End of the Blog..

As we are essentially easing out of lockdown and I haven't updated in a long while in any case, I plan on stopping updates to this blog. It will remain here and I can alway start again if there is a new need.

Competitions, Competitions, Competitions.....

Various folk on the Black Isle are running various competitions at the moment..

Rosemarkie Amenities Association - Poster Competition
For Under 7's and 7-11year olds in IV10 - design a poster encouraging people to keep our lovely villages tidy, take up litter and pick up after dogs.
Entries can be emailed to rosamenexec@gmail.com or put through letterbox at 35 High Street, RosemarkieClosing date 18th May.


Groam House Museum and Avoch and Killen Community Council
Build and display a scarecrow outside your house.  Follow scarecrow antics here - https://www.facebook.com/groups/BlackIsleScarecrows/

Inverness Science Festival

The Inverness Science Festival (normally a brilliant event anyway) has moved online.  They're been running loads of brilliant competitions and have a million and one suggestions for STEM activities - it it well worth checking out.
https://www.uhi.ac.uk/en/inverness-science-festival/

Talking about science - we are going to do the classic homemade lava lamp experiment today (it says something when you add random items to your Tesco shop for kids entertainment reasons doesn't it?) I will post some photos when I'm done....
https://www.homesciencetools.com/article/how-to-make-a-homemade-lava-lamp-science-project/

Learning Words....

This morning for my sons "formal" school activity we typed four of his tricky words into the computer together - we picked the words together too so a mixture of ones he did know and ones he didn't.  We then chose crazy fonts for each and sized them so that they used an entire sheet of A4 paper.  I then strung them up over our swing as we had to shout out a word and try and hit it with a ball - it worked really well and was really good fun!
I then cut up a couple of extra versions as jigsaw puzzles that he had to reassemble...

This afternoon we're working on number patterns so I'll let you know how that goes.

My son is very resistant to doing anything to do with school so we're trying a new thing of aiming for two 30 minute "formal" school sessions a day.  Today is the first day so fingers crossed it continues as well as it's started.

How is your home schooling going?

Coloring Pages

Coloring is good for us all - not just kids.
With that in mind my work has launched a free coloring book with some of their iconic projects - including the new Forth Bridge - it's available here and well worth a download/print.
Let me know if you can't print and I will print you off a copy!

https://www.jacobs.com/newsroom/news/free-downloadable-coloring-book-jacobs-iconic-projects

Virtual Dinosaurs..

The Natural History are running a family dinosaur festival...it's full of craft ideas, dinosaur information and other goodies....

https://www.nhm.ac.uk/events/family-festival-dinosaurs.html?utm_source=fb-link-post-20200414-lj&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=family-festival&fbclid=IwAR1KlE0VIQNFdLVgdpfpwklou1bzeeiI3NOI5syf3sKSp1v9K5gIm6gkRuU

Slow, slow, slow...

Sorry I've been slow with ideas lately...it's been the Easter weekend and the weather has been lovely so we've just been well pottering...gardening and bouncing on the trampoline and swinging on the swings....

One thing I did do for my youngest the other day was photocopy a sheet of Paw Patrol characters (from a book although I'm.sure you could get pictures on the internet), cut them out and then hide them around the place. We spent a good 15 minutes finding them and hiding them again....

Corona Virus Questions

Noisy Crow have just released a free downloadable book illustrated by Axel Scheffler all about the current situation for children.  It can be downloaded here - 
https://nosycrow.com/blog/released-today-free-information-book-explaining-coronavirus-children-illustrated-gruffalo-illustrator-axel-scheffler/

Nicola Sturgeon has also answered various children's questions about Corona Virus - her answers can be found on YouTube here - 
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLh2wA32--fZtlxAIUyrUrG2p3a5smpSfo

Scottish Orienteering Challenges....

The Scottish Orienteering Society are releasing puzzles and challenges of various abilities each day - they look like great fun - 

https://www.facebook.com/scottish.orienteering
https://www.scottish-orienteering.org/resources/puzzles-and-challenges/?fbclid=IwAR1mQxkeadhH1rXoJPA_pN8aAxsth1ZRMls5D9i0QYwQ2HPyW16mExI2UPE

Magical Creatures....

We discovered at the weekend that google have created a new way to look at animals - live in your living room!  It's really hard to explain but trust me just do it! 
Just use your phone to Google your favorite animal, then hit ‘view in 3D’; and the hit 'View in your space' and Google will then use your phone’s camera to beam the animal right into your living room. It doesn’t work with all animals, so have fun discovering what ones you can find.   We so far have only tried Tiger but need to try more!

Science, Science, Science...

I love, love, love these science experiments. They're easy to set up and explore and look like they will actually work...I'll try some out and update this entry!

(Thanks to Sarah B)

https://www.science-sparks.com/science-at-home-experiments-for-kids/?fbclid=IwAR0RmUBr2-t-Te4dzAHps3JLOje8TyxTEaZLeiSXVe3RyOCtQp6dpOmTVVI

On the subject of science experiments we tried the walking horse experiment at the weekend and couldn't get it to work..anyone else tried this?

https://frugalfun4boys.com/paper-horse-that-walks/

We also tried the experiment were you write on a plate with a dry marker and pour water on...again we couldn't get it to work!

But we also built a bottle rocket and that was brilliant! But only worked because I have a massive bottle of white vinegar hoarded for such an eventuality (don't ask). 

https://frugalfun4boys.com/epic-bottle-rocket-flew-higher-2-story-house/

Lists, Lists, Lists....

I'm not a big fan of these huge lists...I don't find them particularly useful. 

What's your opinion?

Credit to Ashleigh (although I got it from somewhere else)

It's written in the sand....

We went to the beach for our exercise today and wrote messages in the sand. We've already decided what to write next...what will you write?

Deadly Defenders....

So we are all (adults and seven year old alike) addicted to this game...it's deceptively easy then gets harder and harder....

https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/games/deadly-defenders-game

Easter Eggs....

Rosemarkie Help + Rosemarkie Amenities would like to see lots of decorated eggs in windows to join the rainbows and teddies, draw them on paper and show how creative you are.

Decorate real eggs, (hard boiled first of course) , and have fun making slopes to roll your eggs,  play tap with them or have an egg and spoon in the garden.

Ross County FC - Learning at Home

https://www.rosscountyfootballclub.co.uk/news/archive/learn-from-home-workbook/?fbclid=IwAR1BZwDJq-rdmfXl3JW9XrxuKsrLjAwsFVGUg7fED0grzrxZNHaHsFlZrSM

Ross County FC have launched a Learn at Home booklet full of challenges/worksheets for learning at home through a football theme...There are also football challenges at the back to be tried out in you back garden...(credit to my friend Katherine for this one)

Meditations and Rainbows.....

Meditations/Mindfullness - 
https://www.calm.com/blog/take-a-deep-breath and https://www.headspace.com/covid-19

The two main apps/websites that offer mindfulness meditations have pulled together free packages to help!  I haven’t tried these out yet but plan on doing so and will update when I have.  At first look Calm looks to have more available for kids but maybe Headspace has more through it’s app.

Paint a Rainbow Activity
Paint a rainbow to stick up in your window – or paint more than one and post to Grandparents/other family members to stick in their windows.
Then go on a rainbow hunt (whilst maintaining social distancing and during your exercise time) around the village.

Get Active

Joe Wickes Workouts! - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAxW1XT0iEJo0TYlRfn6rYQ

Joe Wickes is offering a free 30 minute family workout every morning at 9am.  They are also available to catch-up at any time.  We tried – we failed – but I know loads of people who are doing these!

Andy’s Wild Workouts – BBC iPlayer – CBeebies
If the above is to hard/too long for your child I would really recommend these.  They’re short and wildlife themed so even if they can’t do the moves they can pretend to be the animals.  They won’t get adults sweating as much though (but that might be a good thing)!

The Jumping Bean Game
Put some songs on/music on and get your kids to jump about and pretend to be different beans as you call them out.  So for example: Runner Beans = run on the spot; Broad Beans = make yourself as wide as possible; Baked beans = make yourself as small as possible; Jumping beans = jump on the spot; Beans on toast = lay on the floor; Jelly bean = wobble and shake…you get the idea.  We also had loads of fun making up our own beans.  (Credit to otplayfortoday on Instagram). 

New Skills....

Duolingo - https://www.duolingo.com/

This is an amazing (totally free not just at the moment) app/website that helps you to learn a new language – they have a huge range to choose from including Gaelic!  Rosetta Stone (who also offer a similar service) are currently offering three months free to students (https://www.rosettastone.com/freeforstudents/).  If you have more than one child that’s fine – just sign up with different email addresses – but if you have to put in payment details don’t forget to cancel after three months). 

Word/Letter musical Islands - https://www.instagram.com/fiveminutemum/
I got this idea from fiveminutemum on Instagram.  I would totally recommend following her on Instagram as she has loads of brilliant ideas (she also has a fab blog and I just got her book).  

Basically you write out letters/words/whatever you like on bits of paper and put them on the floor (we used words).  Play music and when it stops you all have to find an island.  You then have to read the letter/word/whatever on your island or your out.  Once we had read them correctly we picked them up so there were less islands as the game progressed.  You could also do it so that you have to bump down on an island.  It was really good fun (for maybe ten minutes) and got us moving and learning.  I think the fact that I offered a reward (a bit of chocolate brownie) and took part too was key to the success.
We then folded up the words we had used and took turns to hide them round the room and find them/read them.

Getting our culture fix...

Credit has to go to our volunteer Ingrid for most of our virtual visits- I think she has become the queen of visiting places from her computer....

Google Art and Culture - https://artsandculture.google.com/project/openheritage
An amazing website allowing you to visit a huge range of museums/monuments/historic artifacts online in 3D.

The Gruffalo Website

http://www.gruffalo.com/activities

Loads of free downloadable and printable books with games/puzzles/activities themed to tie in with the books.  Also link to an online game.  I’ll admit – we haven’t used but came highly recommended from another mum.

STEM Starter for Ten

Marvin and Milo Science Experiments - http://physics.org/marvinandmilo.asp

(Or google Marvin and Milo Science pdf)
Really easily implemented science experiments using items we all have at home.  With prompts on how to have a discussion around the background science.

Make a Paper Horse that Walks - https://frugalfun4boys.com/paper-horse-that-walks/

We haven;t actually tried this yet but plan on doing it today or tomorrow.  I think it looks fab...

Audio Stories....

These are fab for my eldest (7) when we need to sit down and have a cup of tea whilst my youngest is asleep.  I’ll fully admit that David Walliams does my head in though so I have to leave the room when he’s on!

Audible - https://stories.audible.com/start-listen
Audible have opened up their huge online library of stories for young people to listen to online for free during the crisis.  There is a huge range of stories for all ages.  The first Harry Potter book is now on here for any potter-philes!

David Walliams Elevenses- https://www.worldofdavidwalliams.com/elevenses/
Every day at 11am David Walliams is making a new story available to listen to for free.

Introduction

So I started pulling a list of fun activities together over on our website and then quickly realised that it was very hard to update in a fun, easy to use manner.

So I'm going to try and put all resources on here and then hopefully they can be easily accessed and updated - feedback always welcome!

To start with there will be a whole host of blog entries which cover the initial links that were posted...and then I'll update as and when.