9 Weeks of Educational Gifts: Week 5

This week I wanted to look at not just an experience gift but a potentially life saving gift as well.

Peck Peck Peck: Book Review

Woodpecker learns how to peck from his dad and now he goes forth into the world to...peck anything and everything he can!

9 Weeks of Educational Gifts: Week 4

It's that time of the week again to showcase another educational gift idea! This week I am focusing on an experience gift that could be used for an entire family - or just the kids (if you're the parent/s).

9 Weeks of Educational Gifts: Week 3

This post is also going to focus on some wooden toys (because I love quality and wooden toys do appear to last better and longer...even with destructive toddlers!) that encourage children to interact with the toy.

Ten Cents A Pound: Book Review

I work hard to earn to show you the world beyond the mountains; it's where your future begins.

9 Weeks of Educational Gifts: Week 2

Gifts that encourage the development of fine motor skills, problem solving, and recognition. 

The Girl Who Said Sorry: Book Review

A girl. A confused girl. You encourage me...then warn me...then encourage me...then warn me...I get confused and so I say sorry. Why should I apologise when my actions do not harm anyone else and I'm just being me?

9 Weeks of Educational Gifts: Week 1

LOOKING FOR A GIFT THAT ISN'T JUST A MEANINGLESS PIECE OF PLASTIC THAT GETS LOOKED AT AND FORGOTTEN WITHIN 24 HOURS? HERE'S MY FIRST RECOMMENDATION FOR THE SEASON.

Magic Words: Book Review

In a time in the past...when one language was spoken by human and animal...magic happened.

The Tale Of A Letterbox

What do you get when you have 4 tyres, 5 tins of paint (you have no idea of the colour), and a new letterbox? A piece of functional art!

When Marnie Was There: Movie Review

Anna hates everything about herself. Nothing is right; everything is wrong. She doesn't know who she is, where she is going, or what to do. To find out who she is Anna must first learn what's important in life.

Your Opinion Is Not A Fact

Some might call what I’m about to write an ‘open letter’ but for me this is just something I feel that needs to be said for myself.

The Girl Who Thought In Pictures: Book Review

If you don't quite fit in...and you think a bit differently than the other people around you...Can you still be whatever you want in life?

Book Week 2017: My Winner Predictions

I'm usually wrong but I have to have a go at predicting the winners anyway. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.

Mechanica: Book Review

In the future the animal life has changed...evolved...now mechanica are the creatures that inhabit Earth....for better? or worse?

Gary: Teaching Ideas

In need of activities to go with the book Gary by Leila Rudge?
Look no further!

A Little Bit Of News....Japanese Resources

Chip: Teaching Ideas

Gary: Book Review

Meet Gary.
Gary lives with a bunch of racing pigeons who get to see the world...
So why doesn't he?

Let's Talk About...Puberty...and Sex

Did I get your attention with that headline?
Probably, and now I have the Salt-N-Pepa song stuck in my head!

The Chook Shed Continues....

One Photo: Book Review

Title: One Photo

Author: Phil Watkins

ISBN: 9780670077977

Classification: Fiction
Themes: loss, memories, family

What's it about?

This story is about a family of three (mother, father and son) but focuses on the father. He takes photos of "odd" things according to his family and he is becoming increasingly forgetful. The mother and especially the son feel frustrated that he will take photos of those things but not him/the family. And then he is gone.

Chip: Book Review

Meet Chip. Chip loves chips.
Until one day there are no more chips! What will Chip do?

Book Week 2017: Short List: Early Childhood

Here is the round-up of books that appear on the Book Week 2017 Short List for the Book of the Year Early Childhood category.

Picture Book of the Year: Short List 2017

Younger Readers: Short List 2017

Here is the round-up of books that appear on the Book Week 2017 Short List for Book of the Year: Younger Readers category.

Older Readers: Short List 2017

Here is the round-up of books that appear on the Book Week 2017 Short List for Book of the Year: Older Readers category.

This year is quite diverse in style and topics compared to some previous short lists and this is a refreshing change.

Please note: quite a few of these books are new to me so I have taken the summaries from other sources until I can get hold of the books.

Information Books: Short List 2017

Here is the round-up of books that appear on the Book Week 2017 Short List for The Eve Pownall Award for Information Books.

One thing that I immediately noticed was a shift away from books focused on war. Over the past few years I had noticed a trend where a lot of the books were about war - and sure, we need to educate the present about the past to ensure the same doesn't happen in the future but it was refreshing to see a wider range of topics represented.

Please note: quite a few of these books are new to me so I have taken the summaries from other sources until I can get hold of the books.

It's Started Again: Book Week 2017

Super quick post! Things are still all over the place for me but I do have some more photos to write about for the chook shed - so keep an eye out!

Also, can you believe it is March already? And yes, with March comes the announcements of the Notables List for Book Week 2017 - Escape to Everywhere. More posts about that topic coming this week!

Is It a Plant or a Weed?

A heatwave hit this week which really put a stop to our gardening plans. It was just too hot - even to have the children under the shade...but we are hoping that as the temperatures are now cooling off a bit that tomorrow we will be continuing with the chook shed transformation!

This post though is going to be about another focus I have with my children: plants vs weeds. They both know what trees and bushes are....but working out plants vs weeds got a little tricky. Why? Read on!

Chook Shed: The Learning Begins!

 As summer came to an end the other day and autumn began you might be wondering what we've been up to. We have been making full use of the lovely days (even though some have been a little too warm) to get stuck into the garden before winter arrives again.

This year the kids and I have a couple of goals:
* start a vegetable/fruit garden
* get a chook shed together (complete with chooks)

We probably should have concentrated with one thing at a time but at 2.5 years of age they needed the differentiation. Today's post looks specifically at the chook shed.

Alligators Just Don't Belong In Math Class

Soldier's Song: Song Review

Song: Soldier's Song
Artist: The Hollies
Songwriter: Mike Batt
Year: 1980
Nationality: British

Classification: Ballad
Theme: war, coming of age

Fifty Clever Bastards: Book Review

Title: Fifty Clever Bastards

Author: Martin Fone

ISBN: 9781537047287

Classification: Non-Fiction
Themes: inventors, science

What's it about?

This is a collection of short biographies about 50 very clever people who are perhaps not as well known as others but whose inventions are important to our everyday life.