From the category archives:

Babies

Wordless Wednesday – Sand and Water

August 29, 2012 Babies

I don’t think the attraction ever fades. Playing in dirt – the original open-ended multi-age game.

Cold and Flu Season

May 25, 2012 Babies

What I have right now is not the flu. I’m just miserable with a snotty nose, sore throat and cough. Plus not sleeping. I had the flu once, I remember crawling to the bathroom because I couldn’t walk and shivering at the bottom of a scalding shower. But in Australia at the moment, ’tis the season [...]

The Saga of the Stained Glass Jelly

May 24, 2012 Activities

This is one of those great ideas that turned into … something. Part painting, part experiment, part playing with food, part mess making, part problem solving, part colour mixing – that’s a lot of parts. It all started when I saw some kids at school fingerpainting with jelly. That would make great stained glass, I thought. [...]

Palmar, Power, Precision, and Prints – Hands and fingers for all ages

May 3, 2012 Activities

Hands are one of the things that have made humans so successful, you could call them fundamental to what we are. But they aren’t unique or specialised. In fact it’s pretty much the opposite – every primate and lots of other little brown animals have hands. Horses’ hooves are specialised. We have been successful by [...]

Greening My Home

April 20, 2012 Babies

On Tuesday I posted about ways to save energy at home with practical tips. Today I thought I’d look at our home and make some public commitments of things I can realistically change. The house is fairly well designed – it was a pre-airconditioning house for the desert so is up on stilts with all bedrooms [...]

Things to do Right Now to Save Money and Energy in Your Home

April 17, 2012 Babies

I have an addictive new app from Science Alert, which brings the latest science research in Australasia right to my phone. I’m sure you can guess why I like it. The other day it had this study from Wendy Miller at Queensland University of Technology showing that green homes use 80% less energy. Living in the [...]

Toy Answers

April 15, 2012 Babies

What do you know about the things your little one is playing with? Close your eyes and click for the questions. 1. In spite of all the lovely pastel things in shops and our desire to smother our delicate little newborns in pale colours, they can’t really see them properly. They see contrast [...]

Quiz – The Toy Edition

April 10, 2012 Babies

Getting back to the roots of this blog, looking at the things little ones love. What is the best sort of mobile for newborns? How do spinning tops work? Ancient toys have been found in India and Rome, what types of toys are they? Have you ever successfully got one of those cars on race [...]

Wordless Wednesday – All Grown Up (ducks)

March 14, 2012 Babies

I haven’t updated since my ducklings hatched, but they are all grown up now. We can’t even tell who had the caesarean. They are Indian Runner ducks but I don’t know how pure they are, they are certainly pretty as they waddle around the yard. For anyone interested in genetics they seem to have silver [...]

Singing in the Rain

March 2, 2012 Activities

It’s raining again here. And raining, and raining. So I’m updating a post from over two years ago when I was starting out – it’s still fun today. Firstly – get out there! Before you go, get some towels and nice warm clothes ready and some soup or hot chocolate that can be easily heated. [...]