When a new baby enters the family it can be quite challenging to keep everyone happy. Even though my older three are quite used to sharing my attention it still took them a couple of weeks for them to get used to the new addition and sometimes having to wait a few minutes when I am feeding or changing her. Especially during the school holidays it was tricky to find a balance, luckily I had the Activities Box from Finlee and Me on hand to help keep them all entertained.
The concept of the Activities Box ($22.95) is simple: A small cardboard box filled with 40 sturdy wooden coins, each representing a child friendly activity. As soon as I opened this little box I knew it would be brilliant for our family, there are so many activities to choose from and they all require little to no preparation. Most of them I could even supervise from the couch while feeding the baby, double win.
From ‘Have a puppet show with different coloured socks’ to ‘Play thumb wrestle’ and from ‘Measure things with string/ruler/taper measure’ to ‘Play Simon says’, my kids always have an absolute ball pulling out a coin and discovering new activities. We still haven’t done them all and even if you draw the same coin the activity is never exactly the same as last time. Our 2 and 4 year olds really enjoy the Activities Box and we are definitely taking it with us when we’re off to Melbourne next month. If the weather is keeping us inside the holiday cabin at least we’ll still have lots of fun.
Another little gem that’s perfect for traveling is the Fold ‘n’ Go Car Mat ($21.95). This compact little pack (the size of a big postcard) folds out to make a nice wipe-clean play mat that measures ca. 37 x 37cm, quite a decent size for on-the-go. Of course these roads are no fun without cars to drive on them so the Fold ‘n’ Go Car Mat also features 5 handy pockets to store your child’s favourite matchbox cars in.
Keep one in your handbag and pull it out when you need to keep your little one busy while waiting at the doctor, when visiting grandma or eating out or when you are on holidays. It weighs next to nothing, hardly takes up any space in your bag and makes a great ‘special occasion toy’. This is a handmade product so each mat is slightly different and it makes a gorgeous gift for a car crazy boy or girl.
As if one not sleeping, grumpy, crying baby is not enough we also had a sad little 2-year old on our hands after taking away the dummy. She has finally gone back to sleeping through the night but day sleeps are a thing of the past. The only way I can get her to have a rest on the couch is by putting on one of the award winning Dinosnores CDs ($19.95). I didn’t think she’d be into it but to my surprise she really likes it and lays down quietly listening to it. That’s a big thing for a busy bee like her!
Each CD has a different theme, for example fairies, kittens or dinosaurs (there are quite a few popular kids themes to choose from). The CD starts with a calm, relaxing story about the topic of your choice, this guided relaxation technique will help little one to settle down after a busy day. No loud voices, silly tunes or jokes, just one calming voice. After that it continues with peaceful soundscape, all together the CD plays for 60 minutes which should be enough for most children to drift of to sleep.
To find out more about Finlee and Me, to browse the range and to order online visit www.finleeandme.com.au.
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