Woodland Week

Even though we have had so much rain this week it hasn't stopped us venturing out into the woodlands.

We haven't managed to go to the library this week so instead I have searched Percy the Park Keeper on youtube and played a few clips that retell his stories. See the link below 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W88CeDryevk

Oscar loves animals so these books by Nick Butterworth are great. Sometimes you can find the whole collection on offer through the Book People. They are out of stock at the moment but would be only £7.99 for 6 books. 

https://www.thebookpeople.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/qs_product_tbp?productId=583392

Songs we have sung:

• Fishes in the water - Oscar now knows all the actions from last week and loves it. 
• Humpty Dumpty 
• Its raining, its pouring
• Itsy Bitsy Spider - When we found a drain pipe on one of our walks

Places we have visited:

We live in Lancashire so:

Avenham Park

Local Woodlands around our house

Worden Park

I wanted to go to Beacon Fell but didn't get the chance as we are going on holiday so that has taken extra time up this week.

Our little explorer

Woodland Week has really allowed Oscar to be out in our gorgeous surroundings exploring everything in his way. Everyday his confidence is growing with his walking sometimes he speeds up and I feel like chasing after him (just incase he falls) but I know he will be ok. 

Don't you just love these little weaved tunnels? Oscar was having an 'off' day....but after a good hour sleep he woke up in a better mood. As soon as we came across this tunnel he go so excited especially as I chased behind him. Don't you just love the hands in the air walk as they steady themselves for balance?

 On our walks we have pointed out everything we have seen and heard. This is one of the best ways for children to broaden their language. Oscar words of the week are stick, tree, grass and fish. 

Lots of fun in the garden:

Oscar loves sitting on little stones and logs thinking he is the king... when we found this textured floor we had to stop and feel all the textures. Don't forget to talk to your little ones about how things feel as its one of their great senses. 

We found this amazing little courtyard at Worden Park... Don't you just love the colours of the flowers? We must have spent a good 20 minutes here whilst Oscar played. He loved climbing up onto the step and just sitting there between the gorgeous plant pots. We spoke about the bees, smells of the flowers and sang Humpty Dumpty. 

So this has to be the best part of the week. Seeing Oscar and his Daddy play and have so much fun. Their love for each other is endless. The giggles and screams of excitement melts my heart. With us both being Teachers we are so lucky to have these weeks to spend together as a family. We really do value every second we spend together. 

Thank you for spending time to read my blog and I will look forward to posting some more in the upcoming weeks. We are off to Spain tomorrow to my next blog will definitely be about what we get up to over there. 

Upcoming blogs:
Holiday
Animals

Sam

x

Water week

What an amazing week we have had :)

To begin our week we started off with a trip to the library where Oscar was extremely excited (now that he could walk around it) as this is somewhere we visited every week during my maternity leave. We looked at lots of different books and ended up choosing the following:

• The Snail and the Whale - Julia Donaldson
• I wish I were a Pirate - Smriti Prasadam-halls (Oscar particularly loved this one as it had pop ups and things to move in the book)
• In the Bath - Leslie Patricelli

I believe that books are such a great way to engage all children of any age into little imaginary worlds.

Songs we have sung:

• 5 little ducks (Oscars favourite)
• Rain, raim go away
• Row, row, row your boat (great for doing actions)
• Fishes in the water (he loved this one and started to anticipate the jump)

Places we have visited:

Docks
Canal
Pond
Swimming pool
Beach
Lake

Lots of fun water activities:

Lots of smiles and exploring with bubbles made from:

1/2 cup of water

1/4 cup of bubbles

a few drops of food colouring

After I showed Oscar how to 'mark make' with bubbles he loved it. Showing children different ways to play helps broaden their imaginations. 

Try playing hide and seek with the bubbles. Oscar got so excited when he found lots of his toys under the thick layer of bubbles.

A few more ideas  - balls in water, spaghetti, making boats with duplo, using a milk carton as a watering can, connecting the hose pipe back to the tap, putting his play dough in the water and feeling how slimy it went in his hands and finally washing dishes (I needed to show Oscar how to do this but he soon got the hang of it) 

I hope I have inspired you to maybe do a themed day or week with your little ones. I wanted to show you that playing and exploring doesn't always need to cost lots of money either. Using things you have in your home already will entertain your toddler for hours. 

However a few purchases we have made:

The sand and water pit from http://www.mothercare.com/ELC-Sand-and-Water-Table/122808,default,pd.html

Regatta Waterproof suit https://www.amazon.co.uk/Regatta-Boys-Puddle-All---One/dp/B013K1XOO4/ref=sr_1_3?s=clothing&ie=UTF8&qid=1470603156&sr=1-3&keywords=regatta+waterproof+all+in+one

Our next theme is 'Woodlands' come back and read what we have got up to if you have enjoyed my blog. Feel free to post any ideas your have got in the comments below.

Thank you for taking time to read my blog.

Sam
x

Juggling working full time and being a Mummy.

I have found it very hard going back to work full time but being a Teacher I try to think of the positives…plenty of holidays to spend with Oscar. Sometimes I think to myself will Oscar not love me the same because he hardly sees me during term time? Will he know that I’m his Mummy? I felt very low about all this just before we broke up for the summer holidays as Oscar was going through what people told me was ‘a very independent stage.’ I would turn up to pick him up from our amazing childminder and he would see me, smile and then continue to play. Before this he would normally race right over for a cuddle. However, I had to think, I would prefer him like this than to be distraught.

A few days into the holidays all Oscar says is ‘mam, mam, mammmmma.’ Yes he definitely loves me and I look back and think silly me why did I doubt it.

Have any of you every felt like this?

Going back to work full time is VERY hard, especially when our families live away. Lots of people have asked me how do we manage….the answer is we just do. I’m very lucky to have an amazing husband…..together we make sure everything is done. I thought I might list a few things that have helped us along our way:

1. Take it in turns over the weekend to get up to make sure each of you are getting a lie in once a week.
2.  Clothes washing and ironing mid-week if you have any energy left after the little one has gone to bed…this helps save more time at the weekend for family time.
3. My Husband does our food shop on his way home from work, again to try and not make it a chore. (sometimes we do it online that also helps massively)
4.  Cleaning the house - tends to be on a Friday. We’ve started doing this and then getting a take away delivered which then means the house is sorted for the weekend and not much washing up from tea. This is the point a glass of rose is definitely needed.
5. When one of us if bathing Oscar and ‘sorting’ upstairs the other one makes the sandwiches for the next day and sorts the kitchen from tea. (We were only discussing the difference this makes yesterday)

I hope some of these ideas help. If you have any ideas that would also help please comment below.

So back to the positives of being a Teacher and being on my summer hols, Oscar, Daddy and I have been loving our ‘water themed week’ we are really excited to share it with you very soon. Here’s a couple of pictures to show you a snapshot of what we have been up to so far…..

About Me

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for taking time to stop by and read my blog.

For a long time now I have wanted to share things I do with my son. I have used Facebook for many years now and have posted pictures after pictures but sometimes I think to myself.... NO MORE SAM. I don't want people getting bored of my posts. I then moved onto Instagram @sjmetcalf87 (if you would like to follow me on there to see more of what Oscar and I get up to that would be great) however I don't feel like I can put the passion I have for learning, play and generally getting up to mischief across the way I want too.

So I have decided to become a blogger where I can share ideas and things that you could maybe do with your little ones, through fun imaginative play, indoors and outdoors that also include themed weeks. (That's the teacher in me talking a little there too)

A little something about me.
I am a very passionate and dedicated Primary School Teacher who has been lucky enough to work right from Nursery all the way through to Year 6. I have a 15 month old son who just loves to explore and play and a very supportive husband and family.

Upcoming posts

• Water week
• Woodland week

Kind Regards

Sam