Summer Holiday Sensory Play Fun : Water Beads and Lights

I came across a fantastic idea for my observation at school which was water beads and lights involved in sensory play .

Focus

The focus for my observation was a targeted group of children so the help they needed was with the pincer grip which in turn helps them with pencil grip. Clear instructions were given that the water beads were not to be put in their mouths or thrown about as water beads tend to skip every where.

First of I got the children to warm their fingers up by getting them to touch each of their fingers to their thumbs, this action was repeated several times.

The activity 

The activity consisted of two colours of water beads, plastic Easter eggs , submerge able lights,plastic sea creatures and sea creature beads. I set a water tray with the beads, and places the submersible lights and small sea creatures beads with the plastic Easter eggs.This activity is ideal with the lights turned out as it becomes very magical.

But we were outdoors and as it was dull and overcast the turning off lights really didn't matter. I explained to the children that I wanted to pick the sea creature up using the pincer grip( I demonstrated )

Also I showed the children that they could open the plastic eggs by twisting them open (this is excellent for their fine motor skills ) Also to encourage the correct use of pressure of pencil grip on a pencil I demonstrated that you could pick up a water bead carefully and hold it between your finger and thumb.

The children had great fun playing in the water beads along with the submersible lights which were hidden in the plastic Easter Eggs along with some small sea creature beads.

Summary

Weak fingers can be strengthened by the child/children using theraputty, also tweezers and bead, threading. I linked this to their early learning goals physical, social and language communication. With pencil grip they have to have the right amount of pressure to little and the pencil mark will be faint, spider like and wobbly. If its too tight the pencil grip with result in the pencil going through the paper and makes the child tired.

Silent Sunday 14th July

Sun : Photography Inspiration

The simplest of situations can inspire me for example a country walk to escape the trials and tribulations of the day  or just because there doesn't always have to be a reason for a walk. The sun helps I must admit its a mood leveller and lifts us even the grumpiest of moments.

And finally sunset at home ...

Micro MX Trixx Scooter Scooting Stories

Scooters are fun aren't they you have them as a child yourself and then when you have children they have scooters and so the cycle to coin a phrase starts all over again. Except that now children who becomes teenagers who in turn, turn into adults carry on using scooters it's the retro revival brought to a modern age.

Scooters bring out the inner daredevil within us  and I'll let you into a little secret if you promise not to tell ?! I have when my son's not been looking or when he's out at school scooted down the road. There is a wonderful sense of freedom scooting along it makes me feel young again and with that comes a happiness! ooh to be carefree free again .

Anyway I digress Micro -Scooter have a expansive range of scooters all the way from toddlers to adults and Micro Scooter have now tapped into the adventurous side of theirs and our nature and developed a new range of Micro Xtreme scooter which are not only for sedately scooting through the park. No NO they  have a scooter for every single ability which will soon be seeing people doing flicks and ollies ?( or is that skateboarding) You can tell I am not quite down with the scooting lingo!

Its all a good idea and good practise to make sure you wear a helmet knee and elbow pads when attempting the xtreme side of scooting. I fear that I myself I will never release the  skillful stunt scooter action rider that I know I am not.

Ready for MX Trixx scooter action. (Though not in your school shoes you don't)

My teen on the other is another matter he twirls and hurls himself all the place and I often always find myself looking through the gaps in my fingers when he is on his MX  Trixx ( white edition) scooter. The scooter is light yet despite this it is incredibly sturdy and durable I think J 's only gripe with the scooter is that it is a fixed height as once past the age of 12 children have this nasty habit of growing.

That said it's a quality scooter that will last them from the age you get  the MX Trixx and it  is suitable from the age of 5 and as I previously mentioned what good quality it is ,then you are only going to have to make one scooter purchase. The scooter retails at £99.95 you may take a sharp intake of breath but remember this is a well built quality scooter than will last them from the age of 5 . And it will put up with as children do being slung on the floor ( we all know they shouldn't do this but they do )

Here below is an idea of what you can expect of the scooter.

Disclosure ( we were sent the scooter for the purposes of this review and I have not been told what to write all opinions are that of my own )

Bolsover Castle Bowls Us Over

Last Sunday we stormed a castle I say stormed in the loosest sense of course , when I am in Derby or a even busier place such as London. I am all the more appreciative of the green , tranquil lush countryside that surrounds me and the further I go into it the more relaxed I become. Its wonderful to connect as a family and the castle I mentioned storming was Bolsover Castle.

No matter how many times you visit a place there is always wonderment and trepidation I like to go with the mindset I am the first person to ever see the place I am visiting.

Now I live to take pictures to capture my world in a myriad of colours.

Octagonal Lantern 

The lantern is an unusual, octagonal room beneath the central turret of the Little Castle.  The turret is circled with windows that allow light to spill down into the centre of the upper floor.

The plaster of the central area has a golden tint that gives the light in the lantern a summery quality.  This area would probably been the centre of much of the activity in this are of the castle due to this lightness.

Bolsover Castle The Lantern

This was taken completely without any filters added or any photographic trickery.

I've been to Bolsover with school before and the attention to detail by the English Heritage staff is second to none, and the children are enthralled and their minds are switched on on many a educational and creative level.

Bolsover castle is a great place for all the family to visit its interest spans the generations, you can bring a picnic and eat in the grounds or eat at the cafe that's is reasonably priced.  There is also a gift shop where you can kit your children out as nights , princess and princess also the adults can stock some very scrumptious jams, compotes  ales and wines.

There is plenty for the family to do explore the castle, play with the interactive displays , take part in the events that are often put on at the castle like Knights jousting displays taking you back to days of chivalry.

Bolover Castle has panoramic views over the vale of Scarsdale I think of no better way to spend the day soaking up the ambiance and history of my surroundings.

Bolsover castle grounds also has the rudest fountain in England without a doubt!!

Yes its a fortified house but I 'm not going to let on are you ? and in the time that it was built it was a fortfied house !! and anyways isn't an "Englishman's home is his castle"!?

Disclosure ( I was sent a pass for the purpose of this visit)

NMEH2013