Useful Links
❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🤍
We are often being asked by parents if there are things we need, as they would like to make a donation to our classes
With this in mind, we created a Wish list on Amazon of things we would love to have, or need to replenish in our classes. The items range from £5 to £35 and cover a wide range of curriculum areas.
If you would like to donate something to the nursery classes then please copy the link below into your internet browser and shop away. The items will then be delivered direct to us with a little note saying who they are from.
We thank you in advance for your generosity
Healthy Lunch boxes
Ensuring that your child has a healthy diet will have both short-term and long-term effects on their health, mood, energy levels and well-being. More information can be found by following this link -
https://www.nhs.uk/change4life/recipes/healthier-lunchboxes
Here are a few tips to help you get started
Keep your child fuller for longer
Base the lunchbox on foods like bread, rice, pasta and potatoes. Choose wholegrain where you can
Freeze your bread
Keep a small selection of bread in the freezer. Make lunchboxes more interesting by using different shapes, like bagels, pittas and wraps, and different types of bread, such as granary, wholemeal and multi-grain.
Less spread
Cut down on the spread used and try to avoid using mayonnaise in sandwiches.
Ever green
Always add salad to sandwiches – it all counts towards your child's 5 A DAY.
Cut down on crisps
If your child really likes their crisps, try reducing the number of times you include them in their lunchbox, give them half a packet and swap for homemade plain popcorn or plain rice cakes instead.
Tinned fruit counts
A small pot of tinned fruit in juice – not syrup – is perfect for their lunchbox and is easily stored in the cupboard.
Watch the teeth!
Dried fruit counts towards your 5 A Day, but can stick to teeth so should only be eaten at mealtimes to reduce the risk of tooth decay.
Go low fat and lower sugar
Go for low-fat and lower sugar yoghurt or fromage frais and add your own fruit.
Mix your slices and shapes
If your child doesn't like wholegrain, try making a sandwich from one slice of white bread and one slice of wholemeal/brown bread. Cutting sandwiches into different shapes or with cutters makes them more interesting.
DIY lunches
Wraps and pots of fillings can be more exciting for children when they get to put them together. Dipping foods are also fun and make a change from a sandwich each day.
Cut back on fat
Pick lower fat sandwich fillings, such as lean meats (including chicken or turkey), fish (such as tuna or salmon), reduced-fat cream cheese, and reduced-fat hard cheese.
Always add veg
Cherry tomatoes, or sticks of carrot, cucumber, celery and peppers all count towards their 5 A DAY. Adding a small pot of reduced-fat hummus or other dips may help with getting kids to eat vegetables.
Add bite-size fruit
Try chopped apple, peeled satsuma segments, strawberries, blueberries, halved grapes or melon slices to make it easier for them to eat. Add a squeeze of lemon juice to stop it from going brown.
Swap the sweets
Swap cakes, chocolate, cereal bars and biscuits for malt loaf, fruited teacakes, fruit breads or fruit (fresh, dried or tinned – in juice not syrup). There are lots of recipes on line for cakes, muffins and oaty bars that use healthier ingredients and less sugar. There is a recipe below.
Check your cheese
Cheese can be high in fat and salt so choose stronger-tasting ones – and use less of it – or try reduced-fat varieties of cheese.
Variety is the spice of lunchboxes!
Be adventurous and get creative to mix up what goes in their lunchbox.
Get them involved
Get your children involved in preparing and choosing what goes in their lunchbox. They are more likely to eat it if they helped make it.
Simple activities and play ideas to develop communication skills
https://www.bbc.co.uk/tiny-happy-people
Simple fun activities for 0 to 5's with other links
https://hungrylittleminds.campaign.gov.uk/
Activities and stories to support communication and literacy
https://literacytrust.org.uk/family-zone/birth-4/
Music and movement for under 5's - Sticky kids are doing free online sessions via podcast.
https://stickykids.podbean.com/
ChatHealth is a suite of text support services for parents, carers, families and young people in Hampshire. There are three ChatHealth services for:
- Parents and carers of children under 5
- Parents and carers of children and young people aged 5-19 years
- Young people aged 11-19
| ChatHealth : Hampshire Healthy Families Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust and Barnardos are working together to deliver the Healthy Child Programme throughout Hampshire. This website provides details for access to health visiting and school nursing services, workshops for healthy eating and support with post-natal depression. |
Book Trust
Words for Life
https://wordsforlife.org.uk/activities/chat-play-read-interactive-activity-booklets/
NSPCC
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/support-for-parents/look-say-sing-play/