Interior inspo

Blue christmas >> Indigo interiors to bring the festive season to life using a statement colour

Cox & Cox >> Golden Deco Tree, £75, coxandcox.co.uk Goodwill >> Glass Jewel Top Bauble, £13, seymourshome.com Waterford >> Christmas Snowglobe, £95, amara.com Sophie Allport >> Home For Christmas Bedset, £45, sophieallport.com Sophie Allport >> Home For Christmas Knitted Statement Cushion, £49, sophieallport.com The Real Flower Company >> Copper, Plum & Gold Christmas Wreath, £120, realflowers.co.uk John Lewis & Partners >> Art Nouveau Glitter Peacock Feather Bauble, Blue, £5,

johnlewis.com

Marquis & Dawe >> Blueberry Candle Wreath, £15,

Four ways to style your home this Christmas

marquisanddawe.co.uk

Merry & bright >> Bold brights to ensure you have a very merry Christmas at home

Cody Foster & Co >> Licking Lips Tree Decoration, £12,

Let it snow >> A sprinkling of snow to turn your home into a winter wonderland

amara.com Curious Rose >> Christmas Stockings, £35, curious-rose.co.uk

Rockett St George Silver Leopard Print Bauble, £8, rockettstgeorge.co.uk home style Cox & Cox >> Luxury Handmade Golden Leopard Crackers, £50, coxandcox.co.uk

Cox & Cox >> Leopard Printed Napkins

Love leopard >> Hot spots for seasonal

£5.50, coxandcox.co.uk

<< Jan Constantine Sequin Leopard Stocking, £75, amara.com

Complete design, supply and installation of the highest quality, customised wood burning stoves and inserts. Most fires are also available for gas.

We stock:

Wood burning and gas stoves from luxury Scandinavian brand Rais.Multi-fuel

Gas and electric stoves from the UK's largest stove and fireplace supplier Gazco and Stovax A selection of high-end outdoor heaters and BBQs

Showroom opening times: Tuesday to Friday 9am-5pm Saturday 10am-1pm

50A Racecourse Road Gallowfields Trading Estate Richmond North Yorkshire DL10 4TG

T: 01748 517171 E: castleviewfireplaces@gmail.com W: www.castleviewfireplaces.com

Fun stuff >> From board games and outdoorsy stuff, to Christmas crafts and oodles of festive activities, there are plenty of joyous treats for little ones to enjoy this winter

DELIGHTFUL DECOR >> Aprons on, sleeves rolled up, pens at the ready - it’s time to get creative. Packed with tons of artistic goodies, this stationary advent box is perfect for arty-types looking to design their own Christmas cards, baubles, gift tags and more. £50, undertherowantrees.co.uk

NATURE WARRIORS >> Wrap up warm and head for the great outdoors. This uber-cool nature hideaway kit is perfect for learning new skills, discovering creatures and becoming at-one with nature. £60, thedenkitco.com

ANIMAL LOVER >> Who knew feeding birds could be so much fun? This Children’s Bird Gift Box is a great way to get your little ones interested in nature and the creatures that live within it. Make it, fill it and watch the magic happen. £28, boxwild.com

SNOW DAY >> This traditional wooden sledge is perfect for snow days. No snow? No worries. Use as a festive decoration for your very own winter wonderland. £85, gardentrading.co.uk

Happy holidays

If this year has taught us anything, it’s the importance of spending time with loved ones. Getting outside, breathing in the fresh air and knowing it’s okay to press pause and live in the moment

The Christmas period presents all kinds of magical moments, from cosying up with a mug of hot chocolate, to watching your favourite festive flick and writing a letter to Santa Claus; but as we embrace the most wonderful time of the year, it’s important to stay as active as possible - whether it’s with an engaging boardgame, a snowy stroll or a crafts session. Here are four ways to keep little ones entertained at home and in the garden over the festive season...

EXPLORE THE GREAT OUTDOORS >> Layer up your chunky knitwear, pop on your wellies and brave the cold. Getting outdoors, come rain or shine, is super important - not only for your child’s physical wellbeing, but for their mental wellbeing too. We’ve spent a lot of time indoors this year, so now’s the perfect time to take advantage of some quality time in nature. Head out on a woodland walk, play games in the garden, or go on a family bike ride; there’s tons to explore on our doorsteps - even in the winter. There’s something quite therapeutic about wrapping up warm and feeling the ice-cold wind against your rosy-red cheeks.

UNLEASH YOUR COMPETITIVE SIDE >> Prepare the snacks and gather your gang, a family games night is on the agenda this winter. We can all be guilty of spending too much time in front of the TV, scrolling endlessly through social media and playing video games for hours on end. So, why not try breaking out of your usual routine? Get money wise with a classic game of Monopoly, put your skills to the test in a battle of Charades or work together on a good-old jigsaw puzzle.

GET YOUR CREATIVE JUICES FLOWING >> It’s time to channel your inner artist. Arts and crafts play a vital role in a child’s development. Messy hands, different textures and creative ideas help, not only to stimulate the brain, but allow little ones to develop their motor skills, discover their artistic side and become comfortable with new surroundings. The festive season provides ample opportunity to get creative; from wreath making to bauble painting and card crafting, there’s plenty to keep your bundle of joy busy, whether it be at a Christmas workshop or from the comfort of your own home.

GET CRAFTY IN THE KITCHEN >> Mixing bowls at the ready. It’s time to roll up your sleeves, break out the recipe books and put your baking skills to the test. Whether it’s building a gingerbread house, baking Santa’s cookies or trying out some new festive recipes, cooking or baking is a great way to get the kids up and active. Many skills are being put to the test while getting crafty in the kitchen; from time keeping and cleaning, to mathematics and creative ideas - with plenty of fun thrown in. Nothing says Christmas like the smell of gingerbread and sweet mince pies baking in the oven.

Little moments

Why the great outdoors is a glorious tool for development in little ones...

If you’re on board with this way of thinking, then how can you increase your child’s exposure to nature? Well as always, we have to be the model for our children. If we start talking about weather in negative terms such as the ‘horrible rain’ or the ‘pesky wind’ then this will filter down to our kids. We need them to know that we value the time we spend in nature too. If children don’t feel a connection to the natural world then there will be no incentive for them to protect it. We need to show our children the wonders of the beaches, the forests, the hills and the rivers, so they will be driven to look after them in the future. Many of my around being outdoors; skiing in the mountains, swimming in the sea, camping in the fields. These are the things I take with me on my adult journey through life and the experiences I had (and continue to have) in nature, have brought me great joy and contentment. So, when you look outside this weekend and it appears dark and cold, rather than shutting the curtains and reaching for the remote, grab your coat and boots and declare a family nature adventure! Get outside and explore what our fantastic region has to offer. Remember, just as Alfred Wainwright said: “There’s no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing”.

Nadia x

Well, it’s that time of year again when we crank up the heating, put our warm socks on and snuggle up on the sofa. When the weekend arrives, staying inside where it is warm and dry seems like the obvious choice but, if we repeatedly do this, it will start to take its toll on our children. To be blunt, it’s not good for them. There is growing research to say that children need to be outdoors, every day, for at least three hours. I know, as a former teacher, that when it is cold, wet, windy, icy or snowing (basically anything other than warm and dry) many schools have ‘indoor play.’ If schools do this over a number of days or weeks, children miss out on vital outdoor time. Now, it’s possible that kids may not want to go outside, in fact they will do anything to avoid it, but they really need to. Let me explain why. Children who don’t regularly spend time outside, playing freely, can suffer. It can be detrimental to not only their physical health, but also their mental wellbeing. There is evidence to show that more and more ‘indoor’ children are struggling with their fine motor skills (e.g. using a pencil or cutting with scissors) and they are unable to regulate their gross motor skills (e.g. bumping into things, lacking core strength and using too much force when interacting with friends). When we restrict children’s movement, these are the results. Some children spend so much time indoors that they are growing intolerant to their natural surroundings. They don’t like the feeling of mud, grass or rain. They don’t like the wind on their face or sand on their hands. It’s almost like they are allergic to it. Author, Richard Louv, coined the informal term ‘Nature Deficit Disorder’ and he is concerned, like many other professionals, that children are not having the outdoor experiences they so desperately need. They are becoming disconnected from the natural world. There are a number of benefits for children when they are surrounded by nature; it builds their confidence and resilience, promotes creativity, imagination and problem-solving, provides a different form of stimulation, awakens the senses and gets them moving. It also builds their immune system and they get their daily dose of vitamin D. In our current situation, this is more important than ever. Children become more aware and alive when they are outside. The great outdoors has a wonderful way of knowing exactly what each child needs at the time; it calms those children who are anxious or stressed, whilst providing a vast, exciting playground for those who have energy to burn or physical aggression to channel. There is a saying: “If your children are bouncing off the walls, take the walls away”. I use the outdoors as a form of natural medicine for my son. Back in the good old days, pre-COVID, when children went to birthday parties with other little humans and ate their weight in sugar, we would bundle our son into the car soon after the last candle had been blown out and take him to the beach or the woods to rid his body of the saccharine high. We even tally up our time outside and try to reach 1,000 hours each year. More and more people are starting to realise the benefits of being outside. Outdoor or forest educational spaces are becoming increasingly popular. It’s not unusual to visit an outdoor nursery and see three-year olds lighting fires, using tools and climbing trees. The children are engrossed in their surroundings and they are learning in a very real, organic environment. They use nature as their classroom and without the constraints and restrictions that come with the indoors, children are free to explore, create and develop important skills. favourite childhood memories are centered Corrina Atkinson Photography

Nadia McSheffrey is founder of The Tranquil Treehouse. Nadia works with parents to help them be the parent they want to be and find tranquility in their family lives. She also works with children and teachers to support their own emotional wellbeing. For more information and daily parenting support, follow her at: thetranquiltreehouse.com and on Facebook and Instagram @tranquiltreehouse