Hey diddle diddle, it’s that time of year! World Nursery Rhyme Week is finally near! From November 11th to the 15th, get set— There’s fun and learning you won’t forget!
🎉 What’s the Buzz About? 🎉 Nursery rhymes aren’t just a sing-song delight, They’re the building blocks for kids, that’s right! Phonics, counting, spelling—oh my! These rhymes help little minds soar high. From “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes,” To the “Wheels on the Bus,” anything goes!
🌟 Join the Rhyme A Day Challenge! 🌟 Five rhymes, five days—such a treat! With songs and games that can’t be beat. Twinkl’sgot you covered, from crafts to play, Download your resources and brighten your day! Make puppets for “Hickory Dickory Dock,” Or sing along and watch the clock tick-tock. You can create, explore, and even pretend, With Twinkl’s ideas, the fun never ends!
✨ Why Nursery Rhymes? ✨ Not just for toddlers—they’re for everyone, From parents to teachers, let’s join the fun! Kids learn while singing, dancing, and playing, It’s magic in action, there’s no delaying! Language and numbers come to life, Nursery rhymes cut through learning strife.
So, how will you celebrate? Don’t miss a beat— With Twinkl’s resources, your week’s complete! 🎨
Hey there, adventurous parents and young explorers! Today, we’re diving into the fascinating world of the Gobi Desert. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to wander through this unique landscape, buckle up because we’re about to embark on a journey of discovery!
It’s diorama time at school for grade 3, and everyone is off-creating their own dioramas. My little boy chose the Gobi Desert for his project, but the possibilities are endless for your diorama.
You might decide to explore the lush, vibrant ecosystems of a rainforest, the vast, open grasslands of the savanna, or another unique desert environment from around the world, like the Sahara or the Mojave. Each habitat offers its own fascinating plants, animals, and landscapes, allowing you to tailor your project to whatever environment captures your imagination the most. It doesn’t feel that long ago that my girls were doing this same project. Thanks to a homework project, it has sparked an interest in the habitat of the Gobi Desert.
What is the Gobi Desert? The Gobi Desert is a vast, arid region in Asia, covering parts of northern and northwestern China, and southern Mongolia. It’s renowned for its extreme temperatures, from scorching hot summers to freezing winters, making it a challenging yet captivating environment to explore.
Plants and Animals of the Gobi Desert
Plants: Despite its harsh conditions, the Gobi Desert is home to resilient plant life such as saxaul trees, which have deep roots to find underground water, and various types of grasses and shrubs adapted to sparse rainfall.
Animals: Some of the most iconic inhabitants include the Bactrian camel, known for its ability to survive on sparse vegetation and store fat in its hump for energy; the Gobi bear, a rare and endangered species adapted to cold desert conditions; and the jerboa, a small hopping rodent that has adapted to the desert’s sandy terrain.
Soil and Geography The Gobi Desert features a vast expanse of gravel plains, rocky mountains, and sand dunes. Its soil is often sandy and nutrient-poor, contributing to the challenging conditions for plant growth.
Additional Resources and Activities For more fun and learning about the Gobi Desert, check out these resources:
Gobi Desert Colouring Page: Get creative with a Gobi Desert-themed colouring page. Twinkl have all sorts of fabulous resources to add to your diorama.
Creating Your Gobi Desert Diorama
Now, let’s bring the Gobi Desert to life with a fun and creative 3D diorama!
Materials Needed:
Shoebox or any small box as your diorama base
Sand or craft sand for the desert floor
Small pebbles or rocks
Artificial plants like desert grasses
Plastic animal figurines (camels, bears, jerboas)
Paint and brushes (optional, for coloring the backdrop)
Glue, scissors, and tape
I found images of animals and plants from the Gobi Dessert and cut them out to stick into the diorama. On the back we listed what is in the diorama and suggested for people to see if they can find them.
Steps to Create:
Create your backdrop: We used the Gobi Desert Colouring page from Twinkl to give our diorama a nice sense of place. It allowed all the animals and plants to look at home in the Gobi Desert habitat.
Prepare the Base: Line the inside of your shoebox with sand to create the desert floor. Add small pebbles and rocks to mimic the rocky terrain.
Add Vegetation: Place your artificial plants strategically around the diorama. Saxaul trees can be represented with small twigs or painted craft sticks.
Include Animals: Position your animal figurines in their natural habitats. The Bactrian camel might be wandering across the sand, while a Gobi bear rests near a rocky outcrop.
Decorate: Use paint to create a backdrop for your diorama if desired. You can paint distant mountains or a clear blue sky to enhance the desert atmosphere.
Final Touches: Once everything is in place, secure all items with glue or tape to ensure they stay put.
Let the Adventure Begin! Voila! Your Gobi Desert diorama is ready to amaze and inspire. Take a moment to admire your creation and imagine the stories that unfold in this harsh yet beautiful desert landscape.
Whether you’re a parent guiding your child through this project or a young explorer eager to learn more about the world, creating dioramas like this is a fantastic way to blend education with creativity.
Explore more desert environments like the Sahara or the Australian Outback with Twinkl’s desert resources, or venture into lush rainforests and expansive savannahs for more exciting diorama ideas!
Ready for your next adventure? Share your diorama creations with us in the comments below!
P.S. Need more ideas on building dioramas? Check out Twinkl’s tips!
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March 2nd is a day bursting with joy and imagination—it’s Dr. Seuss Day!
We’re celebrating the birthday of the one and only Theodore Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, whose whimsical tales and colourful characters have enchanted readers for generations.
Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!
🎉📚 Oh, hooray, hooray, it’s Dr. Seuss Day today! A day filled with whimsy, laughter, and play. So gather ’round, dear friends, come one, come all, Let’s celebrate Seuss, the greatest of all!
With rhymes that dance and colours that pop, Dr. Seuss’s stories never do stop! From Horton’s big ears to the Grinch’s small heart, His characters leap off the page, each one a work of art.
Oh, how I adore his fantastical tales, They spark imagination that never fails. From the Cat in the Hat causing chaos anew, To the Lorax who speaks for the trees, it’s true!
But it’s not just the stories that make me cheer, It’s Seuss’s spirit, so bold and sincere. He taught us to dream and to think beyond measure, To stand up for what’s right, to treasure each treasure.
His artwork, oh my, it’s a feast for the eyes, With colours so vibrant, they light up the skies. His style was unique, ahead of its time, A true visionary, his work truly sublime.
So let’s raise a toast to the man of the hour, Whose legacy grows with each passing flower. On this Dr. Seuss Day, let’s read and let’s play, And honour the genius of Seuss in every way!
So grab a book, anyone will do, And let’s celebrate Seuss, oh the places we’ll go! Happy Dr. Seuss Day, to one and to all, Let’s make this day Seuss-tastic, big and small! 🎈📖
Twinkl’s Truffula Treasure Trove: Explore Dr. Seuss Spectaculars:
Dr. Seuss’s creativity and whimsy are truly inspiring. Embracing his style can add a touch of magic to any endeavour. Whether it’s writing rhymes, crafting colourful characters, or simply thinking outside the box, channelling your inner Seuss can infuse your work with joy and imagination.
So let your creativity soar like a Sneetch with a star, and remember, “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose!”
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Tomorrow my little boy starts grade one and then the next day my twin girls start grade eight, yep they are growing up fast.
The last two years have been up and down with lockdowns and schools mandating learning from home. I do hope that schools stay open and that kids will have an unbroken school year. Not only is it a struggle when kids are learning from home, it is a huge strain to help kids learn while you are also working full time.
Getting ready for back to school
My children do much better when they are at school for face to face lessons. I am also not cut out for homeschooling anyone. Although last year the kids had four months learning from home, the twins got awards from school and glowing report cards. Even the youngest got awards too.
It is sad to say goodbye to the holidays and will be back to the weekly schedule yet again. There are a few things I do like when school returns, the quiet time during the day that will finally allow me to think and get a few things done. I also love the fact that all kids will be with friends, learn new things and grow.
One other good thing about kids going back to school is that they will be so tired and sleep well. Yep, too much info and to do, so mentally and physically exhausted. A win win for mummy!
The youngest is super excited to be entering stage one, now grade one. He is keen to see his mates but not keen to go to school. He told me that he wants to stay home and play with mummy. I do hope that he changes his mind and has a good day tomorrow.
The thirteen year olds were not that keen to go back but it has grown on them. They have a good group of fiends and are keen to see them again at school (although they have been hanging out during he holidays). The girls also have been lucky to get their first choices for their starter electives and are excited to experience these subjects and get a taste of what high school is really like.
The girls also have some good mates that are starting grade seven as well and I hope that they welcome them warmly to the new school and help them feel at home. When the twins started high school some of the kids that they were friendly with were not very nice at all, due to the twins being the older kids in their year they are the same age as some kids in the year above but now they are a year apart the kids in the year above didn’t want to be friends. Which of course upset my girls no end.
So as the girls know how it feels, I hope they don’t do the same to their mates that are the year below them.
As long as the schools can stay open and we don’t have homeschooling it will be a better year than the last two.
Are your kids looking forward to going back or starting school?
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I don’t know about you but I have been struggling with working full time and kids doing homeschooling.
It basically has been a complete mess and a disaster in our house. For me the reason is clear, 2 kids are the same age and at the same level and 1 is not. The 1 who is not is the person who wants to play, have fun, not do school work or in fact anything he is supposed to do.
We are all keeping busy at home, what about you?
This means that the 2 kids that have work to do cannot do their work due to interruptions, tantrums and very bad behaviour. When this does occur I end up leaving my work to sort it out to then have to calm this child down and distract him from his sisters. However, this never lasts and there are many back and forth disasters that have to get sorted and then the kid in question wants you to stay with him and play. I would love to do this but I cannot due to the fact I need to work and get things done too.
We are approaching the end of the 9th week of lockdown…yes we have been in lockdown for 9 weeks! And have more to come.
It is not just homeschooling that I am having issues with, it is the fact that all kids are eating everything in sight (as soon as something is purchased it is gone in seconds, I kid you not!), not tidying up and arguing when they make a mess. It is a struggle and an argument to get them to anything you ask. Maybe this is their age or could it be lockdown is causing naughty behaviour? Please let me know. I do think it is an age thing as this was happening well before lockdown.
Today the NSW, Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced the back to school plan. I personally don’t think it will happen with the rate of infections but it does look like more and more are getting the vaccine so maybe this will let us reopen sooner. I do worry that if we open up people will go crazy and socialise and then we will be in lockdown yet again.
According to the ABC Website, this is what is going to happen or at least planned:
“A staggered return to face-to-face learning will begin on Monday, October 25. Students will return in the following order:
October 25: Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 12 (some Year 12 students have already returned to classrooms in a limited way, but they will be back full-time from this date)
November 1: Year 2, 6 and 11
November 8: Year 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9 and 10
Currently, all of NSW is in lockdown. If stay-at-home orders are lifted in any part of the state before October 25, students will return to school then too.”
Kids don’t have to be vaccinated but it is encouraged and today the government has added kids from 12-15 years of age have been added to the vaccine rollout. However, even with this update, I cannot book my 12-year-old kids in anywhere. The booking systems are not accepting kids this age and the doctors haven’t been updated on the change, when I rang they said to try next week. Although if you have an underlying health condition that would change the eligibility for booking a child from 12-15 years in for a covid vaccination.
Although some reports online have said by the end of the year all kids in this age group should be vaccinated. Let’s hope that is correct.
Teachers need to be all vaccinated and masks are compulsory for teachers and from what I have seen a requirement for high school and recommended for primary school kids too.
I watch other social media updates from other parents and see their picture-perfect kids that have magically done every last piece of work that was assigned to them from school. It makes me wonder if my kids have done everything they need to do, and then I think of the craziness that is my house at the moment and the answer is NO, they have done as much as they can and probably not everything.
It would be nice to post these types of posts but maybe this is not my family. It could be possible that there were a few arguments behind the picture-perfect posts too that I have no idea of.
My kids have been cooking and helping around the house, helping with their baby brother and just trying to not go insane with the fact we cannot go anywhere. Our only solace is that we live in a very large LGA (Local Government Area/Council) and we can take refuge in some lovely bush walks.
So I am counting down the weeks left of lockdown and we have 5 more weeks, so that will total 11 weeks, and I don’t believe that will be the end of it.
I am sure we will be in lockdown until all the kids go back to school, possibly another 2 more months till November.
Do you believe NSW will be out of lockdown at the end of September? Do you think kids will go back as the government has outlined today? Also, when do you really think kids from 12 years onwards will be able to be vaccinated.
Once kids from 12 years on can get the jab, will they be giving it to younger kids? My little boy will then be the only one not vaccinated and he is under the age to get the jab at the moment.
Being at home with everyone constantly is very stressful and I for one am keen for it all to end. I hope you are feeling okay if you are in lockdown too.
Take care and if you wish to chat about this please send me an email.
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Today is the end of the first week of the twins being at full-time face to face lessons at school.
I must say that this week was calmer than we have had lately, the last two or so months have been rather an organised crazy chaos at my house…maybe I should take the word organised out as that sums it up more aptly.
As per my previous posts, I am not a teacher, and homeschooling is not my bag at all! (see the 60’s slang is embedding itself into my being..this is due to watching millions Scooby Doo’s – yes, the four-year-old is now obsessed with Scooby Doo!)
I think the kids have been happy to return to the classroom, finally see all their friends and the most essential item that has been obtained this week is the year six hoodie jumper…yes my year six kids have been dying to get this precious hoodie and were super happy when this Monday they were presented with their jumpers that had their names printed alongside the rest of the year six class of 2020.
I have finally been able to have some peace in my own house.
The ability to think and to do nothing or something.
To write, to watch a tv show and just have some much-needed me-time.
It has been rather nice to have some part of normalcy return to our world, even though we are still on restrictions. Places are opening up slowly and this is great, however, I urge you all to still follow social distancing, wash hands regularly, and make sure to not go to places where large groups gather.
I am worried about complacency as we have not beaten the virus, we’ve just not got it and made sure that others don’t catch it. Currently, there is no cure, although some have recovered, there have been many deaths and more around the world.
As long as we all stay vigilant and keep doing what we are all doing I am sure we will be able to open up more of the country, employ more people and have a healthier economy in the next few months.
I’m sure that many mums have breathed a sigh of relief that school is back or if not 100% where you are it is slowly happening. It really has been a struggle to work, homeschool, and do things that are needed at home while looking after all three kids! Just a disaster from my perspective.
I am glad that we have all listened to the powers that be in Australia and have stayed home, if we didn’t we would not be opening things up right now and possibly have many more months of being in lockdown. It is due to everyone doing the right thing that we are now in this position to finally go to have a meal out, get a coffee, have kids back at school, and to finally have libraries and more open next week.
One question that I have been asking the twins, “Do you have any homework to do?” They answer NO and that stage 3 doesn’t get homework! As a parent that has done two months of homeschooling, I know that they probably have work they need to do or to practice.
I think I need to ask the kids teachers if there is any work they need to be doing…. as I am not getting any answers out of my children.
Have you been relieved that your kids are finally back at school? If they are not yet back, when will they be back at full-time lessons?
I know many schools in the UK and USA are not going back in the short term and some have said that they will not be going back for the rest of the year. If you are indeed in this situation, how are you coping?
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Today is officially the last day kids in New South Wales are learning from home. The twins watched their carefully crafted morning breakfast show that the teachers create every morning, however this time it had guest hosts – two students telling us what is on the agenda for work today and that it is the last day of being at home. All children go back to face to face learning full time starting next week on the 25th of May, 2020.(Putting the date in here for historical reference)
Kids homeschooling due to COVID-19
I’m grateful that our response to the virus has been good and we have low to no infections, so that is a good sign. With restrictions easing and schools opening we are very lucky, many schools in America are set to be closed for the rest of the yearand kids are going to be learning from home for the remainder of 2020.
Insert a HUGE Happy dance and ENORMOUS SQUEALS OF DELIGHT from every parent here.
Juggling work, kids, learning from home and keeping an active four-year-old entertained has been super difficult to impossible.
We’ve had arguments, fights, tears and just defiance to do any work. Work that has been completed seems to be more of the fun stuff; art, drawing and the creative components to worksheets. Some maths and other work has been finished but with a lot of arguments and mummy explaining for the billionth time that the work needs to be done. To achieve final completion for a lot of the work I had to sit with both children and help them out, this meant that I could not do what I needed to do and arguments for who I was helping and telling the other child they need to just wait.
Geez if I had $1 for every time I tell some to wait I would a wealthy woman.
Here are my thoughts of day 1 and we are now coming up to 2 months of being at home. I did think we would be still homeschooling for the rest of term 2 and come back face to face in term 3 so this is a good thing. I just hope that there are no outbreaks of coronavirus and everyone stays healthy.
The school still has restrictions, there will be no excursions or incursions, no volunteers, no visitors, no drinking at the bubblers, no assembles and kids told that they need to wash their hands and understand if they are sick not to come to school.
My wonderful girls doing their online learning at home – They are learning about tsunamis
Day 1 of schooling from home 24th March 2020
I’m doing our bit to keep us and the community safe.
It is only day 1 of having all 3 kids at home and to put it mildly it was horrible and more like a nightmare conspiracy against mummy.
Mainly the youngest has been horrible and is acting like he is tired still. He has been hitting out, having tantrums, crying and just being awful. I have spent the majority of my day dealing with arguments, incidents, making sure the little one stays away from the bigger kids to allow them to do their schoolwork and all the fallout.
I’ve been ready for a lie-down and a G and T from about 12 pm or earlier actually. I am keen to have a nice drink later and as I am writing this the kids are having a bath, then dinner and then bed – they are going to bed and there will be no arguments…bed is happening soon for all 3. Do you hear that they really, really need to go to bed!
This said, we have done some work on Mathletics, art, and drew a pagoda from scratch. I even added to the theme of Pagodas by watching some educational videos on YouTube. Now the kids want to make their own pagodas out of clay but one kid didn’t seal the bag of the clay and therefore our supply is rock hard.
The kids have had some outdoor time on the trampoline and helping their brother search for bugs and insects.
My little boy did do some drawing and art and practised writing his name. The rest of the day he has been collecting his cars, playing and making our day interesting. Yes, interesting is a nice way to say challenging and difficult.
I’m not sure that I can handle weeks or even months of this.
I do know that schools and daycare are still open but with work drying up for us, and limited funds having a kid in childcare wasn’t helping us financially. Plus with the fact that they said that if we could have kids at home we should, our stance was if the twins were home so should our youngest as well.
How are you all faring with being at home teaching the kids? I for one am feeling exhausted and over it already and it is only day 1.
Day 66 – The Final Day of Learning at Home!
Today is the 22nd of May 2020. It is now the last day of the twins learning from home.
It has been fraught with mixed emotions. We embraced the changes and did as we were instructed by the school to help the kids continue with their studies, however dealing with two strong-willed children who don’t want to do work is exhausting. Maybe they should have just gone back to school you say, well this was my thought after day 1 but we fought the urge. It was actually hubby that fought it, I could have easily dropped off the twins at school and been happy with that decision.
I was over it all as I seemed to be the only parent making sure they were working on tasks they should be, worried about assignments due. Hubby and the kids kept on telling me they had plenty of time and then the day before it was due the assignment was done in a rush…and were accompanied by screaming, yelling and attacks at me about “Why am I not helping them do their work!”
Geez!!! If you hadn’t left it to the last minute and done a bit a day it would be done and not rushed, I kept on saying!
The teachers went above and beyond to get online content ready in Google Classroom for all the kids. It was very well done and in a short space of time. I also thought it was very easy to navigate and to find what work you are working on and then submit it to the teachers. This ease of use seemed to be lost as the kids decided to not click on all the work that was assigned and do other tasks. I then ask them what are you working on to get told nothing or something that is not school work.
I have now taken to logging on as the twins to see what school work is due and has been assigned, I print out all needed worksheets, run through the tasks with both kids and get them to work on items that are due soon. I then check on them to make sure they are doing what they should be doing and if they need any help.
We are a little behind in some work but for my own sanity, I have concentrated on reading, writing, and maths as the main areas. We have worked on some other things that have been assigned, I am hoping that next week the teachers will assist my kids to catch up if they are indeed behind.
I know I will not miss the crazy that has become our normal due to homeschooling and having all kids at home, and not to mention trying to find some magical free hours that are uninterrupted to get some work done. I’m looking forward to the girls going back to face to face lessons and for their learning to get back to normal.
It has been nice to sleep in a little, not be in a rush to get anywhere, not have to do lunches (although I still do but not packed ones), and not have to do the school drop off and pick up. This has been one of the more relaxing parts of learning from home.
I’ve told the kids that we are living through a huge event in history, a global pandemic and the last one was in 1918. The older kids understand the history and what has been happening but the four-year-old is not understanding why we have been at home, and he has only recently started back at pre-kinder.
We will look back on this time and be amazed at how we survived, adapted and stayed together to be safe and well.
Although there were many good times I have been hanging for the world to return to normal or at least somewhat normal. I live in a small house, and this means if kids and hubby are home I have no space to do things for me.
The kids have taken over the living room for their school work and when Alexander is here I need to keep him busy, it has only been this week and last that he started back at care, so today is a reprieve for me to allow me to do a few items of work, and help the twins out with any needed school work.
Doing some creative arts at home
Here is a sample day for us while kids are learning from home:
Kids and everyone gets up and have breakfast.
Drop Alexander off at care, if not at care, I look after him which means he wants to play with his sisters and his sisters decide to play with him instead of doing schoolwork.
I ask what they need to work on after they watch the Good morning show from the teachers.
They say not much or don’t respond (yes I am invisible and they don’t answer even if I am next to them) so I log on to see what assignments and work is due.
I then print out about 5-6 items that are not done or complete.
Kids work on one task, then take about million trips to the loo and to the kitchen to get a snack or drink.
Ask if the work they started is complete and the answer is either nothing or NO.
Go in to see if they need help, they have a fit at me as they can do it on their own, I then mention that they have other work to do and give them another 30mins to finish the task they have already had hours working on.
More trips to the bathroom and then the realization that it is now recess and they need to have a break. Why do they need a break when they have had one every 5 mins!
Break Again? I tell them to get back to work and finish their tasks.
They have recess and play on the trampoline for what feels like hours to then come in and do the same with other tasks they don’t complete and then more arguments and negotiations about what they are doing and when it will be finished.
What! It is lunch now??? Again they need food and of course outdoor time. No work is happening again. Finally, they are back at their desk and doing something, I sit with them to ensure that something gets done and they argue about how it is all too hard and they don’t understand.
Now they claim they need to go to the bathroom again and are incredibly thirsty and need a drink or else they might die.
Many trips back and forth to the kitchen, bathroom and then work desk, but not a lot of work is happening.
The kids are worse than cats, in and out of the house, at least I don’t have to open doors for them.
The kids now finally notice it is the end of school time so they bugger off to the garden to spend the rest of the day on the trampoline.
I’m not sure what work has been done or finished and really don’t believe any work has been done at all!
There were many failed attempts to get kids back in the house to complete schoolwork, but it was a giant relief that the house is finally quiet, mummy has a headache and needs to finally do one piece of work that she has been trying to do all day!
Mummy is over it all and wants the kids to just do their job. Why is this such a hard ask????
I have finally got my desk back as the kids like using my computer for Minecraft and some of their Google Classwork.
I have looked at many other parents social media during the last two months, and it seems many kids have really enjoyed the remote learning from the school, they got stuck in and just did the work. Pictures that were posted showed kids in the school uniform, kids looking happy and of course many boasting about how their child is loving this time and getting all their work done in record time. I was like this as a kid, without wearing the school uniform at home.
When I was younger I did correspondence for three months while I lived on a boat travelling the islands of Queensland. I got my school work done in a few days and then swam and played for the rest of the week. I was told that if I didn’t do my work I couldn’t go swimming and as a kid who lived and breathed the beach and the sea this was a deal-breaker, so I did my school work.
It saddened me that my children didn’t share this drive and idea to get things all done to allow them to do more fun things. I even signed them up to some free stem coding classes and thought that this would be great, Tynker can also help you program things for Minecraft too. See I’m working with their interest in Minecraft.
Maybe my kids just need to be at school for the routine and discipline of their teachers? Maybe being at school just helps get them into the right mindset?
Working hard at their schoolwork – I had to coax a smile out of one of them, the other one decided she didn’t want to cooperate
As I write this the girls are quietly working away on their classwork, there are still many outstanding tasks but my aim today is to see if we can finish everything that is due. Or at least come close.
Maybe it has taken us two months to just get into the swing of things….although the kids have decided they had to have an early lunch, maybe this will mean that they will do more without another lunch break?
One thing that the kids have done more of is to help around the house and to do more cooking. They have cooked us all dinner a few nights a week and have refined their cake baking skills. Have you been baking more? I think it is a natural consequence of being at home more especially when cafes and restaurants were closed.
It is also the last day of being together at home so I want to take them out for a hot chocolate or something to celebrate and to mark the occasion.
You know how I said they were quietly working away, well that is no more after all of me showing everyone what to do and where the work was people are claiming they don’t know what to do and where the work is!
Geeez… another day spent supervising kids with their school work, I’m just grateful this is the last day of this struggle here.
How have you found the time at home with the kids? Did they enjoy learning from home or did they struggle?
My girls have said that they prefer school to learning from home, so it is going to be nice for them to go back to where they are better suited. I was a bit worried that they might prefer elements of working from home and it could be a hard transition back. However, with the twins saying they don’t really like remote learning I think the transition will be okay and nothing to be worried about.
Also, mummy and daddy are super keen for the house to be peaceful and for us to have our time again.
What are you looking forward to when school goes back full-time next week?
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It is good to see that restrictions are slowly being lifted.
The twins did a full day at school today. Both kids finally had face to face lessons for the first time in about six weeks.
Admittedly it doesn’t feel like it has been a few months it feels like much longer.
As Robbie Buck on ABC 702 Radio, this morning said, “Parents normally come back from a six week holiday and manage to pack lunches and get sorted for school, however, this six week period feels like twelve years!”
Yes, Robbie, I agree it really does feel longer than a few short months, and 12 years is about right!
This Friday it is expected that there will be more restrictions lifted, from Friday they say we can have a gathering of ten people and also with ten people can go to a cafe or restaurant together.
One thing that I have thought about. All this time not going out and then finally able to go to the cafe, finally be with more than two people. Be in the outdoors with no one moving you on, be at a park, and be legally allowed to be there.
Taking the kids to school felt weird today and picking them up even more so. We didn’t go into the school and dropped them at the kiss and drop place outside the school, and when I picked them up I stayed outside and practiced social distancing like we were told to do. Yes, many parents were there but 1.5mtres apart, it wasn’t very sociable but it is a great start.
Even though we were supposed to be there, I felt naughty.
I am sure when I finally get the chance to be in a pub or a cafe I will still feel the same.
I will be sipping a cappuccino and relaxing and then someone leans over and says I am not allowed to be doing what I am doing. Yes, the fear of doing the wrong thing is going to happen. It has been a while and I haven’t been to a cafe for a meal since February or early March…see it has been too long I cannot remember exactly.
“You are naughty and cannot do that!”
For the last few weeks I have seen more people and traffic on the roads, and what looks like tourists but I cannot be sure if I am correct that they are tourists….although it looked like they were.
On picking up the twins from school I saw two tourists in the middle of the street taking pictures of the stunning leaves and trees with the autumn colours. This happens regularly and many tourists block people picking up kids and others in their houses when they try and leave. Interesting that the area is bringing in more people now with a few restrictions that have already been lifted.
I just hope that these people are not infectious or haven’t come into contact with something that is and gives our area a spike in infections.
I really want this to end and to enjoy the outside world again.
I really want to have our lives go back to normal or the new normal post-COVID-19.
To have the ability to earn, to travel, and to live again with my family.
Have you noticed things are changing around your area? Have you seen more people and traffic?
Are you like me and will be feeling that you are being naughty when you are able to go to a cafe?
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If they are a few years away from entering big school or otherwise known as primary you might want to expose them to some concepts to give them a better start.
My little boy Alexander is still three but in a few short months will be four, and next year is his last year in childcare. Childcare runs a preschool program and he’s learning so much more each day.
How is he so close to going to Big School? Mind you he is keen to go to school like his big sisters, however the same year he starts Kindy the twins will be starting high school…yes I will have kids at two different stages!
I’ve partnered with Get Ready for School Australia to share their great resources to help your little people get school ready. Read on to find the 15% discount…yes what a helpful thing to have!
Bark is keen to learn with Get Ready for School Australia too! Alexander loves his new kit too!
“The Get Ready for School Australia program focuses on playful and meaningful learning activities that build a love of learning in your child – in the familiar surroundings of your own home. And they need little or no preparation.”
I have a super great discount for my readers, you can get 15% off!
Enter the following code: Alexander15
Benefits of Get Ready for School Australia
Builds confidence
Helps parents with everything they need to help their child get school ready
Spend quality time with mum/dad learning
Have fun learning with everyday items that you have at home
The Get Ready for School Australia is personalised for your child and follows the school curriculum
Alexander is still learning to write. He loves colouring in and holding pens, pencils, and textas, he is also figuring out what hand he wants to write with. Currently, he is favouring his left hand.
I read to Alex every night and he likes to read me the story from the pictures in the book. It is very interesting hearing his view of the story, however, sometimes it doesn’t match the book at all and is hilarious!
Stay tuned for more posts and videos about our progress with the Get Ready for School Australia kit. Get one for your little one that is about to start Kindy soon, they make sure to personalise the pack for your little one.
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I cannot believe it is nearly November. Yep, the year has nearly ended. It will soon be Christmas and New Year and then our little boy’s birthday.
It is all happening with super speed. Although the world and the days seem to be magically whisking by I am slowly plodding along. Why do you ask? Well, I have indeed gotten sick yet again.
Sick seems to be the constant battle of mums, and indeed me this year.
I now have a cold or possibly the flu! My body hurts and at times throbbing. My head is sore and so is my throat.
Constantly tired and wishing that I could stay in bed. Sleep and rest seem all hard to obtain with a busy house and three kids.
It would be so wonderful to just rest and for others to get everything done. To be able to sleep in and to not be disturbed would be fabulous too!
I’m zapped of energy, needing sleep and just unwell.
Cold and flu tablets don’t seem to be helping. Maybe more sleep will help?
Do you find that due to being the mum you are always ill?
Do you get whatever the kids bring home from school or childcare? I know I do.
If you are indeed sick like me I hope that you are getting some much-needed rest and family are helping.
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Last Friday the 12th of October was HUGE! Actually massive.
The twins went to another cub camp and to get them where I needed to drive about 3 hours….Yes, you read that right, 3 hours.
The girls ready for camp
Let’s just hope that 3-hour drive is it not like the 3-hour tour in Gilligan’s Island.
Gilligan didn’t have GPS and I do so there is a vast difference and therefore the chances of getting lost are rather slim.
However, sometimes my stupid GPS decides to direct me to streets that it shouldn’t and does cause confusion. Read on to have a HUGE giggle at my epic fail.
I do have an idea of where we are going and hubby has camped at this site as a scout when he was younger. Due to prior knowledge of the area I have been told that it is easy to miss the turn-off and if I do, I will need to go around again and this can be painful!
So we need to keep our eyes peeled. I really don’t want to miss the entry to this place and have to go around the highway and roads again for another go.
I’ve already survived the twins packing for camp and all the silly behaviour that came with it. Their bags are in the boot of my car ready for our huge journey to the campsite.
Not only do I need to take two kids to camp on a long car trip, but I also have to pick up Alexander as I will not be able to pick him up tonight due to being hours away. So the girl’s little brother will join us all in our adventure to the campsite.
I have learnt one thing from a previous camp, I must feed them dinner. The girls last camp I assumed that they would get fed dinner, however, this didn’t happen. The organisers did feed them supper (snack) but it wasn’t dinner.
On our way, we will stop off to ensure that all kids are fully fed and happy before they will be finally dropped at the campsite for two days of fun.
I have to pack a bag of drinks and food for Alexander so that if he wants anything all is sorted.
I’m hoping that Alexander doesn’t scream all the way home as has happened before. I hope that daycare has tired him out and the adventure of the long trip will keep him busy.
EPIC FAIL: Remember I mentioned I would be fine as I had GPS to help me find the way. Well this didn’t happen. In fact Google actually directed me to a street that is no where near the camp and managed to do this twice. Yes, I know how silly to be directed to the wrong place once but twice! The second time around it made it sound like we were actually going somewhere different, then low and behold I ended up in the same stupid street that is not where I needed to be at all.
It was not just me that did this, there was another man taking his kids to the camp and he did the same thing I did, but to his benefit he only did it once. I did yell a bit and say a few choice words but was rather concerned as the kids and I were super early and due to not knowing how to correct this navitagion failure I was worried I would be very late now.
This other dad and I looked at the map he had, one mum that was already at the camp called me and helped me out over the phone. Due to this extra help or brains trust, the kids and I and the other family managed to find the campsite and where we needed to be. I wasn’t that late and in fact only added an extra 20 minutes to my journey and to my amazement there were so many others arriving after us, so that made me feel better.
I must say I might share more in common with Gilligan than I would like to admit.
Last Friday was officially the last day of the school holidays aside from the weekend, as Monday the girls go back to school.
Yep, term 4 starts soon! How cool is this?
Not much will go wrong on Monday morning, right? Totally tired and exhausted kids from a full weekend away and having to get up earlier to go to school. I hope they get up and get organised okay.
Oh, and did I mention that we have had non-stop rain, and it is not stopping this weekend. In fact, it might be really heavy rain on Saturday.
The kids are camping in tents and will get very wet. I am sure that all the nice sorted clothes that went of dry and clean will come back all soaked and covered in mud. I just hope that they manage to put it all in the garbage bags provided so they don’t get everything super wet.
Another massive win is one of the other parents are able to take the twins home, so this saves me dragging Alexander to another 3-hour drive to pick them up on Sunday.
Have you had massive days during the school holidays? What did you get up to that required a HUGE drive with the kids too?
I am looking forward to things going back to normal next week with school returning.
Update: The twins had a wonderful time at camp. They came home very wet with everything in their bags wet and muddy as I expected. It has taken me two days and I think I have finished the washing. Phew…. but I know that there is more to come when I tidy up other rooms and change the sheets for everyone. The washing never lets up.
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I'm beyond tired and really would love to sleep for a month or two.
Tomorrow the twins go back to school. Insert happy dance. Maybe a HUGE boogie-woogie.
Yep, the start of term three is nearly here. I’m so tired due to the last few weeks.
There was always something on and therefore to drive to. If we weren’t driving to places it was days out and fun with other kids and parents too.
I want to sleep like this cat. Wish I could just curl up when I wanted and have a sleep.
Last week had five days out of the house, the week before we had three days out of the house.
Some of the things we did were:
Did Science workshops at Mt Tomah Gardens
Had playdates with some of the kid’s friends
Drove to visit family (they live far away so it took 2.5 hours each way, so 5 hours of driving)
Visited the Way Out West Festival (WOW) and then visited a good friend the same day
Attended the Robogals STEM workshops at New South Wales University
Went swimming and played at an indoor play centre
My plan for the school holidays was to relax and to stay at home more.
I had a vision of just staying in my pj’s and not having to be anywhere or do anything in particular.
One insane thought was to get the house tidier, organised and remove clutter during the holidays. I hear you all laughing at me very loudly and with bad snorting to boot! I, of course, didn’t any tidying done or making the house look more organised.
Nope, it did not happen. I did try and the twins room got a big tidy up, bags of clothes and toys were given away, many other bags ended up in the bin and more room was created. However, this cleaning of one room took two days, required constant supervision and reminding the kids of what they were doing. Oh, the energy really was zapped from my being.
You might think after losing hours of my life in a feral cave of mess that finally managed to be tidy after over 48 hours it would be brilliant now.
Well, I kid you not it is like we never touched it. It is a huge mess yet again.
I’m beyond tired and really would love to sleep for a month or two.
I am so tired, my cells are aching, and my body is throbbing.
I could close my eyes and sleep for a month. I know that school going back is great but more running around will happen.
School drop offs, pick ups, after school activities, getting kids to do homework and more.
Kids get holidays, but mummy rarely does. Actually, I don’t get any holidays! I need one now to recharge from our hectic few weeks.
Did you have relaxing school holidays? I close my eyes and dream a relaxing holiday…possibly Fiji, Europe, Bali, Thailand? Who knows.
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We have to be at the school at 7.45am to ensure that they don’t miss the bus. This means a super early morning for all three kids and mummy.
Last night I helped the kids pack their camp bags. The only thing that we don’t have done is their lunch for day 1 and a sun hat that they will take with them on the bus.
Camp bags are packed. All done and ready for the girl’s first school camp.
I’m pleased that I finally got two bags packed, and we are not doing it the night before!
It was a trying experience.
First, the girl’s room needed to be tidied up. The floor was a huge mess and we couldn’t sort anything out. Picture kids standing on things, clothes and toys and then piling a bag and more on top. How would we know what is coming and what isn’t!
Hours later and much discussion about not mucking around and cleaning up, we were finally done with the cleaning the girl’s room. It wasn’t perfect but just enough to allow us to get organised.
Mummy needed a stiff drink by this stage and some painkillers but had to hang in there until the job was complete.
Now the packing started.
Geez, you would have thought this part would have been easy. No, it wasn’t. I was getting yelled at by the kids about what they have to pack and what they cannot.
One thing that the twins did not want to take was their wet weather jacket. This jacket has a hood and will also keep them warm if they are sitting around a campfire at night time.
Don’t tell them but I have secretly added the jacket in their bags.
They will be thankful as it is going to get cold this week and the kids are camping. What would they do if they needed a jacket, and were stuck without it?
Roasting marshmallows on a campfire. Maybe the kids will do this while camping.
As you might have guessed the twins are so excited to be going away with their mates from school. Three days away having fun, and not doing school work!
The girls heard about how fun it was from their mates last year, and have desperately wanted to go. This camp is only for grade four so therefore as soon as the kids started grade four this year their first thought and comment was, “We can go to camp this year mummy!”
Have your kids gone camping with school? Did they have fun? Was it hell packing before they left? It was a nightmare here but thankful it is all done now… Phew is what I am saying and glad that I have survived this stressful experience.
It will also be a break for mummy having the twins at camp.
No kids to take to school and pick up, and also no after-school activities for the week. What a fab break for me!
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School is back and part of me is still wishing we were on holidays. I am finding that I’m so tired I have to remind myself what day it is so that I don’t sleep in and think it is still the weekend. I personally just want to sleep in and say bugger it and have a day or two off.
Don’t get me wrong…I do love the fact that the kids are at school and I get a break.
However, school term means that after-school activities have started again.
Coordinating everything and getting all kids to where they need to be is a full-time job. Another negative of racing around means that mummy is always exhausted.
This what I would rather be doing. Relaxing and doing nothing in particular. Time out for mummy!
School means that I need to make lunches, drop kids at school and also pick up.
Holidays were good as I didn’t have to be anywhere in a hurry.
I didn’t have to be up at a certain time for school to start or to pick up when school was over.
Holidays also means that there are no extra circular things to take kids too. I can just be home and not go anywhere unless I want to or I suppose need to.
It’s a pity that you cannot combine the good things about the holidays and school term in one.
I know this is a hard ask and really quite impossible but it is a nice idea. Don’t you think so?
I’ve had a very busy school holiday break. Kids were always doing something, friends came over, we visited other friends, the family visited, kids visited family, and we went out as a family.
Now school has gone back I’m still racing around like a mad person for everyone else.
I did hope that with my first day off that I would get a chance to do some long waited for things for me. I even signed up for a webinar for my first kid-free day.
This kid-free day was not to be, I had to take the twins into the city for the first afternoon back at school. No day off for me just yet.
I know I have had 1 true day off and that was great, but I still had to be up at the crack of dawn to organise kids to being at care, so I could be at my function. Still exhausted and drooling over just sitting and do nothing for a while.
However I was lucky to manage to get some nice kid free time while at the Bloggers Brunch last Friday. Although kids did try and make sure they were with me via hurting themselves the night before. They were all good to go to school and care, and I was happy to be able to network and be on my own finally.
Yes, I’m a whinger for saying I haven’t had a break and in fact I have had 1 day off so far, but although that was a day off for me it was not really 100% relaxing. I still had to be up super early to get kids to care to allow me to attend my function, and I still had to pick them up and make and organise dinner for everyone although I was late home.
Do you wish you could have the good things from the holidays while kids still went to school? Am I the only one that is thinking this? Let me know via a comment on this post.
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Since Valentine’s Day is around the corner a Valentine’s Day inspired worksheet is ideal.
Do you love giving your children more worksheets so they can practice and get better at their school work? I know I do!
Did you know that word scramble worksheets help kids with spelling?
Kids have fun solving the scrambled word and have no idea that they are learning at the same time. What a win as a parent!
Education.comis a wonderful resource for educational worksheets to help your children learn.
You can also become an Education.com member and get access to more amazing content to help your kids.
I love that Education.com ties-in times of the year to help kids have fun while they are actually doing work. The free worksheets are based on Valentine’s Day.
The Valentine’s Day Eduction.com downloads are below:
Would you like to have more Valentine’s Day worksheets? If you do there are more. Download and have fun celebrating.
Disclaimer: I was approached by Education.com to share this free worksheet with my readers. I love helping kids learn, and like to share great resources for parents.
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The baby is finally not sick and is in care, and mummy is able to take some time to just be. To sit and have quiet time.
The school holidays were crazy. Well, not all crazy, but some of it was just chaotic.
There were some nice moments of sleeping in, not having to be anywhere and staying at home, plus spending some nice time with the kids was good.
There always seemed to be something happening. One kid fighting, one kid hurt or hurting the other and then the arguments. Oh my gosh! As the mum of three kids, it seemed that no matter what was going on it was hard to keep up. I was constantly exhausted.
Do you find this? Trying to entertain kids at all times is difficult. Once you think everyone is happy and playing it then all changes and you are back to sorting out a disaster.
A disaster could just be someone throwing out a drawing or not playing the game they want to play. Simple things but huge dramas to a little kid.
During the holidays the twins flew to Coffs Harbour to see their grandparents. The girls were unaccompanied minors and they got on a plane all by themselves. This was a huge step and a great thing to foster their independence.
This was one of the weeks that I was really looking forward to. While the kids were away I thought that the baby would be in care, and I would get so much done.
Fast forward to the actual week that the twins flew to visit the grandparents and of course Alexander was ill. Yes, this was the week that my little boy was very sick.
No child care, he had to have mummy and now the week that I so desperately was excited about was not great. My time alone was non-existent.
I did feel like it was a horrible conspiracy. No, you can’t have time to yourself….. ever! Yes, I know that the baby did not plan to be sick and these things just happen.
However, why do they happen on the week that the older kids were not going to be home? Why couldn’t this have happened the weeks before the girls flew to visit their grandparents?
How did you fare during the school holidays? Did you have fun? Did you get driven crazy by the kids?
Now that school is finally back I hope that you are having a well-deserved rest.
If you are busy at work you might need to wait for that rest, but I’m sure work is a change from looking after kids during the school holidays.
I’m happy about school going back but I miss sleeping in, and not having to be anywhere important was nice while it lasted.
Doing your own thing was good, and I must say that I’m not really in back to school mode just yet.
How are you doing now that school has gone back?
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School goes back for my twins at the end of January. Part of me is excited that they will be starting a new year of learning, and part of me is realising that time is flying.
The girls starting school last year. I’m sure they will be this excited this year.
There is also another part of me that likes the fact that they will be at school so that mummy might be able to get a few things done….. I know many parents do rejoice when school goes back so I might not be the only one doing a happy dance.
Although with school going back the routine returns. Lunches have to be made, bags packed, school uniforms washed and folded, kids dropped and picked up from school, and then after school activities return and therefore means that I need to take everyone to the required place for the required amount of time.
School holidays do tend to wear me out, but I do love the fact that you can just stay home and do nothing. You don’t have to be anywhere and no one needs a lunch box to stay home.
This was the twins last day of pre-school. They were super excited to be going to Kindy. Now they are in grade four, how time flies.
Soon the girls will be done with their primary education and move on to high school.
Not only have I been a little down about the fact that they are growing up so quickly, I have been thinking about all the items that I need to organise for the kids before they get to their first day of term 1 this year.
Are your kids starting school this year? If they are I bet they are very excited.
What do you need for the first day of school?
Depending on what year you are in you have different things to bring to school. Your school gives you a breakdown of all items that you need to for your child.
If you have attended Kindy Orientation the year before, you would have received an info pack. In the info pack you get told all about the school, bell times, teachers, where rooms are, snow and bushfire policies (Yes our school has both snow & a bushfire policy), what the kids need for their first day and so much more.
COST SAVING TIPS:
TIP 1: Look at the uniform and see how you can cut costs. If the school wears a single colour polo shirt, this same top an be purchased cheaply at Target, BigW or Kmart. If the school has a crest on their shirts buy a few of these and get the rest in the plain colour. This way your child has the fancy one for school functions, photos and excursions.
TIP 2: The same is for other items, like shorts, skorts (a cross between a skirt and shorts) and so on. I purchased skorts for the twins for $8 at BigW and from the school, they are $30 each. Shopping around for school uniform items is a good idea. Oh, and if your kids are like mine and love wearing shorts, buy the boys shorts and you will save a bundle. Who cares if they are boys or girls shorts. It really doesn’t matter.
TIP 3: If your child is at the stage you need to purchase stationery and other supplies for school, it is a good idea to see what you already have at home. I’m sure that you might already have textas, pencils, sharpener, pencil case and more already. This will save you a bit of money at the shops.
For Kindy kids, the following is basically all you need:
Full uniform, school shoes, hat (wide-brimmed is ideal), sunblock, spare clothes if needed (In case of an accident. Pack undies, socks, pants, skirt or skort in a plastic bag).
Bag or backpack that is not too big for your child. Something that they can carry without any help.
Lunch box packed with a yummy lunch. Give the kids some snacks, finger food, a sandwich and a treat here and there. If your school has a canteen or possibly a tuck shop maybe put a $2 coin in their lunch box so they might get a treat once a week.
Water Bottle
Smock for creative tasks like painting.
Jumper & rain jacket in case the weather changes. If your weather is like mine it can change without notice. You don’t want your little one to be at school and freezing.
Make sure to label everything. Kids lose so many things and you want to be able to claim your item in the lost property box.
Library Bag ( I made one for the twins so that it is different from the other kids. This way it is easily recognised as theirs)
If you are concerned that you have not packed or supplied what is needed, it is always a good idea to check with your child’s teacher.
NOTE: Normally you have a two-week window to get everything organised for the start of the school year. This gives you ample time to source all items.
Download my FREE Guide to Make a Book Bag
There are many ways to add your names to items. You can write them on the items with pen or texta, or get actual labels.
Labels can be for clothes, bags, books and more.
One website that we have used and love is called, Stuck On You.We liked that the labels are unique to each child, and were so fast to arrive.
Just google labels for kids and you get so many choices that I’m sure you will find something that suits your needs.
The above list for Kindy kids was fine until my girls got to third grade. Once we reached this level in primary school we needed to provide more for the kids.
Each grade gets sent a list via the school newsletter and it is also available for purchase from the local newsagency.
If your school uses SkoolBag (SkoolBag is an app the school uses for all communication, some school use it) then you can download the equipment list from there.
What the twins need for grade four:
2 x 30 cm ruler, clearly labelled with centimetre and millimetre markings (no metal or floppy rulers, please)
Scissors
Highlighters – at least two different colours
2 glue sticks – 35g
8 lead pencils, HB.
Sharpener with container
2 rubbers for lead pencils
Coloured pencils
Gel pens and textas are optional
Pencil case large enough to hold the above items (1 pencil case only, please!)
Library bag
4 plastic document wallets A4
2 x 0.4 or 0.5 fine point black pens for map work, labelling and artwork
Large sheet of cardboard for Art folder
3 x Lined A4 exercise books for homework/classwork
2 x Boxes of tissues (this helps the classroom if each kid contributes)
1 x packet whiteboard markers
USB 4-6GB
Drink bottle with water only for drinking during class
Please remember a hat each day
For example, grade five will be getting extras like pens as they will have their pen licence (yes this is a thing!), extra workbooks, cardboard for folders and also a calculator for maths.
This should give you a good idea of what to pack for your child who is starting school this year.
One of the things I do dread is packing the kids lunches, the dread is fuelled by the fact that the twins are so fussy that it is hard to know what to pack.
I want to give the twins something that I know that they will eat, but also try to expose them to new and yummy foods.
Did you know that you can put in tasty, yummy and healthy snacks that will make your job as the chief lunch packer easier.
A simple lunch box.
There is a place called School Snack Box and they can send you a box of snacks that you don’t need to think about.
All you need to do is to pick how many snacks you wish to add to your child’s lunch box and then order the box that is right for you. You can choose from a box with 22 snacks for $40/month, with $15 shipping fee. Or you can get 44 snacks for $80/month and also with an extra $15 shipping fee.
This is a great option if you wish to have different snacks delivered each month. Add something different to the lunch box each day.
Starting big school is a major milestone. I hope your child has a great time.
It’s a massive step when kids start Kindy. You will be emotional even if you have told yourself it won’t happen.
Let it happen and it is all normal. Trust me, I was happy and still crying.
If you are able to help out at the school, do it. It’s so amazing to see your child thrive and be more confident in their new school.
I volunteered to help with reading when the twins were younger and will do so for Alexander as well when he starts school.
Good luck with term one. I hope your kids have a great time and you do as well.
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The below post was written near the end of the Easter School holidays this year. Now we are in the winter school holidays and I am not sure that it will be much different. What about you?
Or have you been driven mental by the kids constant demands? Maybe you have found it difficult to keep kids occupied and busy while they are off school?
I don’t know about you, but I have a hate love relationship with school holidays. Yes, I know this term is usually written as a love hate relationship, but I think my way expresses more of how I feel.
The holidays are nearly over. Maybe I should be awarded a medal for survival or at the very least managing to keep people happy.
Would this award ceremony have others that have survived too? It could become a thing for parents that have lasted through countless trips to the shops, playground, park, and the millionth time watching your child’s favourite film.
Playing in parks is always a favourite thing for my kids to do. It allows them to run wild, explore and to just burn off energy that is not able to be done inside.
So what have we been up to these school holidays?
Went to the movies to see Batman LEGO Movie, Boss Baby, and Beauty and the Beast.
Spent time at parks.
Went to indoor play centres.
Watched countless movies at home.
Cooked.
Played with friends kids.
Had playdates.
Did craft.
Read books.
Went to the Easter Show.
Tried to sleep in… this really has not happened but the attempts have been made.
Also there have been many meltdowns, tantrums, and fights over the school holidays.
Kids have not been doing as they are told. Not listening to me and being downright rude and naughty.
I am actually craving some alone time.
Time that does not have yelling kids, noise or anything that might annoy me.
Time that will allow me to finally get a few things done rather than bits of everything and never get a chance to get back to it.
Don’t get me wrong, I do love the fact that holidays allow you to not be anywhere if you don’t want to.
So what do I love about school holidays?
Able to stay in your PJ’s all day.
Don’t have to make any plans.
Don’t have to pack lunches everyday.
Spending time with my lovely kids.
Seeing fun films that normally are just for kids, but since you have kids with you it is fully acceptable to watch these fun films.
Fun days out with the kids and hubby.
Things I don’t like or hate about school holidays:
No alone time.
Constantly on the go.
Never a chance to get something done for me.
Kids arguing and fighting. Although this happens when it is not school holidays, the fights seem to be amplified during holidays.
This is what it has been like when the kids have been naughty. Oh the joys of the holidays.
Wednesday the kids go back to school and Friday the baby will be in care. He is usually in care on Tuesday’s as well but this week it is a public holiday so we are all on holiday still.
I am looking forward to Friday. It will be a day that I can have some quiet time. Alone time. Time just for me. Kids will be in school, the baby will be at care, and hubby will be at work. I will be able to focus on some much needed tasks that I wish to get done.
Although I have a list of things that I wish to get completed, I most likely will be just sitting down and loving the peace and quiet of being in the house all by myself.
What do you look forward to after kids go back to school? Maybe you have not had a break due to working as well as trying to entertain kids during the school holidays.
Some plans for me:
Get my hair done
Have a hot bath and not be interrupted
Spend some time working on my blog
Catch up on some television
Finally get stuck into my screenwriting course that I have not had the chance to do
Get some exercise
And so much more
Let us know how you coped these school holidays and what you are looking forward to do once the kids are back at school?
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