Trains by James Gulliver Hancock suitable for ages 0 to 2 years

Full steam ahead! From underground trains, luxury safari trains and speedy Japanese Shinkansen trains, explore EVERY different type of train available in this colourful book for very young children (aged 0-2), as well as railway stations, the history of trains and much more. With eye-catching illustrations and easy-to-read text, this is an engaging introduction for little train-lovers.

Superworm by Julia Donaldson suitable for ages 0 to 4 years

“Superworm is super-long. Superworm is super-strong. Watch him wiggle! See him squirm! Hip, hip, hooray for SUPERWORM!” Super-long and super-strong, Superworm is always on hand to help animals and insects in need. From rescuing Baby Toad from a busy road or fishing Beetle out of a well – do not fear, Superworm is here!

Sleepy Eyes Bedtime Soothing Owl Soft Toy from Baby GUND suitable for ages 0 to 2+ years

The Sleepy Eyes Bedtime Owl is perfect for bedtime and play. Press the head & watch the eyes slowly close and hear soothing sounds as his belly gently glows.

Tonies fun audio system for kids suitable for ages 0 to 2+ years

Toniebox – the new audio system for children. Turn it on, pop a Tonie on and simply let the audio adventure begin. It’s all in one box with room for 90 minutes, so you can upload your MP3s, audiobooks or even narrate your own stories.

LEGO DUPLO Town Barn, Tractor & Farm Animal Care Playset suitable for ages 18 months+

This play-and-learn farm is an ideal developmental toy for toddlers who love animals or tractors. There are farm buildings and a tractor to build, plus farm accessories and a pig, sheep, horse, dog, hen, rooster and 2 cows to care for. As toddlers role-play the different farm activities, they build fine motor skills and develop social and emotional awareness.

The Baddies by Julia Donaldson suitable for 3+ years

The brand-new picture book from superstar author and illustrator Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler is a riot of slapstick fun and silliness. The Baddies are the meanest, nastiest ghost, witch and troll in the land. They just adore being bad, and fight over who is the worst. When a little girl moves into a nearby cottage, the Baddies can’t wait to scare her out of her wits. But the little girl quickly shows them that you don’t have to be big to be brave, and baddies don’t always win. Perfect read-aloud rhyming text and stunning pictures on every page with lots of details to spot Julia and Axel are the team that have created picture book favourites such as The Gruffalo, Stick Man, Zog and Highway Rat

Sir Adam The Brave & The Moody Monsters by David King suitable for ages 0 to 4 years

A brand new picture book adventure from the author-illustrator dream team behind the No.1 bestseller, A Hug For You, starring schoolboy Adam King in the guise of a medieval knight

When a trio of moody monsters jeopardise the Wompie Wonder Fair and throw the kingdom into chaos, something has to be done. And fast! Enter Sir Adam the Brave! Join him on his quest to save the day and find out what’s making those monsters so very moody!

David Walliams Memory Game suitable for ages 5+

A brilliantly entertaining Memory Game inspired by the stories from The World of David Walliams. Classic game of pairs featuring characters from books including Gangsta Granny, Billionaire Boy, and Grandpa’s Great Escape encourages concentration, turn taking and helps to develop memory skills.

Washimals Ocean Pets Playset suitable for ages 3+ years

Colour, clean and colour again with Crayola Washimals! Use the included Washimals markers to colour and create beautiful patterns and designs on your pets, before cleaning them off to play again! This fantastic Ocean Seashell Playset allows kids to play with new ocean themed pets at home or on the go! Features brand new pastel coloured pets in a fun beach theme that doubles as a storage solution. Contents include 2 pastel pets, 3 markers, 1 brush, 1 beach playset.

Squishmallow suitable for ages 3+ years

With a supersoft marshmallow-like texture each Squishmallow has its own fun personality shown on the hangtag. Each Squishmallow has its own unique style and design and there are loads to choose from with everything from an armadillo to a shrimp!

Cat Kid Comic Club – Collaborations by Dav Pilkey suitable for ages 6+ years

The Cat Kid Comic Club learns to collaborate in this creative, funny, and insightful graphic novel by Dav Pilkey. Excitement and imagination run wild as Naomi, Melvin, Poppy, Gilbert, Curly, and their siblings get back to making comics with originality and laughter. But wait – have they cleaned their rooms yet?! After their chores, the rambunctious group presents even more amazing mini-comics: a thrilling ride in “Chubbs McSpiderbutt”, an action-packed romp in “Frogzilla”, reflective haikus in “In the Autumn Pond”, a candy-coated mystery in “Mallo Cop”, and much, much, more.

By working together, the baby frogs discover that small things can have a huge impact. Readers of all ages will be inspired to dream up their own stories and unleash their own creativity as they dive into this pioneering graphic novel adventure from Dav Pilkey Heartfelt and humorous with an amazing cast of characters, this is the perfect present for Dog Man fans. Full colour pages throughout make it a fun and bright read!

The Friendship Fairies Go To Sea by Lucy Kennedy suitable for 6+ years

Meet the Friendship Fairies – sisters Emme, Holly and Jess. They’re just like regular girls, always messing and having fun, but they’re also fairies. Their mum works as a spy and she has a new case to crack – and this time she’s taking the Friendship Fairies along with her, to a little island off Connemara! All the girls know is that they’re going out to sea and that they need to take their swimsuits . Can Emme, Holly and Jess help their mum solve the mystery? This is the fourth book in the bestselling Friendship Fairies series by much-loved TV presenter Lucy Kennedy – magic, friendship and fun for readers aged 6+, with illustrations throughout by Phillip Cullen.

Pokémon The Collection suitable for ages 5 to 8 years

Join Pikachu for the ultimate Pokémon adventure in this creative collection! With 3 awesome activity books, a poster, a bookmark and stickers, this a perfect gift for fans of all ages. Jam-packed with Pokémon fun, this gift box contains a colouring book, search and find and a how-to-draw book.

Ravensburger Children’s World Globe, 180 piece 3D Jigsaw Puzzle suitable for ages 6 to 99 years!

This world globe is a great way to introduce your child to world geography. The design also shows different animals in the continents where they live. This puzzle uses unique plastic pieces, which slot together to build a sturdy and strong model. No glue required! Either assemble by eye or using the numbers on the reverse side.

Catan Junior suitable for ages 6+ years

Catan Junior takes place on a ring of tropical isles – including the mysterious Spooky Island, home of the Ghost Captain. Each island generates a specific resource: wood, goats, molasses, or cutlasses. You can also find gold. You start with two pirate lairs, and then build ships in order to expand your network. The more lairs you build, the more resources you may receive. Use your resources to build ships, lairs, or to get help from wise Coco the parrot.

This family game offers a world of adventure waiting to be discovered.

Spaceboy by David Walliams suitable for ages 9+ years

Ruth loves climbing trees, making a mess and throwing stones. But the thing she loves most is SPACE.

The girl is OBSESSED. She spends her days reading comics about alien invasions, doodling UFOs, watching B-movies about Earth being invaded by creatures from Mars… and gazing at the stars through her old, battered telescope.

Until one night, Ruth creeps out of bed in the attic room of her rickety old farmhouse to watch the stars – and is just dozing off when she spots something blazing across the sky. Something that looks like a flying saucer! Is she dreaming? No! And the flying saucer is on fire…

But when the UFO crash-lands in the cornfield, and Ruth rushes to help, she finds a mystery – and an adventure – beyond her wildest dreams…

Diary Of A Wimpy Kid: Diper Overlode by Jeff Kinney suitable for 9+  years

In Diper Överlöde, book 17 of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series from #1 international bestselling author Jeff Kinney, Greg Heffley is finding out that the road to fame and glory comes with some hard knocks.

When he decides to tag along with his brother Rodrick’s band, Löded Diper, Greg doesn’t realize what he’s getting into. But he soon learns that late nights, unpaid gigs, fighting between band members, and money troubles are all part of the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle.

Can Greg help Löded Diper become the legends they think they are? Or will too much time with Rodrick’s band be a diper överlöde?

Keeper of The Lost Cities Series by Shannon Messenger Suitable for ages 9+years

The Keeper of the Lost Cities series is perfect for fans of Harry Potter, Rick Riordan and Amari and the Night Brothers. It tells the story of Sophie Foster and her unique telepathic abilities, something she has never spoken of, even to her family until the day she meets Fitz, a mysterious boy who also reads minds.

In the first book, Keeper of the Lost Cities, Sophie is forced to leave behind everything and start a new life in a magical world! There are currently 9 books in the series, although the 9th book, Keeper of The Lost Cities Unlocked, is known as book 8.5!

Where’s Wally Find It Fast Game suitable for ages 5+

How quickly can you spot Wally? The Where’s Wally Find It Fast game is a brilliant, fun, quick paced matching game! Pick a card that contains a multiple images of Where’s Wally and other general objects then roll the picture dice – find an image on the dice that matches one on the card to win the round. The player who finds the most matches wins. For 2-4 players it makes a perfect stocking filler that all the family can enjoy.

Robotime 3D Puzzles suitable for ages 9+

Robotime 3D puzzles are the perfect gift for any budding building and engineering enthusiasts. Offering everything from Sam’s Study to Orpheus the working Robot, you can build sturdy 3D models with moving parts that offers hours of enjoyment.

LEGO-Creator: Caravan Family Holiday Playset suitable for ages 9+ years

Creative camping adventures and fun are awaiting outdoor fans in the LEGO Creator 3in1 Caravan Family Holiday Playset. At least 3 different build-and-play experiences are possible. Kids can build a caravan with a retro car model, then rebuild it into a camper van or a detailed lighthouse. Or they can free their creativity, tap into different passions and build something totally new. Packed with accessories and features, the set also includes 3 minifigures to jump-start play.

Failosophy for Teens by Elizabeth Day suitable for ages 13+

A game-changing guide to being happier, healthier and succeeding better, from Sunday Time bestselling author Elizabeth Day! This is a handbook for when things to wrong!

The book is full of creative and inspiring advice on how to talk openly about failure and turn failure into success, build resilience for when life sends you curveballs and reframe negative thoughts about yourself and much more.

The First To Die At The End by Adam Silvera suitable for ages 15+

It’s the night before Death-Cast goes live, and there’s one question on everyone’s mind: Can Death-Cast actually predict death, or is it an elaborate hoax? Orion Pagan has waited years for someone to tell him that he’s going to die, given his serious heart condition. Valentino Prince has a long and promising future ahead of him and only registered for Death-Cast after his twin sister nearly died in a car accident. Orion and Valentino cross paths in Times Square and immediately feel a deep connection. But when the first End Day calls go out, their lives are changed for ever – one of them receives a call . . . the other doesn’t.

Told with acclaimed author Adam Silvera’s signature bittersweet touch, this story celebrates the lasting impact that people have on each other and proves that life is always worth living to the fullest.

LEGO Star Wars Luke Skywalker (Red Five) Helmet suitable for ages 16+ years

Feel the power of your creative Force as you build the Star Wars collectible Luke Skywalker (Red Five) Helmet. The buildable model of Luke’s iconic pilot headgear is the first-ever hero helmet or open helmet in the LEGO Star Wars Helmet Collection. Channel your inner Jedi to recreate authentic details, including a brick-built microphone and interior padding, plus translucent red visor elements.

Ravensburger Eiffel Tower 3D Puzzle with lights suitable for ages 12+ years

Recreate the iconic Eiffel Tower with this 216 piece 3D jigsaw which includes real working LED colour changing lights! A perfect addition to any teenagers room as it glows from red to white to blue.

Quirky Water Bottles and Travel Mugs 

From the Eoin O’Connor ‘Mutz’ collection to the Orla Kiely Metal water bottle collection and the Bioloco collection of travel mugs and water bottles, you are sure to find a suitable stocking filler for the savvy eco conscious teens in your life.

Subscription boxes offer a range of hands-on activities aimed at particular age ranges and interests. They’re all about learning through doing and imagining rather than only reading. Your level of supervision depends largely on your child’s need, but some need more adult involvement than others.

Suitable for: Ages 3-8, sibling boxes available

Frequency: Monthly

Price: 1, 3, 6 and 12-month subscription packages from £5.95/€8.50 per month + postage

This is a good all-rounder activity box that includes craft activities, a magazine featuring puzzles, games, recipes, and an assortment of stickers. Your child’s personalised box contains all supplies needed to make that month’s craft.

toucanBox boasts Montessori-influenced STEAM learning and creativity. They’ll have some hands-on fun and learn a bit about science and artists as well. Parental involvement will depend on your child’s age.

Suitable for: Ages 3-8, sibling boxes available

Frequency: Monthly

Price: £13.95/€16 per month

Getting muddy has been popular with children since forever, but now you can channel their love of mud for education and creativity.

Mud & Bloom boxes include seasonal activities such as nature crafts, seeds to plant, and games. Children will search for some of the materials outdoors, and there are small parts and things to read, so parents should supervise.

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Suitable for: Ages 4-10

Frequency: Monthly

Price: £25/€30 for the initial shipment, then £12/€14 per month

Geo Journey is a fun way for children to learn about the world around them via facts, fun and even souvenirs.

The initial shipment is a sturdy little suitcase, a personalised letter, passport, travel journal and more. After that, each month your child will receive a personalised letter from Geo the owl and Atlas the puppy about their travels around the world with stickers, activities, booklets and a little souvenir from each destination (e.g. a boomerang from Australia). Smaller children will need help reading the letter, but older ones can do it independently.

Space Journey is a similar offering, instead focussing on the solar system, space and astronaut life.

Suitable for: Ages 6+

Frequency: Monthly

Price: From £11.25/€15 per box

If your child enjoys science and engineering, the Letterbox Lab subscription is just the thing. Everything you will need for the experiments is provided, so there is no prep time or extra materials to go hunting for.

There are two subscription offers to choose from:

• Explore is for kids aged 6+ and includes 3-4 activities designed to occupy a few hours.
• Investigate is for ages 8+ and includes experiments and lab equipment (save everything for future boxes!) and can keep children busy for about six hours. The age is higher because it involves some reactive chemicals.

These boxes require supervision, but they include everything you’ll need except water.

Suitable for: Ages 3+

Frequency: Monthly

Price: From £7.25 per month for 12 months

Receive a fun-filled seasonal box every month to combat any day, not just rainy ones. Each Rainy Day Box contains several fun activities, separately packaged within the box, simple instructions, a reward chart, reward sticker and more.

Suitable for: Ages 7-11

Frequency: Monthly

Price: €140 per year

This one is a great gift for animal-loving children. First, you’ll receive a welcome pack which includes an interactive world map, collectible animal cards, and an exclusive Amazing Planet pin badge. Then, each monthly Amazing Planet box focuses on a different part of the world and its animal population, allowing your child to get up-close-and-personal with the local wildlife, with the help of themed booklets, interactive animal cards and gifts.

This one won’t get the kids off the screens entirely as it pairs with the Amazing Planet app (available for both iOS and android) for photos, quizzes and games that bring everything to life using augmented reality. Parental involvement depends on your child’s reading ability.

Suitable for: Babies to teens

Frequency: Monthly or bi-monthly, depending on the subscription

Price: Varies

KiwiCo offers a range of boxes for different ages from newborns to older teens, with plenty to appeal to all ages and interests, from science and crafts to kitchen skills and art.

• The Panda Crate caters for babies up to age 2 with the contents changing as your baby develops. This could be a good gift for anyone who is expecting because you can order it in advance and give the due date.
• The Koala Crate for preschoolers includes 2-3 projects around a theme such as camping, rainbows or a doctor visit.
• The Kiwi Crate for ages 5 to 8 features STEM-focused crafts for fun, interactive learning. They can make a kite, a stomp rocket or an arcade claw game, for example.
• The Atlas Crate teaches 6-11 year olds about different countries through crafts, recipes and games.
• The Yummy Crate gets 6-14 year olds into the kitchen to unlock the science of cooking and gain confidence in the kitchen.
• The Tinker Crate is aimed at ages 9+ and takes the STEM learning up a notch with projects such as building a walking robot, a hydraulic claw and a trebuchet.
• The Doodle Crate is full of crafts for young artists aged 14+, such as felt succulent plants and homemade soap.
• The Maker Crate is a more design-oriented collection of crafts for ages 14+, such as a clay desk organiser and macrame plant hangers.
• Budding engineers aged 14+ will enjoy the Eureka Crate projects, including an articulated desk lamp and a wooden ukulele.

Suitable for: Teens

Frequency: Monthly

Price: £24.95 per month

Each month, you’ll receive a limited edition craft kit to make beautiful things and learn new skills. It could be book-binding, ceramics, macrame, paper-making, cyanotype printing – or something completely different!

All Craftiosity kits come with the essential tools and materials in the box and step-by-step instructions to make something you’ll love. Better still, there are video tutorials you can watch to help you complete the project.

Suitable for: Ages 2+

Frequency: Monthly

Price: 1, 3, 6 and 12-month subscriptions available; from $87 for 3 months

Each month your budding chef can look forward to a new culinary adventures with award winning educational food and culture kits from Eat2Explore. They will get to explore a new country across 4 continent groups every month.

They also offer gluten-free and vegetarian subscription gifts.

Suitable for: Babies to teens

Frequency: Monthly

Price: From £34.99 for 3 months

The Willoughby Book Club offers numerous book subscription gifts to choose from, including several for children:

• Baby Book Club is a great introduction for children aged 0-12 months
• Toddler Book Club will help foster a lifelong love of books and reading for 1-3 year olds
• Children’s Book Club is the perfect gift for budding readers aged 4-12 years old, based on their reading interests
• Young Adult Book Club for ages 13+ will introduce new fiction titles and keep teens engaged with reading.

Suitable for: Ages 5+

Frequency: Monthly

Price: 1, 3, 6 and 12-month subscriptions available; from £2.oo per month

Make reading and writing the highlight of your child’s week with this highly personalised subscription that includes real letters from a magical cat!

With his first letters, Banjo sends a big, beautiful world map poster so that your child can track along with him on his travels and add stickers to it with every country that he visits. Twice a month Banjo visits new countries and sends personalised letters, along with a recipe, stickers, colouring-in sheet, reply stationery and travel guide for that country.

Better still, Banjo will reply to your child!

Suitable for: Varies

Frequency: Monthly

Price: From £9 per month

The Little Bakers Club is a monthly box which is delivered to your Little Baker, so they can learn to bake something, from monster cupcakes to flapjacks to cake pops. Each box includes all the pre-weighed dry ingredients, a step-by-step recipe card, and a little activity to do.

Suitable for: Ages 0-14

Frequency: Monthly

Price: €150

Imagine the excitement of receiving a new book in the post each month! This book subscription gift from Dubray is ideal for the younger booklover in your life, as a new, gift-wrapped book is delivered each month, chosen to suit their tastes and interests and to encourage a love of reading.

Currently this service is only offered to a delivery address on the island of Ireland.

Magazine subscriptions are a tried and true staple for all ages, and most magazines will offer some kind of subscription (frequency may vary). These are a great idea for both avid readers and for kids who need some fun encouragement to read.

Suitable for: Ages 6-11

Frequency: 13 issues per year

Price: €45 per year

Each month’s issue of Nat Geo Kids is packed full of fascinating facts, puzzles and breath-taking imagery about the environment, animals, history and culture.

Suitable for: Ages 7-14

Frequency: Weekly

Price: £84.99/€100 for 6 months

If you’ve ever hidden vegetables in other foods, you’ll appreciate the logic of this comic. Yes, The Phoenix includes fun and silly comic stories, but it also sneaks in some history and encourages children to draw their own comics.

Suitable for: Ages 8-13

Frequency: Monthly

Price: €76 per year

Aimed at curious and confident readers, Aquila makes science, history and general knowledge accessible to children, combining articles with puzzles and beautiful illustrations. Each issue focuses on a theme such as dinosaurs or coding.

Suitable for: Babies to teens

Frequency: Weekly

Price: Intro offer of first 3 months for £10; £49 for 6 months

Join Dennis, Gnasher, Minnie and all their Beano friends in this classic comic favourite that generations have enjoyed. With a Beano subscription, you’re guaranteed your weekly helping of mischief, mayhem and crazy comic fun by having it delivered straight to your door, before it’s in the shops.

Don’t miss the chance to have your say! We’re looking for parents to get involved and give their feedback on all aspects of family life.

Reading can take children (and adults!) on magical journeys. Through reading, children learn about people, places and events outside their own experience. They are exposed to ways of life, ideas and beliefs about the world which may be different from those which surround them. Reading lets children learn about different countries and cultures and encourages their imagination to grow.

Children naturally have vivid imaginations and reading will nurture and support their creativity. Creativity is very important for developing interests and ideas, as well as building confidence. David Walliams books are wonderful reads for kids of all ages, laugh out loud funny.

We have all heard the phrase ‘Practice makes perfect’ many times. But in this case it really does. Children who read from a young age, invariably get better at reading. This builds confidence to attempt more difficult books.

The vocabulary children gain from reading cannot be underestimated. Children will use words they have just read to understand it’s meaning in everyday life – sometimes with quite funny results. Captain Underpants is a big favourite in our house and boy we have had some funny utterances as a result.

Many children find it difficult to concentrate for long periods, hey even some adults do too! Reading encourages children to get lost in a story, thus focusing them on one task for a period of time.

In order to fully understand what is being read, a child needs to devote 100% of their attention to the words and this is how concentration is developed. One of the many benefits of reading that is appreciated in all aspects of their lives as children grow into adulthood.

My eldest has recently discovered the world of Harry Potter. The writing in the books is smaller than she is used to and they are a step up from her regular reading. But her concentration levels have definitely increased as she is so involved with the story!

We all know that a good plot and well written story will draw you into a book. But it is great characters that you can identify with that will really pull at the heart strings and make you feel empathy.

We recently watched the movie Wonder and days later in our local bookshop my 8 year old spotted a copy of the book and had to have it. He is really enjoying it and comes to ask me questions regularly about different things that happen in the book and how he feels about them.

Children will often identify with characters in books – whether it be a child who is afraid of something or who has done something brave. We all want to be the person who gets over their fears and achieve great things.

There are also characters and stories that we will have empathy for, a friend or indeed themselves may be going through a similar situation to that in the story. Sometimes this can enable them to find a solution to a problem they are having, or at least feel like they are not alone. The written word can empower them with the right vocabulary to voice concerns or thoughts to those around them.

If you read, you are never alone and have no reason to ever be bored! Hours can be spent with a good book and it can take you away from whatever is going on around you and transport you to a new world.

One of the amazing things about books and reading is the wide availability of topics on offer. There are books on every subject and topic available from libraries, bookshops and online. Why not start your child’s journey today?

Not only does literacy improve confidence in language subjects, it improves schoolwork across the board.

The obvious ones are history, geography, science where text is read and important points are picked out to be remembered. But even subjects like maths benefits from an ability to read and understand a question.

Dr Seuss’s The Lorax was the inspiration for About a Mom’s fun and simple Truffula Trees craft. Using lollipop sticks, craft paper and tissue paper, this is suitable for young Seuss fans.

While this ccraft is suitable for any time and makes a great accompaniment craft to reading The Lorax, you could also makes this truffula tree craft as an Earth Day activity.

This fun Dr Seuss craft idea from Must Have Mom takes two favourite characters, Thing 1 and Thing 2, and turns them into adorable handprint art. Even better, this craft project doubles as a keepsake or gift idea.

A favourite Dr Seuss book and subsequent movie, Horton Hears a Who! is the endearing tale of an elephant to listens to and rescues Whoville – a tiny town full of tiny people named ‘Whos’ that is a speck of dust on the top of a pink clover.

Now you can make your own Horton with this fun craft idea from Artsy Craftsy Mom.

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Fans of One Fish Two Fish will enjoy making this fun fishbowl craft from Mrs Thompson’s Treasures. Cut the top off of a paper plate and tape it to the bottom. Paint the base and the ‘tank’, and leave to dry, then glue some goldfish crackers or paper cut-outs to make your fishbowl!

Book inspired crafts are always a lot of fun, and that’s because they aren’t just a fun way to keep your little one busy and engaged in something creative, but it also inspires them to read more books and develop a love for them.

If your little one loved Dr Seuss’s Put Me in the Zoo, this clear slime recipe from Craft Play Learn is a must try – especially if you want to try a hands-on, sensory activity.

This idea for a painted rock Grinch craft from Homemade Heather is a fun and easy project to do with the kids, and lots of fun around Christmas to give to friends and family.

Crafting Cheerfully created this quick DIY Dr Seuss flower pot craft, using the fun and whimsy of Thing 1 and Thing 2. And a bright blue boa was the perfect choice for the blue hair looks sticking out of the pots!

Not only is this The Lorax-inspired craft from ABCs of Literacy easy to make, but it is inexpensive too. If you don’t have card stock, you can always use construction paper or paint some recycled cardboard. Instead of using the googly eyes and pom pom, you can use construction paper to make the eyes and nose too.

These cute Dr Seuss bookmark corners from Red Ted Art are the perfect Dr Seuss craft for young fans.

Partner your new craft project with your favourite book, and the cheeky little faces and distinctive blue hair of Thing 1 and Thing 2 will pop out to mark your page!

This Dr. Seuss-inspired Oh, the Places You’ll Go hot air balloon craft from Our Kid Things is absolutely adorable. Each balloon with a child’s picture riding in the basket, off on their own adventure!

Make your own keepsake craft with full step-by-step photo instructions and cut out template.

After reading There’s A Wocket in My Pocket, this early reading and word sorting activity from ABCs of Literacy will help your child to practice identifying real and nonsense words.

Not only are Dr Seuss’s books entertaining and fun to read, but many of them can be used to teach things such as rhyming, parts of speech, and real and nonsense words.

Why is it important to use nonsense words with kids? They may just seem like silly, made-up words but nonsense words can help kids learn phonics skills such as encoding and decoding.

No, you can’t eat these fizzing green eggs, but they make a super fun preschool science project from Preschool Powol Packets that partners well with reading Dr Seuss’s Green Eggs and Ham.

How do you make these fun green eggs? Simply mix 1/2 cup of baking soda with 9 drops of green food colouring and a tablespoon of water. You should have a soft dough that holds together when you squeeze it, but falls apart if any extra pressure is added. Form the dough into four eggs, and place them in a foil tray or dish in a bed of white “egg whites” (baking soda).

Now, give them to your preschooler with a cup of vinegar and a dropper so they can make their own fizzy green eggs and develop their fine motor skills too!

This moustache matching activity from The Iowa Farmer’s Wife, posting at No Time for Flashcards, is a great one for preschooler fans of The Lorax.

Create a variety of moustache shapes in a mix of sizes and colours, with corresponding cut-out shapes on a master card sheet. You could use paper, card or felt for this, and even attach small magnets to the back of the moustaches if you want to create a board that will be reused time and again. Now let your preschooler match the moustaches while you read or watch The Lorax.

These fun Grinch bath salts from Ruffles and Rain Boots are a fantastic DIY gift for yourself or someone else – and perfect for Christmas.

See how easy this all-natural spa gift is to make with kitchen essentials, thanks to full instructions, materials list, and ideas on how to package it up for gifts.

The Cat in the Hat is a classic children’s book every kid should read or have read to him/her. This Dr Seuss The Cat in the Hat slime from Little Bins for Little Hands would also make an awesome Cat in the Hat party idea!

Creating both a white glue slime and a clear glue slime gives a unique look to this fun Dr Seuss slime, and it can last for quite a while, even months, with the right storage method.

One Krieger Chick had a creative idea to create poufy pom pom bookmarks that resemble the trees in The Lorax or the fluffy hair-dos in many Dr Seuss books…plus, pom poms really are so stinkin’ fun!

All you need is some yarn, scissors and about 15 minutes to make your own pom pom bookmark. Then wrap it around your favourite book and enjoy!

This adorable Dr Seuss handprint craft from Our Kid Things is inspired by Put Me in the Zoo.

For this Put Me in the Zoo handprint craft you will need yellow cardstock, colourful small poms, a black sharpie, small googly eyes, scissors, and a glue stick.

Turn a recycled can into a cute Dr Seuss hat pencil cup and, as a bonus, add in some Truffula tree pencils!

Club Chica Circle used the simple wrapped yarn technique on the outside of the can to create the iconic Dr Seuss hat pattern.

If you decide to add some Truffula tree pencils, choose some fun patterned or colourful pencils and glue some large glittery pom poms to the top your own little Truffula trees!

Celebrate a love for literacy with this Cat in the Hat pizza recipe from Homemade Heather! Creating a unique character pizza is super easy and makes meal time fun.

You could add in your favourite toppings, or keep it simple with some pepperoni stripes.

Using some craft box staple items, Lalymom made this fun and simple Lorax finger puppet, which is sure to inspire your child’s creativity and imagination. A popular addition to play time for your little ones!

Create your own fishy scene with some brightly coloured origami fish, inspired by Dr Seuss’s book One Fish, Two Fish, Green Fish, Blue Fish.

Artsy Craftsy Mom shows you just how to fold your origami fish to create a cohesive look that you can then style with seashells, glitter, pebbles, sand, and an occasional sea creature!

Who said exercise and moving around has to be boring! Inject some fun with this kids’ fitness challenge that creates a different routine or series of actions for each child.

It’s so simple – just spell out your name, find the activities for each letter, and then get moving.

For example, if your name is Daisy, your fitness challenge would be:

• D = Dance to your favourite song for one minute
• A = Act like a monkey for 30 seconds
• I = Inspect the garden for insects for one minute
• S = Skip down the hall and back
• Y = Jump up and down like a yo-yo 12 times

For a bigger challenge, include your surname, middle name, nickname, etc. Or pick a favourite character to change things up – some good ones are Buzz Lightyear, Tinkerbell, Cinderella, Pinocchio, Lightening McQueen or Sleeping Beauty.

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So get the kids into some shorts or sports gear and have a bit of fun with our What’s Your Name Kids’ Fitness Challenge! You can download the exercise challenge here, which is great to stick on the fridge and encourage quick daily sessions.

Remember, it’s not a competition and there’s no pressure. It’s all about moving a bit more than normal and, most importantly, making it fun!

Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You’re off to Great Places!
You’re off and away!

For more than 30 years, Oh the Places You’ll Go, a Dr. Seuss classic, has carried us through life’s ups and downs – from fun times and triumphs, to lurches and slumps! Take an entertaining look at the adventures life has in store for all of us in this very beloved classic.

School is starting in the forest, but Chester Raccoon does not want to go. To help ease Chester’s fears, Mrs. Raccoon shares a family secret called the Kissing Hand to give him the reassurance of her love any time his world feels a little scary.

Since its first publication in 1993, the heartwarming tale of The Kissing Hand has become a children’s classic that has touched the lives of millions of children and their parents, especially at times of separation, whether starting school, entering daycare, or going to camp.

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It’s a big day for Little Owl. His first day at school. Little Owl doesn’t want a big day though. He’d rather stay at home and have fun with Mummy and Baby Owl. But at school he gets to build a rocket, learn to fly and even make a tiny new friend. Maybe big days spent with friends can be lots of fun after all!

From the bestselling creators of Little Owl’s Egg comes another gentle and comforting story about lovable Little Owl’s First Day. Perfect for any little one starting nursery or school.

Anna Llenas’s popular Colour Monster is back in The Colour Monster Goes to School, and this time he’s heading off to school! But what exactly is school? A spooky castle filled with terrifying animals? A place in the sky, amongst the rainbows and clouds?

From music lessons to lunchtime to making new friends, the Colour Monster’s first day of school is filled with exciting new adventures.

If you can’t wait to start school, or are feeling a little nervous, this is the perfect book for you. Full of humour and fun, Starting School is a reassuring read that will help children and parents get ready for the first day of school, and find out what to expect from the rest of their first term.

At the bottom of the garden
where no one really sees,
a secret school is hidden
amongst the grass and weeds.

Welcome to Bug School! Don’t be nervous on your first day – it’s lots of fun. Learn creeping with the spiders, singing with the crickets, count spots with the ladybirds and hop, skip and jump in P.E. with the fleas!

First Day at Bug School is a rhythmic, bright celebration of school, starring some very cute bugs indeed! Sure to allay first-day-at-school fears.

Lily and Blue Kangaroo – a friendship forever! The eighth title in this hugely popular series featuring Lily and her loveable soft toy sees the inseparable duo starting at a new school with surprising results.

When Lily starts at a new school she asks Blue Kangaroo to come too. Lily thinks Blue Kangaroo is worried about going but, secretly, he can’t wait to explore and try new things – which is just as well, because the fun lasts even longer than he expected…

Come to School Too, Blue Kangaroo is a reassuring story for children starting school.

In Mr Men & Little Miss Go to School, Little Miss Tiny is going to school and some of the other Mr Men and Little Miss with a few things to learn are joining her!

How will Mr Muddle get on with maths and will Mr Messy create a work of art in painting?

Topsy and Tim Start School is a perfect, reassuring picture book for children who are just about to start school. Along with favourite characters Topsy and Tim, children will learn what to expect in lessons, in the playground – even in the canteen – and, more importantly, that school can be fun!

Mouse’s Big Day is a warm and funny story about friendship, that’s perfect for any child who is starting school or nursery.

It’s Mouse’s first day at school and she’s feeling a little nervous…in fact, she doesn’t want to go at all. Luckily, there’s a class full of new friends waiting for her and lots of fun to be had at Twit Twoo School. Can Mouse find the confidence to join in with her classmates and learn just how brilliant school can be?

Join Mouse, Frog, Rabbit, Mole, Owl and their teacher, Miss Hoot, at their fun-filled treetop school. With a cast of adorable animal characters and bright, bold, distinctive illustrations from the award-winning Lydia Monks, illustrator of the bestselling What the Ladybird Heard series, the Twit Twoo School series is sure to delight young children.

A classic Charlie and Lola picture book about starting school worries, from Children’s Laureate Lauren Child.

Charlie’s little sister Lola is nearly big enough to go to school. But Lola is not so sure…

Lola says, “I am absolutely not BIG. I am still really quite small. I probably do not have time to go to school. I am too extremely busy doing important things at home.”

I Am Absolutely Too Small for School is a classic first-day-at-school tale addresses children’s fears with warmth, humour, and a lot of fun.

This Usborne Starting School Sticker Book is a fun way to familiarise young children with all the things they will need to know and be able to do when they start school.

Following a typical day at school, children will enjoy using the stickers to help the characters in the book get dressed, pack bags, hang up coats, change for PE, and participate in art class, lunchtime, playtime, story time and home time. With over 100 stickers, this is sure to keep little children occupied for hours.

Unlike some other combs on the market, the Nitty Gritty Comb has twisted prongs which help to catch the nits and ensure you get them off the hair. I really think combing is the way to go and many mums that swear by this particular comb.

To have the best chance of getting rid of all the nits and lice, use conditioner on dry or damp hair, and comb the conditioner through using the nitty gritty comb. Wipe it after each brush on a white tissue and wash the comb thoroughly with soap after use.

Nitty Gritty also have a range of natural remedies to prevent and get rid of lice and nits.

Quick acting, the Hedrin All in One shampoo was a popular choice. Parents and kids liked that there is no ‘chemical’ odour to this shampoo, and it does not contain any pesticides, which the lice could become immune to.

Tip: The trick with over the counter products is to only use them if you are sure there is an infestation, as overuse of these products is causing nits and lice to become immune to their effects.

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The Fairy Tales Goodbye Lice Survival Kit is also widely used. The kit comes with the nit terminator comb, a Lice Goodbye mousse to treat lice, and a spray to repel nits once hair has been treated. Best of all, it is totally natural.

Parents found NitWits Head Lice Treatment Spray easy and mess-free to use, particularly with younger children who found sitting still for intensive combing hard.

Other parents use tea tree conditioner, such as Dr Organic Tea Tree Conditioner, which contains tea tree oil and peppermint extracts.

Parents recommended leaving the conditioner in the hair as they have found that their children have avoided getting head lice altogether as a result.

Parents responded that this Lice Zapper electronic comb was a chemical-free choice for getting rid of head lice, however still found that it required a thorough combing and repeated treatments.

• Tea Tree Oil – When we asked our parent audience for their tips on getting rid of head lice, tea tree was one that came up over and over again. Many parents buy tea tree oil and dilute it with water to spray behind the ears as a prevention method.
• Aloe Vera and Jojoba – Mums told us that they use aloe vera and jojoba shampoo and conditioner on their kids and they have avoided head lice.
• Oil and Vinegar – As a natural remedy, one parent suggested coating infected hair with vinegar and leaving on for 20 minutes. Add olive oil and leave on for another 20 minutes and then comb to get rid of nits and lice. Afterwards wash thoroughly with your regular shampoo. You may need to do several washes to get the vinegar and oil solution out of the hair. The vinegar helps to dissolve the gummy solution that holds nits in place on the hair shaft.
• Mayonnaise – Another natural method is to coat the hair with mayonnaise, which contains both oil and vinegar. For it to work best, coat the hair with mayonnaise and cover with a shower cap or old swim cap. Leave in for at least an hour and overnight if possible. After removing the cap, comb through the hair and then wash well with your usual shampoo. The result will be shiny, healthy looking, nit-free hair. Repeat treatment after 3 weeks.

Patience and time spent combing hair seems to be the best method to get rid of head lice and keep them gone. Checking once a week and spending time combing hair with a nit comb and some conditioner does seem to work.

Also have a chat with your child about keeping their heads away from other children, keeping long hair tied up and not sharing hats, combs or brushes.

Board games offer many benefits for children including lessons such as strategy and fair play. Some games take education even further by providing opportunities to learn important skills such as reading and math.

Educational board games are fun to play, give you quality time with your child, and are good for summer fun and learning.

We love Rummikub in our house, it teaches kids to add up and to know their numbers and number combinations really well.

Gardens are a wonderful way to teach children about the plant life-cycle as well as the eco-system of birds, insects and plants even in a small space.

Kids that actively engage in nurturing a garden also learn responsibility and the pride of seeing a tiny seed grow into something that can be consumed or shared with others.

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There are a number of different organisations that are encourage kids to read and some even offer rewards to children that join and complete their summer reading programme.

Here’s a list of summer reading challenges for kids, many offer book suggestions by age.

As your child reads encourage them to write down a list of new words they come across and look up their meanings.

Another way to stop the summer slide is to help kids expand their vocabulary. This can be easily done by hanging a new word on the refrigerator and then keeping tracking of who uses it the most in a week.

You could also run a Family Spelling Bee competition every week for a bit of fun and word practice.

Or how about a regular game of Scrabble or Bananagrams together?

One of the benefits of the internet is the ability to explore the world…from the computer.

Possible virtual field trips include the Arctic, a chocolate factory, Macchu Picchu, or how about a day at The Louvre?

You could get your child to make a travel diary of their day out to the amazing place they pick to explore. What did they eat? Who did they meet? What did they see? How did they travel there?

Games like Sudoku or logic puzzles can keep kids engaged while also practicing important math skills.

Mathplayground.com has a variety of games covering topics such as addition, multiplication, fractions, geometry and pre-algebra.

Or for older kids, Ken Ken offers challenging math puzzles designed for junior high and high school students.

Kids generally have an abundance of free time during the summer. One way to fill that time is to engage children in interesting projects that they can make themselves.

There is a growing Do It Yourself (DIY) movement focused on kids and includes interesting projects like learning to code and remixing music videos.

How about making a Stop-Motion Movie? Or maybe your child would enjoy a fun home-based Engineering Project?

Lemonade stands are always an option, but there are many ways for kids to experiment with entrepreneurship over the summer. From washing cars to making cupcakes to walking dogs.

This will teach them about costs and pricing, they will learn about buying materials to make what they sell, they will have to calculate change and so on.

There are some great apps that can help kids learn everything from geography to science to new languages.

Here are Educational Apps for kids aged 8-12 and Science Apps recommended by parents.