Home Schooling Week Plan | The Gruffalo

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Last week it was announced that all schools would close on Friday 20th March to try and help tackle the spread of Corona Virus. It is very scary times in the world right now but to help keep some sort of routine and normality I will be Home Schooling. Home Schooling is something I have never considered before but I know this is something I need to do to help little J through these crazy times. I have created Home Schooling week plans and this week our theme is The Gruffalo.

I have browsed online for ideas for activities based on The Gruffalo and there is a wide range of ideas on sites such as Twinkl and The Gruffalo.

Depending on the age of the child you can adapt these activities to suit. Little J is KS1 so these activities would be most suitable for ages 5-7.

Read The Gruffalo

This can either be read to your child or your child can read it to you.

Book Review

Once you have read The Gruffalo let your child think about the story and then review the book.

What is the setting?

Who was the main character?

What happened at the beginning?

What happened in the middle?

What happened at the end?

Book reviews help a child's reading comprehension and it's a nice way for your child to express any thoughts they had.

Describing Characters

Describing characters in your own words helps a child think about the character in detail and write down their thoughts. If you need to use prompts you could ask your child to write down...

The name of the character.

Is the character big or small?

What does the character do in the story?

Is the character good or naughty?

Does the character have friends?

Where does the character live?

Design Your Own Terrible Creature

 Your child can use their imagination to create their own terrible creature and then describe the terrible creature so we can learn more about them.

Talking About Thoughts

This activity is for your child to describe the thoughts of the character. Your child will have to really think about the character and what they are thinking about in the story.

Counting Worksheet

A basic counting sheet that you can then adapt to create a maths activity. We will use this as a base sheet to do maths activities creating addition, subtraction and multiply problems.

Pencil Control Sheets

Some children only use pens and pencils during school hours so it is important to keep up their pencil control otherwise their fingers and hands can become weak. Pencil control activities can help a child to maintain focus as they follow lines or dots on a sheet to form letters, words or even sentences.

 

Learning Through Play

Learning through playing makes it more fun and the kids don't think of it as work. We have lots of Gruffalo themed activities such as Animal Yoga, Word searches, Colouring Sheets, Pairs, Activity Sheets, Jigsaws and a Gruffalo Match and Memory Game.

We also have a Gruffalo themed treasure hunt planned. I have cut up all the squares from the 'pairs' game and I will hide one half of all the pairs and little J can try and find them around the house so we can then play the game.

We will also be doing baking activities making Gruffalo Cakes and Gruffalo Crumble.

Hopefully these activities will keep little ones busy. I will be mixing these in throughout the day with normal fun activities, chill time and outside time in between.

This is a huge transition for our children so I will be just taking it one day at a time.

Michelle

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This Months Favourite Bedtime Stories

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Disclosure - We were sent the products below for the purpose of this post. All thoughts, opinions and photographs are our own unless stated. This post contains affiliate links - purchasing an item through an affiliate link adds no extra cost to you but might earn me a few pennies. 

This month we were sent a lovely selection of books from Bloomsbury. Little J loves a story at bedtime but he also enjoys reading a story to himself and these books were perfect for both.

A brand new board book edition of the bestselling Hop Little Bunnies - from the much-loved illustrator of We're Going on an Egg Hunt. Based on the popular nursery rhyme 'Sleeping Bunnies', this lift-the-flap delight is full of the joys of spring.

Little Owl doesn't want to go to bed. His pillow is too lumpy, his quilt is too hot and what is that strange snorting noise he can hear? Another irresistible story that is perfect for wakeful little night owls, from the creators of Little Owl's Egg and Little Owl's First Day.

5, 4, 3, 2, 1 . . . Blast off! Come on an exciting space adventure and say hello to the planets of the solar system in this rhyming picture book that is perfect for sharing with all little astronauts.

Choose your favourite vehicle and LET'S GO! Join all the busy animals as they zoom around in every kind of vehicle you can imagine, vibrantly illustrated by the talented Katie Abey.

Although the giveaway may be closed you can still enjoy the Bloomsbury bedtime stories and more by purchasing over on Amazon. 

Michelle

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How To Protect Yourself From Illness When You Are Self Employed

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Disclosure - This is a paid collaboration. This post contains affiliate links - purchasing an item through an affiliate link adds no extra cost to you but might earn me a few pennies. 

I have lots of friends who are self employed and this time of year can be tough on them when there are so many winter illnesses going round. When you are self employed it's hard to take time off and also the loss of pay can cause financial worry. Since I started blogging I have found lots of tips along the way on how to protect yourself from illness when you are self employed.

Work From Home As Much As You Can

If your job allows it is so much better to work from home and avoid contact with people who may be suffering from a cold or virus. Viruses are much more likely to be caught whilst travelling on public transport or working at the office so working from home is a much better choice. If you don't have the luxury of working from home then when you see or hear someone coughing or sneezing a lot, just move away.

Open The Windows

Even on cold days I love opening all the windows and letting fresh air blow through the house. Obviously when it's cold it feels much better to have the fire or heating on but hot air in the home can actually make you feel worse. It can aggravate sore throats as the air becomes very dry. If you don't fancy opening your windows and would rather have the heating on, buy a humidifier.

Wash Your Hands

Washing your hands is so important and you shouldn't just wash them after you have used the bathroom you should try and get in to the habit of washing them more often. If you are touching anything that other people have used then you will have germs on your hands. Washing your hands with soap and warm/hot water you can prevent the germs from spreading.

Stay Hydrated

Drinking water throughout the day is a great way to flush out any toxins in your body and is also a good way to keep yourself hydrated. Drinking hot liquids such as tea, warm water and even soup can help loosen any congestion.

Take A Walk

Taking a walk in the fresh air is great for the lungs and also a way to help boost your immune system. You may not fancy heading out in the colder months but wrap up warm and you will feel better out in the fresh air rather than stuck at home.

Boost Your Vitamin D

We spend more time indoors during the colder months plus we have less sunshine so it can be easy to miss it. Eating tuna, mackerel, salmon, beef, cheese and eggs is a great way to top up your Vitamin D which can help keep coughs and colds at bay.

Look Out For The Signs

Sometimes we wake up and the cold or bug has hit us during the night without us knowing but other times we can try and look out for signs. If your throat is starting to feels scratchy or your chest feels a little tight you could be on your way to getting a cold. There are things we can do at this point to help shorten the length of the cold.

Using Coldzyme is a great way to help shorten the length of your cold if you have symptoms but it can also prevent it too especially if you can't get sick because you have an important meeting coming up, a trip or special event.

ColdZyme works by coating the lining of the mucous membrane, creating a protective barrier. the barrier acts osmotically on the cold viruses, trapping them and preventing them from binding with human cells, helping the body to remove them naturally.

Using the mouth spray is really easy all you need to do is aim the nozzle of your spray to towards your throat and press twice for two puffs. You do this every second hour up to six times daily. If you are not showing signs of a cold yet but have been exposed to someone who has one you can use the spray during that time. If you already have a cold you can continue to use until your symptoms are relieved.

Michelle

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Cranes Cider Gift Set

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Disclosure - We were sent the products below for the purpose of this post. All thoughts, opinions and photographs are our own unless stated. This post contains affiliate links - purchasing an item through an affiliate link adds no extra cost to you but might earn me a few pennies. 

Today has been the first day in a long time when we have had bright skies and no rain and it's  definitely put me in a good mood. Things always seem so much better when the sun is shining, it's still freezing cold out there but it's a start.  Is anyone else desperately waiting for warm evening so you can sit in the garden and enjoy a drink or two?

Last year we tried Cranes cider for the first time and have been drinking it ever since. There are three delicious flavours to choose from

Blueberries & Apples

With beautiful natural blueberry tones combined with crisp apple flavours, we’re certain our fruit ciders will quench your thirst.

Cranberries & Limes

A lovely crisp cider with cranberry and lime flavours coming through. The driest of our range, therefore the closest to the traditional ciders.

Raspberries & Pomegranates

Sweet and delicious, with a distinctive raspberry kick. So, this luscious cider is a guaranteed crowd pleaser. It’s basically the taste of summer. 

Each cider has 220 calories per bottle which results in 30% fewer calories compared to brand leaders.

The Cranes cider gift set includes a 3 bottles of cider, 1 bottle of each flavour and a Cranes cider glass. It's the perfect gift for a Mother's Day and I have a Cranes Cider Gift Set to giveaway to one lucky Playdays and Runways reader and follower. 

Our Giveaway is now closed but you can still enjoy Cranes cider which is available in-stores or on Amazon.

Michelle

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Pernaton Gel Review

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Disclosure - We were sent the products below for the purpose of this post. All thoughts, opinions and photographs are our own unless stated. This post contains affiliate links - purchasing an item through an affiliate link adds no extra cost to you but might earn me a few pennies. 

It's fair to say that I am not getting any younger and sometimes at the end of the day my body aches all over. I have no idea why but usually a hot bath will sort me out. Recently I discovered Pernaton Gel which is a perfect natural relief for muscle and joint related problems.

Pernaton is a natural product available in two care gels for daily external application. Pernaton Gel is formulated to help relieve the aches and pains of everyday life and Pernaton Gel Forte can provide relief from aching muscles. It is suitable for those with medical conditions which result in sore or aching muscles and joints. Pernaton Gel Forte is ideal for aching muscles following sport or exercise, when massaged into the skin it has been found to aid training recovery.

I have teamed up with Pernaton to give two lucky readers and followers of Playdays and Runways to try the gel for themselves in our latest giveaway. 

Our Giveaway may be closed but you can still own Pernaton just head over to Amazon to buy. 

Michelle

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