The pandemic has put a stop to travelling with kids overseas, but not around our beautiful country! To help you make the most out of your next New Zealand based family holiday, we’ve put together a collection of tips and ideas designed to maximise the fun and decrease the stress! Tips On Travelling with Kids Around NZ NZ is a beautiful place and being able to explore what literally is our own backyard is truly magical. While it can be challenging to take the kids away on holiday, there are plenty of things you can do to make the experience pleasant for everyone. Stock up on snacks – having a ..read more

You can officially stop searching for the best five wooden toys for under 2s and we’ve got them listed here for you today. Durable yet environmentally friendly, these wooden toys are loved by toddlers all throughout the country, and you’re about to find out why… Our 5 Top Wooden Toys for Under 2s As a new parent, it is hard knowing what toys are suitable for your toddler. You want something high quality that they’ll enjoy playing with and can be used creatively in multiple ways as they grow. Our range of educational wooden toys fit those requirements perfectly. Five wooden toys we suggest you ..read more

Ever fancied yourself as a builder? No? That’s okay because building a play kitchen is relatively simple. It’s also low cost too, especially as it involves repurposing things you’ve got lying around the home, in the garage or out in the garden. We’ve put together some simple suggestions on ways to build a play kitchen, along with different materials ideas and games your kids can play once it’s built. Ideas On Creating a Play Kitchen with Repurposed Materials A quick search of Google will bring up plenty of ideas on how to build a play kitchen and different materials to use. Some are suitable f ..read more

Mindfulness for kids is a great tool for reducing anxiety and increasing a child’s wellbeing and positivity. Far from being only for adults, mindfulness helps develop positive habits that will last a lifetime. Something we practice in the Squoodles’ household, we thought we’d share the benefits and uses of it with you too. Using Mindfulness for Kids Mindfulness is about giving one specific thing your full attention, and not thinking about anything else. Easier said than done, focussing on your breathing is a very common mindful practice, choosing to accept and ignore any other thoughts that po ..read more

It’s time to play the music. It’s time to light the lights. It’s time to meet the puppets in the puppet show tonight! Or this morning, whatever works! We’ve put together a quick guide on how to make a puppet theatre at home. Instructions to Make a Puppet Theatre for Kids Making a puppet theatre is a neat craft activity for the family to do together. Older kids may be able to make their own too. We’ve put together some instructions on how to make two types of puppet theatres – a doorway theatre and a box theatre. Making a Doorway Puppet Theatre You will need something to attach the cloth to the ..read more

It doesn’t seem to matter what their colour, size or shape; toy cars, tractors, trucks and trains are extremely popular with kids. Played with almost anywhere, toy vehicles make up one of the key toy types and have for generations. But why are they so loved and which ones are best? We did some research to find out. Why Are Toy Cars and Other Vehicles So Popular? Play is how kids learn best. It gives them the opportunity to develop their social and emotional skills, encourage language development and creativity, reduce stress and discover cause and effect. But where do the toy cars come into th ..read more

Singing, dancing and playing instruments – all of these musical activities (and more) are not only enjoyable for toddlers, but also beneficial. We take a look at how musical activities can benefit our toddlers, plus share seven fun ideas for you to try at home. Benefits of Musical Activities for Toddlers Music provides a rich sensory environment in which toddlers thrive. Being immersed in an environment where music is valued and explored helps our children to: Develop a sense of rhythm Encourage movement to improve motor skills, coordination and balance Foster creativity which stimulates thei ..read more

You only live once, though most of us had enough ideas for childhood dream jobs for four, five or even six lifetimes! From astronauts to doctors, truck drivers to teachers, we explore the most popular childhood dream jobs from the past and present – and guess at the ones for the future. Top 7 Childhood Dream Jobs What did you want to be when you grew up? A famous TV star, a singer, a nurse or a journalist? The great thing about having dreams when you are young is that you can dream big! Seven of the most popular jobs children dream of having include: Musician – has your child been influenced ..read more

Mr Squoodles and I are continually amazed at the stamping ideas our (not so little) Squoodles Bugs come up with. With their creativity continually being sparked by both pre-made stamp kits and DIY hand stamps, we know that our boys won’t be the only ones that love stamping! We’ve put our heads together and are sharing some of our favourite stamping ideas, plus a couple of neat ones we’ve discovered online. 7 Fun Stamping Ideas for Kids We’ve pulled together seven activities for kids to do using pre-made and homemade stamps: Nature art stamping – head outdoors and collect a variety of leaves ..read more

Choosing toys for children with low vision follows similar principle as choosing toys for kids with good vision: you pick toys that are age, stage and interest appropriate. All children have different likes, dislikes and abilities. When picking toys, it’s about identifying what they are and choosing toys which meet these requirements. There are some unique considerations to be aware of when selecting toys for children with low vision: Tactile – look for toys which have a variety of textures and made with different materials. Colour – depending on the child’s specific vision difficulties, sele ..read more