All of our baby gifts are either £10 or under

Gifts for 0-3 months

Baby maracas – we love these ones from Fisher Price

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/3247516?istCompanyId=a74d8886-5df9-4baa-b776-166b3bf9111c&istFeedId=30f62ea9-9626-4cac-97c8-9ff3921f8558&istItemId=ltqalmmmi&istBid=t

Baby Crinkle paper – babies love the sound and texture of these

https://www.thelittlesensorybagco.co.uk/product-page/gingerbread-man-silicone-teether?utm_source=google&utm_medium=wix_google_feed&utm_campaign=freelistings&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAABmBNoEM8oy0jVeUXuMK6aZS0TVDn&gclid=CjwKCAiAxqC6BhBcEiwAlXp4519sKlakIIHWo5fU4DDbIpKsuN635_iyhtK1hvOWFQ9XdNfGpd1UXhoCht8QAvD_BwE

Bath toys like bath books can also be used away from bath time and they are easy to clean. Nuby ones were our favourite.

3-6 months

Teething toys – babies love putting things in thier mouth so again we loved something that was easy for our little one to hold and clean!! https://www.boots.com/matchstick-monkey-teething-toy-green-10249570?cm_mmc=bmm-buk-google-ppc-_-PLAs-_–_-pmax_catchall__gg_shopping__v2catchall___pmedia&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAA-AdmwRIs_yqRqI2VH2Sw59KtpLCP&gclid=CjwKCAiAxqC6BhBcEiwAlXp452NQgwsFF6hZR2-aYtcIv4NXWmfuC4a5hOu1o_wd-YQFS6k5vET2phoCRSoQAvD_BwE

Grasping toys easy to hold and fun to play with

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/7514953?istCompanyId=a74d8886-5df9-4baa-b776-166b3bf9111c&istFeedId=c290d9a9-b5d6-423c-841d-2a559621874c&istItemId=mmlmrpllw&istBid=t&gclsrc=aw.ds&&cmpid=GS001&_$ja=tsid:59157%7Cacid:629-618-1342%7Ccid:20368907733%7Cagid:%7Ctid:%7Ccrid:%7Cnw:x%7Crnd:6697561645253968078%7Cdvc:c%7Cadp:%7Cmt:%7Cloc:9195494&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=20368907733&utm_term=7514953&utm_content=shopping&utm_custom1=&utm_custom2=629-618-1342&GPDP=true&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD9II9kR-6ywUOKE_tRIZp8IHeYay&gclid=CjwKCAiAxqC6BhBcEiwAlXp45xzirvTthyq7MIDAAgKHnsMmVwVdiaUfLSpUoopcbcJHi9K2-dR_1xoCZ0EQAvD_BwE

Baby rattles that clip onto prams we love we very kindly got bought a le maze one but this one from Smyths is lovely https://www.smythstoys.com/uk/en-gb/brand/playgro/playgro-lupe-llama-sensory-toy/p/217709

6-9 months

Books! We love the that’s not my book….. and why not shop local and buy from a local Usborn seller.

https://usborne.com/gb/partner/laurasloveofbooks/?partnerCode=10069906&utm_campaign=laurasloveofbooks&utm_source=partner-store&utm_medium=link-share&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaYEjBHYy6J2KN7BmhA4TMxpNSuuM1Qh2xU1GtXGA5qFa-VysOibVS1ZoKo_aem_NnKKUyQuVytgtWPAxNZAlw

Sensory balls – babies love rolling or just exploring balls we love these sensory ones from Early learning really high quality.

https://www.elc.co.uk//shop-by-age/6-12-months/Early-Learning-Centre-Sensory-Discovery-Balls/p/559473

pop up toys these range in price we prefer the open ended ones but if you want a cheaper one this one is pretty good. https://www.mulberrybush.co.uk/pop-up-people?gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADy8fPhHAASd8CLxLNDZK8aZrDPqQ&gclid=CjwKCAiA6aW6BhBqEiwA6KzDcy2u1EPX2d91RJmo0kPufHnmaiL-il7bfemhjV0gmPqfX59YupunKBoCxp0QAvD_BwE

9-12 months

the where’s …. books have been such a staple in our house from where’s Mr car to where’s Mr duck my daughter loves them all – https://www.worldofbooks.com/en-gb/products/where-s-mr-lion-book-ingela-arrhenius-9780857637611?sku=GOR008530844&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADZzAIDgFax_TXCSwgGlmU_2JHOao&gclid=CjwKCAiA6aW6BhBqEiwA6KzDc8q4ACJOgabwsT8Z0CnXZjEE67NoX96QwG6alhjae7AMpcdDCQA3bBoC890QAvD_BwE

Satrting off with jig saws are great at this age as they help babies develop their fine motor skills.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bigjigs-Toys-First-Peg-Puzzle/dp/B079NQ7492/ref=asc_df_B079NQ7492?mcid=c11eb2ae73f93dd298fca26595197616&tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=697238266225&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=18275019983040900209&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9195494&hvtargid=pla-693653567220&psc=1&gad_source=1

Puppets – these are so wonderful you can play peek-a-book sing a long to Little Lamb’s songs children love the puppets – you can get so manyso it was hard to pick but we get all of ours from the Puppet company – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Puppet-Company-First-Giraffe-Hand/dp/B000RT21H4/ref=asc_df_B000RT21H4?mcid=897b4685a7223bbeb0c1fd014bd52ec7&tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=696350735955&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17893936366816298879&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9195494&hvtargid=pla-362536675372&psc=1&gad_source=1

1-2 years presents under £15

Bricks – children love building and exploring hwo they fit tigether – https://www.elc.co.uk//shop-by-age/1-2-years/Mega-Bloks-First-Builders-Big-Building-Bag—60-Pieces/p/539767?&cm_mmc=-_-//-_-+-+&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=CPC&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADn-aXpm6ooKn04YSDDNAUnAominQ&gclid=CjwKCAiA6aW6BhBqEiwA6KzDcwg7ZZ5ds2UYGOSu67XdKcIsU7_GLh8rDA2Xdjjx2n1Cg5OhVi6tNhoCaMsQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

we love puzzles they are so good for fine motor skills – https://www.amazon.co.uk/SOKA-Wooden-Animals-Children-Infants/dp/B097BLWB47/ref=asc_df_B097BLWB47?mcid=f02208b24d1f3a98a57ffa5df56fa262&tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=696350735904&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=15513746702130497&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9195494&hvtargid=pla-1428642044612&psc=1&gad_source=1

pull along toys are great for little ones who are on the move – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Orange-Tree-Toys-Wooden-Along/dp/B01BHUSWLA/ref=asc_df_B01BHUSWLA?mcid=6575c6f43ef33073a34c972d7436d4cd&th=1&psc=1&tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=697244016634&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1746604390126565281&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9195494&hvtargid=pla-564179499311&psc=1&gad_source=1

2-3 years

pretend play is wonderful present ideas and the world is your oster we like to keep it simple with a tea set as it’s simple to use – also with pretend play try to keep it as close to real life experiences https://www.amazon.co.uk/PETERKIN-CLASSICS-Childrens-brightly-coloured/dp/B004IZOY46/ref=asc_df_B004IZOY46?mcid=b72af6a316c13fe7b1e58ee142248a74&th=1&psc=1&tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=697189289991&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=6074055234490902656&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9195494&hvtargid=pla-592824990404&psc=1&gad_source=1

For more pretend ideas check out our other blog posts https://www.littlelambsbabytime.co.uk

Books – can you tell we love reading ryhming books are great such as Each Peach Pear Plum or nursery rhyme books. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Your-Boat-Board-book-Bookoli/dp/1787724875/ref=asc_df_1787724875?mcid=e55cfc08767e3e6884f8fdbc392d59a8&tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=697319683328&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1682475984634788526&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9195494&hvtargid=pla-1930539954704&psc=1&gad_source=1

Happy shopping.

Naomi xx

The post What to get your little one for Christmas? appeared first on Little Lambs Music.

How Counting Songs Support Early Math Skills

Counting songs, like “5 Little Ducks,” are a great way to introduce your child to basic math concepts in a playful and engaging manner. Through these songs, children learn to count forward and backward, recognize numbers, and even begin understanding simple subtraction and addition. Holding up fingers to represent numbers as you sing along can reinforce these concepts, helping children connect what they hear with what they see.

Why Counting Songs Matter

Here are some reasons counting songs are especially valuable:

• Build Early Math Confidence: By learning to count in a familiar setting, children develop a positive association with numbers. Counting songs make early math feel fun and manageable.
• Reinforce Number Recognition: Seeing numbers represented visually, such as with fingers or objects, helps children grasp the idea of quantity.
• Encourage Sequential Thinking: Counting songs often involve counting down or up, which promotes understanding of sequences, a skill they’ll use in everything from storytelling to problem-solving.
• Enhance Memory and Cognitive Skills: Memorizing song lyrics and sequences challenges children’s memory, benefiting cognitive development.

Our Favorite Counting Songs

There are so many delightful counting songs to explore! Here are a few classics:

• “5 Little Ducks” – A playful tune about five little ducks that go out to play, one by one staying behind. It’s a perfect introduction to counting down.
• “5 Speckled Frogs” – Another fun countdown song, this one helps children practice subtraction as each frog jumps off its log.
• “5 Little Men in a Flying Saucer” – This one adds an imaginative twist as the little men fly away, leaving fewer and fewer behind.
• “10 Fat Sausages” – Great for counting and adding a bit of drama as each sausage “goes bang” and disappears!

What’s Your Favorite Counting Song?

Do you have a favorite counting song you sing with your child? Whether it’s a classic or one you’ve made up, these songs are a wonderful way to bring math into your everyday routines. Share your favorites and watch as your child learns, sings, and counts along!

The post Counting Songs: Why Are They So Important for Kids? appeared first on Little Lambs Music.

1. Little Chefs in the Kitchen

Who doesn’t love playing with food (pretend food, that is)? Setting up a mini kitchen or simply giving your toddler a pot, spoon, and some pretend vegetables can lead to hours of imaginative fun.

• Props: Plastic food, pots, pans, spoons, and a toy stove or a simple cardboard box.
• Benefits: This helps children develop motor skills as they “stir” and “serve” dishes. It also introduces them to the concept of healthy food choices, kitchen safety, and the basics of meal preparation.
• Fun Twist: Have a pretend restaurant where you order food, and they “cook” and serve it to you!

2. Pet Doctor (Veterinarian)

Toddlers love animals, and what better way to engage them than pretending to care for their favorite stuffed toys? In this scenario, your little one can be the vet, and you or a stuffed animal can be the patient.

• Props: Stuffed animals, a toy stethoscope, bandages, and a syringe.
• Benefits: This helps children practice empathy by caring for “sick” animals and builds communication skills as they explain what the animal needs.
• Fun Twist: Encourage them to give each animal a name, describe its “injury,” and come up with a creative treatment plan!

3. Supermarket Shopping

Turn your living room into a mini supermarket! Use toy food items or even real (non-breakable) pantry items for them to “shop” for. This one is a big hit with toddlers who love pushing around a toy cart or basket.

• Props: Toy food, a small shopping cart or basket, and reusable bags.
• Benefits: This role play is great for introducing early math concepts like counting, sorting, and identifying different foods. It also helps build vocabulary as they learn names of items.
• Fun Twist: Take turns being the shopper and the cashier, using toy money or even stickers as currency!

4. Little Builders (Construction Site)

Most toddlers are fascinated by building, stacking, and knocking things over. Set up a pretend construction site where your child can build “houses” or “roads” with blocks, cushions, or cardboard boxes.

• Props: Toy tools, blocks, or anything stackable, like pillows or large cardboard boxes.
• Benefits: This activity improves their fine motor skills, spatial awareness, and problem-solving abilities. They also get to practice teamwork if they’re playing with friends or siblings.
• Fun Twist: Play the role of a construction site foreman, giving them instructions to build certain things like a tall tower or a long road!

5. Animal Safari Adventure

Go on a safari right in your backyard (or living room)! Toddlers love to act like animals or pretend they’re exploring and finding wild creatures.

• Props: Stuffed animals, binoculars (real or pretend), and a safari hat.
• Benefits: This encourages physical movement as they crawl like a lion, hop like a bunny, or slither like a snake. It’s also great for learning about animals, their sounds, and their habitats.
• Fun Twist: Pretend you’re the safari guide, describing what animals you’re seeing and encouraging your child to “spot” them through the binoculars.

6. Mini Firefighters

Toddlers often look up to community helpers, like firefighters. Create a pretend fire station where your child can race to save the day.

• Props: A toy firetruck, a small hose or water squirter (for outdoor play), and a helmet.
• Benefits: This helps develop problem-solving skills as they think about how to “put out the fire” and save people or animals. It’s also fantastic for gross motor skills as they move quickly and strategically.
• Fun Twist: Create a scenario where they have to rescue their toys from an imaginary fire, and you can be the person who needs saving!

7. Baby Care (Parent Role Play)

Children often enjoy mimicking the role of a parent, especially if they have younger siblings. Let your toddler take care of a baby doll, feeding, bathing, and rocking them to sleep.

• Props: A baby doll, bottle, blanket, and any other baby-related items.
• Benefits: This teaches nurturing and empathy, as well as routines such as bedtime or mealtime. It’s also a way to practice sequencing, as they’ll learn the order of steps in caring for someone.
• Fun Twist: Pretend to be the baby yourself sometimes and let them take care of you too!

8. At the Doctor’s Office

Toddlers are often curious about doctor visits, so why not turn it into a playful experience? Let your child be the doctor and you (or a toy) can be the patient.

• Props: Toy doctor kit, bandages, or stickers.
• Benefits: This role play can help ease any anxiety about real doctor visits, as it familiarizes them with the process in a fun and non-threatening way.
• Fun Twist: Use stickers as “medicine” or “bandages” that your toddler can apply to you or their toys.

9. Post Office Adventure

Create a mini post office where your child can “write” letters (or drawings) and deliver them to different areas of the house or even family members.

• Props: Envelopes, paper, crayons, a toy mailbox, and a small bag for deliveries.
• Benefits: This is a great way to introduce the concept of communication and help them develop their early writing or drawing skills. They’ll also practice motor skills by “delivering” the mail.
• Fun Twist: Set up different “mailboxes” around the house for your child to deliver to, like under the couch or in a sibling’s room!

we hope you enjoy some of these ideas. What’s your little one’s favourite prentend play?

Happy playing!

The post Creative role play ideas to support imaginative play appeared first on Little Lambs Music.

What Does It Mean?

Have you ever noticed how your baby or toddler loves to empty a container of toys or knock things over? There’s actually a really good reason for this behavior—it’s how young children learn.

But what exactly are they learning?

When children engage in activities we might call “destructive play,” they are learning about cause and effect, developing gross motor skills (such as moving boxes around), and honing fine motor skills (like taking toys out one at a time). For example, knocking down towers is a favorite activity. While building the towers comes later, young children really enjoy the act of knocking them down. You can turn this into a fun game by introducing some early counting as you build. Encourage your little one to wait until you count to three, and then let them knock it down.

Why do they only take out puzzle peices?

You may have also noticed that with puzzles, children often just want to take the pieces out at first. This is because they’re working on their hand-eye coordination!

Should I tidy up and how to cope with the toys all out?

In our house, my daughter loves to empty all the toy boxes right away. So, do I tidy up constantly? This is a question I get asked a lot, and here’s what we do.

First, we have a toy rotation system, so we only keep a few selections of different toys out at a time. This means she can only empty a limited number of boxes, which really helps keep the clutter down.

Second, I keep in mind the “5-minute rule.” What am I talking about? It only takes five minutes to tidy up the toys at the end of the day, so it doesn’t bother me if she gets them all out. I know it will only take five minutes to clean up.

Lastly, I involve my toddler in tidying up. I choose one activity and show her where the toys go, and then she takes responsibility for tidying up a certain area.

We hope you have enjoyed this blog post on destructive play! Join the conversation on our social media sites.

The post The importance of destructive play appeared first on Little Lambs Music.

Sensory Play: Wet or Dry

Sensory play is an incredible way to stimulate a child’s senses and creativity. With a tuff tray, the possibilities are endless.

1.Sensory Rice One of our favorite sensory play ideas involves colorful rice. It’s simple to make and provides hours of fun.

Ingredients:

• Rice
• Plastic sandwich bag
• Food coloring

Instructions:

1. Pour rice into the plastic sandwich bag.
2. Add a few drops of food coloring to the bag.
3. Seal the bag and shake it until the rice is evenly colored.
4. Spread the rice out on a large tray to dry for 24 hours.

Once the rice is dry, it’s ready for your child to explore. They can scoop, pour, and run their fingers through the rice, engaging in tactile play that enhances fine motor skills.

2. Water Play Water play is another easy and delightful sensory activity.

Setup:

1. Fill your tuff tray with water.
2. Gather a variety of containers in different sizes and shapes.

As your child explores the water, you can introduce language development by using words like pour, sprinkle, fill, and empty. This not only enriches their vocabulary but also makes the activity more interactive and educational.

3. ‘Mud Animals’

Kids love playing with animals, and adding a ‘mud’ element can make it even more exciting. This activity is perfect for imaginative play and sensory exploration.

Ingredients:

• Cocoa or hot chocolate drinking powder
• Water
• Plastic animals

Instructions:

1. Mix the cocoa powder with a bit of water to create a mud-like consistency.
2. Pour the mixture over the tuff tray.
3. Place plastic animals in the ‘mud’.

Let your child explore the animals in the mud, feeling the gloopy texture and enjoying the messy play. Provide some brushes and a bowl of clean water for them to ‘wash’ the animals. This not only extends the playtime but also teaches them about cleaning and care.

Language Enrichment Through Play

Incorporating language into play is a fantastic way to boost your child’s communication skills. While they engage in these activities, encourage them to describe what they’re doing. Ask open-ended questions like, “What does the rice feel like?” or “Can you tell me what you’re doing with the animals?”

Benefits of Tuff Tray Play

These activities can get messy, but the benefits far outweigh the clean-up time. Tuff tray play promotes:

• Emotional Development: Children learn to express their feelings and cope with different sensory experiences.
• Social Skills: If done in a group, children learn to share, take turns, and interact with their peers.
• Language Development: Using descriptive words and engaging in conversations during play enhances vocabulary and communication skills.
• Imagination and Creativity: Open-ended play encourages children to use their imagination and come up with creative solutions.

Tuff trays provide a versatile and engaging platform for a multitude of play activities. By setting up these simple yet enriching activities, you can support your child’s developmental journey in a fun and interactive way. Happy playing!

The post Top 3 Tuff Tray Play Ideas for Kids Aged 0-5 Years appeared first on Little Lambs Music.