Today Date Triggered Content

This week is national picnic week, we've got some ideas for outdoor (or indoor) activities for snack and meals on the go. 

Simply getting some of your favourite foods and having an indoor or outdoor picnic is a perfect time to chat with your child. If you are short on time, simply taking a meal or snack somewhere new can be an exciting adventure. If you have a bit more time, you could have a go at one of these activities: 

The clocks have gone forwards, the days are getting longer, spring is in the air! Read on to find out about our new play kit and get you some fresh ideas to enjoy with your little one.  

On your child’s activity page, you’ll find ideas linked to the skills they’re mastering now – so as well as using the play kit don’t forget to check them out.  

We know the first five years of your child’s life lay the foundations for the rest of it. Last month, we saw new research by scientists at Birbeck, University of London and the University of Surrey that found toddlers’ fine motor skills were associated with GCSE results.^[1,2]

You have been tracking your child’s fine motor skills in the app, and you’ll know these involve controlling the movements of smaller muscles, such as those in our fingers and toes.  

This week includes this year’s leap day. Whether you view this as a bonus day or just another day, you’ll need play ideas for your little one! Why not start with one of our most popular activities? 

Learning to read is not just about mastering letters and sounds, it’s also about understanding stories and information and loving books.  

The first thing you need is a selection of books. You could join your local library or find a book exchange to get some new reads. 

Singing, dancing and making music together is fun, but also helps your child to master skills that are the very beginning of learning to read and write.  

You might not be thinking about reading yet, if you’re still enjoying a newborn scrunch or wondering if your baby is the only one who wakes up every hour.  

Reading is magical – a good story might transport your child to a fantasy land and books can them learn about the world. This month it’s World Book Day, so we thought we’d put all our articles about stories, books and reading in one place.

While there might be times when life with a little one feels noisy enough, making music and exploring sounds together can be fun and is great for your little one’s development. This month we’ve put together some things to use for some sound making fun!  

If you want to know more about how music and sounds helps your child learn, scroll down to the bottom to find links to our articles.  

If you’re trying to think about your spending, you might have opted to cut back as you go into the second month of the year. All the activity ideas in your app use things you’re likely to have at home or just outside the front door – so check out your child’s personalised activities as well.  

Our first idea needs nothing other than you, your child and a bit of time! 

You are here because you know experiences in the first years of your child’s life lay the foundations for health, learning and well-being for the next fifty (or more!). Sometimes when people talk about that it can feel like they’re piling on the pressure, but you know we’re here to help parents ditch the worry and find the joy  – and that’s why we’re all for celebrating ‘inchstones’.  

Pinterest produces an annual trends report,^[1] telling businesses the things they expect to take off in the upcoming year. These are often things like colour trends for interiors or weddings, but this year’s report caught our attention because they expect to see parents celebrating ‘inchstones’ and we’re here for that!