Five Minute Mum: Give Me Five: Five minute, easy, fun games for busy people to do with little kids

Product Information

When you announced over Christmas that you were expecting a wee babba (human one, Henry is obviously your fur one!) I was delighted for you. Although we’ve never met, I, along with thousands of others, feel I know you rather well. Your voice is familiar, and often in my home, like that of a good mate. So when you posted up the photo of you sharing the scan photo I did what I always do when I hear good news like that, and welled up with joy.

Now obviously if you LOVE to get creative and messy with your elf, then brilliant. Love it. Go for it and throw the letters into the mix too. But if like me, you don’t want to clear up flour at 9:30pm on a Tuesday night then come join. I spent this morning ‘Hinching’ my hallway. It’s been a mess for more months than I care to admit. As always I had watched your stories this morning and had a little giggle. You never fail to raise a smile with your daft and genius antics. Your support for people with anxiety and other mental health issues is hugely admirable. I think you and Jamie are going to make wonderful parents. I just wanted you to know. The army can wait. I really do wish your ALL THE BEST.Write the words ‘Father Christmas is coming’ as individual letters, and the word TONIGHT as a full word. As per the photo. 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. When they’ve blended the word, pop it in the little bowl and let them tip the silly soup over your head or their head. Whichever they find funnier. Now make some more silly soup!

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.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!!! People will comment, and try to tell you you’re doing it wrong. Parenting wrong. Feeding them wrong. Putting them down to sleep wrong. Carrying them wrong. They just will. They can’t bloody help themselves. But ignore them all. Do it your way, the Hinch way. Because Mummy knows best. Now I know a lot of people don’t like the elves. Some find them creepy or menacing. However ours isn’t there as a threat or to only do naughty things, just something fun to increase the excitement really, and like anything, you can do it YOUR way. Personally I love seeing their faces when the elf arrives and moves. It’s beginning to look at lot like Christmas…on EVERYONE’S social media accounts…and I bloody LOVE IT! I’m a big fan of Christmas in general however what comes along with the festive cheer and mulled wine and kids going absolutely bonkers giddy is WORK. WERK WERK WERK. It’s a lot isn’t it? Planning, buying, returning, re-buying, doing lists, visiting Father Christmas, regretting that visit to Father Christmas, panic watching your flex account funds crashing past your overdraft. Yep. It’s hard. As well as wonderful.

If you have an older one, jumble up the letters so it is an anagram they have to solve on Christmas Eve or as they go along. On each day when the letter is revealed think about what it could be. What christmassy things start with that letter sound? Have fun with the letter, and guessing what the message could be. What words can you make out of the letters you have got already? And as Daisy was a teaching assistant, your little ones will be learning while they play! What could be better?Getting your child ready to start school can feel overwhelming, can't it? It's a big step for both of you. Tell your child to close their eyes because the naughty *insert character name here* is going to steal a number. 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!