Author: Aimee Strongman

A happy first time Mama having adventures and sharing them on @onemamaskingdom

Taming the Beast – Part 2

It was lovely to receive such positive feedback from yesterday’s post so I thought I would keep the ideas coming. As a Primary School Teacher I am always having to conjure up new ideas and so I have devised another list of 10 more ideas to do with the little people during these snow days indoors! Children love to be with their parents and so doing things together when you can, will keep them engaged for a little longer. Obviously this is not always possible but if they are getting a little restless just by doing something together may improve their mood…

  1. Try to make Origami – this site has tons of great ideas. maybe make paper airplanes and have a flying contest…(look out for the plane noses – no one wants pointy paper in their eye!)
  2. Have a ‘Living room workout’  – Get dressed into your sports kits, put one of your exercise videos on and get the kids working out with you too. Personally I would rather opt for the yoga and doing it as a family will at least guarantee time on your mat!
  3. Have a Mary Poppins style cleaning session –  Crank up the radio and have a dance party whilst cleaning the house! It’s a win win situation  – clean house and tired kids! Woop woop!
  4. Design your own Ice Kingdom – children love to use their imaginations so give them some pens and a large piece paper and watch their minds spring into life. Talk to them about what they know about cold places, what might they have in their Ice world and then let them loose with the pens. When they are done get them to explain their new world and talk about it – just listen.
  5. Colouring  – mindfulness for both you and them! A little quiet moment…. if you don’t have any colouring books to hand you can easily print off some things to colour in or even draw your own. Crayola have some here 
  6. Warm up from the inside and make your very own hot chocolate stirrers  
  7. Pom Pom indoor snowball fight – If you are crafty and happen to have a pom pom maker in the cupboard and some white wool (although you could use other colours) make some pom poms  – put them in a bowl/bucket and take it turns to throw them at one another – for the older ones you can add in a point scheme depending on where you hit the other person on the body. I think I’d have a no face policy and obviously clear the mantelpiece/sideboard/table etc. but I’ll leave that to your discretion!
  8. Feed the birds – if like me you worry about the birds during this type of weather then why not help the little birdies out and make them a cake?  This is a great guide from the RSPB and kid friendly 
  9. Make a fairy door to make sure those fairies can keep warm too – everyone knows fairies are not big fans of the cold so why not entice them inside with a beautiful hand crafted door…This lady keeps in simple and hopefully you will have what you need to hand. We do not need to leave the house in this weathe!
  10. Build a lego city – Get out all the LEGO, mini people, trains, cars and other play sets and make a massive indoor carpet city. They will LOVE it!

Have fun and I would love to hear what has worked for you and what you have been up to during these past days.

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Dippy in Dorchester

I just couldn’t resist. Having been lucky enough to see the 3D print cast of his skull at Blandford Library, my interest was piqued and I was determined to see the whole thing. So, last Sunday, off we headed en famille to Dorchester and the Dorset County Museum was our first stop!

The Natural History Museum’s famous Diplodocus skeleton cast, known as Dippy is touring the length and breadth of the UK from early 2018 to late 2020. The British icon is on a mission to inspire families to explore nature on their doorstep. I certainly didn’t need much encouragement having just watched Jurassic Park last weekend  and loved the film Land Before Time when I was little.

The whole town of Dorchester seemed to be reveling in its newest member and you could not miss the green banners blowing in the wind signifying his presence. Despite the queue outside (always a sign of something worthwhile) we were ushered into the museum with barely a minute of queuing in the cold, our bags were quickly checked and then we were shown where we could leave our pushchair by extremely helpful staff. (Note: there are stairs so little ones will need to be carried.) I was so impressed. Everyone seemed super excited by Dippy’s temporary accommodation and despite it being a tight squeeze in the Victorian Gallery,  the 150 million year old dinosaur replica manged to fit perfectly with just a couple of centimeters spare at each end. There was a designated spot for photos which is a must for the insta mad among us and lots of facts, pictures and fossils to see on your way around.
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There is also a fantastic space with large tables, just before you exit the museum, for young enthusiasts to colour in pictures, draw their own sauropod or whatever takes their fancy, with the opportunity to display their artwork in the gallery space.
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There are also other artworks on display by local artists which are positioned on the walls around.

And to top it all off there is the shop full of everything Dippy (posters, mugs, key rings, badges) as well as other goodies associated with the Jurassic Coast. A perfect treasure trove for shopping lovers of all ages and with the “just a card” movement in mind there are lots of little things to purchase as a memento before you go at around £2.50.

For those of us who are slightly more adventurous or just fancy a slightly different experience, Dorset County Museum is opening its doors after hours so you are able to see Dippy at night! Think Night at the Museum! You will need to book your ticket though for this special occasions and there is an admission fee.

All in all we thought it was a fantastic exhibition and even though Freddie was too young to remember it, the photograph we took with Dippy will remain in our collection to talk about in years to come. Both my husband and I took away some interesting facts and were really impressed at how slick the whole exhibition was curated. So if you want something FREE to do with the kiddies at the weekend, then head on down to this  great educational, fun and interesting thing to do! There are also some great local child friendly cafes around to round off the day! Everyone’s a winner!

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INFORMATION

You can still find Dippy’s Skull on tour  – next stop Swanage library (10th – 15th March) and Dippy will be at Dorset County Museum on display until 7th May 2018.

Dippy can be found at the  following venues throughout the UK so if you have family/friends to visit, why not plan a day out – just remember to make sure you book to avoid disappointment.

I’d love to hear from you, so if you do manage to meet Dippy please send us a note! #onemamaskingdom #DippyOnTour!

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Taming the Beast

10 things to do when ‘cabin fever’ sets in – What snow storm?

The ‘Beast from the East’ has certainly made itself known. So, here we are stuck indoors in minus temperatures watching the snowflakes fall outside. The beauty of this winter wonderland is undeniable but who wants to leave the Hygge you’ve created at home? O wait the Utopian Danish dream is quashed as the kids are running round, crying and you have yet to have a warm drink…

The reality of parenting in such conditions is hard and as a new mama not being able to leave the house to go for a walk, see other people (besides my husband and babe) is not the norm and with access to and from the house somewhat like an impassable mountain road (I am exaggerating) I do feel like I could be in one of those Scandinavian crime dramas.

So with hours to be filled I thought I would share a few ideas to keep you sane today whilst the baby naps! Whether you have babies, little or big ones I hope you can find something to inspire you for at least half an hour! Good Luck.

You got this Mama!

SNOW DAY = FUN DAY…….Promise!

  1. It’s time to use those toys from way back when – if you can put them in a big bag or hide them in a sheet and play a guessing game with the older ones and for the little ones just see the joy on their faces of NEW toys!
  2. Forget the laundry  – create your own sensory set up with a variety of fabrics, textures, foil, paper etc. – anything you can find. I raided my craft cupboard and found off-cuts of old clothing (denim, fur and bells are always good) put them in the laundry basket and watch them investigate the goodies.
  3. Make a Den in the living room out of blankets  -because if not on a snowday – when can you?
  4. Put on some great music and DANCE  – I have done this today. The country music radio station was turned on and the sounds blasted through the Sonos as Freddie sucked on toast and I danced whilst I washed up – feel those endorphins!
  5. Have a baby disco – a friend of mine shared her story online and had created an amazing light and sound show  – it was amazing! Rave it up in your PJs!
  6. Have a clear out and donate – {toys, clothes, appliances etc.} I managed to go through some old baby clothes and have already managed to create a gift basket for 2 friends expecting. Get the kids to help or do it whilst the baby sleeps – you’ll feel good for being so productive and for helping others!
  7. Go to the Cinema on the couch  – pop some popcorn and catch up on movies you have yet to see or revisit an old favorite. who doesn’t love to watch Disney movies?!
  8. Get crafty and make a card or two – Mother’s Day is right around the corner so don’t forget your own mama and whilst the kids get messy with glitter glue you can tick another of those to dos off the list! O and playdough is great to get glitter off the table just as an FYI. You could always make Make snowflakes and tape them to the windows.
  9. Read books. This is brilliant thing to do with children of all ages!
  10. Skype or FaceTime Catch up with friends and family you haven’t seen in a while or talk to friends fellow  home-bound friends.

 

 

Dippy the Dinosaur

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Yesterday Freddie and I went see Dippy the Diplodcus. I still can’t quite believe that probably the most famous dinosaur in the UK and star attraction at The Natural History Museum is here in my new home town of Blandford!

The Natural History Museum’s famous Diplodocus skeleton cast, known as Dippy is on tour and  a 3D printed replica of Dippy’s skull is currently residing in Blandford’s library. so Freddie and I stopped by yesterday to take a look…

We followed the dinosaur footprints on the floor of the library which led to a battered suitcase on top of a table where a 3D printed replica of Dippy’s skull. It was amazing to imagine the size of these incredible creatures that once roamed the earth and for such artifacts to be accessible and not just behind glass. As we already know, the Jurassic Coast is one the UK’s best sites for understanding the world at the time of the dinosaurs and  so what better opportunity to introduce the subject of Paleontology to the young minds of Dorset. Obviously Freddie was a bit young at only 6 months old but as a teacher I know that many of the children I have taught would LOVE to know more about the dinosaurs and to have something they can see with their own eyes is cementing their knowledge and understanding like no book can.

Here are some cool facts you can share with your little adventurers:

DIPPY FACTS

Species Name: Diplodocus carnegii
Meaning: Double-beamed lizard
Diet: Plants
Length: 21.3m (They are thought to be the longest known dinosaur)
Width: 4.3m
Height: 4.25m

Number of bones: 292

  • Dippy was first unveiled at London’s Natural History Museum in 1905
  • Diplodocus lived for 70-80 years much like today’s modern elephant
  • They are a sauropods and here on the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site in Dorset you can find footprints made by other sauropds, like Dippy, near Worth Matravers in Purbeck.

So if you are looking for a little something to do this week then why not pop to Blandford and meet Dippy! Or venture to Dorchester and see the whole skeleton cast! Dippy will be on display at the Dorset County Museum until May 2018 and they are even opening up the museum at night to see him lit up in the Victorian Hall. Book your tickets early to avoid disappointment! For more info visit jurrassiccoast.org/dippy

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Our Kingdom

Our own kingdoms

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Just a quick hello…

My first blog post!  It has only taken me 6 months…despite wanting to start pretty much weeks after my baby boy was born. I had this overwhelming urge to write how I was feeling at the time as a new mother and desperately wanted to be connected with others like me but couldn’t quite find the time or energy to do it or, to be honest, know how on earth to start

I thought I’d start by sharing my adventures and stories as I embrace my new role as a mother as I navigate this journey into motherhood.  Whether it be a walk, a talk, a mum & baby class, a day out or a day at home or just an observation, I hope it helps other mums to know they are enough and are doing a brilliant job however hard it may feel at times.  I’m no expert and  most certainly learning as I go but if like me, you are a mum becoming Queen of her own Kingdom please get in touch and let’s share the journey together. They say “it takes a village” and I am hoping this blog helps shape yours.

This is our Kingdom.

@onemamaskingdom

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