8 tips for homeschooling - plus a free timetable printable

As we enter another lockdown and homeschooling is on the agenda for many families once again, it's important to be as prepared and organised as you can be to make the transition as smooth as possible. 

Hopefully these 8 tips will help to make being in charge of your child's education that little bit easier.

Although learning from home allows some flexibility, it's a wise idea to have a clear written schedule available that you and the children can see. Not only will this provide structure for your day, similar to school, it prevents you getting sidetracked. Try to stick to the school's timetable as closely as you can, including taking regular breaks - I've created a free template at the bottom of this post that you can download/print to assist.

The Children's Book Tour Continues (PLUS Your Chance To Win)

I always encourage reading, whether it's a fun bedtime story, the latest book from the school library or a magazine as it really is so beneficial to the Mini Mes. Minxy is really enjoying the David Walliams collection at the moment whereas Jamster is captivated by the adventures in the Beast Quest series. There are so many great authors to explore and with great deals available on websites like The Book People and Red House it's definitely worth building up your own bookcase for at home.

An Unmissable Children's Book Tour (Plus Your Chance To Win)

Reading is a great way to inspire little imaginations, educate and have fun as a family. Snuggling up and sharing a story before bed is a routine that many parents enjoy with their children each night and one that I experienced as a child too. The Mini Mes still ask me to read to them from time to time and I'm more than happy to pick up a book and put on some funny voices for the characters!

Scottish Friendly Children's Book Tour (organised by Scottish Book Trust) takes the very best UK and international authors directly into schools across Scotland and the UK to inspire a love of reading, writing and illustration. Last year the book tour travelled from as north as the Highlands to as far south as Brighton, encouraging children to pick up a book instead of technology.

The Funny Things Kids Say and Do - Holiday Havoc

Every now and then our little ones wake up feeling unwell so we keep them off school until they are better and ready to return to their classmates. Jamster had a day off recently. He came into my room as soon as he woke and looked incredibly pale, complained of a headache and was a bit emotional; a sure sign he isn't great. I told him to head back to bed and that I would make sure his teacher was aware that he wouldn't be in.

The following day he was back to his cheerful self so I was happy for him to go in which was exactly what he did. I assumed that would be the end of the matter but apparently it wasn't! The day after returning to school when I dropped him off at the cloakroom the teaching assistant was there...

Christmas Gift Giveaway - Day 12

My Christmas Gift Giveaway is back! 30 days, 30+ fantastic prizes.

Just a little way to thank all of my followers this year.

WIN a Selection of Children's Books

Self Confidence and Embarrassing Parents

It seems as though the older the Mini Mes get the less cringe worthy things they say and the more embarrassing I become as a parent. Apparently. I've recently been told that I'm not allowed a kiss goodbye at school anymore because;

Innocent Alphabet Champions - X is for...

I'm a big fan of innocent as a brand. Not only are their smoothies and veg pots really delicious and convenient when on the go, but they make sneaking in a couple of those well needed 5 a day a doddle, especially when it comes to the kids! They use plenty of fruit in their drinks so they are bursting with flavour and they even make tubes which are 100% puree and juice that are ideal for lunch boxes. I couldn't really ask for more, especially with them currently being half price in many supermarkets too. We certainly took advantage of the offer recently.

The best education apps to help your child develop

With technology advancing at a rapid rate you can now find a host of educational apps that will help your child learn and develop. From puzzles and games to clever teacher/parent communication tools there are plenty to choose from, but which applications are the best?

Here are five apps that you simply must download:

Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss 

Education should be fun, so why not download the Green Eggs and Ham app by Dr. Seuss and teach your child how to read in a lively, colourful and interesting way? A quirky, interactive e-book with plenty of animation, this app highlights words as the narrator reads, giving kids the chance to understand and learn new vocabulary. Youngsters can also record their own narration and click on objects to discover a word or sound.

Have our views on waiting for marriage changed?

Years ago the norm was very much that a man would court a woman, ask her to marry him, they'd get married, they'd live together. That’s the way it went. 

Now, our views on marriage have certainly changed and so many of us are having casual relationships and living together way before marriage, or perhaps not even getting married at all. We’re meeting partners in different ways, through online dating websites, and going on multiple dates, with several different people, before we meet our perfect match.

There are still plenty of people out there who wait for marriage before consummating their relationship (3% of people in the USA) but with so many of us living free and independent lifestyles, it's no wonder that bleeds into our relationships too.

In the 1950s more people waited for marriage but not as many as you might think. 11% of people in the USA waited for marriage back then. That figure has dropped dramatically in recent years. Most of

How You Can Get The Most Out Of Childcare - Guest Post

I like to think I have a fair bit of experience when it comes to childcare. My mum became a childminder when I was nine years old. I did my first lot of work experience in a nursery school, and then went on to work in two different nurseries following my graduation from uni.

But when it came to putting my own son into childcare, I found the whole thing a little bit daunting. Despite my experience, how would I know if I’d found the right place for my son? As it turns out we made a pretty bad judgement call! Imagine that – all this experience and we still made a mistake! The worst part was, I was working as the PA to an Early Years’ Consultant, so I should have known better. It wasn’t so much that I was unaware of the issues, but rather I lost the courage and conviction to follow my own instincts. 

That all changed when, after around 6 months, our son’s childminder announced to us that she could no longer look after him because “he just cries the whole time, and clings to me when we’re out, and it’s stressing me out too much. I don’t want you to think I’m being unprofessional...”

The Early Years Foundation Stage Explained

It is now believed that introducing children to education and learning from the age of two can give them a fantastic head-start in their school career. To that end, the Department of Education recently published a set of guidelines which schools must follow in order to give every child in England and Wales the same opportunities for pre-school development. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is a set of legally binding guidelines relating to the welfare and learning of children between the age of two and five. 

What is the EYFS? 

The EYFS is a national curriculum for pre-school education. Registered Early Years providers and schools must follow this curriculum in its entirety, and compliance is checked annually by OFSTED visits. Children are assessed on a number of competencies between the ages of two and three, and again just before they start full-time school. Assessments take the form of observations only, and the

The Funny Things Kids Say And Do - School's Out For Summer

I'm always proud of the Mini Mes and their achievements, as I'm sure most parents are with their own children, but when I get their reports and read how well they are doing at school it always makes me grin ear to ear with pride. I said to them both how pleased I was after reading the latest edition and they requested a visit to the ice cream parlour as an end of year treat... which I happily agreed to (yum)!


Jamster always goes to school very cheerfully and he has lots of friends. I know he likes to giggle and talks a lot too the cheeky chappy. His teacher points out that he loves art because of the mess - spot on, he loves playing in mud and getting grubby at home in the garden.

Preparing for School - The Uniform Edition

As the summer holidays approach many of us will be thinking of days at the beach, playing in the garden and picnics at the park but it's important to be prepared for September, whether your children are returning to school or starting for the first time. Being organised early enables you to enjoy the break without worrying last minute about purchasing shoes and blazers, when the size and style you require could be out of stock. 

Our school uniform guide should help you to remember everything you need!

Polo Tops and Shirts

Some schools prefer one or the other so ensure you order the correct style and in the necessary colour. If you opt for shirts then it might be wise to get a few long and short sleeved versions, or even

Girls And Education: Why Education For Girls Is So Important

We all know that education is one of the most important factors in improving the life chances of children. But for many around the world access to education is limited or non-existent, and often this is based on factors such as family wealth, whether they live in urban or rural areas, their ethnicity and their gender. 

Sadly, when it comes to girls and education the statistics are worrying to say the least. Worldwide 1 in 5 girls are denied an education. In Africa as a whole about 43% of girls are in lower secondary education, and in certain countries and regions these numbers are much worse. 

What many people don’t realise is that educating girls has an enormous impact on more than the individual. If a girl is educated, even just to primary school level, it has stunning implications for their

ParkPups *Review and Giveaway*

ParkPups is a series of children's stories and songs, created and written by Jane Marlow, which come to life online at ParkPups.com. It's a great way to introduce your little ones to the internet in a fun yet educational way and we have really enjoyed using the website over the past few weeks!

Inspired by Jane's walks in a local park she decided to write the stories based around her own pet BooBoo and the other dogs she met on her travels. There is even a park area on the website where you can learn about all of the other ParkPups; Daphne, Frazzle, Zola, Mr Patou and Masher. 

We received free access to the three eBooks; BooBoo's Boat Trip, Frazzle's Favourite Number and 'M' is for Masher and some goodies in the post to enjoy also. These are great for building number confidence, introducing the alphabet and learning about different methods of transport. The language is perfect for early readers but the option for audio online is great for those that are still learning.

The website, which is bright and really attractive to capture the attention of pre-schoolers, is simple to navigate and Jamster liked to visit via my iPad where everything was then touch screen for him.

The books and website help to develop literacy and creativity skills and there are regular competitions too which is a nice bonus and encourages children to get involved. Jamster, being slightly older than the age group the site is aimed at, was able to use the website completely unaided and he liked the games in particular.

Areas include:

 Music room
Park
Gallery
Games room
Post room
Art studio
Kitchen
BooBoo's blog

I think having the navigation buttons for the different areas as images rather than words is perfect for giving toddlers  a little independence online - a great idea!

We were able to download the books or read them from our online bookshelf  but there are also hard copy books and CD's complete with Audio books to purchase.

You can follow ParkPups on Twitter or Facebook too for more information.

*** WIN ***

ParkPups have kindly provide 10 prizes to giveaway! The first being an eBook bundle plus a t-shirt, CD, crayons and figurine for the first name drawn and then 9 eBook Bundles for the remaining winners.
To enter please answer the question below:

What’s the name of the ParkPups’ park? 

Email your answer with subject line 'The Mini Mes and Me Comp' to Pups@parkpups.com 

Entries must be received no later than midday 31st January 2014

Good luck!

Will you be visiting ParkPups.com?

*We received some ParkPups goodies in return for this review and giveaway. The opinions given are honest and our own*

WIN a 2-in-1 Globe #ChristmasGiftGiveaway

November seems to have flown by and as we reach the final day of the month our Christmas Gift Giveaway comes to an end. 

Today we have two 2-in-1 Globes (Earth and Constellations) up for grabs - an educational night light!

Awarded a 'Commended' Medal in the 2013 Toy Shop UK Independent Toy Awards, this 2 in 1 globe has a different view for day and night!

- 22.8cm 

- Scale 1:55,900,000

- Includes natural features, capitals and cities in the day

- Includes key stars and constellations when illuminated at night

- Socket for optional power adaptor is included

*** WIN ***

For your chance to win 1 of 2 2-in-1 globes you can enter via the Rafflecopter entry form below.

The giveaway closes on 10th December 2013.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Make sure you enter the previous competitions and return tomorrow for our next #ChristmasGiftGiveaway!

You can find out more information here: 

http://www.theminimesandme.com/2013/10/christmas-gift-giveaway-2013.html

The Cost of Going Back to School

Kitting the kids out for school over the summer can be an expensive ordeal and quite often by half term things need replacing so you can find yourself forking out money yet again!

 I'm lucky that so far nothing is broken, ripped or missing, and therefore I don't need to purchase new stationery or uniform, but some extra costs have popped up already since the beginning of the school year.










Minxy will soon be going swimming - she will need a swimming bag, new costume and cap to wear.
Jamster will soon be doing outdoor activities - he will need jogging bottoms to replace his shorts.
Minxy is playing the cello again and any damage could cost me up to £400, hopefully she will take good care of it as she normally does, although accidents do happen!
Jamster is getting more and more homework and could do with a tablet or laptop for his research.


Although we don't pay for education all of these little thing still add up and no doubt they will both have a growth spurt just after Christmas and school shoes plus plimsolls will need buying! I also have the cost of school trips and cake baking this Friday, which could be classed as optional, but I don't want the Mini Mes to miss out so it's just another expense that needs paying. There is a lot of pressure on parents to provide and although I don't personally struggle financially there are families that do.

BrightHouse surveyed over 3000 parents with children of Primary, Secondary and College age to see how much they spent on going back to school. You can view the interactive animation with all off the findings here:

http://www.brighthouse.co.uk/cost-of-back-to-school/.

As children get older it would appear that it generally costs more for them to go to school with the average spend on a primary aged child being £140, on a secondary aged child being £250 and a college aged child being £325.

How do you feel about the costs of going to school?


*In collaboration with BrightHouse*

Twinkl Resources *Review*

Learning through play is a great way for children to develop without being tied to a desk and Twinkl have a large range of learning resources, some of which are free, that you can download and print from the comfort of your own home! We took a peek at their Winter category, which was ideal with all of the recent snow, to see what they had available.

There are items that are perfect for child minders and teachers plus parents too that will help children to learn while having fun. You can create beautiful wall displays, monitor good behaviour and enjoy a variety of activities. 

We decided to print off some colouring sheets, playdough mats and recipe cards to give a go. The website was very easy to navigate and downloading was easy too.

I opted for black and white prints but there are colour versions available too and the finished results are great quality. I laminated the playdough sheets as advised to prevent the dough sticking to the paper and these worked really well. 

I also laminated the recipe cards and clipped them together. The biscuits turned out really nicely and were very easy to make with simple to follow instructions. They are a good idea for keeping the kids busy when it's cold outside as are the colouring sheets which help to build fine motor skills.

There is a parent section on the website which is really useful as it provides some handy guides on how to help your child read and learn, certificates to print and signs you can put up around the home to help with spellings. 

A lot of the resources are free but if you want access to around 10,000 resources you can subscribe for just £29.99 per year which I feel is a really good value. There are also a few apps from Twinkl including flash cards and the new colouring app which you can get for the iphone here: https://itunes.apple.com/app/id578188119

I was really impressed by Twinkl and will be using it for themed activities in the future. There are some lovey ideas for pre-schoolers and school aged children and I found the website very inspiring.

*We received a subscription to Twinkle for the purpose of this review. The opinions given are honest and our own*

Plan - sponsor a child and make a difference

If you are looking at helping others more or donating to a charity this year Plan UK may be the perfect option for you.

You can find out a little more on Plan UK and how your support will help:

If you wish to sponsor a child or find out more information on Plan, you can head over to their website.

http://www.plan-uk.org/sponsor-a-child/