Activity of the week- Treasure Baskets

For this Activity of the week I am going to focus on Treasure baskets for babies and Toddlers.  I haven't made one of these for a while so it was good to go back to researching different ideas.  These are great for sensory play with your little ones so why not add some smells, colours and weird textures to your treasure basket.

One of my favourites is natural treasure baskets which I have created before whilst working in nurserys for babies/toddlers.  Many of the items can be picked up cheaply in shops such as Wilkinsons or supermarkets.

Simple ideas can just be full of the childs favourite toys or things around the house that of course are safe as you can guartee they will put them in their mouth!!  Heres one I knocked together today!!  This cost me nothing!!

Tweet me any photos of your homemade treasure baskets @@nannybicester 

Edinburgh Zoo-Day Out Review

During our trip we wanted to visit Edinburgh Zoo as my sister in law had heard there was a penguin parade and teamed with the fact it was the only zoo in the UK that housed Koalas and Giant Pandas this sounded to us like a win.  Unfortunately the reality of the experience started to go downhill when we got there about 1.30pm as the receptionist told us the Koala area is closed from 1pm.  I was very disappointed and then she said the Panda part was fully booked for viewings.  I recommend that if you visit here to check ahead of your visit and book the Pandas otherwise you may find yourself annoyed like us!!!

Anyhow I will review this attraction in light of a family visiting as after all I am Nanny Bicester!!

Variety of animals to see
There are was a variety of animals to see including squirrel monkeys, lion, penguin's, meerkats, koalas, pandas, rhino, tiger, wallabies etc. The lion, tiger, rhino I felt were abit sad as they were on their own having no company.  I do understand that all zoos are keeping these animals in an unfamiliar environment but their enclosures felt very small and cramped in comparison to other places I've been too such as London Zoo or Longleat.


Highlights
The meerkats at the beginning were adorable and the penguin parade was good so I recommend that. I will tweet the video that we took whilst there.

Value for money?
Personally I felt that the £19 adult ticket was steep especially when the whole experience was such a let down.  My mum hit the nail on the head when she said "the zoo seems neglected" as it needed some TLC.

Is it Children friendly?
Their were lots of children who seemed to be enjoying the zoo and the animals however as it is on a hillside lots of walking uphill is involved (great views of Edinburgh though!) so expect some moaning from your little ones.  Good luck if you have a buggy although you get some great exercise, my fitbit was loving all the steep inclines!

Interactive features

In an age of modern technology most attractions make apps to use whilst there.  Edinburgh Zoo does have one of these which you can download for free and it does give useful information about the animals.  I like that the app has an explorer trail for children to use to test your knowledge that you learn whilst going around the zoo. 

The photocard section can be a laugh as you can place your face on different animals although I have only just discovered this.

In the actual zoo there are QR scanners to use on your app to bring up the information you need however apart from general information in the areas I didn't feel there was enough interactive things for children to do in the flesh.

Navigation around zoo?
We had a map and there were sign posts but they were confusing and left us unsure if we were going the right way.  Painting some arrows on the floor to the different areas would of helped.

Anywhere to eat

There are many snack kiosk's around the zoo but with exception of the café in penguin rock none of them were open.  I don't know if this is a seasonal thing but its abit annoying if you want to stop and have a coffee when going up the steep hill.  I didn't go in the café so cant comment on this however as I have said in the past I would take lots of snacks if going on a day out with my charges and probably a picnic lunch.

Hope you have found this review helpful? Have you been to Edinburgh Zoo with your little ones? Do you agree/disagree? let me know what you think by tweeting me @nannybicester

Web info
http://www.edinburghzoo.org.uk/

Activity of the week-making flapjack

Okay so confession time I did this at home and not with the children(well not yet!).  But this is really simple to do so decided to do a blog about it.

My husband now has an intolerance to dairy products so I looked on the Pure Free from foods website as they have a good selection of free from recipes. For the recipe follow this link below.
https://purefreefrom.co.uk/recipes/flap-jack

The results were good although I left them in 5 mins longer than I should so they were more like biscuits in texture more than flap-jack (story of my life) but they were really yummy regardless and my husband enjoyed them.  The process is simple to do with children and they would enjoy getting involved.  My charges love baking!!

Happy Baking

The importance of Outdoor play

This week I have come across Persil's "Why dirt is good" campaign and inspired me to write about the importance of outdoor play for children.  The link to their website https://www.persil.co.uk/why-dirt-is-good/

I am very passionate about getting children outside from an early age and I see very often how easy it is for parents to get out the I pad for their children instead of playing with them and providing them with exciting learning opportunities.  Hey I'm not judging I'm a nanny and I get paid to do this everyday and then I can go home to my childfree home.  I do not believe of depriving children of technology however everything needs to be done in moderation and getting your children outside does not always need to be complicated.

Bournemouth beach taken by Nanny Bicester

The weather is getting warmer and I've been spending more time outside with the children.  Today we have been outside doing mini Olympic style events which is an activity we have come back to time and time again which is really fun and to be honest you can adapt it for all age children.

My charges are very sporty and love the outdoors luckily and although I have not been gifted in my life in the sporty genes I love being outside with children.  When I worked as a nursery manager I would encourage other professionals to get the children outside rain or shine and not because it was an Ofsted requirement!!

Top of Carfax Tower, Oxford taken by Nanny Bicester

Fredick Frobel a childcare theorist studied outdoor play and the benefits for children. His work looked at the importance of the garden in creating outdoor learning opportunities for youngesters and how they learn best by being at nature.  I agree with this as the outdoors can be used to not only physically improve your childs health but mentally.  The simple things as planting flower seeds and watching them grow or just splashing around in muddly puddles will teach a child so much about the world around them and why things happen.

Bourton on the Water, Cotswolds taken by Nanny Bicester

My charges I try to get outside everyday in the holidays and that's mainly to keep me sane!!!  As I have mentioned previously they are very sporty active children at 7 and 10 but entertaining them can be relatively simple.  This week me and the eldest had our lunch at the local park as the weather was gorgeous and warm (didn't last as the next day was awful) and played hide and seek.

The next day we put on our raincoats and went for a bike around the bike route that leads up to Jericho in Oxford which is a short 20ish minute ride ending up at a park.

Activity Ideas

How can we get children outside you ask? How can I detach them from the tablet?  below I have listed some ideas to do with different aged children.

Babies/Toddlers

1. Ice cube play/jelly-  Get some ice cubes/jelly and put on a tray on a mat in a safe outdoor space
2. Duck feeding-take some old bread and go to your local river/park and feed the ducks

Older children

1. Mini Olympics-  design your own style events including throwing, running (my charges improvised and created their own hurdles and long jump)
2. Make animal feeders

Do your children have regular outdoor play? What do they like to do outside? do you ever struggle to get your children to leave the house?

I have created pin boards on my pinterest account to provide further ideas on what to do with children.

www.pinterest.com/nbicester

Activity of the week-Making play dough

To start this new weekly activity section on my blog I thought I would start with play dough. Such a timeless childrens activity but who says you have to buy it? I do understand this option is easier and hassle free but if you take the time to make it you can make it more exciting and add different scents as well which is great for sensory play.


It's been a while since I've made it myself so here goes...

Ingredients/equipment;
4 cups of flour
Large mixing bowl
Preference on scent for example lavender or vanilla essence
Glitter?
Food colouring
1 cup of water
1-2 cups of salt
2-4 tablespoons of cooking oil

Method;

1.pour water and food colouring into mixing bowl
2.add salt and flour to bowl and scent and give gentle mix
3.add oil and glitter(as much as you want)
4. Mix together till mixture forms a soft dough by kneading
5. Ready to use or separate into small balls to store in sandwich bags or airtight container


have fun and as you can see it doesn't take long!!!

Nanny Bicesterx

Blog page views

Hi Everybody

Just want to say a quick thank you for those of you reading my blog so far I'm impressed with my 750ish views.  I plan on doing a lot more regular posts maybe some themes like "activity of the week" please let me know if anybody has any ideas.  My first aid post was suggested by my sister in law and was one of my most popular so keep them coming please!!

Has anybody signed up to email updates? Connect via my social media accounts and let me know if you can't.  I plan on maybe I will do a Nanny Bicester Facebook account as I want to do this separately to my personal account ideally. Hopefully within time it will look more professional but for now I wanted a forum to share my childcare knowledge.

Thanks for the support

Nanny Bicester xx

Happy springtime🐥🐏

Photo taken by Nanny Bicester

Springtime is here finally and there have been a few sunny days hooray!!!if I'm honest though it needs to get abit warmer so us nannies can rock out the sandals and shorts and just simply get paid to be in the sun all day.  Don't you hate us?
Time to get out and about if you haven't already with your little ones into the British countryside.  I plan to write a blog on the importance of outside play very soon.  Persil have started a campaign online "Dirt is good" so follow this link https://www.persil.co.uk/why-dirt-is-good/ which is backed by mum blogger Giovanna Fletcher who has done a vlog on her YouTube channel.  I suggest you check it out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9sWiLssHGo

Personal news;

The hoildays are still going and the oldest still has a week to go-help me!!! After that I will be going to Edinburgh for a few days with my mum and sister in law for some quality girlie time and some nice cocktails I'm sure.

Recently a few friends, one this weekend have given birth to beautiful and healthy baby girls which is so exciting lots of little girlies!! Wow starting to feel my age of nearly 30 now with many friends becoming parents and my calendar becoming full of children's birthdays. Congratulations to all of them(you know who you are).
I have also been to see my niece and nephew the previous couple of weekends and oh migod such cuties and I'm obviously not at all biased.  M is two and has become fiercly independent as they all are at this age and is able to give everybody the runaround.  Her language is expanding every single day and she has started to go to a childminders now so is also learning about the art of sharing. Good luck M!!
Now to my nephew J.  He is about to turn 6 months old and honestly cannot believe how he has changed so much since I last saw him at new year.  Physicaly he has grown loads and never stops smiling and is such a happy little boy to be around. I got lots of cuddles and had to bounce him up and down a lot which is hard to do now hes getting bigger.

Work news;

photo by Nanny Bicester

In my last blog I talked about some of the places I visited this holidays for the first time since then I have also been to Didcot Wave Pool in Oxfordshire with some friends from gymnastics.  Even I went down the water slide a couple of times, the things I do for my charges.  Although I have been known to enjoy a water slide or two when on holiday at a waterpark.  Next to the pool is a really good park and definitely had more to keep a 9yr old boy and 10yr old girl busy as I find that a lot of parks are no longer have challenging equipment for older children.

The kids also did a blind bake challenge which was a great idea in theory but the reality was not so much with one child having an absolute meltdown when the cake did not work out as it wouldn't cook properly.  As I was not allowed to see the process I have no idea what happened but when I tried to help it ended with me getting shouted at, called a cheat and then being sent to her room.  Other charge was trying to make a Swiss roll which turned out a little burnt bless him! 

Think that's all my news for now

Nanny Bicester xx
@nannybicester

New places I have visited and the Easter hoildays

Its been a while since Ive written a proper blog post so on a sunny Saturday afternoon whilst the hubby attends a football match I thought I would write about what I have been getting upto with the charges over the last couple of weeks.

Leys Leisure Pool in Blackbird Leys, Oxford was a new pool experience to try for me and the youngest a couple of weeks ago.  We decided to try here as we knew they had the main pool and two smaller pools for children which gives more options for the youngest charge to choose what they want to do. I would defiantly recommend a visit here as the splash pool is perfect for babies and toddlers to be in the water and move around independently.  The receptionist only charged us £4.50 as she said that adults don't really get to swim properly, what a bargain to go swimming.  I would mention that you should ring ahead after the live timetable was slightly misleading and didn't inform us of the school swim session in the main pool so we were unable to have access to it for a short time.  To access the website click on the link below.

http://www.fusion-lifestyle.com/centres/Leys_Pools_And_Leisure_Centre

Easter egg hunt-  Now the original plan was to do a separate blog post on this however despite going well I don't really have a whole blogs worth of material to be honest and no photos so thought I would do a short mention here.  Both children were thoroughly involved from the buying of the chocolate to writing the clues to setting them out for their sibling.  We had only one hiccup when the youngest missed a clue and decided to follow the little eggs set along the floor and go off course.  Of course the intention was harmless but I think "end of term" tiredness of the other child turned it into a bigger deal.  Nerveless both children enjoyed the activity.

Ice skating at Oxford Ice Rink-  This week me and the eldest child tried a new activity together and went ice skating.  For three years I have avoided this as I am not able to skate well and spend the whole time glued to the side.  Also my sense of balance is not good so I never thought I would be able to support them skating when they were little.  So I was right to have apprehension as typically I fell over spectacularly on my bottom much to the disappointment of the child who missed it!!!They typically were good and were whizzing around the middle in no time.

http://www.fusion-lifestyle.com/centres/Oxford_Ice_Rink

Branca and Eddie the Eagle-  This week we were lucky to have a paid lunch out at Branca in Jericho which does yummy food and drinks.  I was really impressed with how the staff were with the children and made it a really friendly family place to enjoy a meal.  The youngest wanted a ginger ale so the barman offered to make him a virgin mojito with it.  He loved this as it made him feel grown up and looked like a little old man sat on his barstool with a drink.  The eldest meanwhile was gossiping with her friend who had joined us.  The children's menu had a good selection and I felt reasonably priced for good portions.  The children were given some fresh bread as soon as we sat down to eat and at the end a lolly so they were all pleased!!

We then went on to The Phoenix picture house over the road to watch Eddie the Eagle.  This film is so good and family friendly.  It is rated PG so be aware of a couple of bad words but really fun to go see with kids who are abit older.  The eldest said she found the film inspiring which I think is good as it encourages you not to give up on your dreams even if they are slightly crazy!!

Branca website-http://www.branca.co.uk/
Phoneix Picture House-https://www.picturehouses.com/cinema/Phoenix_Picturehouse

All in all I think the holidays are treating us well so far and some nice sunshine and longer daylight hours which is a plus so lots of trips to the park as well.

If you have any questions about anything I have written about in my blog do not hesitate to contact me.

Nanny Bicesterx