Musical play with the least musical mother... Youtube songs & DIY sound discovery bottles.

I'm really not  musical. I don't play any instruments, I only ever listen to the radio when I'm in my husband's car and I can't sing. However, I do love to butcher a song on Singstar! I don't want this to lack of musical ability to rub off on Sophie so I have tried my hardest to expose her to sounds & rhymes. From very early on I have played this lullaby to her at bedtime - The Elephant's Lullaby. She would smile if she heard it at night but cry if I played it in the day when she was wide awake! 

I quite often use Youtube to play songs to Sophie and I am subscribed to a couple of channels. Although, I have to hide the screen because otherwise she stares at it like a zombie and I am quite keen for her to be screen free for as long as possible.

Source: Youtube

These are our favourites from Story Bots. Be warned they are not to everyone's taste and will get stuck in your head. We recently walked around the zoo singing 'Zeeeeebra, zeeeeeebra, zeeeeeeeeeeebraaaaa!' (by 'we' I mean 'me'. Sophie was asleep) and I often hear my husband singing the 'Big Brown Boogieing Bear' while he is working on the extension. But when she hears that 'StoryBots ta da' before the song starts she beams the biggest smile so it is worth it!

Source: Youtube  //  1. Big Brown Boogieing Bear  //  2. He's a Zebra  //  3. Chicken Bop (but I sing Chicken Butt. Yes I am a child)

We also subscribe to British Kids Songs. Some of these are quite annoying. However they are handy when, despite being a teacher, you can't remember the words to any nursery rhymes and songs. They have a series of channels for different countries with different songs and accents. So being a Neighbours fan my entire life and having withdrawal symptoms from not watching it since Sophie was a newborn, I subscribed to the Australian channel too!

Sources: Youtube  //  1. British Kids Songs  //  2. Aussie Kids Songs

Our favourite songs are:

1. The Wheels on the Bus  //  2. Five Little Monkeys  // 3. She'll be Coming Round the Mountain  //  4. Kookaburra Sits in the Old Gum Tree

I tried making a discovery bottle before but Sophie hated the sound of the buttons shaking so I ended up adding water to make it more of a visual discovery bottle. However, I decided to have another go at making sound bottles but ones that would be a little bit quieter so that we could shake them along to the songs! 

What you need:

·         Empty plastic bottles

·         Objects to put inside e.g. straws, cake decorating sprinkles.

·         Old bottle cut to make a funnel

·         Scissors

1. Take the label off the bottles and wash them out.

2.    Fill the bottle with the objects you have chosen. Top tip if you are going to use straws – Put a funnel into the bottle and cut the straws into the funnel.

3.    Put the lid on securely.
4. Shake and play!

Sophie responded much better to these discovery bottles. Perhaps because they make a softer, quieter sound than the buttons. 

She seemed to enjoy holding them and looking at them but she is not able to really shake them yet. It was really interesting to watch her develop her grasp and holding skills. When she dropped the bottle she used her legs to grip it and move it back up to her hands. 

These are so simple to make and kept her engaged for ages and make me feel a tiny bit more musical!

What musical activities do you do with your child? Do you have favourite songs that you sing with your child?

Make sure the lid is on tight and always supervise your baby when using the discovery bottles.

Sensory Balloons DIY Tutorial

Sophie is beginning to enjoy touching and feeling things. She has started to stroke people’s jumpers as they hold her and cuddled a soft toy (before trying to attack and eat it!) So I decided to make some sensory balloons.

What you need:

·    Balloons

·    A funnel – I made one from an old coke bottle

· Fillings – I used flour, salt, lentils and marbles (but you could use coffee beans, playdough, corn flour, hair gel etc.)

·    Cup – to put the balloon while you fill it to avoid spills!

·    Scissors

What to do:

1.  Blow the balloon up and let it deflate. This makes it easier to fill. Sophie loves helium balloons but she has never seen a balloon being blown up. She was very unsure about it and didn’t seem to like the noise when I let the air out.

2.    Fill the balloon with your chosen filling using the funnel. I rested the balloon in the cup to avoid spills and tapped the funnel – this was very helpful when it came to the flour!

3.  This step is optional but I wanted to add additional layers to prevent the balloons from splitting. I cut the end of a second balloon off and stretched it over the first balloon to create a second layer. I repeated this again so that each balloon had three layers.

4.    Repeat steps 1-3 using different types of filling.

I sat Sophie in the Boppy pillow so that she could sit up and look at the balloons. Next time I think I will sit her in her highchair and put them on the tray so that she can reach them more easily. She touched them when I held them up to her and she tried to take them off me. I did have to stop her from trying to put them in her mouth a couple of times.

If I made these again, I would put less of the filling in each balloon as I filled mine up so much that they are quite firm and hard for Sophie to squish. I think she might get more of a sensory experience from them when she is a little older and is able to really grab and squeeze them.

For older children, you could get them to try to guess what was inside the balloons and even cut them open after they have guessed.   

Always supervise your child while they play with the sensory balloons. 

DIY Baby Sensory at Home!

Sophie has always loved watching things and has recently become really interested in feeling objects. So when looking at baby groups and classes ‘Baby Sensory’ was the one that really stood out. I thought that it might give me some ideas of activities that I could try at home as well.

It has been really interesting to see which activities Sophie prefers. She was not interested when I tickled her with the ostrich feather but she was captivated by flashing light wands! We have only been to two sessions so far but she literally does not look at me the whole time we are there! She is so interested in everything that is going on around her.

Here are some of the activities we have tried at home:

1.       Sensory Ball

During the class we were each given a spiky, flashing ball. We sat in a circle with the babies facing the middle and rolled the balls to each other. Sophie loved this! We already had a sensory ball at home (which doesn’t light up unfortunately). She enjoyed playing with the ball on the tray of her highchair. She pushed it, tried to grab it and at one point even managed to pick it up with two hands and of course it went straight to her mouth!

2.       Flashing Light Wand

Sophie was truly captivated by the fibre optic light wand. I remember seeing something similar in B&Q and as we practically drive past it on the way home I decided to pick one up. It was in the clearance section reduced to £3. She loved it and watched it intently! Safety note: The strands come out if pulled so do not leave your baby unattended with one of these and do not let them chew it.

3.       Tummy Time

During the class the leader shone lights on the floor for the babies to watch during a tummy time activity. I felt like a proud mother when the mums either side of me praised Sophie for her ability to:

a) hold her head up for the entire tummy time activity

b) not scream/cry/face plant and

c) actually seem to enjoy it!

I was asked by one mum if we practice lots? The honest answer – no because I often forget. A good friend advised me early on to not get wound up about tummy time and to forget buying special pillows and toys because you could just use yourself and not the floor. Right from the start we have held Sophie in positions on us that allow her to strengthen her muscles – either on our chests or laps. We have been doing more tummy time on the floor recently in preparation for the rolling stage! As Sophie enjoyed looking at the lights so much during the class, I decided to place the fibre optic lamp in front of her to encourage her to lift her head and it really worked. I think I will be getting the sensory gel mat we made back out again too.

4.       Sensory Ribbons

Sophie loved watching the ribbons move, especial the long ribbon on a stick that the leader was waving around in the middle of the circle. We made a really simple one when we got home and she loves it.

5.       The Ball Pool

The first week Sophie cried when I put her in the ball pool and she isn’t a baby that particularly cries! I think she found it overwhelming.  I decided to put her in the ball pool again last week. She seemed a little unsure at first but we had no tears this time! She gave the balls a good lick (yuk – lovely and germy!) but I think she decided they weren’t very tasty! Her Nanny and Grandad bought her a ball pool for Christmas. Now our back room has been sorted and has becomethe playroom I think I may set it up and try this activity again in the comfort of her own home.

So far I have really enjoyed ‘Baby Sensory’. It completely clashes with when she would normally nap but it engages her so much that she just about manages to stay awake until the end and then crashes out for the rest of the afternoon at home! I can’t wait to see what other activities we will be able to try out at home.

Have you been to Baby Sensory classes? What was your baby's favourite activity?

I have not been sponsored to write this post or asked to review Baby Sensory. I paid for the Baby Sensory classes and wanted to share my opinions about them. 

DIY Discovery Bottle Tutorial

Last week Ali from ‘Mum in a Nutshell’ posted a fantastic list of baby toys from everyday things around the home on my #playathometuesdays linky. I decided to make Sophie a discovery bottle.  

What you need:

·         An empty plastic bottle

·         Objects to put inside e.g. buttons or sequins.

·         Water

1.    Take the label off the bottle and wash it out.

2.    Fill the bottle with water and add the objects you have chosen.

3.    Put the lid on securely. I used some decorative duct tape to keep the lid closed.

At first, I just added buttons and no water to make a noisy discovery bottle but Sophie hated it and her bottom lipped wobbled every time we shook it! So I filled it with water which made the noise softer and she responded much better! She seemed to enjoy watching me tip it slowly and watched intently as the buttons slid down (over and over again!) I used cold water to fill it and she seemed to enjoy feeling the bottle.

I would like to have another go at making some noisy discovery bottles perhaps with rice or feathers as Ali suggested. This was quick and easy to make using things I had in the house! Thanks for the suggestion Ali.

Make sure the lid is on tight and always supervise your baby when using the discovery bottle. 

Sensory Ribbon Link DIY Tutorial

We went to our first Baby Sensory class this week and the thing that Sophie seemed to like best was a plastic ring with ribbons attached. I thought that it would be an easy thing to make at home.

What you need:

·         A plastic hoop (I used a link from her activity gym but a bracelet or shower link would work too)

·         Some long lengths of ribbon (I had some in the bottom of my craft boxes but I also used the handles off some of the gift bags kicking around after Christmas)

·         Scissors

Cut long lengths of ribbon and tie them to the link.

You could glue or sew the ribbon to make it stronger. I held the ribbon link above Sophie’s head and wriggled it. I am pretty sure that if she had managed to grab the ribbons they probably would have fallen off! If you have a go at making one never leave your baby unattended with the ribbon link.

DIY Sensory Gel Play Mat Tutorial

 

Sophie has started to take an interest in feeling different textures. She loves the inside of her dad's slippers! So I decided to try to make a sensory mat to use during tummy time.  

What you need:

• Ziplock freezer bag (I used some old packaging from a knitting set as the plastic felt thicker than a ziplock bag and had no writing on)
• Gaffer tap
• Scissors
• Hair gel
• Items to decorate e.g. glitter, pom poms and sequins (Make sure that you don't include anything sharp that might puncture the bag)

What to do:

1. Seal three of the edge with gaffer tape (You do not need to do this if you are using a ziplock bag). 

2. Fill the pocket with hair gel and the items that you are using to decorate it with. 

3. Seal the fourth edge and make sure to reinforce the corners to stop the hair gel from leaking. 

I think Sophie will interact with this more as she gets older (She is only 11 weeks at the moment) but it was great to place it in front of her during tummy time for her hands to rest on.

If you have a go at making one of these please make sure to supervise your child when they are using it just in case the hair gel leaks.

DIY Father Christmas and Reindeer Treat Plate Tutorial

I have made some plates to put into Sophie's Christmas Eve box. One is for Father Christmas and the other one is for the reindeer. I can't wait to check if the food has gone on Christmas morning!

What you need:

Porcelain pens

An old kitchen tile/plate to practise on

A plate to decorate

Baby wipes in case you make a mistake!

What to do:

1.       Wash the plate so that it is free from dust and grease.

2.       Decorate the plate.

3.       Leave the plate to dry for 15 minutes.

4.       Heat the plate in the oven for 25 minutes at 160C

5.       Allow the plate to cool in the oven.

If you can't find porcelain pens, I believe you can also use Sharpie pens in a similar way. 

I hope you are convinced to have a go at making your own! 

DIY Cornflour Dough Recipe & Tutorial

Recently I made some decorations using salt dough. You can read about them in my post “Salt Dough Handprint Christmas Ornament Tutorial”. I ended up painting the salt dough white after they had been cooked.

 

Since making them I have discovered a recipe that makes a whiter dough. It is made from cornflour, bicarbonate of soda and water (all ingredients I had at home – yay!) When cooked it has a shimmer to it which looks quite Christmassy so I am going to leave these decorations unpainted.

 

Cornflour Dough Recipe:

1.5 cups of water

2 cups of bicarbonate of soda

1 cup of cornflour.

 

I have created a video tutorial to show how to make the dough.

This dough can be wrapped in a damp cloth and stored in the fridge in a ziplock bag. I am hoping to create some Christmas decorations and maybe some gift tags next week. I will write a blog post to show you what I end up making. 

Salt Dough Handprint Christmas Ornament Tutorial

Sophie has done her first craft (well kind of… she slept through it). We made salt dough handprint Christmas tree ornaments for her Grandparents. They were really cheap and fairly easy. I am also going to make some with her footprint. 

What you need:

·         2 cups of plain flour

·         2 cups of Salt

·         1 cup water

·         Bowl

·         Rolling pin

·         Cookie cutter

·         Greaseproof paper

·         Baking tray

·         Straw

·         Acrylic paint

·         Ribbon

·         Scissors

What to do:

1.    Mix the flour, salt and water in a bowl. If it is dry add a little more water. 

2.    Knead the mixture and form a ball.

3.    Roll the salt dough out so that it is about 1cm thick.

4.    Cut a circle of salt dough using a cookie cutter or cup. 

5. Place the salt dough circle on a baking tray. (I recommend placing them on greaseproof paper as mine were nearly impossible to get off the tray!)

6.   Help your child to press their hand into the salt dough. (I waited until Sophie was asleep as she grabbed the dough when she was awake! Make sure to wash your child’s hands afterwards because the salt can make their hands quite dry. If you have trouble getting the handprint in the middle do this before Step 2).   

7.    Use the straw to make two holes so that the decoration can be hung up.  

8.    Cook them on a low heat until they have dried (mine took 3 hours).

9.    Paint the decorations using acrylic paint. After you could paint them with PVA glue or a gloss spray to seal them. (If the edges are rough you can sand them gently using a fine sandpaper).

10.     Attach a ribbon so that they can be hung on the Christmas tree.