February at Raising Little Ones…
Our second month of being open has been a very busy, fun-filled month! We have been doing lots of exciting activities and have been spending lots of time outdoors, exploring new places like the Botanical Gardens and the play park in Inverleith Park!
We have also have some exciting news to share with you… we have three new members of staff joining the team! Ruby, Tenika and Laura. Tenika will be joining us until June as she will be continuing her travels. Ruby and Laura will be here on a part-time basis! Click here to find out more info about our staff members!
A collection of photos we have taken this month of the little ones!
What we have been up to…
Valentines Crafts-
This Valentines Day, we decided to make our own valentines cards! We got out all of our craft supplies and got to work! The little ones had a choice of which colour of paper they wanted to use, what colour of pens and were also able to add some stickers! This activity was great for supporting the little ones with their creativity and also their fine motor skills by using the pens to draw on their cards. As you can see, we had some brilliant looking cards by the end of the day!
Trip to the Park-
During the month of February, we introduced going on longer walks to the play park. The little ones seemed to really enjoy doing this, as they were able to have some freedom in the park, as they could go on whatever they wanted to. We have really enjoyed seeing the little ones display their adventurous sides at the park as they show us how they can climb safely up to the top of the ship and more! The little ones also seem to love going on the swings and have us push them! It is lovely to see their big smiles as they have so much fun!
Caring for Others-
This month, we have recognised that the little ones have been very caring towards one another. As you can see in the photo, one of our bigger little ones helping one of the babies! We have seen the little ones helping one another, for example, when a friend comes in and is upset, they go straight to comfort them by giving them a toy or a hug! It has been lovely to also see the compassionate side of the little ones come out this month!
Botanics Trip-
At the beginning of the month, we went on a trip to the Botanical Gardens! We are very lucky to have such a lovely space so close to us, so we decided to take the little ones to experience the beautiful area! It was quite a cool day, so we all got wrapped up in our cosy jackets, hats and gloves ready to walk over to the Botanics! On the walk there, we were able to teach the children a little about road safety, as this is quite a busy area so we had to be careful around the cars. When we arrived, we enjoyed our snacks and then had a play in the gardens on the grass and explored some of the plants before heading back to the RLO playroom!
“I was happy, J was happy and staff were lovely. It’s a great little set up at The Place in Stockbridge, and deffo one I will be using again. I particularly liked the fact that all the kids went out for fresh air! If you need a couple of hours to yourself this is the place to go... I’m even thinking next time to bring a laptop and just sit and drink coffee and eat cake knowing he’s well looked after. J is under 1 and there was plenty for him to play with as well as older children.”
Monthly Advice for Parents…
This month, we would like to share some advice for dressing your child in the cooler weather…
Babies-
It gets without saying, layering is key during the winter! Also, when dressing your baby in the winter, it is important to ensure your little ones clothes fit properly, as if they don’t, your child may be feeling uncomfortable. As you know, your little one is always growing, so keeping up to date with what clothes fit is a good idea, along with shoes. If your child is too little for shoes, ensure they are wearing socks!
It is also useful to always pack extra clothing, so then you can add layers if needed! These may also come in handy if they become dirty too!
Toddlers-
Similar to babies, layering is very important during the winter when the weather is cool! Hats, scarves and gloves are also essential as keeping all parts of the body covered is important to keep body heat in.
When shopping for jackets, it can be a good idea to ensure that the jacket is waterproof, as if it isn’t, it almost defeats the purpose of a jacket. When it is raining or snowing, your little one will get wet and if they are not protected from this properly, they can become very cold after getting wet.
One last thing to highlight in the cooler weather is; to ensure when travelling in the car or on public transport, your little one isn’t too warm. There is often heating on and your little one then may become too hot!
