Today Date Triggered Content

I am writing to you from the millionth day of winter. The Christmas chocolate stash is long gone (possibly mainly into my mouth), I might have tea coursing through my veins where there used to be blood, and I’m wondering whether I have gone from being cosy to feeling stuck and lethargic. 

It can be difficult to give ourselves a break at this time of year, but it is definitely worth thinking about our biology and how our bodies work. For those of us living in the northern hemisphere, the shorter days and longer nights have a real impact on our bodies. Fewer hours of daylight mean we have less exposure to light, which has a direct effect on our circadian rhythms (or body clock). 

According to Statista the average annual spend on toys in the United Kingdom in 2019 was £299.^[1] When taking into account gifts as well as toys bought by members of the household, another survey suggested the average spend per child per year was £750.^[2] If you’re thinking about spending a bit less this year, or just want to get good quality toys for your child, read on.  

The Toys That Inspire Mindful Play and Nurture Imagination (TIMPANI) study was a research study that took place from 2010 until 2019 in America.  

Dark nights, fireworks and fancy dress can trigger fear in some children. It can be hard to know how to support your child if they feel afraid, so we’ve investigated the research and put together a few tips.  

Fear can be a useful emotion, as feeling afraid helps us to stay safe. But we also need to learn how to regulate fear, as we do all other emotions, so we have the right level for each situation.  

As we enter a season with lots of celebrations, you might be starting to feel the pressure to join in with the traditions you see around you. Your social media feeds might be filled with photos of visits to a pumpkin patch or families in fancy dress and you wonder if your child is missing out if they don’t have these experiences.  

The Disney Pixar film ‘Inside out’ gave us the idea of core memories, that some memories are particularly important and that we have a set number of these core memories.  

"Reading and writing float on a sea of talk.”
-- James Britton, educator and researcher 

As you follow your child’s journey in the app, you will find lots of activities, tips and information linked to supporting their behaviour. We thought it might be helpful to have a bit of an overview of the skills involved in ‘learning how to behave’.