Amazing! The new magazine for 7+ readers that teaches the curriculum in a Horrible Histories style! Plus Give-away!

Buffer

 Kids love disgusting! 

"Uuuurrrrrrggghhhhh!!! That's DISGUSTING!" were the first words from Princess Peppa, my 9 year old. (I may need to rethink her blog pseudonym now she's waaay past loving Peppa Pig). "That's COOL!" was the response from Little Miss George, the 7 year old. 

They couldn't be more different, but they both laughed, giggled, and uurrrggghhhed their way through our sample copies of Amazing! Magazine. From how to make your own edible bogie's; Yes; Really. To a guide to Shakespeare's Julius Caesar; (it's not limiting itself this one); the magazine takes a fresh look at information we want our children to learn and presents it in a fun, clever, humorous and yes, quite frankly often disgusting, way. 

It's designed to link to the primary curriculum. Want to know if you'd survive as a Roman gladiator? Find out in the Ancient Romans edition. Want to learn where and when the first false teeth are made? Check out the Human Body edition.

Christmas printables

So now Halloween is finished, all thoughts are with Christmas.  Whether it's present buying, organising whose house you are, or are not visiting on the day, which family members you are going to annoy (since you can't keep everyone happy) and what food you need to get stocked up with.

The good news is that it's the easiest time of the year to keep children entertained with craft activities.  Search for Christmas crafts on google and you are inundated with options.

My favourite find this year is the Activity Village Christmas scrapbook papers.  Simply download the A4 sheets of Christmas themed paper and print.  These reindeer's are lovely and are just one example of a vast range.

Be warned though; I used up all my colour cartridge printing about 18 sheets!*

And one further warning; this site has colouring sheets, word searches, advent calender templates, craft ideas galore.... you might need to grab a cuppa before you start browsing.



*Note:  This is not a sponsored post.  I just love the website. and wanted to share.

Paper Flowers Craft Project

How do I keep the children entertained during the summer holidays? 

I often plan in short little activities like this one.  It doesn't take long to set up, it keeps them busy between half an hour and an hour, and it's easy enough for the 3 year old to have a good go at too.

All you need is to provide them with a small selection of different coloured papers and tissue papers, a few straws, a couple of 'vases' (old mini cereal boxes, or jam jars for example), some glue, spreaders and appropriate scissors for the age. 

They'll also need three different sized bowls/cups to draw around to get the circles, which, in basic form, they just stick on top of each other, largest first.

I don't think there's much need for lots of instructions, as these are fairly self explanatory.  Younger children  may need help to add petals.  To do that, simply fold your largest circle of paper in quarters and open out again. Use the folds to ensure you draw even petal shapes around the edge  for them to cut out.

The pink rose is made by sticking the centre of many circles of tissue paper on top of each other on a circle of studier paper or card, then tease up the edges and let the glue hold the rose petals in place.


Simply stick the straws to the base of the vase by using the old sticky tac trick; a lump of sticky tac on the bottom of the vase to stick the straw in, or, if you are short of sticky tac, simply sellotape the straws to the edge of the vase on the inside.  Then fill the vase with scrunched up tissue paper.  They like scrunching up!

Have fun!

If you like this activity and you think your friends might to, then please share it with them on facebook, twitter or google+. 

I'd also love to see your creations! 

You can share them with me on the Yummy Mummy? Really? facebook page or send me them on Twitter @ymummyreally.

Have fun, enjoy the holidays, and bookmark this page to pop back later this week for a useful article on Starting School!

Easter activities for the family

I am, for the first time, taking a risk and asking for fellow mummy bloggers to come over and share their Easter blog posts with us.

Be it crafting, cooking, taking a walk, visiting a particular tourist attraction in the UK; what are the best Easter activities this year to keep the whole family happy?

If you are a blogger and want to join in, simply write your post, link back to this page so that our readers can hop between entries, and click below to add your blog to the list, that I'll host here.

If you are visiting, then I hope you find some useful links appearing in the list below to fill your Easter with family fun!  And while you are waiting?  Try this list of activity songs to keep the children entertained or this recipe for Banana & Chocolate Chip Muffins.

Fingers crossed this works!  Enjoy!

Glamorous Nails for Free! Got any Glitter?

Seriously, have you got any glitter?

There are lots of nail art solutions out there.  Beauty parlours that will not just manicure your own nails, but offer an array of different types of false nails, of varying permanency's.
 
But if you haven't got the spare cash to be throwing around on manicures that; if you are anything like me; chip within half an hour of having them done, then you need an alternative method for beautifying those fingers and adding a bit of glam.   

And so, here is a brilliant tip I picked up this week.  If you have ever fancied doing something a little more glamorous than just painting your nails all one colour, or more exciting than a simple french manicure, well, how about this trick?

Pop on any coloured nail varnish that you happen to have spare, and then (and this is where the magic happens) dip your finger in a pot of glitter.

All those crafters out there will have glitter to hand of course.  And it's a lovely change to be getting out the craft box for glitter for me, not for the children!

A quick top coat, to finish it off, and you are done.


And frankly, beware if you want it to be temporary; as this is a hard wearing solution that is pretty resistant to chips!

What do you think?

How to: keep the children entertained (and quiet!)

My five year old received a brilliant present from Santa.  It's called "Sticker Scratchers".

The box contains a selection of pop out cardboard pieces which, when complete, create a selection of little photo frames, boxes and badges.  They are pre-coloured and include sections that have a white pull off section (like the reverse of a sticker).   You pull off the white section revealing a sticky surface.  You then take one of the many coloured sheets of foil supplied, place it face down on top of the sticky surface, and scratch the foil, pushing it down onto the sticky surface.  Cleverly the shiny surface of foil moves away from the sheet and onto the sticky surface.

I don't think that explanation was at all good, but hopefully the pictures help!

The good thing about this is that it's quite tricky to pull off the white sections (some of them are 'tiny!'), but it's possible if you are a persistent child; like my girl!  There is also then an element of choice about which colour foil you select.

But, and here's the really good news, there is no cutting (so less direct supervision required... eyes in the back of the head can take a rest), and no glue involved either  (eyes in back of head officially napping).

She loved this.  Just look at that gold dress she scratched on!  Her little trinket box is now in pride of place on her dressing table.  And it kept her busy and quiet for an hour.  How's that for developing a good attention span?

I still don't understand why they have to spell scratchers with a z on the end though.  Why is that!?

How to entertain two toddlers? Paint, paint and more paint!

It took 30 minutes, two newspapers, a lot of sticky tape and three aprons before I would allow my two girls (4yrs and 2yrs) anywhere near the large piece of paper that ended up being our 'underwater scene'!  The paper is made up of six sheets of smaller paper stuck together.  Newspaper protection was stuck across our kitchen floor and up the units to catch splashes.  The paper went on top (stuck down). We then spent the morning simply covering that paper with paint.  It's roughly 2 metres square!

It took two further craft sessions for us to draw the fishes and mermaids on coloured paper, cut them out, and stick on the tissue paper, cotton wool balls etc to decorate.  Cheeky Monkey No.1 drew the red fish herself.  The rest of the drawing she had help with.  Cheeky Monkey No. 2 sat stiller than I've ever seen her sit, simply staring at us painting, and occasionally dipping her fingers in a green paintpot.  Talk about well behaved!

I saw this done on Supernanny a couple of years ago, and it worked just as well for us as it did for them.

We did this months ago now, but I thought I'd share it before I take it down off the wall.  It's time for something new.  Watch this space!

Messy, but fun..... Let the painting begin!