"I don't want to go to bed!" by Julie Sykes

"I don't want to go to bed" by Julie Sykes how familiar is that phrase to us parents ! 


This is  the story of a baby tiger who doesn't want to go to sleep. So mummy tiger loses her cool calm exterior ! one night at bed time and says,"  fine stay up all night - see if I care". So baby tiger goes off to play in the dark forest, finding on his way that all his friends have gone to bed... Then he goes home and falls asleep.

"I don't want to go to Bed by Julie Sykes"

This book is incredibly and full of repetition which some parents may find frustrating but really I don't see a problem in this at all. As for young one it helps them with structure and can easily be adapted in activities that they might do at school or even at home.

One such activity that my son did at school can easily be done at home with a little patience and the most basic of drawing skills ! Honest ! Such activities as this will work in harmony with what they are doing at school, What I going to show you is typical of what a year one child might do.  This activity helps children with their writing skills and how to order a story.

"I don't want to go to bed" Writing activity incorporating ordering skills.

When my son did this he was in the lowest ability group I did this work all the time with him at Infant School and Junior school and he is now int the top set in year 9 and predicted an A *. So never despair with the right love, support and understanding anyone can make it.

You could also make your own story sack around this book :

• I Don't Want To Go To Bed Story and CD
• Jungle Animal Puppets
• Materials to Sew Own Pillows - material and stuffing (Use sewing machine)
• Pillowcases, fabric paint and stampers for decorating
• Felt jungle animals for sewing onto pillow
• Lullaby CD
• Plastic Jungle Animals
• Paper bags, scissors, construction paper, glue, wool, googly eyes, and pompoms to create paper bag jungle puppets
• Paper and animal stamps.
• For the daytime why not use a potato with the animal carved into it ( obviously do this for the child )

Extended Activities:
You can turn it into pyjama party.
You can make your own little play up!

I was inspired by the story sack ideas from here when don't you try some of the others out.

There are so many possibilities to what activities you can do with this story and what you can  put in your story sack you are only limited by your imagination.At the moment this book is super cheap on Amazon at only £3.74 !.


(Disclosure I haven't been ask to write about this as I work in a school I though it would be nice to share my ideas and experiences !)

Leaves #snaphappybritmums

Water #snaphappyBritmums

Tots100 score a plain understanding

It happens once a month to most its welcome yes its the Tits100 Tots100 ranking which each month throws up the same questions ! And these most commonly are :

1. Are the scores chosen by Yoda? (Sadly no but you should be compliant in the ways of the force )

Who works at Tots100 ?

2. Tots100 hates me doesn't it ? ( no Tots100 doesn't hate anyone with cake)

3. What does an evil  Overlord do to  relax ? ( I am not  sure on this one though  I think it involves cake )

4. Are cats really really evil? ( both me and the overlord know this to be true )

5. What can I do about my Tots100 ranking ?


The first bit of advice I can give is to watch the video and follow each step.

 Also make sure you have filled out your profile within Tots100 correctly I of course never got this wrong ( I put a @ in my profile where there shouldn't have been one).

Secondly smoooze ( talk to people not in a false way as people will see through that but in a genuine way). Comment on blogs but only comment if its relevant to you.

Work your way either up on down on the Tots100 ranking and try to comment on 10 blogs a day.And I cannot not believe more people don't comment on public sites such as newspaper and magazine all things that can lead people back to your blog.

You put into blogging what hopefully what you will get out of it for me blogging has added new strings to my bow of which I am proud of.I suggest if their are blogs that you really love that are not within the Tots100 theres a simple way to keep track of yourself just make a list on twitter either a public or private one.

(Tots100 said I could use this video I am baking their cake as I speak...)

Weight off my mind #WWBack2Best

I can finally reveal I am going on holiday to  Florida ... no no that wasn't it oh yes  I am pleased to reveal I am of of the 20 bloggers who are taking the Britmums and Weight watchers campaign to lose weight. I am honoured to be taking part and looking forward to getting in shape for my holiday to Florida which is next year!

The problem I have is that my weight has gone up and down , I am unsure of what to cook and eat so I don't feel starving all the time. But the hardest thing is working in a school full of ladies and one thing that ladies love is cake everyday the cake is begging me and before I know it it has hopped in my mouth. Then the the cycle of guilt starts again and its one I am hoping to break as to my shame I have gone from a size 12 to a size 20 in 8 years .. shocking !

So writing this down now is as needs must a commitment to Britmums, Weight Watchers and more importantly to myself.  My progress will be tracked through various social media channels, so in helping myself I do hope I can help you and inspire you on your journey too. Working in a school I have to encourage the children to follow the rules , so I myself will have to follow the guidelines. My son at his school is given aspirational targets which are up to him to achieve that will be the same for me with the daily target that is set.

So on Twitter from 1-2pm (GMT) there is going to be  a #WWBack2Best Twitter party where there be weight-loss tips, motivation and helping you with an all important lifestyle change . 

Myself and the other bloggers involved will be tracking our  points and recording all that comes with it through the Weight Watchers app (available through ITunes and on Android phones now as well)  ideal for us on the go !

So if you fancy joining me and the others on   our  #WWBack2Best challenge through BritMums, you can do so for £1 by using this BritMums link.

For me the incentive is my holiday I want to look fabulous  for my holiday next August  after all it was a toss up before a new kitchen and a holiday. And to be honest its probably definitely the best decision I ever made as I wouldn't be taking part in this challenge if I had had the new kitchen , now I want and need to be triple FFF ( Fab, Fit,Forty!) Though I am not 40 till December so the challenge is on!

(Disclosure I have received six months membership and will be recieving a hamper soon)