Summer is here! But September’s just around the corner… (I hear mingled cheers and boos from parents across the country!) For some of your little ones, it will be the first time they’ve been back to school since March, and some things will be quite different. Summer’s a great time to cut loose – is it just in my house we’re eating toasties for every meal and staying in our pyjamas some days? – but in this weirdest of years, some of our kids might need a little preparation before the term starts.
I’ve been chatting to my kids about how things might be a little different this time around – smaller groups, individual desks, not sharing pencils and plenty of handwashing for example. To be honest, I feel like they’re pretty nonchalant about these tweaks to their routine, and seem to be taking things in their stride. We’ve been trying to do a little learning together too, but I like to sneak it in under the radar. You want treats? Sure, let’s set up a snack shop with a price list and add up your totals! You want to have a movie afternoon? Sure, let’s design and write posters and tickets and issue them to all your toys! You’d like to bake a cake? Sure, let’s talk measurements oh-so-casually while we make goodies. (I’m adding new crafty ways to keep their skills sharp all the time… *cue evil laugh*)
During Lockdown, we sampled what felt like LITERALLY ALL the activity books on the market. Some were great, but lots of them were really disappointing and they added to my inspiration for the creation of my new fun folders. Enchanted Woodland is the first to launch: aimed at kids of 7 and over, it includes activities such as designing your own fairy or elf kingdom, foraging for forest food and much more, with pencils and, of course, stickers in a gorgeous folder with room for other important things (my eldest is already drafting his Father Christmas letter and likes to keep it with him at all times for additions… nothing like planning ahead I guess, but I am a little worried about the capacity of the sleigh…). There is also Mini Beasts aimed at 3 - 5 year olds and Dinosaurs for 5 - 7 year olds.
These new My Busy Bots Fun Folders are full of educational puzzles cleverly disguised as sheer fun, so you can keep their school smarts sharp and perhaps get time to finish a cuppa. Everyone’s a winner. Can’t wait to hear what your kids think. And any mums or dads out there who want to design their own fairy kingdoms? This is a safe space guys, you show me yours and I’ll show you mine!