So once again that time is here. Time to write Christmas present lists, trail around the shops and trawl internet retail sites.
What do you mean, it’s still October? Don’t you realise that some of us have a recurring nightmare that it’s Christmas Eve, and we’ve bought nothing and are forced to scour through the shelves of the local late-night garage for Christmas gifts? Alright, it’s probably just me who has a serious panic attack if all my presents aren’t bought and labelled by the first week in November. Once again I fear I have shared too much.
Anyway, being a generous soul I plan to also share some of my gift discoveries with you all. And first on the list is HeyDoodle.
HeyDoodle is an Australian company founded by a mother of two small children. She thought how great it would be for kids to have reusable colouring mats where they could doodle, colour in their favourite pictures and learn their numbers in the process.
Not content with just dreaming, she founded HeyDoodle, so now we can all enjoy fabulous silicone mats covered in pictures with different themes. Personally I love colouring in the dinosaurs, and so does my four-year old grandson when he manages to elbow me out of the way. Not only does it feature the dinosaurs’ names but there are numbers from 1 to 10 to trace too. Then you can help your child find and count the objects to which the numbers refer, such as the 10 dinosaur footprints or the two T-rex. The child can colour them in with the special colouring pens provided to help count them. I love toys which are not only fun but help kids learn too and this is just great for that.
The silicone mats wipe clean once the child is finished (and appropriate photos taken to show the rest of the family obviously) so all is tidy and ready to start the next day. The mat and the colouring pens come in a very neat pack which is super easy to store and takes up almost no room.
If your child isn’t into dinosaurs, there are Aussie animals, fantasy characters and more – and for the older child (or adult) World Countries with flags – another great learning tool.
Besides the mats there are books too, consisting of eight reusable colouring pages, pens and a keepsake box – educational books such as the Natural Wonders and simple fun ones such as the Old MacDonald Had A Farm book.
Check out the HeyDoodle web site for lots more great ideas.
Going back to my favourite, the Dinoroars mat with pens is £14.99 for the A4 size and £21.99 for the A3 size. A great price for a top-quality gift for the little ones in your life.
By Dr K Thompson, author of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7DM42Q http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A7DM42Q
http://faitobooks.co.uk
Note: These articles express personal views. No warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of information given and you should always consult a doctor if you need medical advice.