Parenting & Guardianship with Roberta Smart
Make the most of what you have We all know that it’s a good idea to recycle and do our bit for the planet. Being green, cutting down waste and avoiding adding to the landfill is a central focus for many families these days. One way you can avoid creating waste is to be mindful of what you buy for babies as toys. With so much plastic found in baby toys, this could be an area in which you can achieve many things in one fell swoop. How? By creating toys for your children using items you no longer have use for, such as a ‘Busy Board’.
door handle, a wooden flap on injury, dementia or limited a hinge. cognition, these toys can be All manner of domestic hard- perfect for them to touch, hold, Use household items to ware would be fascinating for engage with and enjoy. make a sensory board baby to grab, pull, push, maniAllow them to touch By taking a piece of plywood, pulate and be a great way to and explore sanding the edges smooth and utilise existing items – as long lacquering for protection, you as they are clean and safe, of I am now working with adults create a base upon which you course. And what’s even better, with dementia, as well as can attach any number of this board can be used again enjoying a new granddaughter, household items which you and again, passed down and I am fascinated by the may have in a drawer, cupboard through generations of babies parallels in ways to engage or garden shed. and entertain the minds of these and never wear out. A door latch attached If you like the idea of textiles two groups of humans, who securely, a bell to push, a few rather than hardware and feel although at different stages of unused keys on a short chain, more at home with soft life, share some fundamental a piece of heavy rope to grab, a furnishings than a drill, why similarities which are joyous to not make a fiddle blanket or observe. Each loves to touch, to explore, to self soothe cushion instead? By gathering oddments of through holding, grabbing and different textured fabrics, inc- using hands to ‘see’ what is in luding ribbon, cord, silk, satin, front of them. If you can recycle old elements cotton and velvet, and featuring contrasting colours, layering rather than throw away, have fabrics and adding buttons, the pleasure of creating somebows, knots and fringes onto a thing useful and attractive, and sturdy, well-finished blanket or see the joy on faces as these cushion, you will create an items are used again and aesthetically pleasing and highly again, I would say, of all my entertaining toy for your baby. recommendations, this might I also have to add that if you just be the best one yet! Why happen to have a family not have a go this summer and member with any form of brain see what you can create? The Local Answer To advertise call Page
