby. Maybe we'll have to get Ethan a big Cabbage Patch baby to see if he likes it.
Ethan was so excited to receive the goody bag in the post, of course it's not the same as being at the party. We did look through the photos of the party together, and it looked like great fun! Ethan took everything out of his party bag, and straight away wanted to open up the baby in the box. The baby comes with a little bottle (too small for Ethan to play with on his own, but we could 'feed' the baby together). It was very sweet that he wanted to care for the baby, very different to his reaction with the doll the other day, but I suppose that wasn't a baby. Maybe we'll have to get Ethan a big Cabbage Patch baby to see if he likes it.
Today we took Ethan to his first music festival...ok, that's a bit of a stretch, but there's a park near our house that had a festival on, and we took Ethan near it. It was so funny to take Ethan to the park that we always go to, but to see it filled with all of these different things and for areas to be fenced off, he was very intrigued. A fun experience for his Knowledge and Understanding of the World to adapt to a different situation and his Creative Development in hearing live music and dancing to the music.
Ethan loved listening to the music, he was bouncing up and down and dancing to the beat. He really is a very musical boy, he's always singing and playing his instruments. He also loved seeing all of the people and all of the trucks carrying all of the equipment into the park. Maybe we should be brave and take him to a real music festival this summer, we'll just have to get him those big headphones :)
Ethan loved listening to the music, he was bouncing up and down and dancing to the beat. He really is a very musical boy, he's always singing and playing his instruments. He also loved seeing all of the people and all of the trucks carrying all of the equipment into the park. Maybe we should be brave and take him to a real music festival this summer, we'll just have to get him those big headphones :)
Today we made a book about colours. I found the idea on Pinterest which lead me to Craftulate and Georgina's post Homemade Colour Book. She has done an excellent job of making this colour book, so I copied it entirely. Please have a look at her post for the full instructions. Such a fantastic way for Ethan to learn about colours in a book that we made together, great for his Knowledge and Understanding of the World.
Ethan loves flipping through the colour book, so far the only colour name that he can say is 'blue' which is why I thought this was an area that needed a bit more attention. He loved sticking in the stickers to match the colours (the only problem now is that he wants to peel the stickers off again!) It is great that we can keep adding to it as we find other coloured stickers. Hopefully he'll be saying a few more colour names soon.
Ethan loves flipping through the colour book, so far the only colour name that he can say is 'blue' which is why I thought this was an area that needed a bit more attention. He loved sticking in the stickers to match the colours (the only problem now is that he wants to peel the stickers off again!) It is great that we can keep adding to it as we find other coloured stickers. Hopefully he'll be saying a few more colour names soon.
Today we played with the Little Us Millie doll that we received to review. There are 4 different dolls available; Chloe, Amelia, Ruby and Millie. Each has a different personality description, so the dolls can be bought to suit your child. You can buy the Little Us Millie Doll on Amazon for £7.99. The doll is lovely and very well made, she has a sweet little face and the clothes she wears are also very nice. Dolls can be lovely for play especially for developing Personal, Social and Emotional skills. It is a lovely way to teach a child to be gentle and kind to others as well as teaching them about themselves (body parts, clothing, etc).
When I received the request to review the dolls I thought it was definitely worth a try. I am not one of those Moms that worries about gender specific toys or would have a problem with boys playing with dolls. Ethan doesn't have any other dolls, so I thought it would be a nice addition to his toy collection. We have had the doll for about a week now, I've left her amongst Ethan's other toys and the truth is that he has not picked her up once. It's so strange, but he just hasn't shown any interest at all. This doesn't reflect at all on the quality of the toy, it's just Ethan's taste I suppose. When I brought Millie out today and introduced Ethan to her, he sat with me and played for a little while. We pointed out all of her features and when I asked he gave her a cuddle, but when I stopped initiating the play he put her down.
I decided this wasn't very fair on poor Millie, so when we had a friend over later in the afternoon, with a little girl about Ethan's age, I brought Millie out for her. Her face lit up when she saw her, she took hold of her hand and played for ages. So not to worry folks, Millie has gone to a good home where she will be loved.
* This has been a review post, Little Us Dolls sent us Millie so that we could play with her and write a review for them. To see more about my review process please click here. *
When I received the request to review the dolls I thought it was definitely worth a try. I am not one of those Moms that worries about gender specific toys or would have a problem with boys playing with dolls. Ethan doesn't have any other dolls, so I thought it would be a nice addition to his toy collection. We have had the doll for about a week now, I've left her amongst Ethan's other toys and the truth is that he has not picked her up once. It's so strange, but he just hasn't shown any interest at all. This doesn't reflect at all on the quality of the toy, it's just Ethan's taste I suppose. When I brought Millie out today and introduced Ethan to her, he sat with me and played for a little while. We pointed out all of her features and when I asked he gave her a cuddle, but when I stopped initiating the play he put her down.
I decided this wasn't very fair on poor Millie, so when we had a friend over later in the afternoon, with a little girl about Ethan's age, I brought Millie out for her. Her face lit up when she saw her, she took hold of her hand and played for ages. So not to worry folks, Millie has gone to a good home where she will be loved.
* This has been a review post, Little Us Dolls sent us Millie so that we could play with her and write a review for them. To see more about my review process please click here. *
Today we went to Trafalgar Square to celebrate Canada Day in London. It was a beautiful day and there was lots to see and do. We ate Canadian food (poutine and Nanaimo bars), watched a hockey game, met a couple of Mounties, listened to Canadian bands play and walked around the stalls collecting interesting things like flags and balloons. A great experience for Ethan to learn more about his culture as part of his Knowledge and Understanding of the World.
Ethan did really well today, he walked holding my hand while we explored and holding onto his balloon tightly in the other hand. He really enjoys watching people, so he was in his element in such a big crowd. He charmed the people at the stalls into giving him all sorts of flags to wave and stickers to play with. It was a really nice day out, and considering there wasn't anywhere for him to run around he coped really well.
