It is a great time of year to get the kids outside and exploring the world around them. We are enjoying some fresh sunny days so make the most of them! Activities don’t need to be planned and can be as simple as going for a walk at a nearby forest, beach, riverside or park.

Activity: Adventure walking stick

Make it a real adventure and get the kids to make their very own walking stick. All you need is a stick of a suitable height and the kids can personalise it with handy craft items. You could easily place the items for this activity in the car and set up a decorating station at the park on a picnic table or rug.

1. Find a suitable stick – make sure you check the stability and for bugs!
2. Make a hand grip by wrapping the top of the stick string or tape.
3. Decorate with items you have around the house, such as string, leaves, feathers and ribbon.
4. Go on an adventure and explore!

For the younger ones tie some string around a wooden spoon so they can join in the fun.

Adventure tips:

Don’t say “walk”: Instead of using the word ‘walk”, suggest you’re going on an adventure or outing. As in, “We’re off on an adventure to a local forest or park.”

Go at their pace: Be prepared to go at their pace, stopping to play and looking at things on the way.

Let them feel grown-up: Giving kids a backpack to carry themselves will allow them to think they are being grown up. This also means they can carry their own snacks and a bottle of water, which saves you the extra weight!

Use a map: Most parks should be on google maps. Print out a copy and get the kids to navigate around park. You could even add on land marks such as big trees, seats etc. This will make it easy for them to use as a guide. They will forget about all the walking as they navigate you from one feature to another.

Take a magnifying glass: Let your little ones see nature close up. Leaves, flowers, bark and bugs look different magnified and it exposes details kids would usually miss.

We hope you enjoy the outdoors with your little ones and can’t wait to hear your adventure stories!

Do you have an outdoor adventure tip to share?

Image source: http://www.greylikesbaby.com

Mum’s always end up behind the camera. Whether they are the ones behind the lens or too busy behind the scene at special events.

Mother’s day is the perfect day to capture some special moments and have your very own Mother’s day photoshoot. You don’t need the fanciest camera, just a nicely lit space and big smiles!  Check out our Mother’s day photoshoot inspiration board on pinterest…

If dad isn’t up to the challenge of photographer, most cameras have a timer setting. Place it on a flat surface and let the fun begin.

Capture some real “Mommy and me” moments that will remind you of a special Mother’s day.

Do you want to use cleaners that are child or pet friendly but find eco cleaners from the supermarket a bit too pricey?

Try this great DIY natural all purpose cleaner recipe. You can use this for almost everything in your home, from kitchens to floors to laundry to the bathroom. In addition to being super-eco and inexpensive, it’s non toxic so it is extremely child and pet friendly.

You will need:
2 tsp baking soda
4 tbsp white vinegar (a natural disinfectant)
400 ml warm water
10-15 drops of your favourite essential oil (optional)

Mix all the ingredients together in a spray bottle, you can usually pick them up from your local variety store.

Don’t worry about the initial vinegar smell. It goes away in 2-3 minutes and leaves behind a pretty scent of your favourite essential oil. Try using tea tree and lavender oil as they have anti bacterial properties.

Happy cleaning!

Between the ages of 3 and 6, children’s feet grow an average of 1 mm per month*. According to the Research project “Children’s Feet – Children’s Shoes“, only 2.5% of all children show a faster growth rate than 1 mm per month.

Children’s shoes should be at least 12 mm, but no more than 17 mm, longer than their feet. This allows a healthy amount of wriggle room for your little ones toes. When you buy shoes with 17 mm extra space, the shoes will fit for approximately 5 months still leaving the necessary 12 mm of wriggle room.

Research shows that:

• Between the ages of one and three, feet can be expected to grow as much as 1.5 mm in length per month.
• Between the ages of three and six, children’s feet grow an average of 1 mm per month in length.
• Between the ages of six and ten, children’s feet grow somewhat less than 1 mm per month in length.

While this may seem slow, we recommend that your children’s shoes are checked regularly to make sure they are not too small.

Our new step up and i-walk Spring/Summer 2013 collections are now available online at bobux.co.uk and bobux.de!

Highlights this season include a new colour pallet. Vibrant red, energetic pink and cool teal adding a spark to our classic styles that will be sure to stand out from the crowd. Our new ‘tiny trekker’ open toe sandal is also a great addition to our step up range. Developed especially for our step upers for those warmer months.

The i-walk and step up ranges have been designed specifically for each stage of your childs’ development. With natural shape, movement and flexibility every step of the way.

Our new step up and i-walk Autumn/Winter 2013 collections are now available online at bobux.com.au and bobux.co.nz!

Highlights this season include a new colour pallet. A vibrant red and energetic pink brightens up the grey months and will be sure to stand out from the crowd. Our new blizzard (i-walk) and storm (step up) boots are also making their debut. Fully lined, these boots will keep little toes extra warm and comfortable in the cooler months.

The i-walk and step up ranges have been designed specifically for each stage of your childs’ development. With natural shape, movement and flexibility every step of the way.

Our Graphic designer, Ellen, and brilliant photographer, Peta Mazey, at our lifestyle photoshoot last week. A big thank you again to all of our fantastic models and parents. We cannot wait to see the final pictures!

A fun activity for the kids, especially when they get to watch the birds enjoys their work! For an extra bit of fun glue 2 cardboard toilet paper tubes together to make binoculars and turn bird spotting into an adventure.

You will need:
4 cups birdseed (from pet store)
1 cup maple syrup
1x wooden skewer
Biscuit cutters in various shapes
String/ribbon
Greaseproof paper

Step 1: Place 4 cups of wild birdseed into a large mixing bowl. Pour 2 tablespoons of maple syrup into the birdseed at a time. Use your hands to mix the birdseed and syrup together, adding more syrup until the birdseed sticks together in a clump. Usually, this is approximately 1 cup of syrup, although the amount may vary.

Step 2: Roll birdseed onto lightly floured surface to avoid sticking. Cut out shapes from the birdseed using biscuit cutters and poke a hole through one corner/edge of each shape with the skewer. This will be the hole for the string to go through to hang your birdseed shapes.

Step 3: Place your birdseed hangers onto a greaseproof paper-covered baking sheet. Bake the shapes in a preheated oven set at 180 degrees celcius for 10 minutes. Check on your shapes every 3 minutes until it has a glossy sheen. Cooking times may vary.

Step 4: When your birdseed shapes have cooled thread the string through the holes and hang outside for the birds to eat!

Note: If it rains remember to bring the shapes inside, they will turn into a soggy puddle on your lawn if they get wet!

The perfect valentines gift for a special mum or dad!

You will need:
1x A4 sheet of white paper or thin card
1x Black felt pen or access to a Computer with a printer
1x Little foot and 2x Little hands
1x Soft paint brush
Nontoxic paint
Wet wipes or old facecloth
Frame (optional)

Step 1: Type and print, or write with a marker, the text “I love you…from the bottom of my heart to the tips of my toes” on the sheet of card – making sure you leave enough space for your little ones prints.

Step 2: Using the paint brush apply a thin layer of paint on your little ones right hand and place it on the page on a slight angle.

Step 3: Wipe off the left over paint from your child’s hand with a wet wipe to avoid a painted mess.

Step 4: Repeat steps 2 and 3 with the left hand, placing the hand on the opposite angle to the right so it creates a heart shape.

Step 5: Repeat steps 2 and 3 with the left foot and place next to the toes text.

Step 6: When the paint is dry place the page in a frame. For an extra touch write the date at the bottom and let (or help) your child sign their name.

Feet are very useful things, they allow us to stand, walk, run and play every day. But they are also very interesting things…did you know the following funny foot facts?!

Resources:
http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/
http://www.profootcenter.com/25-fun-foot-facts