For Parents - Babies & Preschool Children

Clubs

Mums and Tots

Queens Community Hall, School Green Lane 

Tuesday 1.15pm - 3pm - For more    information please contact A Murock - 01992 614302                                    

Local Information

Epping Clinic - St Margarets Hospital 01279 827324

Baby clinic - Every Tuesday 9.30 - 11.39am

                       Every Thursday 2pm - 4pm

Baby Clinic - 3rd Wednesday of each month - North Weald Methodist Hall  - 2pm - 3.30pm

Post natal Group - - Every Monday (except Bank Holiday) Clinic Hall, St Maragerts Hospital 11.00am - 1pm.

Breastfeeding Support Group - Every Friday 11.00am - 12.30pm, St Margarets Hospital

New Mums Group - Monday 11.00am - 1pm

Things to Do for Preschool Children

Here are some suggestions for things to do with your toddlers and children under 5. I will add to these, and if you have any suggestions I would be delighted to hear from you.

1. Have fun with water
This is something my youngest daughter loves and never fails to amuse her but at the same time it builds hand eye coordination.
If you fill a small tub with water and give your toddler several containers of different sizes, plastic cups, spoons – if they have tea-set even better! Let her pour water from one container to the other and you can even add some bubbles for extra fun.
If you do this in the summer, you take the tub outside so if the water spills you won’t be worried. In the winter, put down a few towels and use warm water.

2. Playing with Sand
Sand can also be a great way to play. Children’s sand is not expensive and can be bought from many shops Argos – Toys R Us etc. I think we paid about £2.50 for a bag.
You can put the sand on a tray and again provide some plastic cups etc, spoons or even old jelly moulds etc all make for great fun. If you do invest in getting a sandpit make sure it comes with a cat proof lid to minimise problems.
If you don’t have sand, you can always use a kilo of rice! It could even get them interested in cooking!

3. Paper Tearing or Cutting
This was a particular favourite of my daughter when she was two and she still enjoys it now although has progressed to the cutting stage!
Find a couple of old magazines or catalogues and simply let your toddler tear pages out. Let them tear randomly, or ask him to tear out particular shapes. You could ask for a circle, perhaps, or show her a plastic plate and see if she can tear out a shape with matches it. If you like. If your toddler is a little older you can teach her how to use toddler scissors to cut out shapes.
You can also use these to for sticking, using a piece of card or paper, and with a glue stick, they can stick these to make a big picture.
Just a reminder, make sure they know that they can’t do this with every magazine or catalogue they may find at home!

4. 1 Minute Playdough recipe
A favourite of my daughters, is making shapes and things with Playdough. However I always find that after a while the shop bought playdough goes a horrible green and doesn’t look very appealing, yet all the cutters and shapes still have lots of fun left in them. So I have started to make my own playdough at home which doesn’t cost much, so I thought I would share this with you.
Your will need:
1/2 cup of salt
1 cup of flour
1 tablespoon of cream of tartar
1 tablespoon of oil
I cup of boiling water (from the kettle) mixed with some food
What to do:
Put all the dry ingredients in a bowl and then mix vigourously with the hot water.
Makes play dough that lasts for ages in an airtight container.
I will add new suggestions regularly, if you have any suggestions that you would like to share with other parents, please let me have these.

Caution: Please ensure that an adult is present at all times during these activities and that your child is not allowed any small implements. Both parents and children can have fun, but please be safe at all times.