Mind Archives - NurtureStore

Have your say about the Play Planner!

By Cathy James on May 19th, 2013%

Play Planner and a quick survey

Would you be so kind as to help me out this week and give me some feedback about NurtureStore and the Play Planner?

This week’s Play Planner includes are 10 {super} quick questions. Could you please fill them in and let me know who you are and what you like about the Play Planner. All feedback is very welcome and I hope to use it to make NurtureStore an even better resource for you.

Thank you! Cathy

Please click through here to see this week’s Play Planner activities and have your say in the survey.

Sand pit fairy garden :: small worlds play

By Cathy James on May 17th, 2013%

Do your children like to create and play with small worlds? My girls always have one or two landscapes on the go at any one time. Today B made a fairy garden in the sand pit which she declared ‘the sweetest thing I’ve ever made’ – so I had to show it to you. It’s lovely, and also a good reminder that the simplest of ‘loose parts’ and a child’s imagination can combine to create great things.

Sand pit fairy garden for small world play Read more »

10 rules to maximise small family gardens

By Cathy James on May 16th, 2013%

I’ve had lots of people asking me how to combine gardening, play and relaxation spaces in small family gardens like ours, so I thought I’d give you a tour and share some tips.

We have a truly tiny garden, in a Victorian terraced house on the edge of a city in the UK. It has no lawn, is surrounded by a brick wall but we still manage to grow (are you ready for this…) apples, basil, bay, beetroot, borlotti beans, broad beans, chives, cress, cucumber, courgette, fennel, garlic, green beans, lavender, leek, lettuce, nasturtiums, onions, oregano, parsley, peas, pears, peppers, potatoes, raspberries, radish, rocket, sage, spinach, spring onions, strawberries, sunflowers, thyme, tomatoes as well as a variety of pretty flowers and shrubs. We also have areas for play and space for the adults to sit and relax or eat outside.

Welcome to our garden, come and take a look around. Read more »

Cool kids crafts: design your own t-shirt

By Cathy James on May 15th, 2013%

I’m thrilled to be joined by Jeanette from artchoo.com today, who’s here sharing a cool kids craft idea using a sticker resist technique. This project combines art and experimenting and lets your child create a masterpiece they can wear!

Here’s how to make sticker resist t-shirts: