Win a Smart-Trike Dream 4 in 1 Trike

We were recently sent a Smart-Trike Dream for Erin to try, if you haven't seen our review you can see it here.  The lovely people at Smart Trike have very kindly given me a Smart-Trike Dream 4 in 1 trike to give away to one lucky person.  

Retailing at around £99.99 the Smart-Trike Dream is available in six colours: Pink, black, red, purple, green or blue.  Suitable from 10 months to 36 months the Dream tricycle with touch steering is easy to steer and transformers as your child grows.  For further information please visit Smart Trikes website

The winner of the giveaway will be able to choose from Pink, Blue, Purple of Green.

To be in with a chance of winning one of these fantastic 4 in 1 trikes all you have to do is complete the rafflecopter form below.

GOOD LUCK

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Quinnycasters - Challenge 4 - family portriat

This weeks challenge was to take a picture with as many family members as possible in and make it vintage style.  So here is mine.

Sensory play - pine cones,sensory hoops and shredded plastic

We haven't done any messy play for about a fortnight for various reasons so this week I wanted to make sure we did some.  The children all enjoy our messy/sensory play sessions and always seem more relaxed afterwards. 

Last week one of the packages I received contained some shredded plastic strips which were white, silver and clear.  As soon as I saw them I knew they would be perfect for sensory play so put them to one side.  I also found some pine cones and put them to one side too.  Then on Thursday after our morning snack I retrieved the shredded plastic and pine cones along with the marmalade stacking hoops I had won from taking part in a weekly Playfest last year.  Playfest is a free weekly event run by Izziiwizzi Kids. It's free to take part and happens on a Tuesday on twitter and a Thursday on facebook.  Each week features a new topic and enables you to exchange ideas and learn more about different brands and play activities.  I won a set of marmalade stacking hoops from taking part in a session on slow toys.  Every since the hoops have arrived they have been explored with great interest more so by Rowan.  However Erin has discovered them in the last fortnight and pulls them out to play with at every opportunity.  So I thought this would be a good opportunity to use them further.  

I started by introducing the pine cones to the children, Erin wasn't sure about them at first and took a good five minutes watching Rowan handle them before she cautiously picked one up.  She then spent a while passing the pine cone from one hand to another and touching each part of them.  Then when she was more at ease with them she started giggling and passing them to myself or Rowan before accepting it back.  She emptied the little wicker basket they were in and refilled it again several times.

I then got out the stacking hoops and took each of the hoops off and spread them out so that Erin and Rowan could explore each of the different textures before putting them back on the stacking pole.  Rowan was quick to re stack them then take them off again and start all over again.  He stacked them with all the wooden hoops together, then the knitted ones next, followed by the velvet ones.  Erin seemed to enjoy squishing the velvet hoops and knitted ones in her hands.  She wasn't so keen on the wooden hoops and seemed to avoid touching them even if I passed them to her.  

After about fifteen minutes I got out a small cardboard box with the shredded plastic strips in and added them to the pine cones and the stacking hoops. Rowan dove straight into the box moving the shreds of plastic around, hiding pine cones under it.  I took some out and put it on the carpet so that we could look at the different colours in the strips.  Rowan enjoyed spreading it out further and even decided to put it on my head like a wig! not the most attractive look as you can see!  

We took it in turns holding the strips up to the light to see if the colours changed and talked about what we could see.  There were pinks, purples, whites and silvers and they looked lovely in the sunshine coming through the window.  Rowan tried to cover himself with the strips at one stage and said the strips ticked against his skin.  We tried wrapping some of the strips around the hoops and stacking pole.  It was lovely to hear how Rowan talked about the different textures of the different items, the hard, cold wood, the soft squishy velvet, the tickley plastic strips and the bumpy knitted hoops.  Erin seemed to have loved exploring the different textures too and got quite upset when it was time to tidy up.  Especially when I put the pine cones away, I think they had been her favourite part of the session.  I think I will have to come up with some more ways to use pine cones in our play sessions for her. 

Win two family day passes for the National Trust Wales

If you have seen my recent post about den building you will know that we are taking part in the National Trust's 50 things to  before your 11 3/4 campaign.  It's a fantastic way to get out and enjoying the outdoors.  For more information about the campaign you can visit the 50 things website 

have a look at the video below from the National Trust in Wales about the campaign and some of the great things to do on the list.  

The National Trust in Wales has very kindly given me two family passes to giveaway.  Maybe you will use a pass to help get you started on the 50 things to do before your 11 and 3/4 or maybe just to discover a National Trust in Wales property.  Two lucky people will each win a family day pass to enable them to enjoy a National Trust in Wales property of their choice.  Where will you visit?  For some inspiration on where to visit in Wales please visit The National Trust's website

To be in with a chance of winning one of the passes all you have to do is complete the rafflecopter form below.

GOOD LUCK

Please remember that the passes can only be used for entry into National Trust properties in Wales.  

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Den building fun and the National Trusts 50 things to do before your 11 3/4 campaign

I don't think I've ever meet a child who hasn't enjoyed building dens and my children are no exception.  I know I loved building dens all over the place as a child, behind the sofa, under the bed, under the dinning room table, in the garden or even in the fields behind my parent's home.  That sense of adventure and achievement at having built a shelter.  My siblings and I spent many a happy afternoon experimenting with various den designs trying to work out which was the best.  We even split up and made 'girls dens' and 'boys dens' and would try to discover where each others was based.  I have so many childhood memories about den building.  

When I had the boys one thing I looked forward to was being able to introduce them to den building and how you could use simply everyday items to make one.  I love watching the little ones I look after when I introduce them to a simple den in the play room, how they start off not being too sure but within minutes are sqealing with delight at the discovery of what's inside.   This last year has seen the boys really start to enjoy den building more than ever and when ever there is an opportunity the boys grab a blanket or sheet and make one.  

simple blanket over a table den indoors

I have always been a big fan of the National Trust, visiting various properties both here in Wales or in England when I was growing up and also now with my own family.   So when I discovered their 50 things to do before your 11 3/4 campaign recently I was keen to get involved with the children.  One of the 50 things is den building, how perfect I thought and an easy one to start off with.  The National Trust 50 things before your 11 3/4 campaign is designed to help your child enjoy the best of the outdoors, something I am keen to get my own children doing.  Some of the 50 things are very simple and can be done in your own garden.  There are some great things to try and things that I loved doing as a child and hope the children enjoy too.  

With the weather improving I am keen to get the children out and making the most of the garden, beaches and countryside around us.  My hope is that the 50 things will help encourage the boys to try new things and help them enjoy the outdoors.  

Just before the May day bank holiday I bought a small den building kit for the boys, I wanted to give them something different from the blankets and sheets they had been using to build dens with.  Then bank holiday Monday I woke to a dry day having had almost a week of rain, seized the opportunity to cut the grass and got the den building kit out.  

Den building kit

The kit consists of a Tarpaulin, four crocodile grips, a rubber mallet and some plastic pegs.  I also dug out a picnic rug and a beach shelter to use.  Then while Dad of 3 set about preparing a BBQ for us to enjoy I encouraged the boys to build a den.  I helped them to put the beach shelter up and then asked them to think about how they wanted their den to look.  Trystan and Luc decided they wanted to attach the tarpaulin to the beach shelter and then find something else to attach the other end of the tarpaulin too.  I helped them to use the crocodile grips to attach the tarpaulin to the beach shelter and then told them to look around the garden for something else they could use to hold the other end of the tarpaulin up.  

Trystan  came up with the idea of using the slide at one end and pulled it over to the den.  Again I helped to secure the tarpaulin to the slide.  The boys thought the den didn't look quite right so went to look for something else to use.  Luc found the coupe car and we attached it to the other corner of the tarpaulin.  I repositioned the slide so it could still be used while holding up the corner of the den.  Then the boys laid out the picnic rug inside the den so they had somewhere comfortable to sit.    Rowan than brought a pop up tunnel over and positioned it half inside the den so they could crawl through it to get in and out.  Once happy with their den we stood back to admire their effects.  

Running to get their books and teddies the boys made themselves at home and Erin came to investigate what they had been up to.  It looked quite impressive and provided a long sheltered spot for them to relax in out of the sun.  The rest of the afternoon the four children played happily inside the den and even took their BBQ food inside to eat in there.  While dad of 3 and myself relaxed on the patio and watched them playing.  

The boys wanted to keep the den up but with a forecast of gales and heavy rain the following day I explained we had better pack it away for now but promised they could use the kit to build another den at the next chance they had.  

With half term a week away I am hoping we have some dry days so we can get stuck in and try some more of the 50 things and am hoping to explore some new National Trust properties.    Keep your eye open for more of our 50 things adventures.  Why not take up the 50 things challenge yourselves?  we would love to hear which of the 50 things you have tried too.  

Win a Hamper of Chewit goodies

I have very kindly been given an exclusive Chewits hamper full of chewit goodies to giveaway to one lucky person worth £25.  This week we were sent some Chewie Gum to try, keep an eye out for the review to see what we thought.  But in the mean time I have very kindly been given an exclusive Chewits hamper full of chewit goodies to giveaway to one lucky person worth £25.

The hamper will consist of the following:

• Chewie Gum Box containing 12 packs of gum
• Chewie Tin - eight stick packs in a silver encased tin
• Chewits Mug and Keyring

To be in with a chance of winning the hamper all you have to do is complete the rafflecopter form below:

GOOD LUCK




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Project 365 - Weeks 18 and 19

It's really been a busy couple of weeks here which is why I am late posting my last fortnights project 365.  

Week 18:

Sunday - This morning while I was doing chores the four children were all sat together in the toy room playing harmoniously together.  I love watching this happen and makes me smile watching
how they interact together.

Monday - I bought Erin her own bag as she has spent ages going into my bag and taking things out.  So in the hope it will deter her from doing so I got her, her own bag.  She spends ages walking around the house putting things in her bag and then taking them out again.  

Tuesday - Parent's evening for the two older boys, I let Rowan play a game on my phone while I spoke to the teachers and later discovered he had taken pictures of Luc in his classroom!

Wednesday - Annual school photo day so Erin was put in a pretty dress in the hope she would let us get a picture of the four children together.  After breakfast she tottered around the playroom playing with the toy kitchen.  

Thursday - The toy kitchen has always been a favourite toy with the children and now Erin is up on her feet she is discovering it's delights too.  Thursday morning she spent ages playing alongside Rowan and my childminded child with the kitchen.  

Friday- After school the children and I went off in search of tadpoles.  I was tipped off that there are usually lots in the stream running down to the coast at Ceirbwr bay.  I haven't been there since I was about 13 years old despite it being some 25 minutes away.  Friday had been a glorious day here and the views at Ceibwr Bay which is owned by the National Trust.  The younger two had fallen asleep on the journey down but the older two were as delighted as I was at discovering this hidden gem.  Sadly we did not find any tadpoles!

Saturday - I turned the bubble painting we had done earlier in the week into fish and stuck them around the playroom.

Week 19:

Sunday - Afternoon cuddles on daddy, who could want anything else after a busy week.

Monday - Erin has recently started emptying out her shape sorter bucket and putting the bucket on her head to play peep poo.  It's very funny and cute watching her giggling to herself.  

Tuesday - While Erin was having a nap after school Rowan wanted a cuddle too so came and sat next to me.  I was editing photo's on my phone (multitasking as usual) and he asked me to take a picture of him.

Wednesday - An afternoon drive along the coast to watch the chopping waves in the wind.  The patterns of the waves breaking were very pretty.

Thursday - Rowan came home to discover an new toy to play with, he and Erin spent ages examining it and playing together with it.

Friday - After taking Rowan to school, Erin and I popped to do some food shopping.  While there she spotted a peppa pig phone.  So in another bid to stop her trying to grab my phone and mess with my apps I decided to treat her to her own phone.  Once home she spent ages playing with it and was thrilled to discover peppa's voice and picture on it.  Fingers crossed she leaves my phone alone now!

Saturday - A wet walk to our local wildlife park, We'd been couped up for days due to the bad weather and cabin fever had set in.  We made it as far as the gate to the wildlife centre's car park before turning round as the rain got too much.  The water buffalo were in a near by field and didn't seem impressed with the rain.  I promised Rowan we would return the next day to complete our walk.