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Whether swimming is something you only consider doing on holiday, or you’re a regular at the pool, many of us view learning to swim as essential for our children. It isn’t just a fun activity, and an important skill, it can also nurture your child’s development. By making swimming a regular part of your family routine, you can share moments of joy and lay the foundation for their health, development and learning. 

Motor skills mastery 

Swimming involves movements that demand coordination and strength. Although these skills may not fully develop within the first five years, introducing young children to the pool supports them to become aware of their bodies and develop strength and control of their movements.  

Halloween is a scary time of year, not just because of the witches and ghosts roaming around trick-or-treating!  

Did you know that Halloween puts a massive strain on the environment? A recent survey of retailers found that almost 2,000 tonnes of waste is created when it comes to Halloween costumes and other products.   

Halloween conjures up thoughts of witches, pumpkins, ghouls, spiders, dressing up and sweets – lots of sweets. 

Sounds like heaven for a child, right? Maybe not. 

Some children love Halloween, but for babies and younger children (and some older ones too), it can be frightening.  

Towards the end of summer, we’re usually over spending any more money on entertaining our children and frankly we can’t afford it! So, we've complied a list of our top 10 things to do to make the days go more quickly, that won’t cost you a thing! *Apart from the inevitable never-ending snacks you’ll have to supply. Oh, and your energy levels. 

1. Go on a nature walk and collect leaves, rocks, and other items

Simply grab a bag or a basket and challenge your child to find as many interesting objects as they can while out on a walk. See if they can describe what they’ve found and then bring them all home to explore in more detail. You can even prolong the fun here by encouraging your child to sort the objects, make something with them or explore them with brushes and other objects. Then you can take them back another day and see if they can put them back where they found them – basically two days out in one!

From the moment your child is born, you can feel like your life is suddenly stuck on fast forward. You spend your evenings revisiting old photos, longing for those days of newborn snuggles, muslins filling your washing machine and tiny hands that get lost in your own.  

Then you go onto social media and are suddenly walloped by all the emotions when you’re faced with the ‘only 18 summers’ videos and memes, making you even more aware of how quickly time is passing.  

One day you suddenly find yourself standing at the gates of the childcare you’ve chosen for your child on their first day, clutching their little bag and wondering where the time went. 

The transition to a childminder, nursery, school or any childcare arrangement is a big milestone for parent and child alike. The good news is, there are things you can do to prepare yourself and your child as you begin this next chapter together and here at My First Five Years, we have devised our top ten tips to help you. 

A bag of play sand is a cheap purchase that can entertain your children for the whole of the summer (and beyond). 

Sand is brilliant, because it’s versatile and can be used for play both outdoors and indoors (if you’re feeling brave). If you have the space, a designated sandpit is great, but filling up an old paddling pool, storage box or even a simple roasting tin or Tupperware box works too! 

Whether you have a baby, toddler, or child, the summer holidays can bring up mixed feelings for parents. It might seem that everyone has plans, or you might have nostalgia for magical summers of the past. We are programmed to feel that we should look forward to the summer, but the truth is, when the daily routine goes out of the window and the usual classes and get-togethers are postponed, you can feel really stuck for ideas about how to fill your days. 

Well, don't worry! Below are some simple ideas for things to do that are free and outside of the house that can help you get through the summer holidays, and perhaps even enjoy them! 

It’s summer and the routine you’ve worked hard to establish all year might feel like it goes out of the window, what with lighter nights and countless ice lollies ruining your regular mealtime structure. 

But we are here to tell you that it’s ok to have your routine go out the window during the summer and, actually, thinking about it a little differently might help you all to enjoy a memorable summer together.