Taking time to garden with a child can create an opportunity to bond. Even if you do not have outside garden space, there are indoor plant projects that you can embark on.

Why garden with your child?

Gardening with your child is a lot of fun, but it also has other benefits.

Spending time connecting with nature, and surrounded by plants and earth has been proven to improve emotional regulation and well-being.

Gardening also develops a wide range of essential skills, such as fine motor control through planting little seeds and patience as they water plants daily, waiting for them to grow.

It can be educational in a natural and fun way, as children learn about different types of plants, and meet a variety of creepy crawlers in the dirt they are digging.

As you garden with your child, you will have an opportunity to bond with them. Children are likely to open up and talk more if they are busily engaged in an activity with you, rather than if you sit them down with the intention of having a chat.

How to garden with your child

Gardening with your child will be a different experience for each family. How to approach it will depend on the space you are working with, as well as the age and development of your child.

Here are a few ideas.

• Invest in a planting box for them to work with. Spend time in a garden centre looking for seeds or plants to fill it with. Remember to teach them how to check the information on the label to see if the plant will grow well in the area they are working with.
• Create your own vegetable patch. Growing vegetables from scratch is a great way to encourage children to eat healthier. A lot of vegetables do well if you grow them into seedlings inside first, and then plant out once they have grown a little.
• Download an app, like PlantNet, to help children learn about different plants. PlantNet allows you to take photos of plants, and it will tell you what they are likely to be from either the leaf shape or flower. This can be a game changer when children first have a go at weeding.
• Start a sunflower-growing race with your neighbours. Buy a pack of sunflower seeds and pass them out to the houses around you. See who can grow the tallest sunflower.
• Experiment with scents as well as visual experiences. Lavender, roses, herbs; there are so many great-smelling plants that you can place around the garden to give children an aromatic experience outside.
• Make a wildlife haven. From birdboxes to hedgehog dens, there are a plethora of projects that you can embark on to invite a little wild into your garden. If you are short on space, perhaps try an insect home.
• Invest in a wildlife camera to see the comings and goings of critters around you. There are I-spy bird or wildlife checklists that you can download to add a little challenge.

Indoor plant projects to try if you don’t have a garden

If you don’t have a garden there are still plant projects that you can embark on.

• Grow herbs or chilli plants in a pot on your windowsill. Both are great indoor pot projects. They are low maintenance and can be used to flavour a variety of dishes.
• Use an old jar or glass vase to build a terrarium. Here is a great how to guide.. Terrariums are beautiful and fun to personalise. Try using coloured stones or use a hanging planter to mix it up.
• Could you place bird feeders outside your window? There are now feeders that you can get that suction to your window, which means this is an option even if you live in an apartment. Just remember to stay safe when placing it.
• Embrace the world of indoor plants. Houseplants brighten any space. They are also proven to support health. When plants were put in the room of hospital patients, pain tolerance improved. If you want a fun craft project, get your little one to help decorate a pot for your new plant.

A final note

Whether it’s indoor plant projects or getting muddy in the garden, embrace the adventure. Let your little ones get creative and have fun.

I wish you all the peace

Hannah Louise

If I had heard people talking about how to survive children’s birthday parties before I was a mother, I would have thought them miserable.

What could be more lovely than children’s birthday parties? Who asks how to survive something so joyful?

You may find the first few parties are indeed wonderful. They are too young to have friends, so the guest list consists of your friends and family. All your favourite people come and enjoy the cuteness of your toddler.

The dynamic changes, however, when a child starts school.

Now your child has friends, so the guest list includes a lot more little people, along with parents you don’t know. There will be children who don’t know how to behave kindly or struggle to do so. There will be parents who are likewise afflicted.

If it isn’t your party, or if you are catering to please the little people, there will likely be sugar. When sugar mixes with excited children the result is the same as when you put a mint into cola. That is, explosive and messy.

Then there are gifts. Buying gifts for children you don’t know is difficult. Receiving gifts for your child isn’t always fun either. Even if they aren’t gifted glitter or slime-making kits, you have to make room for new toys, some of which you know they will never play with.

So are children’s birthday parties just something we have to survive, or can we find ways to make them fun, or at least peaceful?

How to survive children’s parties as a guest

As a guest, there is less pressure on you. At the very worst it is a few hours sitting in a noisy room, making nice to other parents.

Here are a few tips to help you, when your child starts getting invited to parties.

Gifts

The truth is, it is okay not to spend a fortune on gifts. If you are struggling financially don’t feel pressured to pay out silly amounts. Especially as there are likely to be multiple parties over the year. A fiver in a card is plenty.

If you do want to get gifts rather than cash, it is sometimes worth having a go-to gift for each year, that you buy for every party. That way you only have to think about it once, and all other parties you have a gift idea ready.

My favourite go-to gift was a pocket microscope. However, you can tailor it to your child’s age and the common interests in their group.

Behaviour

As we have already discussed, excitement and sugar can be a dangerous combination. A lot of birthday parties are awash with both. Even if your child is normally well-behaved, they may struggle to make the right choices amid the hullaballoo of a party.

Of course, children are still learning, and messy moments cannot be avoided. To give your child the best chance of making good choices, remind them of behaviour expectations.

Talk to them about food choices, too. It isn’t easy when there is an array of sugar and other children are just dabbing in. A little moderation and some balancing out with savoury can help your child avoid a big sugar high and low.

Can I drop and run?

It is a beautiful thing, when children are old enough to have drop-off parties. However, there will often be times when you aren’t sure if it’s drop-off or if parents are expected to stay. The safest option is always to expect to stay unless it is specifically stated that the party is drop-off, or unless there is a pickup time indicated. If the invite just has the time the party ends plan to stay.

If you are able, offer to help the parent who is hosting. Extra hands to cut cakes, pour juice or dole out party bags are often welcome. As well as modelling kindness to your child, when you help you get to know other parents a little more.

Can I bring a sibling?

Not every parent has childcare to fall back on. For those with multiple children, this can make taking one to a party difficult.

If you need to bring a sibling, ask the hosting parent in advance, and be sure to offer to pay for any costs, or be clear that your other child will be sat to the side watching.

If your child isn’t invited

It is hard to stand in line and watch a child handing out invites pass over your child. It is harder when the child hosting the party is someone your child counts as a friend. I have been there. It pulls a little at your heartstrings when you see the disappointment in your child’s face.

If you struggled socially when you were little it can cut a little deeper. You might relive the times that you were left out when you were a child, and begin to fear you have that your child will go through the same pain.

The thing is, parenting isn’t about shielding your child from difficult moments. Rather it is about helping them cope with them. Children are constantly learning. Use moments like this to help them learn things that are healthy and true.

When your child isn’t invited, let them feel sad. Remind them that everyone is left out sometimes and that is ok. Things aren’t always fair. Keep teaching them to be kind and true to who they are. Most of all trust that they will develop resilience and perspective in time. For these traits to develop it is important they experience rejection at some point.

It’s ok to say no

If your child is in a class where everyone gets invited to every party, it is okay to say no occasionally. You do not need an excuse to say “no.” The need for downtime, self-care, and time at home is real. If you go to 20 children’s birthday parties within a year, it will become about how to survive rather than having fun.

How to survive children’s parties as a host

Planning children’s parties can be fun, but a little stressful at times. Let’s look at a few ways that you can survive children’s birthday parties as a host.

Does it need to be a party?

In the first few years of school, there will be lots of children’s birthday parties for your child to enjoy, and you to survive. Naturally, your child will likely want one too. However, older children are often just as happy doing something fun with their best friends. When there are just a few children to cater for there are so many more activities that you can do, and even with a fancier activity, the price will go down.

It may be worth offering them the choice between a party and a few different activities that you know they would like with one or two friends.

Guest list

Some schools require you to invite the whole class, but if you have the freedom to invite less be kind. Inviting nearly the whole class and leaving out two or three children can cause a lot of hurt for those few left out.

If you are planning a larger party but don’t want to invite everyone, perhaps stick to the children that your child often plays with so there is a natural cutoff.

It is perfectly fine to mix worlds if your child has friends from school, clubs and beyond. Most children are naturally sociable, and love making new friends.

Sending out invitations

Sometimes your only option is to hand out invitations in the class line. It can be worth checking with the class teacher however, as sometimes they are willing to pop invitations into bags for you.

Include an RSVP by date, your details and any requirements that the venue may have.

Since you will probably send the invites out a few weeks in advance, a text the week before checking for any dietary requirements can remind any parents who might have forgotten about the party.

Gift Bags

There are so many fun and original alternatives to cheap plastic toys and sweets for gift bags.

Here are a few ideas:

• Quiet night in theme, with silly socks (from a multipack to keep it to budget), a book and a hot chocolate sachet.
• Ask your child to make a beaded friendship bracelet with each friends name and put it in a little bag with lip gloss and a little hand cream.
• Soft toy adoption- get little teddies or other cuddles for each child with adoption certificates.
• Check out websites where you can buy books in bulk on a budget and wrap one up for each child with their name on it
• Buy each child something to take home and personalise. There are a lot of options out there. Make your own mug kit; build a birdhouse kit etc.
• Find pretty pots and packs of seeds for the children to grow their own flowers at home

Uninvited guests

Whilst it is a good idea to have a spare party bag in case someone forgets to RSVP, you do not need to cater for any uninvited siblings who show up. If you can afford it and you choose to, that is kind, but if your budget doesn’t allow it, it isn’t your responsibility.

You do not have to be confrontational, just be clear. “I’ve prebooked the party children, but if Sally’s sister wants to play too, you can book her in over there. There should be menus too, if you want to order her some food.”

Or, if there isn’t the option to add on children, “I’m afraid the venue is pre-book only, but it will be lovely having Sally’s sister hanging out with us grown-ups today.”

Catering

There are venues that will cater for you, which can take a lot of the pressure off you. Most venues will cater to dietary requirements also.

If you are catering, here are a few options:

• Put out rolls and fillings, along with a few bits to go on the side and let the children make their own sandwich. This is better for older children, who can do more independently.
• Order in pizza. Sometimes simple.
• To reduce waste, make snack boxes. List sandwich fillings on the invite for guests to choose ahead, and make a box for each child with a sandwich, and a few other snacks.
• Make your own pizza. I know, I have listed pizza twice. Pizza is usually popular, and easy to prep. If you are hosting the party at home, prep some pizza bases and let the children add sauce, cheese and topping. Remember to write the child’s name on the baking parchment next to their creation. You will probably have to bake in batches and use foil to keep warm.
• Prep a few different types of pasta and a few different sauces and let the children fill their bowls with their favourites. Although this can be fun, it does require cooking during the party so you might want helpers if you are going this way. Be sure to drizzle the plain pastas with a little bit of olive oil to stop them sticking.
• Roast vegetable salad bar. Just joking. If you get 20 six-year-olds to eat a roast vegetable salad, you are my hero.

Just make sure that you label any allergens clearly if you have a child with dietary requirements.

Depending on budget, you might want to lay out a few snacks and drinks for the adults too, but you don’t have to.

Cake

If you enjoy baking, making your child’s birthday cake can be so much fun, but don’t ever feel guilty if you aren’t able to.

An easier option is to buy a store-bought cake and then personalise it with your own toppings. This could be adding your child’s favourite candy, or using toy figurines to make it themed.

If you are on a tight time limit, cutting and wrapping up cake slices may be difficult. Another option is to pre-wrap cupcakes and take the main cake home as is.

Gifts

I would advise against opening gifts at a party. Firstly, because children can be candid in their reactions. If they love one gift and dislike another they may not be as subtle as we would hope. Secondly, there is the possibility that other children will try to play with their new toys which can lead to tears.

It is safer by far to open gifts after the party, and then either text thank yous, or videos of your child saying thank you to the givers.

If you are hosting the party at a venue be sure to take bags to carry gifts home in.

Final note

There will be a certain amount of stress associated with children’s birthday parties, but you can do more than survive, you can have fun. Or at least enjoy watching your child have fun.

There are so many great books to read to a child. We will only be looking at only a small selection today. Ten children’s books, old and new, that you can share with your little ones.

Choosing age appropriate reads

These books are aimed at a variety of ages and reading levels.

Use trial and error to determine which books your child can understand. Don’t be scared to introduce them to trickier books than they are used to.

If your child is not engaged, it might be because the plot or characters are too complex for where they are right now. Checking in with your child occasionally, and talking about the story, will help you gauge how much they are following.

Whether the content is age-appropriate is a different matter. There is much debate about whether you should censor what your children read. Reading can be a great way for children to begin exploring the bigger topics from a safe distance. Of course, discretion is important. A six-year-old, no matter their reading level, shouldn’t be reading a horror book.

As children age and become more independent, however, allow them to read what they feel they can handle. Keep an open dialogue. Often, a book can offer a gateway to discussing important issues.

Great books to read to your child

There are so many books out there, that I had to limit the scope. Therefore, I have only included chapter books. I have also cheated slightly and listed a few series.

There are of course many amazing shorter books for younger readers. I hope to explore these at a later time.

Recommended age: 5-8 years

This is a beautiful story of kindness and friendship. It tells of a prince, or rather, the statue of one. The prince loves the people of his city, more than his own vanity. With the help of a swallow, he gives all he has to help the poor people he has seen around him.

Written in the late 19th century, the message is still relevant.

It is often published alongside Wilde’s other children’s stories, which are just as beautiful, such as “The Selfish Giant.”

Recommended age: 5-8 years

Jill Tomlinson is probably best known for ‘The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark.’ ‘The Cat Who Wanted to Go Home’ is another beautiful story from her animal collection.

The main character, Suzy, lives with a fisherman and his four boys in a little seaside village in France. When she accidentally crosses the channel in a hot air balloon, Suzy will do all it takes to get back home to the family that she loves.

This story would be a great choice for any little animal lover. The short chapters, and little repetitions also make it perfect for younger readers.

Recommended age: 7-10 years

It is impossible to list the greatest children’s books without including something by David Walliams. Walliams is a master at mixing humour with wonderful storytelling.

In ‘The Boy in the Dress’, we meet Dennis. Living with his father and brother, Dennis has to hide his love for fashion. That is till he develops a friendship with Lisa, a want-to-be designer, who encourages him to step outside of the box and have fun.

As well as being a cracker of a story, it makes an easy World Book Day costume.

Recommended age: 9-12 years

This is another older one, originally having been published in 1905. Don’t be put off by it’s age. Like many of the older classics, this is still a great book to read to a child.

The Railway Children follows the lives of three children. After their father is mysteriously called away, they are told they have to leave their home and move to a cottage with their mother.

Their new home is near a railway, where the children soon spend most of their days, making friends and having adventures.

The story is both uplifting and fun. It is a classic for a reason. Very much worth a read.

Recommended age: 7-9 years

Some of the greatest books I read as a child were by Roald Dahl. He writes funny and engaging stories that little people love. In fact, I could have easily filled this list with just the works of Dahl and Blyton.

‘Danny the Champion of the World’ is about a father and a son. When Danny realises that his dad is a long-time poacher, he wants to go poaching, too.

The plot is quite simple, but the characters are so cleverly portrayed, that this book truly is a gem. On a personal note, this may be my favourite thing that Dahl wrote.

Recommended age: 8 to 12 years

This is where I start to cheat slightly. This is not one, but 13 great books to read to your child.

The first page of the first book will warn you that this is not a series about happy endings. There is loss and sadness in all of the books. They are, however, wonderful stories.

Snicket has a distinct writing style and a dry sense of humour, which I am sure many adults will enjoy, too. He also takes the time to add definitions to words that children might not know.

Recommended age: 7-12 years

Again, this is a series rather than an individual book. The Chronicles of Narnia has been a classic for years.

Lewis takes his readers to Narnia, a world of magic and adventure, where children are kings, queens and heroes.

The Chronicles of Narnia were the first chapter books that I read independently as a child, and will always have a special place in my heart.

If Aslan was part of your world growing up, too, sharing this series with your little one may feel like sharing a bit of your childhood.

Recommended age: 5-8 years

Enid Blyton has got so many great child-level books, that you could probably read just her work for a year and not get through it all.

The wonder of Enid Blyton is that, despite the amount she has written, she doesn’t have a bad book out there. Or if she does, I am yet to find it.

The Faraway Tree collection is a great book for younger children. They meet fantastical characters like Silky the fairy, The Saucepan Man and Moonface whilst exploring the different worlds that arrive at the top of the tree.

Recommended age: 8 years +

The Harry Potter books were what moved me to include series in this list. Although you can read each book alone, they are best read as a series.

Although some of the themes throughout the series are a little darker, the depth and complexity of the characters is brilliant. The Potter books are a great choice to read to a slightly older child. The world of Hogwarts, along with the excitement and danger, offers a way to embrace the places between black and white.

Recommended age: 9 years +

‘Goodnight Mister Tom’ is the story of an eight-year-old boy Willie. Willie is evacuated during World War Two, and finds friendship and kindness in his new guardian, Mister Tom.

This is a fantastic read for any child with an interest in history. It is heartwarming, moving and full of hope.

Why you should read to your child

Reading with children is more than just a way to pass the time. It can be a bonding experience and has a wealth of developmental benefits for your child.

A child who is read to will have a greater vocabulary and be more linguistically developed. Books can also help a child with their cognitive, social and emotional development. (Sheldon-Dean, 2023)

Most importantly, reading can be a lot of fun, and help build beautiful memories with your little one.

How to find other great children’s books

There are millions of children’s books out there. The choice can seem overwhelming.

There are, however, some fun ways to hunt out new books. You could take your child to a charity shop or second-hand book shop and see if they find any new books that they want to pick up.

Perhaps you could organise a book swap with some of their friends.

There are also some more inclusive children’s book lists which are worth checking out, like this one.

Final note

Whatever you read, enjoy it.

I would love to hear about your favourite book or author. Feel free to leave a comment below.

I wish you all the peace,

Hannah Louise

References

Culture, B. B. C. “The 100 Greatest Children’s Books of All Time.” Www.bbc.com, 23 May 2023, www.bbc.com/culture/article/20230522-the-100-greatest-childrens-books-of-all-time.

Hentschel, Ronel. “How Books Can Help You Read between the Lines with Children’s Emotions.” Washington Parent, 27 Jan. 2024, washingtonparent.com/how-books-can-help-you-read-between-the-lines-with-childrens-emotions/.

Sheldon-Dean, Hannah . “Why Is It Important to Read to Your Child?” Child Mind Institute, Child Mind Institute, 19 Jan. 2023, childmind.org/article/why-is-it-important-to-read-to-your-child/.

Vissing, Yvonne, and Melissa Juchniewicz. “Children’s Book Banning, Censorship and Human Rights.” Globalisation, Comparative Education and Policy Research, 2023, pp. 181–201, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-15896-4_12. Accessed 9 Feb. 2023.