I have only one small semi relative to buy presents for. My own family has flown the nest and the resulting grandchildren have done much the same, various universities being the temporary guardians. So I do make the most of…
toys
Know Your Enemy When Playing Board Games
One of the greatest joys to be had when camping and caravanning wth growing children is the never ending requests for favourite board games – take them to a limited facility site with no tv and sparse wifi and you…
Vintage Board Games Still Need Competitive Streak
There are some truly wonderful games out on the market these days… they can be board and teamwork versions of the fantastic digital online gaming sensations, down to a modernised version of snakes & ladders or ludo. Of course the…
Baby Hat Tale – Well Intentioned Mishap
It an be quite baffling when ‘bush telegraph’ messages go floating around regarding the next knitting or sewing project for one’s ladies’ group project etc. For example there was a whole lot of activity to get little hats knitted for…
Old Fashioned Entertainment Back In Force
I receive all sorts of magazines in the post. Some I have signed up for and look forward to with relish. Others have been sent as part of another subscription and vary in quality and sustainability. I can’t bear receiving…
Great Toy Anniversaries Revive Christmas Spirit
As the Christmas period approaches, I do tend to go into a depression. In fact it’s probably the only subject that causes me to. I find the whole rushing around buying stuff for other people just tedious and anxiety raising. …
How To Tell A Shark From A Croc . . . Don’t Ask Gran
I’m sure we all look at toys and play things in a different light. One man’s tennis ball is another man’s favourite dog exerciser. Whilst minding some family dogs recently, I realised that my stock of doggy toys had in…
Entertaining Children – They Are Such Fun
I live between two families – both have a boy and a girl. One side they’re young adults, the other, young teens. I’ve watched the latter developing since they were aged 4 and 1. They used to be taken out…
Role Play Can Involve Rough & Tumble
There’s nothing like a period of enforced family time to really get to grips with entertaining each other. With youngsters having to take their schooling via online lessons in the mornings, it has been wonderfully quiet in my neck of…
Teaching The Art Of Losing Gracefully
There are only so many things you can do with children when the entire globe is in lockdown. The schools are shut and all entertainment venues necessarily so, as are all restaurants and parks. For the first few days it…