16 Simple Chores Around The House To Let Under Fives Help With

16 Simple Chores Around The House To Let Under Fives Help With

Are you looking for ideas of simple chores around the house that your under five can help with? If your child loves watching you do household jobs and seems interested in wanting to help, now might be a great time to introduce a few simple tasks they can take ownership of. After all, give it a few years and they will probably rather be doing something else! So read on for 16 ideas of chores you can easily let your child help with.

1. Putting Their Toys Away

Lots of childcare settings and baby classes have a ‘tidy up time’ towards the end, so your child may already be familiar with putting things away. The key is to have a system of where things go, so your child can easily find boxes and storage. Use pictures to label containers and group similar toys, e.g. cars, train tracks, jigsaws. See here for more home organisation tips for busy families.

2. Unloading The Washing Machine

chores for under fives - the photo shows a child unloading the washing machine

There’s something about washing machines! Babies and toddlers often seem fascinated by the spin cycle, watching the washing go round and round in circles. If you put a large basket by the door once the washing machine has finished, many under fives will happily drag out the washing into the box. You may even find they can help with hanging it out – they can pass the pegs for example or may be able to help hang some of the smaller items of clothing on a drying rack. 

3. Pairing Or Sorting SocksChores For Under Fives

Matching pairs of socks can be a really fun ‘chore’ for your under five. Simply get them to lay out all the socks on the floor or bed and then find the ones that match like a pairs game. Matching things together will help your child with their maths skills as well. 

4. Sorting Washing – Simple Chores For Under Fives

Your toddler may be able to recognise their own clothes by now, so you can play a fun sorting game of ‘throw your clean clothes in the container/basket’. This is great for sorting skills and is a form of early maths too as they learn how to categorise. 

5. Putting Away Clothes In Their Drawers

Once your under five has a pile of their clothes, why not help them find the right drawer or drawers to put them away in? If you have a system for their clothes (e.g. underwear in one drawer, pyjamas in another etc.) this can be a way of your child learning how to organise and  find their clothes again when they’re looking for something.

6. Making The Bed – Simple House Chores For Under Fives

Depending on how tidy your child likes their room, you may find they are willing to at least pull the covers back up during the day, put their pyjamas under the pillow and a favourite soft toy. Other under fives may enjoy helping to strip the bed ready for washing and even help plump up pillows or put the duvet cover back on.

7. Dusting – Simple House Chores For Under Fives

chores for under fives - the image shows a child with dustpan and brush

Everyone loves a feather duster! Even if you don’t own one, a simple dusting cloth is enough for your toddler or under five to get the idea of making things clean. As you can physically see dust, lots of children like the process of wiping dust off things and then shaking the duster out afterwards. 

9. Setting The Table – Chores For Under Fives

You can always start your child off setting out a ‘Teddy Bear’s Picnic’ on the floor with a rug and plastic tableware. If your child is confident with that, why not get them to set out their own place at the table ready for the next meal or snack?

10. Sorting (Washed) Washable Nappies

Sorting nappies is a great one for your under five to help with if they have a younger sibling (or even if they’re that bit older and still in nappies themselves). Reusable nappies take a bit of prep to reassemble once they’re washed and dried. You can ask your child to put all the nappies in a row, then put a liner and one or two ‘booster’ pads on top, depending on the brand of the nappy. Older children may be able to reassemble the nappies themselves with a bit of help and practice. 

11. Simple Cooking Or Baking Prep – Chores For Under Fives

chores for under fives - the photo shows a child helping to wash up

Your under five can easily help with measuring ingredients, mixing and stirring – all without even going near the oven. They can use cookie or gingerbread cutters or spoon cake mix into fairy cases. There are bookable cooking courses and classes out there too for little ones. You might find they want to help with the washing up as well!

And here a few chores your toddler can help with ‘outside’ (under supervision, of course):

1. Car Washing – Outdoor Chores An Under Five Can Help With

chores for under fives - the photo shows a toddler helping to wash the car

What could be easier than grabbing a bucket of soapy water and a sponge? If you ask your child to ‘wash’ the easy-to-reach areas which are at their height, they should find this one really fun. Think doors and side panels (avoid greasy wheels). Plus all that squeezing of the sponge and big washing movements are great for their gross motor skills. Meanwhile you can work alongside your toddler or wash the higher-up areas. The beauty of car washing is that you can always tip a bucket of water over the top or buff yourself. Dress your child in waterproofs and wellies then they can get as wet as they like without feeling cold!

2. Window Washing (Outdoor)Chores For Under Fives

Here at Happity we love this one. Simply give your toddler a soapy bucket of water and brush or cloth. If you have a patio window or door, they can stand outside and have lots of fun washing that window – all in full view of you in the kitchen or lounge! Dress your child in a light raincoat so the water doesn’t run straight back down their sleeves,

3. Picking Fruit Or Vegetables – Outdoor Chores An Under Five Can Help With

chores for under fives - the photo shows a child picking fruit

If you’re growing strawberries, apples, tomatoes or beans, teach your child how to wiggle the fruit to see if it’s ready to come off. Simply give your under five a Tupperware container and see if they can fill it. It won’t even feel like a chore!

4. Sweeping The Path – Outdoor Chores An Under Five Can Help With

With a dustpan and brush, your toddler can have fun collecting up leaves, mud and dirt. If you’re closely supervising them you can even help them with a broom for larger areas. If you’ve washed the patio, your child can help sweep away the water.

5. Gardening – Outdoor Chores An Under Five Can Help With

chores for under fives - the photo shows a child and adult using trowels to put soil into baskets

Transferring soil from one container to another can keep some toddlers entertained for hours. Again, gardening is great for those gross motor skills. You might have an empty patch of soil or flowerbed where you want to plant. This can be a great place for your under five to practise their digging skills. Once you’re ready to add seeds or plants, you can then show your toddler how to measure the right depth with their trowel. There are loads of great handheld gardening tools and gloves out there for children. Also look for gardening and nature groups specially for toddlers.

6. Cleaning/Washing Outdoor Equipment

Chances are if your slide, treehouse or play equipment is ‘dirty’, it’s probably been covered in sand, chalk or mud! Help your child fill up a small bucket with water, give them a scrubbing brush and let them get busy. You can also fill up larger buckets with water and let them dunk/wash toys like outdoor cars, tractors, balls and sandpit accessories. 

What Different Household Chores Can Children Do As They’re Growing Up?

Here’s a Montessori age-appropriate chart of which chores you can reasonably expect your kids to manage at different ages. It doesn’t mean you have to stick to it though! It’s just interesting to see what ideas are on there. Remember, these chores will definitely take a lot longer with your under five joining in, but they will hopefully learn so much and have fun as well. 

What If My Under Five Doesn’t Want To Help With Chores?

As with all these things, don’t force it if your child isn’t in the mood. But if they’re happy and wanting to help out with whatever you’re doing (which young children often do), it can be fun for them to join in. 

Want to get out and about, have fun with your baby or toddler, and meet other parents?

Search Happity to find everything that’s happening for the under-5s in your local area – from music and singing classes, to messy play, arts and crafts, baby massage, gymnastics and more. Simply enter your postcode and child’s age to search, and then book your spot in a few taps. Enjoy dedicated fun time with your little one, watch their skills develop, and make friends at the same time. Mums, dads, grandparents and carers will all find something to love!

Find a class today!

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Subtle Parenting Habits That Can Quietly Hold Your Child Back—And How to Change Them

Subtle Parenting Habits That Can Quietly Hold Your Child Back—And How to Change Them

Did you know there are certain parenting habits that are quite straightforward to subtly change? And that some of your current parenting practices might actually have the opposite effect of what you want, holding your child back rather than helping them forwards? If you’ve read Becca’s recent blog about Growth Mindset, you might already be thinking about what you can do to help your child believe they can achieve – and that it’s OK to make mistakes. But what other changes could you make?

We’re joined once more by Becca from The Noisy Book Club who’s here to share how you can change your parenting habits to encourage your child to be even more resilient when faced with a challenge. 

Why Are My Parenting Habits So Important?

Imagine that your child tries something – building a tower, opening a jar, counting to five. You feel delighted. You’re so proud of what this tiny little person has achieved, and in awe.

How do you respond? Wow you got it right. That’s perfect. You are so clever! 

Of course you do. You are chuffed for them and you want to transfer some of that excitement to them so they feel great too, and feel proud of themselves!

Now, I’m not here to shame anyone. But as a teacher of ten plus years’ experience, I want to let you know that your well-intended, loving words might be impacting your child in a way you haven’t foreseen. 

In this blog I’m going to explore some of the ways we as parents can have the opposite effect to our intentions. It’s not about blame; it’s about productively thinking about what little steps we can take to shift some of this. Here are five things to avoid, and how we can change our parenting habits to foster resilience and confidence instead. 

1. Overpraising The Outcome Instead Of The Effort 

‘You’re so clever, you opened the box.’

We praise kids like this because we want them to feel great about themselves. It seems only natural that a success should be celebrated, and surely it will encourage our kids in the right direction. It’ll make them want to keep trying at everything in life. Right? 

Maybe not. What can end up happening, instead, is that kids become afraid of failing. If they are used to being praised only for getting things right or being perfect, that can become the only option for them. The fallout? Children might start to avoid activities or give up if there’s a hint of challenge and a threat to immediate success.

Luckily, there is something we can do to counteract these messages today; focusing on the process. 

‘I love how you kept trying to open that lid even though it was quite tricky.’

Change parenting habits - the image shows a fixed mindset ('You are so clever.') versus a growth mindset ('I love how you kept trying even though it was quite tricky.')

2. Stepping In Too Quickly To Fix Problems – Parenting Habits To Change

We’re sort of programmed to help our kids when they are struggling. When they are tiny babies, and they start crying, it’s literally our job to jump to attention. As they get older, we step back and give them more space to learn, but I think we’re often quicker than we need to be to jump in and solve a problem. If a toddler is shouting (or more) because they can’t reach the sink, often we will just scoop them up and help them in their mission.

But when we do this, they miss out on the opportunity to learn to problem-solve and build resilience. 

Next time the toddler shouts to be delivered to the sink, we can pause before helping and ask, ‘What do you think we should do?’ Give them a chance to think, and feel free to offer ideas. ‘Could you pull your steps over and climb up?’. 

3. Using Comfort Over Validation  – Parenting Habits To Change

We can be quick to try and soothe our kids when they have negative feelings. Of course we can – we don’t want to see them feeling bad. When our child doesn’t want to go to the party because they won’t know anyone, it’s easy to jump in with, ‘Don’t be silly. You’ll have fun once you get there!’ We mean to be reassuring, but what can happen is that we minimise the anxiety and encourage it to be pushed under the carpet. 

Instead, we can validate their (legitimate) feelings. ‘It’s totally normal to feel nervous when you’re going somewhere new.’ And then we can follow up with some supportive problem-solving: ‘Do you want to make a plan together for what to do when you get there?” 

Change parenting habits - the image shows a fixed mindset ('You'll have fun once you get there.') versus a growth mindset ('It's Okay to feel nervous. Do you want to make a plan together?')

4. Avoiding Hard Conversations – Parenting Habits To Change

We don’t want to make our kids feel rubbish, so it can feel counterintuitive to focus on an uncomfortable truth. If your child gets a cue wrong and speaks at the wrong point in the class play, but then doesn’t mention it later, it can feel like the easy and kinder thing to do to not mention it. 

But if we pass over the stickier moments, kids might end up finding it really hard to talk about imperfections or receive feedback. 

Instead of ignoring the situation, gentle conversations can help broach sensitive topics. ‘I noticed you talked too soon but was so impressed that you noticed the mistake and stayed calm, and then you started again when it was your turn.’

Change parenting habits - the image shows a fixed mindset (ignoring hiccups and mistakes) versus a growth mindset ('I noticed you made a mistake but you stayed calm, and started again.')

5. Always Encouraging ‘Be Careful’ Instead Of ‘Give It A Try’

We want our kids to be fearless (within reason) and brave enough to try new things. But some of our parental instincts totally counteract that. It’s our job to keep them safe but if our immediate reaction is to blurt out, ‘be careful’, we end up teaching our kids that they need to be wary all the time. This doesn’t exactly lead to being adventurous and courageous, does it?  More like overly cautious and risk-averse. 

It takes a bit of determination from us, but we can swap ‘Be careful’ for ‘Notice what’s around you—what’s your plan?. This teaches children that, yes, caution and awareness are needed but that you trust them to work it out for themselves. Which more often than not, they can. 

Change parenting habits - the image shows a fixed mindset ('Be careful.') versus a growth mindset ('Notice what's around you. What's your plan?')

Do you get fed up with parenting advice that seems to imply you can achieve perfection in everything you do with your children? I sure do. Working towards a Growth Mindset is not about perfection. It is definitely not about guilt-tripping. It is about becoming more self-aware, and making tweaks in your behaviour with your kids. These are small changes, not a root–and-branch upheaval. And they all aim at creating more resilience and confidence in your family. Seems hard to argue with that!

If you’d like more free practical tips on raising resilient kids, sign up for Noisy Book Cub Mail.

Thank You To Becca – The Noisy Book Club

Mum of two, lover of rubbish TV and expert in picking up (but rarely seeing through) new hobbies – Becca turned her school into a Growth Mindset school, training over 1,000 pupils, staff and parents/carers who signed up for the ride. Since then, she’s taught Growth Mindset to all the kids she’s taught – and their parents!

Following her maternity leave, and looking for some flexibility, she started the Noisy Book Club to teach parents some of the tips and tricks from the classroom, to help them raise their child to be a happy, confident and enthusiastic learner.

Check out the Noisy Book Club here!

Want To Get Out And About, Have Fun With Your Baby Or Toddler, And Meet Other Parents?

Search Happity to find everything that’s happening for the under-5s in your local area – from music and singing classes, to messy play, arts and crafts, baby massage, gymnastics and more. Simply enter your postcode and child’s age to search, and then book your spot in a few taps. Enjoy dedicated fun time with your little one, watch their skills develop, and make friends at the same time. Mums, dads, grandparents and carers will all find something to love!

Find a class today!

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22 Fun And Easy Alternatives To Throwing A Party For Your Toddler’s Birthday

22 Fun And Easy Alternatives To Throwing A Party For Your Toddler’s Birthday

Are you looking for a fun alternative to throwing a party for your toddler’s birthday? If the thought of hosting a traditional party with games and food feels like it’s going to be a bit too much for you and your toddler, you’re not alone. Rest assured – there are loads of parents out there who are looking for fun alternatives to a party with loud music and crowds of children. So read on for some easy alternatives to throwing a party for your toddler’s next birthday. 

Who Should I Invite For My Toddler’s Birthday?

Most of our fun ideas can be done with just you and your child or a few friends and parents as you prefer. If you want to invite others along, go with the theory of ‘number of children for child’s age’. So this may mean inviting just two, three or four other friends/family members. You can always have a birthday tea with grandparents etc. later on. 

1. Go To The Woods/On A Short Walk

Why not arrange to meet a couple of friends at your favourite local woodland walk? There will be opportunities for stomping through leaves and mud, den-building and more – all the activities that help promote teamwork and being out in nature/that all-important fresh-air. 

2. Do An Activity Like Scooting

Whether it’s trampolining, soft play, ice skating, swimming or taking some scooters to the local skate park, pick your toddler’s favourite physical activity. Just choose a time and a place for other parents to meet you (or go on your own as a family). If you’ve chosen a venue which offers ‘party packages’, you don’t have to take these – just pay for entry and have some food in the cafe afterwards.

3. Go To The Farm – Toddler Party Alternatives

toddler party alternatives - the photo shows some children at a farm with a goat

There are many farms and play-barns out there where toddlers will happily spend hours. Some have ride-on miniature tractors or model railways while others offer animal grooming and trails or even tractor rides. 

4. Go Blackberry or Strawberry Picking

One of the most chilled-out gatherings we attended here at Happity was at a farm which offered strawberry picking and feeding the pigs! The farm also had a café, grassy area and outdoor sand pit so children could wander round and play. They even hung a piňata on a tree.

For a truly relaxed feel, blackberry picking can be really good fun too. If you know of a local path or route in the countryside with blackberry brambles, arrange to meet the parents there, take some tubs for your pickings and go on a little wander!

5. Go To A Local Play Area, Playground Or Adventure Playground

What could be more chilled than something that just feels like playing? Maybe invite a few friends to meet at the local playground or park. You supply the cakes and perhaps a few extra things to do (think balls, buckets and spades, kites). If there is a bridge or stream you can play something like poo-sticks or just watch the ducks. National Trust properties also have great adventure playgrounds and ideas for keeping little ones busy in the great outdoors.  

6. Hold A Mini-Sports Day

toddler party alternatives - the photo shows a child throwing a ball

If you have space in the garden, why not have a mini-sports day? This can be as simple as throwing a few beanbags in a hula hoop, hopping or jumping from one side of the garden to another or throwing and catching a ball. If you have a shed, you can draw chalk circles as targets on the side and see who can squirt them with a water pistol. 

7. Get The Bubbles Out – Toddler Party Alternatives

Everyone loves bubbles! With enough bubble mix, wands and even a bubble machine you can turn your garden (or house) into a bubble wonderland. Popping bubbles, floating bubbles, seeing how high they can drift off in the wind…hours of entertainment.

8. Meet At A Splash Park

Water, fountains and tons of space for picnicking will make this a win-win. You can buy icecream as a treat for all the toddlers from the cafée if they have one.

9. Build A Den – Toddler Party Alternatives

Children love making dens out of sheets, blankets and furniture. You can also get den kits which have rods and plastic balls. If you go to the woods, you can use natural materials.

“For one of our parties, we happened to have a load of hay bales out in the garden. The children had so much fun just jumping round these and hitting balloons too.”

– Liz, Team Happity

10. Go Pretend-Camping

toddler party alternatives - the photo shows a toddler in a tent

Put a tent up in your back garden and you’re good to go. Toddlers will love climbing in and out of the tent. You can even give them food and cake to eat in there! If it’s chilly weather, throw in a load of blankets, or set up a camping area inside instead.

11. Host A Small Playdate – Toddler Party Alternatives

If you call it a playdate rather than a party, it can take the pressure off. Inviting just a few friends that you know your toddler will definitely play with can be very reassuring for toddlers who don’t like large groups. You should find the play is more spontaneous and organic, and you can still serve party food and cake (to the grown-ups, too). 

12. Get Crafting – Toddler Party Alternatives

With beads, elastic, trays and some small wooden art kits (try these craft activities from Baker Ross), you can lay all this out on a table at home and invite a couple of toddlers (and parents) to join in. If you provide pens and paper/card as well, you should find there’s something for everyone. You can buy huge cardboard models from Hobbycraft (like this pirate ship and castle here), which is really fun to colour in and decorate. We also love this ‘secret door’ idea which just needs cardboard, sellotape, felt tips or paint. 

13. Build Lego Or Duplo – Toddler Party Alternatives

Get a ton of Lego or Duplo and challenge the children (and adults) to build the tallest tower/longest bridge/fastest car etc. Chances are they’ll invent their own games so you can step back and enjoy the fun while they get creative.

14. Go To The Cinema

There are often family and toddler-friendly screenings at weekends (or during the schoolday).  So you can either go solo or arrange to meet a couple of other families there and pay for their entry. After you could walk into town/to the ice-cream parlour etc.

15. Have An Ice Cream (Or Babycino) – Toddler Party Alternatives

toddler party alternatives - the photo shows a child eating an icecream

Do you remember your first ice cream? We’ll bet you do! Ice cream can feel like such a treat for little ones. If you go to your local ice cream parlour, you can jazz it up with sprinkles, chocolate flakes and other little treats – or just go plain.

“We took Lucy for her first ice cream for her first birthday! She enjoyed it way more than she would have done a party and it cost us 99p.”

– Lisa, Team Happity

16. Go To The Museum – Toddler Party Alternatives

A local museum can be free and fun. Often museums have temporary exhibitions too, or even activities for kids. Larger museums have more facilities like the basement of the Science museum which has play areas and physical levers and things to experiment with. 

17. Do A Treasure Hunt – Toddler Party Alternatives

Hide play money or chocolate coins around the house or garden. Or you could hide other small objects (e.g. clothes pegs, tokens, small toys) that the toddlers have to collect and ‘bank in’ for a prize from you/a lucky dip. To extend the activity, have the toddlers rehide some of the items – hours of fun! If you’re ambitious, you could hide objects in a small area of the local park or do a trail. It should be quiet enough on a week day. 

18. Have A Picnic/Teddy Bear’s Picnic 

A Teddy Bear’s Picnic with sandwiches, cake and/or snacks can take the pressure off the traditional party tea. Set children off collecting sticks and twigs for a ‘fire’ and build one to sit round while you have your party tea. Take a picnic rug, a picnic set and a few soft toys.

19. Go To Your Regular Toddler Class

toddler party alternatives - the photo shows a toddler class

If your toddler’s birthday coincides with your regular toddler class, it can be a surprisingly relaxing thing to do as part of your usual routine. Class providers usually love having birthday children along, and if it’s a music or signing class, you may find other parents and children enjoy singing Happy Birthday to your little one as well! After all, classes are tailored for children so it can be a lovely part of your toddler’s special day. 

20. Go To The Beach (Or A Sand-Pit)

If you live near the sea, the beach (even on a cold day) can be a really fun place for toddlers to explore. Have a walk, make sand footprints, set them challenges of sand-castle and moat building, shell or pebble-hunting and decorating their creations with shells and pebbles too. You just need a few buckets and spades and remember to advise parents to dress their toddlers  appropriately for the weather!

21. Go To A Theme ParkToddler Party Alternatives

CBeebies World is totally aimed at toddlers, so if your toddler is into Octonauts, Go Jetters or Andy’s Adventures, a birthday could be a great time to see what it’s all about. Plus tickets give you entrance into Alton Towers as well (one for the thrill-seeking grown-ups!). 

Here at Happity Club we currently have 15% off days out to Sea Life London Aquarium and Shrek World for parents. Just enter code HAPPITY15 at the checkout. Chessington World of Adventures and Legoland (with its Duplo Valley) are also great for toddlers. If you book a class with Happity, you can get 10% off at Legoland

22. Go To The Zoo – Toddler Party Alternatives

toddler party alternatives  - the photo shows a child looking at a zebra

So many toddlers just love animals, so a birthday outing to your local zoo (like Whipsnade or one of the ZSL zoos) can be a real treat. Just remember to take a buggy or scooter as there can be a lot of ground to cover.

Want to get out and about, have fun with your baby or toddler, and meet other parents?

Search Happity to find everything that’s happening for the under-5s in your local area – from music and singing classes, to messy play, arts and crafts, baby massage, gymnastics and more. Simply enter your postcode and child’s age to search, and then book your spot in a few taps. Enjoy dedicated fun time with your little one, watch their skills develop, and make friends at the same time. Mums, dads, grandparents and carers will all find something to love!

Find a class today!

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12 Top Parenting Podcasts To Listen To While Walking With A Buggy

12 Top Parenting Podcasts To Listen To While Walking With A Buggy

Are you a parent who loves walking with their baby and also listening to podcasts? Well, why not combine the two? Pushing the buggy or pram along in the fresh air can give you some much needed headspace, particularly if your baby is asleep. And if you’re someone who already enjoys listening to music or audiobooks, it’s easy to add parenting podcasts to your playlist too*. So we’ve rounded up our favourite parenting podcasts for next time you’re out and about.

*Just make sure you turn down the volume so you can still hear the traffic when crossing or near roads (of course, if you’ve gone off-road, then go for it!)

1. Respectful Parenting: Janet Lansbury Unruffled

parenting podcasts - the photo shows a baby wearing headphones

If you want parenting advice, Respectful Parenting: Janet Lansbury Unruffled is a tried and tested source.

We’ve talked about Janet Lansbury quite a bit on Happity before, but did you know that a lot of her blog posts are transcripts from her podcast? So if you prefer listening to (rather than reading) conversations about parenting, Janet Lansbury’s Respectful Parenting could be the one for you!

There are episodes which look at the difference between consequences, threats and punishments, ones about tantrums and ones about letting babies move freely. 

“My go-tos are Motherkind for the real talk about motherhood; and Respectful Parenting: Janet Lansbury, which is more like advice.”

– Lisa, Team Happity 

2. Rob Beckett and Josh Widdicombe’s Parenting Hell

If you’re into off-the-cuff comedy and banter, tune in to Parenting Hell. 

Listen to Parenting Hell as Rob and Josh chat to different famous parents, discuss how tired they are (and therefore how pointless it is to wear a sleep tracking device) and look at the pros and cons of owning a family pet, amongst other hot topics. Parenting Hell started in lockdown and just continued! You can tune in twice a week on Tuesdays and Fridays.

3. Happy Mum Happy Baby – Parenting Podcasts

If you like listening to celebrity guests discuss parenting topics, Happy Mum Happy Baby could be for your ears.

Giovanna Fletcher (married to musician/children’s author Tom) chats with other high-profile mums and dads about all topics child and parent-related, from mum guilt, endometriosis and twin parenting to feeding issues and racial disparities in maternity care.  Expect honest, wholesome and frank discussions in podcast Happy Mum Happy Baby. Guests include children’s cooking expert Annabel Karmel, presenter Fleur East, First Dates’ Fred Sirieix, journalist Victoria Derbyshire and Strictly’s Anton Du Beke. There are over 246 episodes to choose from, starting in 2017 and continuing bang-up-to-date. If you love the podcast, there’s also a book.

4. Dope Black Dads Podcast

If you’re looking for a focus on fatherhood and the Black experience, try the Dope Black Dads podcast for some on-point (and adults-only) topics.

From the lack of measles protection in London (particularly within the Black community) to mental health and neurodivergence, join Marvyn Harrison and guests on the Dope Black Dads Podcast to discuss topics affecting parents and parents-to-be. 

Read more here about why the NHS is urging parents to take up the MMR vaccine for their children as measles cases rise nationwide. 

5. Motherkind – Parenting Podcasts

parenting podcasts - the photo shows a mum walking along and pushing a buggy

If you need to give yourself a break, tune into wellness podcast Motherkind. 

As the title suggests, Motherkind is about modern mum life and being kind to yourself at the same time. Join Zoe Blaskey as she features a different wellbeing teacher each episode, covering everything from how to break the cycle of toxic parenting, how to declutter toys and mental load. Experts include Dr Gabor Maté, The episodes also come with trigger warnings so you can decide whether or not to listen if the topic is sensitive for you.

6. Black Mums Upfront

For discussion of very real and current topics, join Black Mums Upfront for honest and open conversation. 

Black Mums Upfront is hosted by Carina White, Natalie Duvall, Nana- Adwoa Mbeutcha and Endy McKay, Lauren Thomas-Johnson and Vanessa Haye. Expect discussion of modern-day motherhood with topics including blended families, personal experience of Postnatal Depression and different parenting styles. 

There’s also an interview and chat with Raising Boys 2 Men founder Aaron Dale, who helps empower co-parents and talks about the dad perspective.

7. Made By Mammas – Parenting Podcasts

If you want to see how a blog translates into an award-winning podcast, try Made By Mammas.

Tune in to award-winning podcast Made By Mammas to listen to Zoe Hardman (TV presenter and radio broadcaster) and Georgia Dayton discuss all sorts of parenthood topics, all based on their popular mum blog.

Listen as Matthew-Lewis Carter talks about postnatal depression in dads, Dr Raj Arora discusses the phrase ‘geriatric mothers’ and Casey Major-Bunce chats about parenting neurodiverse children (as someone who was diagnosed with autism herself as an adult). 

8. NewlyDads – Parenting Podcasts

parenting podcasts - the photo shows a man listening to earphones from his phone

If you want a same-sex perspective – or have twins! – then follow the NewlyDads. 

A take on parenting life from two first time dads, NewlyDads charts Ollie and Gareth’s journey as they navigate twins. Learn how they cope with sleepless nights, go on holiday with their babies and all about sperm donation. 

9. The Scummy Mummies Podcast

If you want cheering up, tune in to The Scummy Mummies Podcast, a comedy take on the highs and lows of parenting.

The Scummy Mummies Podcast is hosted by two comedians, Helen Thorn and Ellie Gibson. Joining them are authors, guest experts and other comedians including novelist Charlotte Mendelson, psychotherapist Anna Mathur and comedy writer Joel Morris. Topics range from fostering and postpartum issues to air fryers, breastfeeding and Fortnite. 

10. The Sleep Mums

If you’re struggling to help your baby to sleep, give The Sleep Mums a try. 

If getting some much-needed shut-eye is top priority at the moment, why not tune into The Sleep Mums? Paediatric sleep consultant Sarah Carpenter and broadcaster Cat Cubie join forces to talk sleep advice, from contact naps and growth spurts to sleep routines and more. 

11. Coffee + Crumbs – Parenting Podcasts

If you want to listen to real stories and experiences of different parenting topics, try Coffee+Crumbs.

Coffee+Crumbs is billed as a celebration of motherhood for mothers, so tune in and see if you agree. But it doesn’t shy away from the hard-hitting topics like abuse and premature birth (these come with trigger warnings). There are also lighter chats about how to make the most of your photo memories and Galentine’s Day. Hosted by Ashlee Gadd, Katie Blackburn and Jill Atogwe.

12. It’s Your Hormones! 

If you want to know how your hormones can affect many aspects of your life, stream It’s Your Hormones!

You can blame your hormones for pretty much everything (and with good reason too) so it’s reassuring to know there’s a podcast about it called It’s Your Hormones! From PMS (premenstrual syndrome) to how hormone imbalance can make you feel tired, join Dr Sohère Roked, a hormone expert, to learn more. 

13. The Daily (Bonus Recommendation)

If you want to keep up with the news and have twenty minutes to spare, listen to The Daily.

Not actually a parenting podcast, but if you want to stay up-to-date with what’s happening in the world in bite (nap)-sized chunks, The Daily could be for you. It’s all fact-checked too. Expect leading journalists from the New York Times.

More Parenting Podcasts: 

Check out these articles for more recommendations of podcasts for  practical life advice and humorous takes on parenthood

“I love the Faith in Kids podcast – it’s a Christian Parenting Podcast so obviously not for everyone, but I think it’s brilliant!”

– Emily, Team Happity

Want to get out and about, have fun with your baby or toddler, and meet other parents?

Search Happity to find everything that’s happening for the under-5s in your local area – from music and singing classes, to messy play, arts and crafts, baby massage, gymnastics and more. Simply enter your postcode and child’s age to search, and then book your spot in a few taps. Enjoy dedicated fun time with your little one, watch their skills develop, and make friends at the same time. Mums, dads, grandparents and carers will all find something to love!

Find a class today!

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10 Perks And Activities To Enjoy As A New Parent

10 Perks And Activities To Enjoy As A New Parent

Are you a new parent who’s looking for free activities to enjoy with your baby? Or maybe you’d like to know where to look to make some savings on baby equipment like nappies and prams? Read on for our guide to ten perks and activities you can enjoy now you’re a parent. 

What Free Things Do You Get In The UK When You Have A Baby?

As a new parent there are a plethora of free things you can access and do from days out, baby boxes in Scotland, free prescription costs and not to mention a free baby class or two!

1. Free Entrance For Little Ones To Days Out And Attractions

The majority of UK attractions charge for adults only, so you can take your little one along with you at no extra charge to you. Think days out to the zoo (under 3s go free), wandering with the buggy or carrier at National Trust properties (free for under fives) and admiring the exhibits at the local art gallery or museum. See our top 16 days out with a newborn for more ideas.

2. Baby Class Free Trials – New Parent Perks And Activities

new parent perks and activities - the photo shows a parent massaging a baby's tummy

Want to try before you buy? Some class providers will offer at least one trial class so you know what to expect before you go along for a block of regular classes. Whether it’s baby massage, baby sensory or baby signing, we’re sure there’s something you’ll enjoy. Learn all about the brilliant benefits of baby classes for both you and your baby and search for a class to suit you here

3. Baby Rhyme Time At The Local Library

new parent perks and activities - the photo shows a mum and baby in the library

Libraries are free for everyone, so why not pop along to your local rhyme time session? Rhyme time sessions are not only fun for you and baby, but also give you the opportunity to meet other parents in a relaxed setting. Plus all those rhymes and repetition will really help with your baby’s early language development. Find a baby rhyme time session near you here

4. Baby Box – Scotland Only

If you live in Scotland, you’ll receive a baby box. This is full of essential items for your baby in the first six months. Clothes, books, a thermometer and blankets are some of the things you’ll find inside.

5. Free Prescriptions And Dental Care (For You, Until Your Baby Is One)

Remember you can use your maternity exemption certificate (MATEX) from pregnancy up until your baby’s first birthday. Say goodbye to NHS prescription and NHS dental costs and hello to free healthcare and dental treatment. Check the NHS Baby Start For Life website for if you can also claim free vitamins for you and baby. Breast-fed babies should have a daily supplement of Vitamin D from birth. 

What Discounts Can You Get In The UK As A New Parent?

From money off nappies, discounted cinema entry, exclusive parent and baby coffee mornings and deals on baby equipment, there are loads of discounts and perks out there for new parents. 

1. Baby Cinema Tickets – New Parent Perks And Activities

Many local cinemas have baby-friendly showings where the lights are on and the sound is dimmed. The entrance fee is usually a lot cheaper than regular shows, so this can be a great way of catching the latest release and relaxing for a couple of hours. Often you’ll find your baby ends up napping!

2. Grab A Coffee And Relax At A Department Store

new parent perks and activities - the photo shows a baby lying on a lady's knee in front of a table with teapot, cup and cake on it

M&S has lots of perks for new parents, including weekly parent & baby mornings in their café on Tuesdays where if you buy a hot drink, you can also have a free slice of cake or similar. You just need to join their baby club first.

Also look out for John Lewis’s family and breastfeeding rooms which have a chair for you to sit and feed your baby. You can relax knowing that after a wander round the store, there is a dedicated space where you can have privacy if you need it. IKEA also caters well for parents with lots of high chairs and baby food warming facilities. 

3. NCT Sales Or Similar – New Parent Perks And Activities

Although not totally free (there’s usually a nominal entrance charge of a few pounds, less if you’re an NCT member), you can pick up loads of bargains at an NCT sale. From baby clothes and sleeping bags to toys, highchairs and accessories, nearly-new sales can save you serious money. 

4. Parenting Clubs For Money Off – New Parent Perks And Activities

new parent perks and activities - the photo shows a child with a piggy bank

Of course you get to join fab parenting clubs and websites like Happity, where you can check out offers specially for parents. Check out our cool offers on at the moment, including 15% off days out to Sea Life London Aquarium and Shrek World. Just use code HAPPITY15 at the checkout. Or why not save time and money on cooking with our Hello Fresh offer, with 60% off your first box? Use code HAPPITY30 at the checkout.

Parenting clubs which offer perks and savings include Boots, Emma’s Diary, Bounty, Pampers, M&S and the National Childbirth Trust (NCT). Most of these parenting clubs also have blogs and up-to-date parenting tips and advice.

5. Rent Your Baby Equipment – New Parent Perks And Activities

new parent perks and activities - the photo shows a man with a buggy

Rather than splashing out money on a new pram and buggy, why not try a baby equipment rental scheme? One of Happity’s offers at the moment comes from Baboodle Rental, where you can rent equipment month-by-month. Use code HAPPITY30 for 30% off your first month. 

What Benefits Can I Claim As A New Parent?

Remember to check your entitlement to Child Benefit, the Sure Start Maternity Grant, Child Tax Credit, Working Tax Credit and Universal Credit. See our blog post on how to claim benefits and other benefits you may be entitled to as a new parent

Tax-Free Childcare may be another option for you and your family. Find more information about Maternity Leave and Shared Parental Leave here.

This post contains affiliate links for products we’re sure you’ll love as a new parent. This means Happity earns a small commission if you buy something. This fee goes towards helping more parents find classes and support near them. 

Want to get out and about, have fun with your baby or toddler, and meet other parents?

Search Happity to find everything that’s happening for the under-5s in your local area – from music and singing classes, to messy play, arts and crafts, baby massage, gymnastics and more. Simply enter your postcode and child’s age to search, and then book your spot in a few taps. Enjoy dedicated fun time with your little one, watch their skills develop, and make friends at the same time. Mums, dads, grandparents and carers will all find something to love!

Find a class today!

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