As a busy mum of six I try to be as organised as possible for the Christmas season. I generally get my shopping sorted early and aim to get a good combination of fun, practical and educational gifts that are durable and will be enjoyed by all. With the big Summer holidays rapidly approaching I am always on the look out for presents that will [read more]
Thanks to the recent closing of Uluru there is a shiny new spotlight on the traditional owners of Australia, their rights to protect their sacred sites and the many ways others can treat Australia’s indigenous people with the respect they deserve. The indigenous community has the most amazing stories to tell and Magabala Books makes them available to all. Today we’re learning about the beauty of [read more]
It’s a tricky transition, from beautiful picture books to big novels. When you’ve finally mastered reading and are starting to enjoy longer stories, you immediately have to give up gorgeous illustrations… or so it seems. I was so excited to discover a wonderful children’s book by Roald Dahl’s granddaughter Sophie Dahl that combines the best of both worlds and it’s definitely worth a read: With its large [read more]
As fun as it is to have all six children at home on holidays, it is also nice to get back into the school routine and have a slightly quieter house during the day. During the holidays all the kids usually play together, but term 4 has begun so it’s back to preschool play for the two little ones. Ted and Hattie got very spoilt [read more]
Like most parents we always try to fulfil our children’s birthday wishes for as much as that is possible. It is obvious that snakes are out of the question (Juliet), iPads/iPhones not necessary (Tommie) and unicorns impossible to get your hands on (Harriet), however we never thought walkie talkies would be such a tricky request! Our little super spy Sybil has been asking for walkie [read more]
And that’s a wrap, two weeks of school holidays gone in a flash! Aside from a week with sick kids we had a lovely time soaking up the sunshine and enjoyed lots of playdates, the fuller the house the better. Thanks to a long overdue playroom-makeover the kids had plenty of room and new (or rediscovered) toys to keep them busy. The extra floor space [read more]
In the latest heart-stopping Alex Rider release Secret Weapon, teen-turned-agent Alex Rider travels across the globe to stop evil enemies in their tracks. From kidnappers to terrorist gangs and from sneaky ex-army personnel to smooth criminals and more, Alex will encounter all kinds of troublemakers as he tries to complete a range of new MI6 missions. Alex Rider: Secret Weapon made the perfect holiday-read for our 11-year [read more]