PARENTHOOD: How to Support your Childs Gross Motor Skills Outdoors

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Gross motor skills are those that require your whole body to move, as well as the use of the larger muscles in our bodies to perform everyday activities including walking, standing, running and jumping. Hand-eye coordination is also a big part of our gross motor skills, which enable us to complete activities such as throw, catch, kick, ride a bike and swim. Supporting your child's gross motor skill development is really important as it allows them to do everyday activities, like climbing and walking, but also self-care skills like getting dressed, getting out of bed or climbing into a car. We use our gross motor skills almost constantly throughout the day, so ensuring children develop them successfully from a young age sets them up with skills for life. 

CHILDREN: Why Playing Outside Is So Important

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The great big outdoors...a place for learning, exploring and adventuring for all ages, but why is embracing it so important for our children? Anyone who has children will know how hard it can be to keep them entertained; they seemingly constantly need stimulus or focus and making the most of outdoor play is the perfect way to take a step back from technology. Technology is a big part of all of our lives nowadays, there's no escaping it; whether you're watching television, playing computer games, browsing social media, taking photographs or learning via apps it creeps into our day to day life with worrying ease sometimes.

AUTUMN: 5 Child-Friendly Outdoor Blackboard Activities

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Autumn is that time of year that can be quite awkward when you become a parent. One day it will be raining, then the next it will be blue skies and bright sunshine. Personally, I love the cooler weather and it is the perfect time for us to get outside as a family. Our garden probably gets more use in the autumn months than the summer to be honest, but whatever the weather Isabella and Poppy love exploring outdoors. Autumn is such a generous season when it comes to 'gifts from nature' with the colourful leaves, conkers, sticks, apples etc. There are so many different activities you can do with children outdoors that cost almost nothing, by simply using what nature provides. 

OUTDOOR LEARNING: 10 Number & Counting Activities for Pre-School Children

I honestly can't believe that Isabella is now three years old and classed as a 'pre-schooler' rather than a 'toddler' - where has the time gone? Since turning three her level of interest in the world and learning as much as possible has noticeably increased, as we are greeted with around 10485943 questions a day. It always fascinates me quite how quickly children learn new things; they're like sponges at this age. Due to this it makes it the ideal age to start introducing key life skills, such as counting and phonics. I'm not talking sitting down and working through workbooks for hours on end, but more exploring the world with a slight twist.