Six Second Rule...

 AD| Gifted for review

Six Second Scribbles proves that good things come in small packages! With Christmas coming up fast, read on to find out the top 5 reasons why you should be adding this game to your list this year!

1.  NO PLASTIC!

That’s right, from the postal packaging, to everything inside the box, it’s all recyclable! No plastic wrapping (paper bands to keep the cards together instead), no sellotape (just a well fitting lid), no plastic bags (pencils slotted inside a small, cardboard box in lieu of these). Brilliant, well done guys!

2.  The size of the box. 
If you know me, you’ll know that I LOVE things to be neat and tidy and I hate unwieldy boxes that don’t fit easily into any of our storage spots! Not a problem here, measuring just 12cm x 9cm, this sturdy, little box slots neatly into any drawer or cupboard with room to spare. 

3.  Its portability.
Related to point number one I suppose, but this game is perfect for popping in a handbag or backpack for fun on the go. Everything you need fits into the box, the only addition needed is a timer, which can be found on any smartphone. Think killing time in a restaurant while waiting for food, or taking it to a friend’s house for a play date.

4. Its adaptability.
It doesn’t matter how young, old or (un)artistic you are, there’s a way for you to play. With three levels of cards available, easy, tricky and almost impossible, there should be something that appeals to everyone from toddlers, to even the most proficient (or competitive) artists! Six Second Scribbles is also a fab way to get reluctant writers practising their skills. Short words and phrases will keep those writing muscles working over the weekends and holidays, and they won't even realise!

5. The fun packaging and clear rules.
Even though she'd never heard of Six Second Scribbles before, from the moment this game landed on our doorstep, my daughter has been desperate to play it… why? The packaging is bright, eye-catching and very exciting! I also appreciated the clearly set out rules, complete with suggested adaptations for youngsters and the encouragement to make the game our own, with your own rule tweaks and changes.

We have had great time playing Six Second Scribbles so far and look forward to introducing it to friends and family over the festive period... bring on games night! If you'd like to find out more or browse Gamely's full range of games, head to Gamely's website. Sign up to their newsletter for 15% off your first order.

Painting the town red... and orange and yellow...

Ad: Gifted Paint Sticks

Do you ever say no when your children want to break out the paints? Are you put off by the mess and tidying up involved? If the answer to either of these questions is yes, then read on!

Before: Paint, palettes, brushes, water pots. Maybe some newspaper or a table cloth to protect surfaces.

After: Paint sticks.

All you need for 'no mess' painting!

Little Brian Paint Sticks are so quick and easy to set up, these fab little sticks can be picked up and put down like felt tips, with no need to clean anything when you change colours. My children have had these out every day since the box arrived and I haven't had to get involved in the set up or tidy up once (obviously I was happy to get involved in the painting ;-)

The sticks work just like a glue stick, simply remove the lid, twist the bottom to reveal more paint and twist again to take the stick back down once you've finished. 

 

With classic, day glow and metallic options in the bumper pack, the colours are surprisingly vivid and can easily be layered for heavier coverage. You can also use the paint sticks with a little water if you want to create washes or mix your own colours.

If your little one prefers a larger canvas, Little Brian Paint Sticks are water based, so they're fab for painting on windows and tuff spots too as they can be wiped off with a damp cloth. While it does say on the packaging that the paint may stain clothing, the paint came off Ace's leggings without any rubbing, so I am taking that as a good sign!

The Little Brian Paint Stick Bumper Pack (24 paint sticks) is currently retailing for £13.33 on Amazon. For activity inspiration, head to the Little Brian website, where you will find some free spring downloads. These include Mother's Day cards, Thank you cards (perfect for teachers as many children head back to school this week) and Easter pictures.

Happy painting everyone!

Honey wears.. Apron by Emma Bridewater

Less Mess, Less Stress...

It's been a while since I've published a guest post but this one spoke to me when I read it. I LOVE it when my kids get messy, we equate mess with fun to some degree, but I am always looking for hacks to make cleaning up faster and easier.

Alex Farley is a full time working Mum of two children, aged two and five years old.  She is a writer and co-owner of a small business, Superb Cleaning Services based in London and has collated some of her cleanup tips to share with you all.

Minimise the Cleanup after Crafting with Kids

- A guest post by Alex Farley -

Are you looking for ways to occupy your little ones but at the same time you don't want to spend a whole day cleaning up after them? I know that many parents are concerned about the degree of messiness that goes hand in hand with some craft projects, but there's no need to panic! Inevitably, there are some activities which can turn into a messy disaster no matter how many times you tell your children to be a little bit more careful, but this post will share with you, a number of tips to help you minimise the clean up after crafting with your children.

Always cover the playground

One of the easiest ways to minimise the clean up is to cover the area where your kids play. For example, you can use a table cloth, a blanket or even a shower curtain. Trust me, each and every of these works really well! The best part is that after your kids are done with their craft project, you can give the cover a good wipe or throw it in the washing machine!

Better messy outside than messy inside

If the weather allows, move the messy activities outside. After your kids are done playing or crafting, the cleaning up will be a lot easier. Of course, it depends on what they played with, but the messy situation will be further under control in contrast to what would have been if they played inside.

Use the bath for messy crafting or playing

When it is cold outside, my kids know that they do all their fun activities… in the bath. To be frank, a friend of mine told me about this tip. Formerly, I let my kids play in their room which was my biggest mistake as a mother. Yes, my kids were having a hell of a fun but they did not see the situation as I did (a gigantic mess to clean after their play). Ever since that friend told me that her children played in the bath, using it as a vessel, I took advantage, too. It is a fantastic way to contain all the mess and it is extremely easy to clean the surface. Once your kids are done crafting, run the water and all the mess will be completely gone in an instant.

Replace your art supplies with washable ones

You will thank me later. To keep your children's clothes from getting heavily stained during their craft projects, use washable art supplies! I replaced all previous ‘risky’ supplies with washable watercolours and washing the clothes has never been easier!

Limit the materials to prevent a massive mess

Give your kids materials in small amounts during their craft process. If they are into painting, give them a small amount of paint and if necessary, add to their supply. Believe me, this does minimise the clean up because kids only use what they actually need as opposed to overloading their paper or ending up with a surplus at the end of their project.

Keep their fun simple

There are many simple tips on how to prevent a massive mess. The place where children play makes a great difference. For example, if you seat your kids at the table and give them crayons to draw with will not be as messy as giving them the opportunity to choose where to draw because they will instantly see the walls as their canvas. If you are worried about the table getting drawn on, cover it with paper.

If no matter how hard you try, things are getting messy anyway, keep calm and try to have fun. If you are concerned about the mess you have to deal with after you are done playing or crafting with your child, you deprive yourself of all the fun. Enjoy your time with your little ones and make the best of it.

All that glitters...

Treaure Seekers' Make and Take sessions came to my attention on Facebook (what would we do without Facebook?) and it looked right up Honey's street! A cavern of buttons, sparkles, glitter and sequins where children and adults alike can create to their hearts content, using anything they fancy, what's not to love? We've been spending some time in Gloucester over the summer holidays while Ace is settling in at nursery, so thought we'd give it a try. 

For only £4 (including a drink), you have an hour to cut, stick, paint and sprinkle a picture frame, bag or just about anything else you can think of! After a short explanation, Honey and her friend chose pictures to embellish and set about filling their pots with all manner of twinkly treasure ready to arrange on their pages. Nothing was off limits and the staff were so kind and helpful when Honey wanted to cut pieces of beautiful ribbon off a reel.

If you're thinking of going along, it would be a good idea to have a look at the website or Instagram page with your child before going along so they have an idea of what they want to make during their session, this will help with time management and will stop little ones feeling totally overwhelmed with choice! Honey had a great time and is already talking about her next project!

Treasure Seekers is a social enterprise that has been set up on Westgate Street in Gloucester. Its aim is to 'support vulnerable and disadvantaged adults to help equip them to be the beat version of themselves.' Visit their website to book your session or follow them on Instagram to have a look at whats going on in store.

Honey wears... T-shirt by Frugi