Natural Nursery Blog

Lacing Game Stocking Filler

This time, a lovely, long lasting stocking filler for under £1!

Thread Friends Lacing Game, 97p, suitable for age 4 years and up

Lacing games are a great way of developing fine motor skills and this one has the added fun of dressing and undressing a little creature. The aim of the game is to help the little wooden animal get dressed in their felt clothes and requires more concentration and dexterity than many other lacing games.

Once the animal has been dressed, they can be used as part of an imaginative play game.

Sophie the Giraffe

You can read our full Christmas Shopping Guide on our site, but today’s suggestion is a lovely gift for a new baby:

Sophie the Giraffe - £12.99, suitable for use from birth

Sophie is a classic French baby teething toy that has been loved by generations of European babies.  She is made from 100% natural rubber and food grade paint.  She is soft and gentle to the touch, has a squeaker inside that makes a laughing sound when squeezed and she feels wonderful on teething gums.

A very loveable creature, she will become a firm friend and will be a long lasting and thoughtful Christmas present for a young baby.

Cooking with kids

When our children are little, it is often a good time to become more aware of the way we eat. The benefits of a healthy diet while pregnant or breastfeeding are well know. When baby is ready to try on solids, establishing good eating habits is essential.

Healthy eating isn’t about boring steamed vegetables, it’s about making good food fun and enjoyable. Part of our responsibilities as parents is to develop our children’s taste buds to make them adventurous foodies, ready to try new flavours and new textures, make them aware of seasonal and local produce.

Taking them to the local farmers market and chat with the stall holders is part of the fun. Never miss a chance to talk to them about where our food comes from, why we choose not to buy strawberries in winter or battery farmed chickens, how you’ll prepare the ingredients you’ve just bought.

Cooking by colour is sure to pick their interest. One day, it’s pink soup (beetroot). Once they’re cooked, let the kids peel the beetroot (don’t forget a child apron!), they’ll giggle at the sight of their pink fingers. Another day, try orange soup (pumpkin, sweet potatoes and orange has a delicate sweet flavour). Try smoothies too, orange (mango & orange) or for the more adventurous green (avocado, banana, lime, spinach and milk). Check your local markets or supermarkets for rarer varieties, green tomatoes, purple potatoes…

Growing your own fruit and vegetable is a fantastic way to get your children interested. Even if you don’t have a garden or an allotment, try a few pots in the kitchen with baby tomatoes, strawberries, basil. The window box gardens would be ideal. How much fun would it be to pick a few tomatoes packed with vitamins to pop in their lunch bags?

Let the children get involved in the kitchen, knead the dough, peel and cut vegetables, stir cake mixes, spread the topping on their pizza… Sure it’s going to get messy but seeing the pride on their faces at the results makes it all worth it. They also learn essential skills, gradually learning the dangers in the kitchens, knives are sharp, the oven is hot.

Then comes the time to clean up and every one can chip in. Kids will love getting their hands in the soapy water, preferably with as much bubble as possible.

How is it at your house? Do your kids enjoy cooking? Do you give them a chance to help?

Dreaming of Christmas

I used to rant against seeing all the Christmas things in the shop from early September. I didn’t see the point: Christmas was end of December, why wouldn’t I wait until the beginning of December to start shopping? Well, fast forward 5 years, 2 children and 2 jobs later… Now I see the point!

I start thinking about the winter holidays as kids go back to school. Not worrying about it, just thinking. I try to imagine what would please the people I love. Starting early means I have time to order it especially (or send it as we have so many relatives far away). Planning ahead means that I can take the sewing machine out for some handmade presents. I have time to trawl charity shops or antique stores to find that very special item which will make them happy. I also love giving ‘gifts of time’ like theatre tickets so I spend some time reading the programmes.

Starting my Christmas shopping earlier also means that I can take advantage of my favourite shops special offers, therefore giving much nicer presents that I would normally be able to afford. Whenever possible, I choose ethical gifts, organic products and eco friendly products. I prefer quality over quantity and will often choose gifts that will last well and be useful. No more last minute shopping for me where you end up spending way more than you planned because it’s so late and you have to find something. No more ill-chosen presents because we ran out of ideas and had to buy a present in a hurry. I often take the opportunity to buy presents for little friends’ birthdays at the same time to save on shipping costs.

So watch this space for more Christmas posts: baby’s first Christmas, No-junk stocking fillers and advent calendars, tips for an eco-friendly Christmas, unusual baby presents and recipes, ethical gifts for babies and grown up…

The Mother Magazine

I discovered The Mother magazine after my little girl was born and read it cover to cover without stopping. I was amazed by the thought-provoking views on pregnancy, birthing, breastfeeding, education, home-education, vaccination…

In a world where so many things make us doubt our skills as mothers and parents, where we are supposed to listen to so-called experts, supported by studies which often contradict each other, The Mother magazine brings a refreshing view: trust your instinct as a woman, as a mother, as a parent… Trust that we can follow our instinct to birth our children freely, to breastfeed them as long as they need it, that home education is a real option, that natural parenting and organic living aren’t just dreams …

Each editorial, article, story, recipe pushed me to challenge my preconceived ideas, to think things through for my children and my family. I don’t live by everything the Mother Magazine advocates. My children were born at home and breastfed until they gave up when they were ready, they were carried about in baby slings. Now they are in school, we aren’t vegetarians but what I love about The Mother magazine is being challenged to think more about our choices and to know that there are alternatives that I might want to explore at some point.

The Mother Magazine is in danger of closing, get your subscription now! If you are a business, consider advertising as well, their readers are loyal customers.

Although we are not exhibiting ourselves this year, we do highly recommend a trip to Bristol this coming week for the Organic Food Festival.  Part of the Soil Association’s Organic Fortnight, it is a great day out, with entertainment, cooking demos, lots of lovely food plus all sorts of other organic goodies such as textiles and toiletries.

From the Soil Association website:

The Organic Food Festival is Europe’s largest showcase of all things organic. Now in its ninth successful year, the Festival demonstrates the growth of the organic movement and the increased recognition of the role organic production can play in creating a sustainable future.

Whether you are in search of delicious organic food and drink, gorgeous skin care, fabulous fashion, organic textiles, home design, tips on organic gardening or you are looking for an entertaining family-friendly outing, this much loved festival is just what you are looking for.

The Organic Food Festival provides the chance to meet producers face to face, watch recession-busting cooking demonstrations, sample street food from Bristol’s top chefs and introduce your kids to special taste workshops designed just for them.

Bristol – 12-13 Sept 2009.

We have lots of new stock arriving soon (gearing up for Christmas even though we are still in the middle of the summer holidays) so we are adding more to our summer sale.

This would be a great chance to stock up on new baby or birthday pressies for the next few months, or to put away for Christmas.

SHOO SHOO LEATHER BABY SHOES, reduced to half price. Boys and girls styles but only a few left in each size. These are fabby shoes and they are the ones that we used with E when she was little.

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HAMA BEADS, Midi Size, Blister Kits, all reduced to half price. Includes some Disney range, Safari Animals and some more generic kits, such as hearts and flowers. Suitable really for age 5 years and above as they are the midi size.

Hama Beading Craft kits are really, really good fun. E loves them and they are a fav pressie to give for birthdays.

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My First Hama Kits – suitable for age 3 years and above: Maxi Size. Half price kits, now reduced to £3.75. Teddy and Whale available.

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Hama Midi Craft Kits, now half price at £3.48. Suitable for age 5 years and above. Choose from Dolphin mobile, teddy/rabbit and Wild Animals.

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Hama Midi Bead small kits, were £2.50, now £1.25 so a great price for a stocking filler. Kits include a shaped board (choose from square, circle, star, heart etc), 400 beads plus ironing paper so they are a great introduction to the world of Hama.

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Phew – the last of the Hama – all at up to 50% off – packs of Hama beads and single white peg boards. Lots to choose from.

PLEASE NOTE, NONE OF THE HAMA WILL BE RESTOCKED SO YOU WILL NEED TO BE QUICK IF YOU WANT TO GRAB A BARGAIN.

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ORGANIC BABY SLEEPSUITS/ROMPERS from Green Baby reduced to half price. Available in star pattern in navy or purple, veggie print or bright stripes.

Also in farmprint design, again in organic cotton.

These are really soft, wash very well and are a wonderful new baby pressie.

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Organic cotton outfit – trousers and shirt in farmprint design, reduced to £8.99.

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Footed trousers - these are like tights for boys and are fab in the winter as you don’t need socks! Reduced to £5.24

Georgina Downs suffered from many years of unexplained illnesses after her parents moved their young family to a new and healthy live in the countryside.

After becoming so ill that she was hospitalised, Georgina began investigating what her local farmers were spraying in the fields next to her house and discovered that there are potentially lethal gaps in the legislation that is supposed to protect those living in rural areas.

You can find out more about her campaign and ways you can help on her website – http://pesticidescampaign.co.uk/

Organic Gardening with Rocket Gardens

Not as mad as it sounds – check out http://landshare.channel4.com/.

Over 38000 people have already signed up to this innovative scheme putting land owners in touch with those who want to grow their own food but don’t have the space.

It works a bit like a dating site – you post up your listing- whether it is some underused land available or a family looking for space to grow organic vegetables, others reply and you get chatting to see if you can meet each others needs.

There is also an active forum where you can ask gardening related questions and a blog keeping you up to date with green events.

If this tempts you to grow your own organic vegetables, then take a look at our range of instant organic vegetable gardens from Rocket Gardens.

We are delighted to have been asked to particiapate in the Team Green launch in Exeter this month.  Held at Northern Hay Gardens, the all day event will promote green and sustainable living in Devon.

Team Green is all about showing the world in 2012 just how green we are as a country.  The idea is to show that Britain was genuinely leading the world in the race against climate change?

This will only be possible if we ALL start making changes NOW – lots of little changes now will make a huge difference and Team Green will help thousands of us to work together as one big team, inspiring each other, learning from each other and supporting one and another.

Come along to Northernhay Gardens for a day full of fun and view our range of cloth nappies, reusable bags, slings and organic cotton baby clothes.

You can find out more at http://www.teamgreenbritain.org/GreenBritainDay