sorting trays

Sorting trays are a lovely idea and incredibly easy to make. I made this one out of an old jewellery storage box. You can use anything from cardboard boxes, to lap trays, to the plastic insert from a box of chocolates! You can also use them to sort a number of things from numbers, to colours, to shapes etc

I have used those three things so far but I intend to maybe add opposites too.

you dont need to spend money on counters etc as they are easy to make out of paper, laminated or card or use coins. (it is safest to use big coins like 2 pence pieces for children under 3)

I will post again once I have fully finished the box.

lots of love
Ellie xxxx

Story Sacks

After a visit to my local toy library and seeing one at my friends house I discovered story sacks!!! we used to have them at the schools I worked in but I didnt know what to call them then and most of the time we made our own! The ones at the toy library seem to be branded and there are a lot for sale on the internet, some for a lot of money!!!

it is dead easy to make your own though!
start by getting a bag, case, folder, take your child's favourite book, find copies of it at charity shops, or photocopy/scan pages. Cut them out, laminate, find objects around the house, make puppets, felt versions of the things in the book. Find activites on www.pinterest.com and add them to your sack.

here are two that I have done so far:

there was an old lady who swallowed a fly:

by some amazement I found the lady in a charity shop! she has an enourmous space inside her mouth that goes down to her feet so you can fit all the creatures inside her! I then looked (again in a charity shop) for some animals to put inside! It was a fluke that I found such a realistic fly and spider! the others all dont really match and are a mixture of wood, soft material and plastic toys. (this doesn't seem to matter as long as it is a representation somehow- even pictures would do)
and there you have it!!!

the second one was the hungry caterpillar:

I got several copies of the book. I cut one up and cut out all the fruit and the food and laminated it. I  took photos of the pages that had pictures on both sides so could only use one side and laminated these instead. I gathered as many fruit and food items as I could find from plastic to wood to material and added them to the sack. I also found some lovely resources on www.pinterest.com but I cant recall what blog they were from so dont want to post them on here so as not to offend!

However, these two blogs have some nice ideas about making the food though:

http://sewmamsew.com



http://yellowmums.blogspot.com

Have fun making them! I did!

lots of love

Ellie xxxx



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Colour flash cards

I found these fanastic colour matching flash cards on http://homeschoolcreations.blogspot.com and cut them out and laminated them! Joshua has really enjoyed matching the objects to the colours. I will get round to taking my own photos and making a set of my own one day but in the meantime these are perfect. (please only use these for personal use as they are not mine and were created by someone else for personal use and I dont want to step on any toes! thank you!)

lots of love
Ellie xxx

yet another muffin tin lunch

As the title says, here I share yet another of my successful muffin tin lunches

1. coloured yoghurt coated raisins in a trophy cup
2. water
3. Yoghurt covered in hundreds and thousands
4. Mini breadsticks
5. Toast and cheese cut to the shape of a truck
6. veg sticks

enjoy!

lots of love
Ellie xxx

smell's nice

When Joshua was really little I made him these little smelling pouches out of squares of muslin and elastic bands. His face was a picture when I put them near his nose!!

they were filled with:
1. cinnamon
2. lavender
3. mixed herbs
4. Lemon peel
5. Vanilla extract

I also found these on http://shareandremember.blogspot.com

these would defo be better for older children.

I made my own recently in tiny little bottles. I soaked a cotton pad in each smell and stuffed it in the bottle

I used:
1. cinnamon and water
2. lemon juice  (dont use- it went mouldy)
3. orange essence
4. banana flavouring
5. peppermint essence

the only thing I will say about this is that if you store them all in the same place they all end up smelling of the same thing, or a mixture of all and the smells fade quite quickly so they need replacing or topping up regularly!

Have a go, and please share any that you find go down well!!!

Lots of love
Ellie xxx

Another muffin tin lunch

I have so much fubn with these lunches and Joshua loves them. Dont show them all on here but they are so versatile!! any theme goes!!!

1. Juice
2. Rice cakes
3. Yoghurt with smarties on top
4. |Dried apricots
5. cheese biscuits
6. I cant remember what that one was...sorry

lots of love
Ellie xxx

colour!

Found these lovely little ideas, so thought I would share them:

lolly sticks with felt sewn jackets for colour matching!

taken from http://sstorywindow.blogspot.com

also clothes pegs can do the trick too:

Taken from http://wendyjanelle.blogspot.com

you could also go about making a drop box like these:

taken from  htpp://happyhooligans.wordpress.com
and

taken from http://playathomemom3.blogspot.com

this one is a lovely idea as I know how much Joshua loves pom poms! (and saying the word!)

taken from http://spiralmontessorimama.blogspot.com/2009/04/on-pl-shelves-this-week.html
have fun
Lots of love
Ellie xxxx

glow sticks and shaving foam

I managed to pick up these glow sticks at Wilkinsons for 35p for 2 (very reasonable I thought!). Joshua had a lot of fun with them in the bath! Highly recommend it! And apparently if you break open the sticks and add the contents to a bottle of bubble mixture you get glow in the dark bubbles!!!

also shaving foam and food colouring makes great paint for the bath!!!

lots of love
Ellie xxxx

Welcome To Teddy and Monkey!

Hi I'm Ellie, a full time mum who is also a qualified early years teacher and Infant massage instructor and has over 15 years experience of working with children, including those with special needs. I also have a psychology degree with specialist knowledge of child development and behaviour.

I offer classes in infant massage instruction and child development. I also offer advice and guidance on activities and 'make at home' toys to stimulate your baby's development and learning.

I offer Infant massage instruction to mums and babies from 6 weeks to crawling and baby development classes to 0-6 months, 6-12 months, 1-2 years and 2-3 years.

I called the company Teddy and Monkey after my son's love of two small comforters that he took everywhere with him (and still does!).

On this blog I will share with you my ideas and all the things I have picked up over the years working with children and as a mum.

I hope you enjoy it and most of all have fun!!

Lots of love
Ellie xxx