Are you wanting to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with your toddler and looking for some easy craft activities to do? From lucky shamrocks and clovers to rainbows and gold coins, we’ve got you covered. St. Patrick’s Day is on the 17th March so check out our suggestions for seven lucky crafts to try out with your toddler this year.
Looking for fun activities with your baby or toddler? There are thousands of classes and groups on Happity. Find one you’ll love here.
1. Lucky Clover Or Shamrock Collage
Make a four-leaf clover or three-leaf shamrock template using a piece of card. Draw round it as many times as you like so your toddler has lots of four-leaf clovers or shamrocks to colour in and decorate. Or your toddler can cut out the shapes and stick them into another piece of paper – overlapping, touching or completely separate. Simple, yet effective!
If you have actual clover growing in your garden, why not pick some leaves and stick them onto your collage? You might decide to add the ‘lucky’ fourth leaf with a dab of paint.
We’ve all heard of potato printing, but did you know that you can get a similar effect using playdough? It’s a bit easier too. Firstly, roll a bit of playdough into a ball and flatten the bottom using your hand, or press it down on the table. To make your mould, take a playdough plastic tool and carve the outline of a three-leaf Shamrock or four-leafed clover into the playdough. If you have a plastic cutter or biscuit mould in a similar shape, you can use this instead. Then push the middle of the shape in with your finger to create an indented mould.
You now have your template which your toddler can dip into paint (or paint the centre with a paintbrush) and print all over the page.
3. Button/Decorated Rainbows – St Patrick’s Day Toddler Crafts
Got any old buttons, sticky shapes or bits of coloured felt lying around the house? You can practise sorting skills with your toddler by putting them in jars for different colours and shades.
Then draw a rainbow template on a piece of paper of card, slather it with PVA glue and let your toddler stick the buttons on. Don’t worry if they don’t stick to colours or colour order – the end result will be delightful either way. You can, of course, let your child decorate or colour in the rainbow any way they like – it doesn’t have to be buttons!
4. Painted Treasure Chest/Pots Of Gold – St Patrick’s Day Toddler Crafts
Craft shops, online craft suppliers and art shops often sell cardboard, paper mache or wooden treasure chests (like this treasure chest here) to decorate and paint. Get out the paints, brushes and extra bits and bobs (use sequins if you like) and let your toddler’s imagination run wild. After, you can fill it with pretend cold coins, actual chocolate coins or real money.
5. Snake Puppet – St Patrick’s Day Toddler Crafts
St. Patrick is famous for driving out all the snakes from Ireland, so why not make a snake in his honour? You can colour or decorate a snake’s head, then stick it to a paper chain or toilet roll chain threaded onto a piece of ribbon. Add lollypop sticks glued on if you want the body to be more manoeuvrable.
6. Ireland Maps – St Patrick’s Day Toddler Crafts
Some toddlers and children love maps. If you have a connection with Ireland (or live in Ireland), this can be a good way to help children learn about their country or heritage. You could trace a map out of a road atlas. Add pieces of Blu Tack so they can be like pin markers for significant places you and your child know about or have visited. Your toddler could draw in basic geographical features like mountains and lakes. Or add glue and cover the coast in actual sand. Little blue tissue paper squares would make a good sea. Pipe cleaners can make excellent roads. See where you and your toddler’s imagination takes you.
Or grab some playdough and make a 3D map.
7. Lucky Horseshoes – St Patrick’s Day Toddler Crafts
For lucky horseshoes you just need a template and some craft materials like sequins, glitter, glue etc. Draw a horseshoe shape for your toddler, cut it out, and let your toddler draw round the template. They can then decorate the shape with whatever they like to make it as sparkly and lucky as possible.
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!
Are you a new father who’s wondering how to help take care of your baby at nighttime, as well as during the day? We’re joined by Jack Shaw of Modded who’s here to explain why he believes it’s important for fathers to play an active role in caring for their newborn at night too.
Looking for fun activities with your baby or toddler? There are thousands of classes and groups on Happity. Find one you’ll love here.
Why I Believe New Dads Should Help At Night
In my experience, sharing nighttime parental duties is one of the greatest acts of early active fatherhood. All parents can go through months of sleepless nights because newborns and infants sleep in short bursts. Babies under three months of age wake up frequently to get their tiny tummies filled, have their nappies changed and sometimes stay up for a while to ‘play’.
Nursing a newborn or infant is a full-time job, so, in my opinion, you and your partner should work as a team to care for your baby day and night. Although this responsibility can intimidate some new fathers, it’s significantly less challenging when you try to do your share as best you can.
Why New Fathers Should Be Excited About Sharing Nighttime Duties
Working the night shift as a parent can be an exciting experience. Holding your child when the rest of the world sleeps is magical. Cuddling your child, soothing them when crying, changing their nappy, feeding and burping them, and getting them to sleep are intimate moments you can cherish forever.
Skin-to-skin contact releases a deluge of oxytocin in the brain, which triggers deluges of feel-good hormones — serotonin and dopamine. Touch can make you and your newborn, infant or toddler feel safe, calm, happy and satisfied. Moreover, physical contact fosters body awareness in babies. Interacting with your baby physically helps familiarise them with their body parts and movements early, stimulating brain and cognitive development.
Looking after your child at night can be tiring when you have a day job or work from home. However, doing your equal share of parental responsibilities can allow your partner to rest. Childrearing is more stressful when you’re chronically tired and stressed, creating a vicious cycle. A high stress level makes it more difficult to sleep eight hours nightly, and sleep deprivation aggravates existing mental tension. The more poorly rested your partner is, the more unfit they can feel to take care of your baby when it’s their turn to be the primary caregiver. Do your part to make your partner’s life easier and help keep their stress in check.
What Strategies Can I Use As A New Dad To Help Take Care Of My Baby At Nighttime?
Scheduling a night shift to care for your newborn, infant or toddler requires strategy. You can use these tips to perform your role to the best of your ability when on baby duty.
1. Create a Plan Together With Your Partner – Nighttime Duties As A New Father
Clarify your responsibilities based on your unique situation so you can meet everyone’s expectations of how looking after your baby at night is going to work.
Are you in charge of the baby at night daily, every other day or on weekends? Will you tag-team with your partner so you take half the night each (while the other sleeps)? Do you wake your partner up when your child needs breast milk? You can feed your newborn independently by warming refrigerated breast milk (check here for how to warm breastmilk safely), but your partner must sign off on this decision if they choose to express milk and want your newborn to take a bottle. Equally, if your baby drinks formula, you can prepare this easily at night, and feed them.
Create a collaborative plan from the beginning and refine it over time. This strategy ensures you and your partner are on the same page and prevents unnecessary misunderstandings.
2. Expect To Be Up Every Two To Three Hours With A Newborn -Nighttime Duties As A New Father
Newborn babies usually naturally wake every two to three hours to feed and have their nappies changed. Newborns’ stomachs are tiny, so they need to feed little and often. In some cases (including medical reasons like jaundice ), they may be sleepier and actually need waking up to make sure they are taking enough milk. Always check with your Health Visitor if you feel your baby isn’t waking up frequently enough to feed and/or isn’t putting on enough weight.
It may be in the early days that you’re there as more of a support to your partner if they’re breastfeeding or cluster feeding throughout the night. Once they get to a month or so, and start going longer between feeds, you should be able to enable your partner to get more rest at night. Of course you can do this sooner if you’re bottle feeding or combination feeding.
3. Let Your Partner Sleep in a Separate Room If They Want To – Nighttime Duties As A New Father
The point of being in charge at night is to give your partner the space they need to rest undisturbed as much as possible. Your partner should be able to sleep in another room if they choose while you hold the fort to avoid inadvertently waking them up whenever the baby cries. Perhaps they go to bed ‘early’ and you wake them up when your baby is ready for their next feed (if they are breastfeeding and choosing not to express).
Remember NHS advice is that your baby sleeps in the same room as at least one parent, whether they are sleeping at night or napping during the day.
4. Have An Earlier Bedtime – Nighttime Duties As A New Father
A longer sleep window lets you log more hours of rest despite getting up several times to attend to your newborn’s needs. If you usually sleep at night, go to bed earlier than usual and get up at a regular hour. Of course this approach will require some tag-teaming with you and your partner in the early days, as newborns don’t really have ‘bedtimes’.
This bedtime adjustment can compensate for numerous sleep interruptions throughout the night. By the time your baby cries and requires attention, you will have already recharged your batteries to some extent.
5. Practise Dream Feeding (If You Think It Will Work For Your Child) – Nighttime Duties As A New Father
This strategy refers to feeding your child without waiting for hunger cues and completely waking them. For example, a baby may receive a ‘top-up’ feed between 10pm and midnight before the parent goes to bed. Parents may look at introducing a dream feed at between one and four months, once they know what the timing of a usual stretch of sleep looks like for your baby (remembering they change as they grow).
Rousing babies to eat — at a longer interval when you have a slightly older baby — may seem counterintuitive to new fathers, but can work like a charm to enjoy longer stretches of uninterrupted sleep for both of you. Make sure you dream-feed bottle-fed babies in your arms, just like a normal feed, to reduce the risk of choking.
There are pros and cons to dream feeding so here at Happity we recommend you read about dreamfeeding before deciding if it’s for you. If you do practise dream feeding, it’s recommended to drop the dream feed at around 6 months.
6. Get Your Priorities Straight – Nighttime Duties As A New Father
You have two objectives when on baby duty — attending to your child’s needs and resting as much as possible.
Unless you typically work at night and do house chores during your free time, you should follow your newborn, infant or toddler’s sleep schedule. Otherwise, you won’t be able to perform your responsibilities well consistently due to exhaustion.
Nighttime parental duty schedules with newborns, infants or toddlers are sustainable only when they don’t induce burnout. Put off less urgent tasks to manage your energy properly.
Be a Capable Primary Caregiver at Night as a New Father
Nursing your baby independently at night requires skill and experience, which you naturally improve and gain over time. Although you should fine-tune your plan as your child grows, adopting these strategies can help you be an effective caregiver and reliable partner.
Thanks To Jack Shaw – Modded
With a specialised focus on personal growth, Jack Shaw‘s articles provide actionable steps and valuable wisdom to ignite self-improvement. Jack is the senior Lifestyle editor of Modded, where he explores topics of mental health, relationships and parenting from the perspective of a single father. You can also find his works published in Tiny Buddha, Parent Co., Calmerry and more.
A Note From The Team Here At Happity
What If My Baby Exclusively Breastfeeds? How Can I Help My Partner At Night?
Many parents, including so many of us here at Happity, find that they or/and their baby choose to exclusively breastfeed. Or, for some of us, the mum has to wake regularly to express milk. If your baby wakes, has a nappy change, feeds, perhaps has another nappy change and then sleeps again, you can help your partner by being awake too to do the bits that involve being up and about. You can do the nappy changes, and, as Jack suggests, wake up your partner (if they’re not already awake!) to breastfeed your baby.
Bring your partner water and a snack as they feed (which takes lots of calories and can deplete their energy pretty quickly). You can also lift your baby back into their crib or Moses basket when your baby is ready to drift back to sleep. Or you can soothe your baby and hold them if they need extra cuddles. That way your partner will get maximum rest while still continuing breastfeeding at night. Yes, you’ll both be awake for a time, but you’re still sharing some of those nighttime duties. And if you follow Jack’s advice above, you’ll be as alert as you can be to support both your baby and your partner.
Again, see information from the Lullaby Trust on safer sleep for your baby and sleeping in the same room as you for at least the first six months.
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!
Welcoming a child into your family is a truly special occasion, and many parents want to mark this milestone with a meaningful celebration. For those who are looking for a non-religious yet deeply personal way to introduce their child to family and friends, a humanist naming ceremony could be the perfect choice.
But what exactly is a naming ceremony, and how can you make it a unique and memorable event? In this blog post we’ll explore what a naming ceremony is, what it can look like, and how to involve your loved ones.
Who Are Humanists UK?
Humanists UK are an organisation committed to putting Humanism into practise. Humanism is a non-religious approach to life that celebrates nature as a natural phenomenon explained by science, placing human and animal welfare at the centre of ethical decision making. Humanists UK support those who adhere to this philosophy, whether this be through ceremonies, pastoral support, education services or campaigning work.
What Is A Naming Ceremony?
A humanist naming ceremony focuses entirely on the child as an individual human being
A naming ceremony is a non-religious celebration in which a child is welcomed is welcomed into the world by their new community of family and friends. They’re most often held for babies or combined with a first birthday celebration, but they can be held for children of any age. Unlike a christening, which is a religious ceremony, a humanist naming ceremony is not an act of worship but focuses entirely on the child as an individual human being, their name, their identity, their potential, and the values that their parents and loved ones wish to nurture in them. Led by a humanist celebrant, they are often uplifting and joyous events, filled with laughter and emotion.
Humanist naming ceremonies are warm, inclusive, and personal. There’s no prescribed script — each ceremony is unique and tailored to reflect the values and personalities of the family. Whether you want a small, intimate gathering or a bigger event with music, readings, and symbolic rituals, a naming ceremony can be as simple or elaborate as you like.
What Happens At A Naming Ceremony?
The celebrations can then continue after the ceremony, so that you can enjoy time with your family and friends.
One of the wonderful things about a humanist naming ceremony is that each one is bespoke and tailored to the child. While there are no strict rules, most ceremonies include a few key elements:
A warm welcome: the ceremony usually begins with an introduction from a celebrant, setting the tone for the event.
The story behind the name: parents often share why they chose their child’s name, and its meaning.
Promises and wishes: parents, guideparents (an alternative to godparents), and other loved ones may choose to make promises or commitments to the child, expressing their hopes for their future.
Readings and poems: family members or friends might read a meaningful poem, quote, or include a reading that reflects love, joy, and the importance of community.
Symbolic gestures: some families choose to include symbolic acts, such as planting a tree, lighting a candle, or creating a time capsule filled with messages for the child to open when they are older.
Celebratory conclusion: the ceremony may end with a toast, music, or a group activity like blowing bubbles. The celebrations can then continue after the ceremony, so that you can enjoy time with your family and friends.
Every naming ceremony is personal, and families can design an event that feels authentic to them.
How To Involve Loved Ones In A Naming Ceremony
You can ask family members or friends to share a few words during the humanist naming ceremony
One of the most memorable aspects of a naming ceremony is bringing family and friends together in a meaningful way.
Appoint guideparents who will play a special role in the child’s life. Unlike godparents in a religious setting, guideparents don’t have any official duties but instead offer guidance and support as the child grows. You can choose what you call them – supporting adults, champions, mentors, sparents, fairy godparents – or find a name unique to you!
You can ask family members or friends to share a few words during the ceremony—whether it’s a piece of advice, a funny story, or a heartfelt message of love and encouragement.
Celebrate your child’s community: use the event as a way to strengthen bonds between family and friends. Encourage guests to share stories, offer support, and be part of your child’s journey as they grow. Beyond the ceremony itself, take the opportunity to spend quality time with your child and your community—whether it’s through sharing a meal, playing games, or simply catching up with loved ones.
Where Can A Naming Ceremony Be Held?
Humanist naming ceremonies can take place almost anywhere.
Humanist naming ceremonies can take place almost anywhere. You might choose your home or garden for an intimate, relaxed gathering, a local park or woodland for a nature-inspired celebration, a beach, a historical site, or any location that holds special significance to your family. There are no limits—wherever feels right for you and your family is the perfect place.
Choosing A Naming Celebrant
A humanist naming celebrant can craft a bespoke ceremony tailored to your family’s needs.
A humanist naming celebrant can craft a bespoke ceremony tailored to your family’s needs. Humanist Ceremonies celebrants are accredited by Humanists UK, which means they undergo rigorous training to ensure that each ceremony is personal, inclusive, and conducted to the highest standard. By working with a trusted humanist celebrant, you can be confident of a professional service.
Thanks To Humanists UK
A naming ceremony is a joyous way to celebrate your child’s arrival to the world, and recognise the circle of love and support of family and friends that will help create new memories with them and guide them on their journey to adulthood. Whether you keep it simple or go all out with personal touches, what matters most is that the day feels meaningful to you and your family.
Disclaimer: Humanists UK have paid a fee towards this blog post. This partnership will help us in our goal of connecting more parents with classes and to help find 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!
Are you a parent who’s looking for some educational and wholesome TV programmes for your under five? Perhaps your toddler just needs some chill-out time while you rest on the sofa, or perhaps you’re looking to introduce a little bit of supervised screen time in bite-size chunks. A lot of programmes out there are on iPlayer and under 15 minutes long, so it’s easier to monitor and check what you choose for your toddler (and turn the TV off at the end).
Ever heard of a water bear, symbiosis or a coelophysis? There are so many well-researched programmes that can introduce your under five to more than you might expect. So read on for our pick of educational and wholesome TV programmes.
1. Numberblocks – Most Numerical – Educational TV Programmes For Under Fives
Numberblocks is one of the most popular shows out there for pre-schoolers. It’s so good that often Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) teachers will show episodes in school to teach key mathematical concepts. Oh, and they also have great number-based songs. We challenge you to stop humming the ‘number five’ song out of your heads once you’ve heard it once! There’s also a Numberblocks magazine and other educational resources you can buy to support the learning from the programme.
“Numberblocks is incredible. So clever how they explain all the maths concepts, and Lucy especially was OBSESSED with it.”
– Lisa, Team Happity
2. Go Jetters – Most Geographical – Educational TV Programmes For Under Fives
Go Jetters will give your toddler a sense of what’s out there in the big wide world. The premise is that every episode, the Go Jetters zoom off to a specific location somewhere in the world and learn all about it. There’s also a fun section with ‘Ubercorn’s Funky Top Three’ facts, which adults can learn lots from too! So if your under five starts talking about the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, the Wieliczka Salt Mine in Poland or the Nazka Lines in Peru, you’ll know why.
3. Andy’s Global Adventures: Baby Animal Missions – Best For Baby Animals
Learn all about unusual baby animals in this ‘adventure’ series with Andy, an intrepid explorer. In each episode he travels to meet a different baby animal and learns all about them. Expect your toddler to start telling you all about painted dog pups and baby lar gibbons. If your toddler loves animals, and maybe enjoys looking at picture books, Andy’s Global Adventures: Baby Animal Missions can be a great supplement to help bring the animals to life – and maybe introduce them to some you (and they) haven’t heard of.
4. Octonauts – Best For Sealife – Educational TV Programmes For Under Fives
The beauty of Octonauts is that the episodes are set in oceans and seas all over the world. So this show will expose your toddler to knowledge about all sorts of sea creatures and their habitats, from saltwater crocodiles and waterbears to manatees and leafy sea dragons. It’s all done with a team of cartoon underwater animal explorers like Kwaz (a pirate cat) and Peso (a medic penguin) who try to protect the oceans and help different creatures.
“When our four-year-old started talking about symbiosis, we realised we’d have to pay extra attention to that particular episode!”
– Liz, Team Happity
5. Bluey – Most Relatable ‘Life Lessons’
Bluey and her family appear as cartoon dog characters and the situations they end up in are totally relatable to toddlers, preschoolers and parents too. From humorous takes on trying to leave the house on time for a playdate to simple challenges like using the play equipment at the park or getting the water fountain to operate, there’s something for everyone. Also watch out for the episode where Bluey’s sister Bingo is trying to sleep. There’s a whole dream sequence with music from Holst’s The Planets. Magical TV making at its very best.
6. My World Kitchen – Best For Cooking – Educational TV Programmes For Under Fives
This treat of a cooking show for pre-school children sees young cooks celebrate their heritage. Watch My World Kitchen and learn how to make a variety of dishes from different countries and cultures, including Algerian Borek, Nigerian Jollof Rice and Saint Lucien Jerk Sea Bass.
7. Yacka Dee! – Best For Early Language Skills
Each episode focuses on mastering one word at a time. Yacka Dee! helps encourage younger children to learn how to communicate and talk. It’s also great for your preschooler seeing other children on screen practising sounds and early writing skills.
8. The Adventures Of Paddington – Best For Storytelling About Friends And Family
Join Paddington, Lucy, Jonathan, Mrs Bird and the rest of the Brown family as they negotiate life, family and friendship. Paddington always seems to get in a bit of a sticky situation, particularly where neighbour Mr Curry (or marmalade) is involved, but he learns how to overcome these challenges with the help of others.
9. Andy’s Dinosaur Adventures – Best For Prehistory
Andy’s Dinosaur Adventures sees Andy the explorer travel back ‘to the time of the dinosaurs’ . There he encounters the behavior, habits and habitats of loads of prehistoric creatures, from coelophysis to allosaurus. There’s usually a quest involved, where Hattie his assistant is setting up an exhibition for visiting children to the ‘National’ (i.e. Natural History) Museum, and there’s a piece missing, so Andy goes back in secret to try and find it. Oh, and you can see his time-travelling clock at the actual Natural History Museum next time you’re on a visit.
There are loads of Andy adventures in the franchise, including Andy’s Aquatic Adventures (filmed at the Eden Project in Cornwall) and Andy’s Dinosaur Toybox, where he reenacts different dinosaur scenes.
10. Mr Tumble – Best For Speech And Communication
Jason Fletcher, AKA Mr Tumble, uses sign language throughout his programme. This one is great for your under five learning about communication and social skills. If your little one already attends signing classes, this help consolidate how to use sign language in a real-life context.
11. Let’s Go For A Walk – Most Nature-Play Based
Perfect for those who like being outside and in nature, this CBeebies classic (hosted by Hamza of Strictly fame) makes the usual walk down the park feel exciting and will give you loads of ideas for next time you’re out and about. So tune into Let’s Go For A Walk feel inspired. It might even encourage you to give your local nature class a try.
12. One Zoo Three – Best For Animal Care
One Zoo Three could be one for your under five if they love learning all about wild animals and how to care for them. Join the three brothers who own this family-run zoo as they share the story about how their zoo started, as well as working with the keepers caring for the animals including marmosets, ocelots and big cats.
13. I Can Do It, You Can Too – Most Skills-Based
The premise of I Can Do It, You Can Too is that it’s all about the skills young children love to learn, be it scooting, flying a paper airplane, rollerskating or Tae Kwon Do. The special appeal to under fives is that the ‘expert’ is a child who teaches and demonstrates the skill to another child who really wants to learn how to do something.
14. Bitz & Bobs – Best For Engineering
Is your under five into building things? Check out Bitz & Bobs for an introduction to science and engineering. From moving heavy rocks to making a tightrope safe, the main characters help their friends find solutions to tricky problems.
15. Colourblocks – Best For Colour – Educational TV Programmes For Under Fives
Another one from the Numberblocks and Alphablocks team, Colourblocks will help your little one with naming and categorising colour in a fun way.
16. Alphablocks – Best For Phonics – Educational TV Programmes For Under Fives
From the team who brought you Numberblocks, Alphablocks is a similar programme based on sounds and phonics. Again, written by teachers and educational consultants, you’ll discover a fun and memorable way for your child to begin to get some familiarity with different sounds. And watch out for the episodes where Numberblocks meet Alphablocks too.
17. Messy Goes To Okido – Best For Science
Warning: the theme tune of this one is a bit noisy, and Messy loves smelly socks, but the scientific concepts introduced in Messy Goes To Okido are rock solid. From floating and sinking to bones and gravity, the characters show how science works in a fun storytelling way.
18. Art Adventures With Fred & Pete – Most Arty
Is your child a budding artist? If so, head to Art Adventures With Fred & Pete for some unconventional art projects, from balloon animal safari parks to dinosaur sports day and tractor parties. There’s also Fred & Pete’s Treasure Tales where the duo go on the hunt for hidden objects and the stories behind them.
What If I’m Worried About Screen Time For My Under Five? A Word About Young Children And Screens…
We have researched all the programmes so you can be as confident as possible that your child will gain educational benefit from viewing in small doses, as well as exposing them to diversity and different experiences. However, we know that a lot of parents worry about screen time and some choose to avoid it altogether. After all, there are lots of studies out there looking at the impact of devices in particular. Just make sure you’re monitoring what your under five watches and try to stick to the WHO (World Health Organisation) recommended limit of 1 hour per day for 2-4 year-olds. Maybe set a kitchen timer or sand timer so it’s visual. Then you can be confident that you are being careful and setting limits on screen time.
This can also be more difficult if you are using a tablet to watch TV. Maybe use an actual TV that everyone can see where possible. And if you feel your under five is showing signs of finding it difficult to stop watching – or gets particularly upset when you turn it off – you can stop altogether, or just stick to once a week/at weekends at prescribed times. It can be really hard as a parent to totally ignore screens, so try not to feel guilty if you’re using them in moderation and being purposeful with your viewing.
You can find a lot of the characters mentioned in this blog at CBeebies World if you’re heading to Alton Towers.
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!
Are you pregnant, about to go on maternity leave, and wondering what else you need to sort out before you do so? You may be looking forward to those quiet few weeks before baby arrives, or may be planning to work almost up until your due date. Relax in the knowledge that we’ve got you covered in our essential checklist – and avoid any last-minute surprises.
Looking for fun activities with your baby or toddler? There are thousands of classes and groups on Happity. Find one you’ll love here.
What Do I Need To Sort At Work Before I Go On Maternity Leave?
1. Make Sure You Give Your Employer The Correct Notice For Maternity Leave And Pay
You’ll likely have already done this, but you need to inform your employer you’re intending to take Statutory Maternity Leave at least 15 weeks before your due date. To clam Statutory Maternity Pay, you need to give your employer at least 28 days notice in writing of when you would like this to start. You’ll need to show either your MATB1 certificate or letter from your midwife/doctor so your employer can pay you SMP.
Is someone coming in as maternity cover while you’re off? If so, arrange a handover meeting for at least a couple of hours or a morning or afternoon with them if you can. Try and do this as soon as possible (you may have a slight overlap, or they may come in specifically for a handover meeting) so they can shadow you and you can be around long enough to answer their questions. If you’re passing part of your job to an existing colleague (or two), a handover meeting will also help you pass over the reigns, and help set your mind at rest that your colleagues know what to expect when you’re not there. A smooth maternity cover and transition equals a smoother return to work.
3. Talk To Your Boss About Keeping In Touch Days
While it may feel a little early to think about your return to work, it’s worth checking with your employer if they’re willing to offer Keeping In Touch days as and when you feel ready to come in during your maternity leave. Usually employers can offer up to ten paid KIT days, which can be really beneficial to you financially (particularly if you’re in the unpaid stage of maternity leave), as well as helping you feel more confident about returning. You usually won’t need to firm up any dates at this stage, but it’s useful to know the process of who to contact and when later on.
4. Consider Extending (Or Shortening) Your Maternity Leave
If you have any holiday allowance, consider tagging this onto either the start or end of your maternity leave. This can allow you to be paid, either before you have your baby or when your maternity leave has come to an end. There’s also some unpaid leave (called Unpaid Parental Leave) you could consider taking. You’re allowed four weeks per year per child (up to a total of 18 weeks up to their 18th birthday) so you could realistically add this onto the end of your maternity leave if your employer agrees to the timing.There’s no rush to decide this before you go on maternity leave, but it may be worth mentioning it to your boss if it’s something you’re considering.
Equally, you may know already that you intend to return to work once your Statutory Maternity Pay comes to an end (usually at 30 weeks) or sooner. Or you may be thinking of taking Shared Parental Leave with your partner and want to discuss with your employer how this could pan out. Again, it’s not a decision you have to make right now as you only have to give 8 weeks’ written notice, but you may want to check your eligibility here as part of your long-term planning.
5. Consider Your Return To Work – Maternity Leave Checklist
There are some mums who know from the offset that they are planning to stay home and raise their child for longer than maternity leave. In this way, they might choose to hand in their notice before they even go on maternity leave. Financially, this can make it easier to budget as they will only be claiming the statutory part of their maternity pay and there’s nothing to pay back to their employer if they quit.
Other mums may think about handing in their notice but will wait until they’re into the depths of maternity leave before deciding. As long as you give the appropriate notice before you would be due to return – whether this is one month, two months, a term or different. Just bear in mind that you may need to pay back a proportion of your maternity pay (if you’ve received enhanced maternity pay) to your employer. You’d need to return to work for a minimum of however long it states in your contract to keep all your pay (but remember you may be able to take some of this time as holiday).
What Do I Need To Sort At Home Before I Go On Maternity Leave?
1. Make Sure You Have A Maternity Exemption Certificate
You probably sorted this one out ages ago, but if not, a MATEX certificate exempts you from paying any NHS dental or prescription charges. It’s valid for during pregnancy and up until your child’s first birthday. If you live in Scotland, make sure you claim your free baby box.
2. Review Finances – Maternity Leave Checklist
Now is a good time to sit down with your partner and check through what outgoings and incomings you will jointly have over the planned period of your maternity leave. Even a very simple spreadsheet will help you with budgeting – once less thing to worry about when you’re caught up with feeding, sleeping and caring for your newborn. Check here for our guide on how to save money on maternity leave. This will also help you if you have any doubts about how long to go on maternity leave, if you are sharing maternity leave at all, and at what stage you are planning to return to work – if at all.
You’ll likely attend childbirth classes a month or a couple of months before your baby is due, so you’ll probably not be on maternity leave yet. While it might feel a lot to juggle, attending free NHS antenatal classes on childbirth can help make you and your partner feel that little bit more confident on what to expect. Look out for NCT (National Childbirth Trust) classes in your local area too. While you may/will have to pay for these classes, they are longer sessions, so you can really get to grips with the ins and outs of childbirth and how to care for your newborn. Often run at weekends, most parents who attend them say they are invaluable in forming new support networks and getting to know other parents in your area in a similar life stage. Friendships can last years, well beyond the baby years.
4. Discuss Shared Parental Leave With Your Partner
Did you know both you and your partner could be off at the same time looking after your new baby? Shared Parental Leave is different from the 2 weeks paid leave your partner can take. It’s basically splitting your maternity leave with your partner so you can both take a proportion of the 50 weeks. You can then choose to tag-team, where your partner takes over and you go back to work. Or you can even overlap your time – but remember, this will mean you would be looking for childcare sooner, if you’re both planning to return to work.
5. Check Tax-Free Childcare
You may be starting to research childcare and Tax-Free Childcare before your child is even born. If you need any information from your employer, it’s worth making a quick note before you go on maternity leave. That way you won’t need to think about firing off emails to HR while you’re in the midst of maternity leave with your new baby.
6. Ask Around For Baby Equipment – Maternity Leave Checklist
If you know any recent new mums, it’s worth asking them for baby equipment they might still have and you might need. It’s amazing how many pram systems and other bits and bobs people have hidden away at home. This can definitely save you time later on in your maternity leave.
7. Buy Nappies, Wipes, Changing Mat And Basic Baby Outfits
Invest in some newborn nappies, nappy sacks and waterwipes so you have a stash ready for your baby’s arrival. Newborns go through 6-8 nappies per day so you’ll probably need more than you think! Also get a changing mat, some baby sleepsuits, vests and a cellular blanket or two. Of course you can do this too at the start of your maternity leave, but if you’re working close to your due date, you’ll want to avoid any last-minute rushes to the shops.
8. Start Packing Your Hospital Bag – Maternity Leave Checklist
Again, you might feel it’s a bit early to pack your hospital bag, but countless parents will tell you having your hospital bag all ready and packed can be a weight off your mind. Chances are you’ll unpack it and add to it multiple times, so why not set an evening aside to start off the process? You’ll want your partner involved too so they can find those last-minute sweets stashed in a pocket and stack of nappies in a hurry. As a minimum you will need spare clothes for you, nightwear, a magazine, snacks, maternity pads, a phone charger. For baby you will need a hat, vests, sleepsuits, a cellular blankets, nappies and wipes. Check here for our hospital bag checklist.
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!
Recent Comments