Guest post: 9 Best Eco-Friendly Books for Children

There are not that many books for children, which would regard the topic of environmental threats and can help with bringing up an ecological conscience within them. However, there are still some and this article is going to tell about these eco-friendly books.

Trash Revolution. Breaking the Waste Cycle written by Erica Fyvie

Have you ever wondered what happens to the trash that we throw away daily? Where does the garbage truck go and what happens to the chocolate wrapper after you throw it in the bin? More often than not, we simply throw away unnecessary things, thereby polluting the surrounding nature more and more.

How We`re F***ing Up Our Planet written by Tony Juniper

What impact do we have on the planet and what challenges will we face shortly? How to use the latest technology to save the planet from disasters? How to provide the planet’s population with water? How to increase literacy in third world countries? How to meet the increasing demand for food? What to do with uncontrollably sprawling cities? Where to get energy without damaging the earth?

Storia dell` Immondizia [original title] written by Mirco Maselli

Begin your journey through time on the history of garbage! From the Athenian landfill and the Roman Big Cloak, through the stench and plague infection of the Middle Ages, to the smog of the first industrial revolution and mountains of plastic waste in our time. Find out how humanity took care of the planet since the time of the mammoths, what was done with garbage before and why it is important to recycle today’s waste right.

Captain Crankie and Seadog Steve written by Vivian French

Captain Cranky and his dog Steve love to live clean. And their neighbors throw garbage right on the street! Then the captain came up with an excellent plan to collect all the garbage and take it out to sea. But Cranky and Steve did not think about marine life. Another plan urgently needed! Finally, a great idea comes to the sea dog, Steve.

Tidy written by Emily Gravett

The funny, witty and kind story of Bobby Badger who is a lover of cleanliness and order will appeal to both children and adults! The author of the book is Emily Gravett, a talented British artist who not only paints great but also writes great stories.

Norton and Alpha written by Kristyna Litten

One day, Norton the robot collector found something amazing. He had never seen anything like it before. What is it?

Eco-books series written by Katrin Wiehle

Eco-books are the first dictionaries in pictures of natural shades, which are printed on the eco-cardboard with care for nature. Eco-books introduce kids to biotopes and their inhabitants, instill a taste for natural materials. Thanks to the use of an eco-cardboard, 11 trees on this planet were not cut down.

The Blue Whale written by Jenni Desmond

The Blue Whale picture book was created for those who do not like the encyclopedia with their dry set of numbers and facts. It is filled with scientific knowledge, which is presented in the form of a fascinating cognitive bedtime story. Atmospheric illustrations immerse the child in the world of marine giants, and clue details allow him to make a lot of interesting discoveries.

Sofis trade expedition written by Stefan Casta

Do you know what tree the paper on which this book is printed is made of? And what trees make musical instruments and warships, toothpicks and charcoal for drawing, ice cream sticks, and skis?

About the author

Melisa Marzett is an eco-friendly person and loves children very much. She is much of a reader, do crafts, an animal rights activist, a traveler and a citizen of the world who is currently working as a freelance writer writing articles for http://resumeperk.com. As a Gemini, she may be a lot of things.

Guest post by Melisa Marzett

Jibbergiggle game including giveaway

A rainy day in the long school summer holiday and what better way to spend it than trying out our latest free game Jibbergiggle from Gamely. We have had great fun playing their other three games, so we were certainly looking forward to testing this one out too.

Also just like the other three games, Randomise, Soundiculous and The Pretender, it comes in a nice small box, the size of two decks of playing cards. This has always been a plus point for me, as the boys’ possessions seem to be gradually taking over the rest of the house. And I’m even more focussed on minimal packaging this year, so I would add that perhaps they could lose a layer of cellophane to reduce waste. Currently the cards are wrapped in cellophane and then the external box is wrapped again.

Moving onto the game itself, the boys were delighted by the rule of how to choose who plays first, this being the player with the longest tongue. Son1 was voted the winner on this count, but who would become the ultimate Jibbergiggle champion.

Once the rules are mastered, it is fairly simple to play but lots of fun. 9 possible scenario cards are laid out, the player then looks at their nonsense sound card and secretly chooses which scenario they wish to perform. But you have to sit on your hands and only perform the scenario using your sound and facial expressions. For example cast a spell using only the phrase “piggle wiggle”. The other players try to guess, but have to shout Jibbergiggle before making their guess. We had quite a few instances initially where the Jibbergiggle shout was forgotten allowing another player an opportunity.

I do have one question for clarification though. We were playing as a 3 person game and both boys guessed wrongly for one of my scenarios, so they were out of the round. We misinterpreted this as just out of the turn and it was only when I re-read the rules that I realised it should have been out of the round. Doe that mean since I was the only one left, with nobody remaining to guess, that we should have discarded the remaining round 1 cards and moved onto round 2?

And as you can see from the photo below, hands did not remain sat upon for long.

Our game went to a tiebreak between son1 and son2, with me trailing in third place. My reactions just weren’t quick enough.

The rules indicate that it is for 3-8 players and suitable for age 8+, so good for a party. What a lot of fun for a load of nonsense.

Jibbergiggle currently retails at £12.99 on Amazon and John Lewis. Great value in my opinion. I can certainly highly recommend this game.

And I’m hosting a rafflecopter competition to giveaway a Jibbergiggle game to one lucky winner. What a fun prize. Open worldwide.

a Rafflecopter giveaway – Please click on the link to enter.

And you may see my other giveaways here.

I’d love to hear your idea for a new game.

Visit Yet Another Blogging Mummy on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

Disclosure. This post is a review of a product I was sent for free.  All opinions are my own.

STEM Box review and giveaway

It has been a while since we last reviewed a Weekend Box. The boys have had great fun doing the activities from these in the past, but they have now got a bit old for them. However I recently found out that Weekend Box have extended their range to include a STEM box for older children. For those of you don’t know what STEM stands for, it is science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The STEM box sounded right up my boys’ street, as son1 already participates in the YES programme via school. All these acronyms – YES stands for Young Engineers and Scientists. So we were delighted to receive a free STEM Box to review.

Son2 was the lucky one who got to put this box to the test.

So the first part of the fun is opening the box to find out what exciting activities lie within.

Son2 was quick to check out the booklet. He immediately decided that of the three main activities, he wanted to start by making a rocket. Most of the necessary equipment was included in the STEM box, but we would have to provide a plastic bottle. Oh no, there’s a word we didn’t wish to see – plastic! It was son2 who got us started on our journey towards a plastic free future in the first place. I haven’t bought any drinks in plastic bottles at all this year. However I had a rummage in the kitchen cupboard and found a suitable apple drink hiding at the back.

So son2 did all the crafting to make his rocket indoors before we headed out into the garden for the scientific action. Add warm water and the effervescent tablets, pop the lid on, give the bottle a shake and put upside down in a mug. Then wait for the rocket to launch.

We didn’t manage to capture a photo of the rocket launching.

The other two main activities in our STEM box are making a kite and pinwheels, as this box is on the topic of things that fly. Son2 plans to do those next weekend. Plus the booklet is also packed with plenty of bonus activities on the same theme. There are facts, jokes, puzzles and instructions for making two types of paper planes along with an experiment evaluation table and a “touch down” certificate. And there is even a door hanger to colour on the inside of the box. So lots more fun to be had.

When I had a browse round the Weekend Box website, I was pleased to see that everything contained in a box is either reusable or recyclable and that 95% of each box contents comes from recycled material. So if they are so committed to the environment and sustainability, why ask us to provide a single-use plastic bottle? Could something else have been used to make the rocket instead perhaps?

The STEM Box is a new addition to the Weekend Box range, targeted at older children from age 7-12. It currently retails at £8.95 including free delivery, the same price as a Weekend Box. It is sent out monthly and the one difference is that there are 3 activities, rather than 4. Well worth the price in my opinion for all the educational fun.

We have reviewed the Kids Weekend Activity Box a few times previously. You can see the fun we had before, on the following posts, along with an introduction to the principles of Weekend Box.
A mask and a rainforest
Chinese New Year activities
Cooking Potato Boats and making 3D glasses.
Sand Art and making a bird feeder.

If readers of my blog would like to try out any type of Weekend Box, I have an ongoing unique promo code for you to get your first box for free (including free delivery).

The unique promo code is CLAIRE43 and can be redeemed at www.weekendboxclub.com. If you have any difficulties with the code, try signing up with this direct link www.weekendboxclub.com/main/signup?promocode=CLAIRE43

Plus I’m hosting a rafflecopter competition to giveaway a 6 month subscription of STEM Box to one lucky winner. What a fun prize.

a Rafflecopter giveaway – Please click on the link to enter.

And you may see my other giveaways here.

I’d love to hear what STEM or crafting activities you enjoy.

Visit Yet Another Blogging Mummy on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

Disclosure.  This post is a review of a product I was sent for free.  All opinions are my own.

Soundiculous game including giveaway

Time for a family game and once again we have received a free product from Gamely. Having really enjoyed playing their other two games, we were looking forward to some fun.

I was very pleased to see that just like the other two games, Randomise and The Pretender, it comes in a nice small box, the size of two decks of playing cards. Always a plus point for me, as the boys’ possessions seem to be gradually taking over the rest of the house.

The game gets its name Soundiculous from the ridiculous sounds you have to make for the other players to guess. You are only permitted to make sounds, no words, hints or actions. The cards range from easy, through medium to hard, with potential scoring of 1, 2 or 3 points accordingly.

So yes I can happily make the sound of a train, but how am I going to convey the sound of a tractor, to distinguish it from any other vehicle. Luckily you are permitted to nod, if someone makes a close guess. And if you get stuck, you can try associated sounds, although the guessers can end up diving down a false trail, as I found when swapping from bird sounds to oinking for a pigeon.

The rules suggest that it is for 3-10 players and suitable for age 8+, with the aim to get the most points. When someone shouts the correct answer, both of you score but if at least half the guessers give up, your turn ends. So plenty of strategy, regarding whether to opt for easy, medium or hard. We certainly had loads of fun playing this game.

We’re out of shot in this video, to convey how it is the sounds that are key to this game. You’re even supposed to sit on your hands whilst playing, to avoid making gestures.

Soundiculous currently retails at £11.99 on Amazon and John Lewis. Great value in my opinion, especially if you are starting to think about stocking fillers. I highly recommend this game.

And I’m hosting a rafflecopter competition to giveaway a Soundiculous game to one lucky winner. What a fun prize.

a Rafflecopter giveaway – Please click on the link to enter.

And you may see my other giveaways here.

I’d love to hear your idea for a new game.

Visit Yet Another Blogging Mummy on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Instagram

Disclosure. This post is a review of a product I was sent for free.  All opinions are my own.

Pluto the Dwarf Planet

Regular readers of my blog may remember that I recently reviewed the fabulous WonderKid Space Bumper Pack and ran a very popular giveaway for one.

I am delighted to say that Anneka is the lucky winner. She correctly answered the following question.

In 2006 the International Astronomical Union (IAU) decided that Pluto could no longer be classified as a planet. What is Pluto now classified as?

And the answer is that Pluto is now classified as a Dwarf Planet.

And here are some facts provided by WonderKid about Pluto, the Dwarf Planet.

Pluto was considered a planet for 76 years. First discovered in 1930 at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona, the planet is named after the Roman God of the underworld. Wait a minute! Isn’t that Hades? No; Hades was the Greek God of the underworld. The name Pluto was proposed by an eleven year old schoolgirl from Oxford, England called Venetia Burney.

“I think Pluto would be a good name for it.” said the young Venetia at the breakfast table after her grandfather had read out the news of the planet’s discovery from The London Times on 14 March 1930. Venetia was familiar with Greek and Roman mythology and the name was apt as Pluto (the Roman God of the underworld) could make himself invisible and dwelt in a cold dark place where the sunlight did not reach.

The former planet Pluto orbits our Sun far out in an icy region of the Solar System called the Kuiper Belt. In the 1990s scientists began to find many similar sized objects in the Kuiper Belt. Some of the newly discovered objects were even bigger than Pluto. One such object, called Eris, was discovered in 2005. Astronomers had to make a decision on whether all of the newly discovered objects would become planets or whether they would have to create a new, narrower definition of a planet. They went with the latter.

In 2006 the International Astronomical Union (IAU) got together to decide what the definition of a planet should be. The IAU came up with a new three step test for whether an object could be classified as a planet in our Solar System:

1. Does it orbit our Sun?
2. Does it have enough mass to make it (almost) round?
3. Has it removed other small objects from around its orbit? (unlike asteroids)

Only if an object (which is not a satellite to a planet e.g. a moon) meets all three of these criteria can it be called a planet. Unfortunately for Pluto, and its fans, it only passed the first two criteria of the test and was no longer classified as a planet! However, in a way the Solar System became a more interesting place; now there was yet another type of object discovered spinning around the Sun – which astronomers called ‘dwarf planets’!

Source: https://pixabay.com/en/pluto-planet-dwarf-a-dwarf-planet-2201446/

Let me remind you that I have a special offer to share with my readers. 20% off your first WonderKid box when you use the code BLOGGINGMUMMY20 at checkout. The code is valid for the first 10 people who take up the offer and is limited to one per person.

I’d love to hear about your favourite space facts or your ideas for themes to feature in future boxes.

Visit Yet Another Blogging Mummy on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Instagram

Disclosure. This post mentions products I was sent for free. All opinions are my own.

A Visit to Dinosaur World Live

We were delighted to be offered the chance to visit Dinosaur World Live for free, courtesy of Let’s Go with the Children.

We attended this show at G Live in Guildford. There were free stickers for all the children plus a range of dinosaur merchandise available to purchase. Son2 had come prepared with 3 of his cuddly dinosaurs, but he still managed to persuade us to buy another for his menagerie, this time a triceratops.

Leading lady Miranda played by Elizabeth Mary Williams is supported by a team of puppeteers who skilfully control the dinosaurs. These range from small handheld puppets to the huge 10m long T-rex. Miranda draws in the audience right from the start when she places a dinosaur egg at the corner of the stage, asking everyone to call her name if it looks like hatching. Of course there are plenty of false hatching alerts throughout the performance. Miranda weaves her magic, telling us about the dinosaurs she grew up with who have come from a far-off island, introducing each one in turn.

The large triceratops was son1’s favourite whilst the huge T-rex was his Dad’s favourite. We did get to meet baby versions of both of these earlier.

A few children are invited up onto stage to participate in activities like feeding or tickling a dinosaur. It was nice to see that they weren’t all from the front row. We all got the chance to roar. And at the end of the show, there was the opportunity for all children to meet and touch some of the dinosaurs – a large one on stage and 2 small ones in the foyer.

It was a fantastic interactive performance and dinosaurs looked so realistic, that you almost forgot the puppeteers standing there. Miranda had the whole audience mesmerised, even the youngest children were watching in awe.

The audience were actively encouraged to take photographs during the performance, although mine were shared afterwards as I had already discovered before the start that there didn’t seem to be any internet connection in the venue.

Suitable for all ages from 3+ and just under an hour long. Not too scary or loud, although I did notice some small children in front of us wearing headphones. With some lighting effects and smoke.

This show is touring round the country and I do highly recommend that you take your children to see it.

Son2’s favourite part was when the dinosaur egg finally hatched just before the end and then its mum turned up. He loved the tiny voice of the baby as the two communicated together. In fact, the puppeteers all had marvellous ventriloquist skills with different sounds for each species.

And G-Live is a very nice modern venue, with a large tiered auditorium. It does have it’s own carpark, but there were only a few spaces left when we arrived half an hour early, so do allow plenty of time before the performance. It also has its own cafe which we didn’t sample as well as a bar. We checked that drinks could be taken into the show.

I’d love to hear what is your favourite dinosaur. Mine is the brontosaurus.

Visit Yet Another Blogging Mummy on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Instagram

This review also appears on https://letsgowiththechildren.co.uk

Disclosure. This post is a review of a show which we saw for free.  All opinions are my own.

WonderKid subscription boxes and giveaway

When WonderKid approached me and asked if I would like to review one of their kids educational subscription boxes, the boys and I took a look at their website. The current theme was dinosaurs but son2 immediately spotted that the previous box had been on space, which is one of his favourites interests. So we asked if it would be possible to review that one instead.

Son2 kept asking when it would arrive, as it took longer than usual, since WonderKid had to go back to the manufacturer to source the old edition. So he was delighted when we got back from holiday to find not one, but two large boxes waiting next-door for us.

We had been sent both the WonderKid Space Bumper Pack and the WonderKid Junior Space version for free. They were very well packed.

I was very pleased to see that all items included were of high quality including the WonderKid magazine, books, games and activities. The boys have dipped into the contents but all this is going to keep them happy and occupied for many hours.

Son2 shares all the contents with you in this video.

There are two ways to subscribe. You can either pay for just one box or you can subscribe for a year at a discounted rate. Boxes are sent out quarterly. Current pricing is £43.97 per quarter or £34.99 for the junior version for younger children. Please note that pricing does fluctuate in GBP sterling, as it is based in Euros.

The previous editions can still be purchased via the WonderKid website. The WonderKid Space Bumper Pack is currently retailing at £70.88 and is targeted at children age 7-12. Meanwhile the WonderKid Junior Space is currently retailing at £34.99 and is targeted at children age 3-6.

The  mission of WonderKid is to inspire and encourage children to actively explore their curiosity, so that they engage in learning and discovery at an early age. They believe that introducing children to a broad range of ideas and concepts, through science, history, philosophy and literature, allows them to grow and learn as people, and in turn form and cultivate their own ideas, and their intellectual and creative genius; to become WonderKids! And I myself wholeheartedly support this ethos.

Other previous topics have included Dinosaurs, Robots, Ancient Greece, Insects, Bugs and Creepy Crawlies. The next edition will be on Oceans.

We even had 2 packets of Astronaut’s neapolitan ice-cream (one in each box). Not a patch on real ice-cream but still a tasty little treat. Must be very strange having all their food freeze-dried like that.

My boys are having so much fun. This is the best educational kids subscription box I have come across in my opinion. I highly recommend WonderKid.

The only small negative point I have to make is that I couldn’t get any of the FAQ answers to display on their website. Possibly a browser issue, but hopefully something that gets resolved asap.

And I’m hosting a rafflecopter competition to giveaway a WonderKid Space box to one lucky winner. What a fabulous prize. The winner will be able to choose between the Space Bumper pack and the Junior Space pack, according to which is more appropriate to the age of the child who it is intended for.

a Rafflecopter giveaway – Please click on the link to enter.

And you may see my other giveaways here.

Plus I have a special offer to share with my readers. 20% off your first box when you use the code BLOGGINGMUMMY20 at checkout. The code is valid for the first 10 people who take up the offer and is limited to one per person.

I’d love to hear about your ideas for themes to feature in future boxes.

Visit Yet Another Blogging Mummy on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Instagram

Disclosure. This post is a review of products I was sent for free. All opinions are my own.

Who is The Pretender plus giveaway?

We love playing games together as a family, so were delighted to be offered the chance to review a new game The Pretender for free. This is manufactured by Gamely who also came up with Randomise that we reviewed a couple of years ago.

Just like Randomise, this is a nice compact size, which always gets the thumbs up for me. The boys possessions are overflowing the storage space in our house, which is not helped by most games coming in half empty, huge boxes.

This is a game of mini charades, bluffing and suspicion. Basically one player is the Pretender and the aim of the game is for the other players to discover who the Pretender is, whilst the Pretender must fake their way through the game, escaping detection and trying to work out what on earth everyone else is miming!

The rules suggest that it is for 4-6 players and suitable for age 12+, but son2 at a younger age was in his element playing this, even if he didn’t quite know what a word meant. And we found that you definitely do need at least 4 players, 3 wouldn’t really be enough, particularly as we soon twigged  that whoever chose the item number for a round wasn’t the Pretender.

After the charades, come the accusations. I seemed to get accused a lot more times than when I actually was the Pretender, so looks like I need to brush up on my charades skills. Most embarrassingly, when I was miming knitting, as I’m the only one of us who actually knows how to knit. And jaws dropped when at least a couple of times, they thought they had caught me out, but I escaped by successfully identifying the item.

There are 10 items in each category and 36 different categories in total, 2 categories per card so it will continue to feel fresh and new after many games have been played. Scoring is optional, so we didn’t bother.

The Pretender game currently retails at £11.99 on Amazon and John Lewis. Very good value in my opinion for all the fun we had. I can highly recommend this game. We’ve now got our eye out for the other new game from Gamely, which is Soundiculous.

And I’m hosting a rafflecopter competition to giveaway The Pretender game to one lucky winner. What a fun prize.

a Rafflecopter giveaway – Please click on the link to enter.

And you may see my other giveaways here.

I’d love to hear your idea for a new game.

Visit Yet Another Blogging Mummy on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Instagram

Disclosure. This post is a review of a product I was sent for free.  All opinions are my own.

Guest post: Top Tips to Help Your Kids to Sleep Through the Night

Getting kids to sleep at sensible times can be a right chore, my nieces and nephews constantly protest with ‘Oh but one more episode pleeaassee!’ and whilst they do eventually do what they’re told, mornings are another story. How on earth kids can be alert at silly o’clock, I will never know! Although some parents dread bedtime…routine needs to be encouraged to help reduce odd sleeping patterns, so their bodies get the proper rest they need. So, as we enter the time of year where it gets lighter earlier, here are some useful tips to get your little ones sleeping sound at and to a suitable time!

Reduce Activity Before Bed

Photo Credit: Unsplash

It’s common for children to wind down during the evening by watching TV on the sofa or playing on the computer, however this could be what is preventing them from getting some quality shut eye. Melatonin is a hormone which makes you sleepy and less alert, however the blue and white light that gadget screens emit tricks the brain into thinking its day time. Therefore, it is recommended that screens are avoided at least an hour before bedtime. Instead, why not encourage reading? This is a fabulous way to destress little ones and calm them before bed and ensuring they sleep for longer. Yet Another Blogging Mummy has reviewed some great books with her children here if you need inspiration.

Furthermore, if they lay awake at night there are also some things you could be doing to help them become sleepy. For example, place glow in the dark stars on the ceiling for them to count when laying in bed. Much like counting sheep, this should have them sleepy in no time!

Create the Right Sleeping Environment

Photo Credit: Unsplash

If there are too many distractions in a child’s room, this could be another reason why they aren’t able to go back to sleep when they wake in the morning or even get to sleep in the first place. Try to limit the number of things in your little one’s room and take out all technology! This way they will be discouraged from getting out of bed and playing with their toys at night or in the morning.

Routines can also be ‘tweaked’ to help your child adjust to an earlier bedtime, especially when we will be getting lighter evenings with daylight saving happening on 25^th March.  I read a great tip from fellow blogger Vic Welton recently advising you to bring your child’s bedtime routine forward by 10 minutes each day. It’s not a huge difference but will help to gradually get them used to a bedtime where it’s perhaps lighter than they have been used to.

Also, consider comfort. Little ones might not be able to tell you if they are too hot, their room is too bright, or their mattress is uncomfortable. 100% Cotton bedsheets are the best option for keeping cool in summer and when choosing a mattress it is important that children sleep with their spine and bones aligned to reduce fidgeting. Ensure the space is properly dark with appropriate blinds or black out curtains so the sunshine, if we ever get it in England, doesn’t encourage an early riser!

There are many great nightlights which can help to teach your child when it is OK to get up. For example, the Gro Clock has a light up sun emblem which only shows at a pre-set time.

Increase Daytime Activities

Photo Credit: Unsplash

The more daylight your child can take in during the day the better as this will help produce more melatonin throughout the night. Much like cutting screen-time an hour before bedtime, it is recommended that energy drinks and other forms of caffeine should be avoided during the afternoon and evening time. This way your little one might be able to sleep easier and deeper.

Encourage outdoor activities to get them exercising too, maybe a trip to the park or how about a bicycle ride? In Brighton, we have an undercliff where you can walk from the Marina to Ovingdean where you can have a nice cup of tea or an ice cream on a sunny day… definitely an incentive for the little ones! Plus, the sea air has so many health benefits which is great for the whole family.

Sleep is super important for growth and general health for those of all ages, so ensure your little ones are getting that quality shut eye after long day! Do you have any other tips and tricks that could help encourage a good night sleep for kids? Please share in the comments!

Guest post by Nathalie Martin – blogger at http://www.helpimgettingmarried.com

SaveSave

Guest post: How to prevent a mess when crafting with kids

Allowing your kids to do craft work is rewarding in many ways. It keeps them entertained for a long time, it gives them the freedom to express themselves and you get to see how their faces light up and how big their smiles are when they do something interesting.

That being said, we cannot leave out the other important aspect of kids’ crafting – the mess. Crafting is all fun and games until it comes time to clean the aftermath of it. Sure some kids know to be very careful and not make a mess but then crafting loses half of its fun and appeal.

Instead of forbidding your kids to use some crafting supplies because they leave a mess or if you teach them to be super careful when they create their masterpieces what you can do is just prepare for the mess. It’s as simple as that.

If your kids really love crafting there is a number of things that you can do to prepare the space which they will use in a way that it will be easier to clean up. And also, to make sure they use art and craft supplies that can be cleaned – such as paints and markers that are washable.

Here are some ideas about how to prepare the crafting area for a lot of use and for easier cleaning.

1. Set limits and boundaries – limit the craft area to only one room or even better outdoors. If you have an outdoor space – yard, garden, lawn, patio, etc. If it is a good and sunny day set their crafting zone somewhere outside to prevent the mess inside of your home. Just the coffee table, their room or any other room is fine. Limit the mess in as small place as possible for a quick cleaning.

2. Use cling wrap to prevent stains and splashes of paint and markers on your furniture. Put the wrap on the table and whatever mess your kids make will be easier to clean and you will have protected your table. When the craft time is over simply remove the wrap and have your table untouched.

3. Lint roller – this is a great tool to use if your kids love using a lot of glitter, which we all know ends up all over the house. When your kids are done crafting before letting them run around the house use a ling roller to remove all glitter from their clothes or hands and then from the area they have been working at.

4. Old clothes – as we know kids tend to get themselves dirty paint, glue and all other messes can then be found on their clothes. That is why you should find some old shirts and pants and call them their ‘creative costumes’ and only allow them to do crafts when in them so you will not have to worry about not being able to get the watercolour stains off their new clothes.

5. Limit the supplies – give them one or two sets of markers, crayons, pencils and paint. Give them one or two types at a time, or when their paint is finished give them more. This way they will have fewer things around them to make a mess with.

But as a whole, try to not take it too strongly and think only about the mess and the cleaning. Worrying about this will only take the fun out of crafting and enjoying your kids’ crafts.

Crafting is the best way of letting your kids’ minds work creatively and express themselves. It is also very therapeutic and is a great way to keep them entertained for a long time. Just make sure you prepare the crafting area well.

Guest post by Demi Giles

SaveSave