Posted under Songs and Music
Waldorf Verses for Morning Tea I have been singing (and singing!) during my work with young children for many, many years. In Waldorf settings, we sing or say a blessing before meals. I like this idea, even though it was not something I was brought up with at all. I have seen this singing moment transform a busy mealtime into a…
Posted under Play activities
Ideas on how to use a Rainbow Dip-dyed cloth Avril (below) was a presenter for a rainbow dip dyeing workshop. Look at the lovely rainbow silk cloths she dyed with her group. Later in the week, we had a group discussion to share some ideas on how we could use these cloths with children in imaginative play. One…
Posted under Party
20 Eco friendly party bag ideas that won’t break the bank! One of my favourite things about being a mum is organising my children’s birthday parties. I may be a sucker for punishment but there is wonderful creative opportunity and a chance to ‘fire up my creative spark’ for children and families who really do appreciate our efforts. My…
Posted under Felt and Felting, Toys and Toy shops
How to make Toy Horse Reins using fingerknitting and a piece of handmade felt! Over the years, the horse reins from felt and fingerknitting have proved to be a big favourite with children and adults alike. They are super simple, yet really effective, and are often the first ‘toy’ that a mother makes for her child with her own hand. It…
Free treasure hunt games for children A little while ago, I took Ned to his friend Q’s birthday party. Q and his family live on a lovely property with lots of trees, perfect for this party game. It’s a treasure hunt with a difference. To make it, you’ll need as many paddle pop (ice lolly) sticks as you have…
Posted under Imaginative Play
Recipe for a Happy Day Ingredients: 1 cup of friendly words 2 heaped cups of understanding 4 heaped teaspoons of time and patience A pinch of warm personality A dash of humour Method: Measure words carefully. Add heaped cups of understanding. Use generous amounts of time and patience. Cook on front burner but keep temperature low. Do not boil. Add…
Posted under Christmas
How to make Quick and Easy Christmas Ornaments Something to keep the kids busy on Christmas Eve. Brought to you in collaboration with Staedtler Are you kids driving you mad today? Are you running out of ideas to keep them busy and out of your hair? If so, you’ll love this tutorial- how to make quick and easy christmas…
Posted under Christmas
Make Simple Christmas Tree Decorations with Icy Pole Sticks Brought to you by Crayola Last week, I visited one of our educators who was making simple Christmas Tree decorations with miniature icy pole sticks (popsicle sticks). They were so cute, and something the children could easily do. Our educator had seen this craft in her daughter’s preschool room and had…
Posted under Christmas
Make Your Own Hair Clips for the Christmas and Festive Season! Ho Ho Ho! I love handmade hair clips and this one is pretty sweet for the festive season. Want to make one for your little girls or for Secret Santa presents? Here’s how… How to make your own hair clips 1. Draw around a hair clip…
Posted under Toys and Toy shops
Have you seen this sweet Paper Doll kit by Tiger Tribe? My little 5 year old niece Alice loves dolls, and she adores crafting. So when I saw this new Tiger Tribe Paper Doll set, I thought it would make a perfect present for her. The dolls, of which there are two in the set, remind me of my…
Posted under Toys and Toy shops
Busy Builders Truck Toys New from Tiger Tribe. Oh my. My boys are lucky little things. Have a look at these new Busy Builders Truck Toys they can now play with. Talk about an early Christmas present! Busy Builders are a new design from Tiger Tribe, my favourite Australian toy brand, released just in time for Christmas. The trucks, of…
Posted under Christmas
Yay for Christmas time. The most wonderful time of the year. Hot tip: do this now! The PNP North Pole Santa Video. This is magical for your little ones. If you haven’t yet done this, don’t wait. The PNP (Portable North Pole) Santa Videos are back. I first found this for Ned about 4 years ago, and created a video…
How to Make a Pop Up Christmas Tree Card Super Simple! Make these with the children at playgroup and family day care for end-of-year celebrations too! With thanks to Staedtler Shhhh! Don’t tell. We’ve invited our Rainbow Bridge FDC educator team to a very fun ‘Festive Cookie Baking’ night where we will all bring along a batch of our…
Posted under Christmas
Advent Time Preparation. What is Advent? Many of us know a little bit about “Advent” and marking time to Christmas by those little cheap cardboard calendars they sell in all the supermarkets come this time of year. You know the ones- covered in Dora the Explorer, Winnie the Pooh, Ben 10, Spiderman motifs and filled with a little piece of…
Posted under Christmas
DIY Nativity Scene Have you ever wondered how to make a simple Nativity scene? This simple presentation might become your favourite, as it is mine. It can be used as an ‘Advent Calendar’ too.I love this Nativity scene so much that I can’t wait to unpack it each year. Even if one year I decided to go for the…