p.s. I tried to do a Christmas pangram but it’s impossible. Partly because it’s 24 days not 26. If you think of one let me know!!!

Having a baby is tough enough. Feeling the pressure of millions of people whilst you try to recover from giving birth to that human and learn how to look after it will be tougher. You often apologise for not Hinching because you’re away for the weekend or out with friends. But please don’t apologise on behalf of your baby boy and you. We will wait. And those that don’t…ah well, you didn’t want them selfish buggers following you anyway! 😉 This is a very simple game for number recognition that I used to play with the kids I taught at nursery years ago. We had a wall of velcro numbers but I’ve simplified it because funnily enough I don’t own either a laminator or a printer!But after the instant glee subsided another thought popped into my head, and it was this…‘Well, I wonder how this will work out.’ You see, I am a Mummy to two little people. And try as I might to keep my home looking beautiful, I spend 95% of my time time feeling like I am trying to put out flames with petrol. To be quite honest Soph, there’s shit everywhere, (by shit, I mean stuff, not actual shit, although there have been times…). That is 24. 23 letters in ‘Father Christmas is coming’, and ‘tonight’ is 24. They are your advent letters. Write a letter to the kids to explain on day one. At the moment Ewan (age 4.5) is great with his letters. He’s grasped all of his Phase 2 Phonics sounds pretty well. But when it comes to blending them together to form a word he’s not up for it. He finds it hard and therefore it’s a turn off. So I need some games to make this element of reading a bit more fun.

Bestselling author and social media superstar, Daisy Upton, is here to help, and she has finally written a book for children! Daisy has two children in primary school, and used to be a teaching assistant, so she knows her stuff. Unfold the letters and form your silly word. It’s more likely than not going to make a word that isn’t real ZOK, KAM, DOV, PUM etc. That’s OK. I explain why below* Help them to blend the sounds together to make the crazy word. Laugh about what it could be. Is it an alien name or a robot word? Mix up the letters in the big bowl saying “Silly soup, silly soup, we’re going to make some silly soup” And, of course, this book includes lots of five-minute games and activities designed by Daisy to help your child feel confident and excited about taking the big step to big school.Write the words ‘Father Christmas is coming’ as individual letters, and the word TONIGHT as a full word. As per the photo. Starting School gives you and your little one glimpses of all the learning they will do and all the fun they will have. The kids get a new one every day. In that sentence are lots of the first phonics sounds they learn.