New research brings consensus to the idea that the dinosaurs were wiped out after a phenomenal asteroid collision sited at what is now the Yucatan Peninsular in Mexico - this is the stuff of boys' imagination, combining two fascinating boundaries of knowledge: dinosaurs and space.

Although your little ones are probably too young to comprehend the reality of either space or dinosaurs, why not at least introduce these ideas?  No matter where you live you probably aren't that far from a museum that has exhibits on at least one, if not both, of these topical areas.  Plan a visit and activities around one of these two areas!

Space

To foster an interest in space, take your little ones outside after dark to observe the moon and stars; explain that every star is like our sun but so far away that they appear to be tiny.  Talk about concepts of near and far based on things you can see nearby, explain how further objects appear to be smaller than nearby ones.

Introduce the idea that we live on a planet called Earth and that there are lots of other planets in space but so far away that we can't see them.  Look at a map of the world and describe how we have lots of countries and lots of sea, and perhaps name some of the countries that your little ones might have heard of.

Create a spaceship out of old bottles, boxes or cartons and encourage your kids to go off exploring the universe!

Dinosaurs

Time is a very confusing and abstract concept.  Children struggle to distinguish 'today', 'tomorrow' and 'yesterday', so having them conceptiualise dinosoars roaming the land hundreds of millions of years ago is going to be a challenge!  But you can explain that dinosaurs were like giant monsters and that there were lots of them a long, long time ago!

Find pictures of dinosaurs in a book, online, or best of all, in a sticker book, and look at the different creatures.  Point out their different characteristics such the styles of their legs, tails, horns; maybe some of them have funny necks and small heads, others might have huge teeth; lots walk, some fly, others swim.  Study the pictures and tell your children their names.  See if they can pronounce the really tricky ones - to them the sounds may be no more alien than many of the other words and phrases they hear every day.

Why not make a dinosaur park?  Draw and cut out your own dinosaurs, make more out of card or old bottles, and see if you can create a dinosaur menagerie.

With a little bit of help, lots of determination and masses of praise you can get your little ones riding a bike even if you can't ride one yourself!  It is astonishing how quickly children learn about balance, speed, peddling and brakes when they are inspired and excited about riding a bike for themselves.

The most important thing to arrange when teaching to ride a bike is to make sure a helmet is properly fitted and that it is worn at all times.  Elbow and knee pads are a good idea too to mimimise scrapes.  You may even get them to wear gloves in case they fall off and graze their hands...

A correctly sized bike is essential too.  Riding a bike that is too big can be treacherous for little ones and will prevent successful learning.  It may also damage their confidence if the bike is too big to handle.  Make sure the saddle is at the right height too to ensure their feet can touch the ground.  Obviously, check that everything is working correctly, especially the brakes!

Start by pushing the bike and encouraging your child to simply sit on the saddle and have a ride.  Explain about balancing and show them how it feels when the bike is balanced and when it's not.  Then, talk about steering and explain how to make the bike go in different directions.

The next step is to gently push the bike and get your child to propel it forward using the pedals.  Try not to hold the handlebars as this will interfere with their grasp of balance.  They need to master the bike and whether it stays upright or not.

To start, the best place is a slightly sloping area, that is covered with short grass.  It's not difficult to ride on short grass.  The incline will mean they are propelled forward slightly.  And, the grass will mean a softer landing than stone paths.

Keep an eye on how they are sitting on the bike.  It is common for children to sit too far forward and bend their body;  encourage them to sit upright.  Make sure they are not gripping the handlebars too much either.  They need to just gently hold them.

Decide which is to be the leading foot (the one they push off on) and try to keep to the same one each time.

Learning to ride can be incredibly rewarding, but also frustrating.  Be patient and keep practicing to get it right.  Try for a couple of pedal pushes to start with.  Give plenty of praise when they start to get the hang of riding. Keep a watchful eye and direct them rather than tell them off about things they may do wrong.

Once they get the hang of it, they will never look back and it will be the start of lots more fun!

World Book Day 2010 falls on Thusday, 4th March (in the UK) and events all over the country are already underway to embrace and celebrate reading, why not attend an event in your area?  The World Book Day website has a list of events largely focused on public libraries.  If your children don't already borrow books from your library, then this offers the perfect opportunity to join up and introduce your children to the wonders of books!

World Book Day was designated by UNESCO as a worldwide celebration of books and reading.  In the UK events are organised by a charity with financial backing from National Book Tokens, publishers and booksellers.  The aim is to encourage children to explore the pleasures of reading and encourage book ownership.  World Book Day is celebrated in over 100 countries, although most countries celebrate it on St. George's Day (April 23rd).

Even if there aren't any events local to you, you can always organsie your own World Book Day event in your own home!  Why not dress your children as characters from their favourite books and have a special reading in the afternoon where you read their favourite books to them?  Visit the shops and let them choose a new book to buy, or arrange with friends to lend your favourite stories to each other so that you can share the delights of your own library!

Observing children forms a fundamental part of the Early Years Foundation Stage, childminders are required to observe children and make notes.  This helps to record each child's progress through EYFS and also helps you to plan ahead and work out what areas of learning to focus on for the medium term.  Key to observing children is simply that - watching what they do without offering any external direction, or offering only minimal interaction.  Childminders are so used to interacting with their wards that it can feel a little strange just stepping away and watching!

Make notes of what you observe; you might choose to do this straight into a diary, or you might prefer to take notes whilst you watch and later write them up more formally.  A written record creates an invaluable resource both for you and to share with parents, or indeed to carers in other settings.

When you undertake your planning, go back though your diaries of observations and work out what areas of learning you need to concentrate on over the coming weeks.  Compare your notes over time to ensure that your children are progressing.  Although keeping a diary seems a big chore, if you write it regularly you will quickly find that it takes very little time and becomes part of your routine.  A number of ToucanLearn members are using their private blog spaces to record their observations and this is an area that we intend to improve to facilitate better records for professional childminders and diligent parents alike!

The use of the internet and computers in schools is becoming increasingly important for learning, research and having fun, but how can we ensure appropriate, and safe use of such a phenomenal resource? ICT is covered in the Early Years Foundation Stage Areas of Learning and Development, so it is recognised that little ones of reception or pre-school age should be introduced to the computer.

The first thing is to do is chat with your child about the internet and what it can be used for. Show them your emails, show them how to type keys and letters on screen.

Try a bit of 'art' with a drawing package, make it fun and simple.

Talk about the internet and what can be found there. Look up a favourite character together, or a local landmark you have been to or a map of your home area. Keep it simple and fun!

As they become more confident and begin to work independently, just be there to guide and help them practice their skills, learn about the keyboard and navigate the child-friendly sites that exist.

Place the computer somewhere central so you can keep an eye on how things are looking. Don't put computers in the bedroom if you can help it. Make it a family event when you do some online games or learning together as a family. Talk about what you are doing on line and make it easy for the children to flag up a problem if they encounter something.

The internet is a fabulous resource, but be aware of the potential dangers of allowing little children too much access.

Dolls and Teddies all over the country are being called upon to help little ones get through the discomfort and soreness of having jabs!  Its a great way to prepare your toddler or pre-schooler for having dreaded injections and it really can help!  Role play can make a trip to the doctor more familiar, prepare even the littlest children for injections and prevent them being too traumatised about it.

All you need is lots of willing dollies and stuffed toys, some old bandages and a doctor or nurses outfit if you have one.  Show your little one how to wrap up poorly arms and legs with bandages.  Use real cotton wool and plasters if you can spare some.  This makes them feel more grown up and makes the items more familiar for when they go into the doctor's surgery for their own injection.

Make sure you pretend to settle the dolls, calm them and say nice things to them... get your toddler doing the same.  If you have a doctor's set, get that out too and play with all the bits and pieces. When you're finished, don't forget to award the patients some stickers for being so good!

If your child is a bit older or understands more, explain an injection by saying its medicine to stop them from being poorly.  Tell them all children must have the medicine and it shows how grown-up they're getting. Have a few chocolate buttons ready - tell them they're going to get them if they're brave - and make sure you don't forget to hand them over immediately after the jab.

It is important to prepare them.  After all, even toddlers understand so much, but make sure there are plenty of cuddles and kind words when its over... and not forgetting the all important chocolate buttons for you both!

Children love the responsibility of ongoing projects, diary projects make for wonderful activities that you can dip into a little bit each day.  Diary projects are great for identifying slow change over long periods.  Buy a little notebook or staple some sheets of paper into a booklet.  Select your project and each day, once a week or every couple of weeks, make an observation on your project and have your child draw what they see or capture elements of what you are observing.  Take photographs and stick them into your diary.

Here are some project ideas:-

• Plant a sunflower in a pot and observe it growing.  After initial planting, it will be a few days before anything appears but when it does you'll observe daily change for several days.  After the stem has unfolded from the seed, measure it each week and draw it in your project book.
• Plant cress seeds or mung beans in a little pot and grow them on a windowsill.  These little plants grow very quickly and you can observe them each day.  Draw what the plants look like and note how tall they are.  You can even eat them at the end of the project!
• Watch the transition from winter to spring and into summer.  Every two weeks draw a picture of the trees.  At first they will be bare, then buds will appear, they will flower and at the same time, new leaves will start to grow.
• Monitor the weather, each day draw symbols to show what weather you are experiencing; is it rainy, sunny, cloudy, snowy?  Is there a lot of wind?  Is it hot or cold?
• Keep a note of birds frequenting your garden or park.  Go out every few days and note down what birds you see.  Talk about their colours and explain that this is how you can identify them.  See how many different types of bird you can spot over the course of a few weeks.
• Make an activity diary, have your children draw pictures of the activities that they undertake.  Draw any models that you make, draw a picture for days out, stick in pictures from brochures and so on.
• Learn a new letter, number or word each day.  Write it in your diary and draw pictures to help remember the meaning.

Diaries offer a great way to sustain attention on slow changing things surrounding your children and give a sense of purpose that your children will simply love!  You might run projects just for a week, or you might keep one going for months.  There's no reason why you can't have lots of projects on the go at any one time - why not have a different project for each day of the week?!

Tweeting is bird-watching and some people are obsessed!  They travel the country for a sighting of a rare hawk or a possible glimpse of a migrating finch.  However, tweeting with children can be great fun and a good way of introducing wildlife to them.

We've been obsessed with birdwatching for centuries.  There are shelves of books in the library all about the birds that reside in different regions of the country and those that migrate and spend just the summer or winter in certain places.  There are also lovely birdy books for children with a smaller selection of birds illustrated and presented in an accessible way.

So, how do we go about staring birdwatching?

At this time of year, its easier than ever to spot birds because there are no leaves on the trees!  This means they can't hide away as easily as in the summer.  Winter also brings migrating birds through, so you might spot more unusual ones!  Start in your own garden or around your home.  Even cities have a great selection of birds that roost in the buildings or in parks.

What equipment do we need?

If you have a bird watching book that's great.  Take it along to the local countryside or park and use it as you look for birds.  If not, jot down the characteristics of the birds you see and you can look it up in the library or on the internet when you get home to find out what it is called.  Older children might want to scribble blocks of the colour that they see on each bird and you can then look up birds with those colours and confirm their sighting with pictures.

Do we need binoculars?

If you have binoculars, it adds to the  fun so take them with you!  If not, make the play the part and make some pretend binoculars with kitchen roll tubes, stuck together and some string attached to hang around you child's neck.

What do we do?

Simply sit still in your garden or in the park and wait!  You'll probably hear the birds before you see them.  Then just watch!  See what the birds do, observe their colours, are they in a flock or alone.  Try to identify them if you have a book with you, show the pictures to the children and ask them if that is what they see.

When you get home try to draw them and find our their names.  You could even log your sightings in your ToucanLearn diary, noting what you see and where you see them.  Happy watching!

For some, grandparents are a vital form of childcare, but do they provide the right kind of environment for our babies and toddlers, and,should they be paid?

There  are many advantages to using grandparents:

• They love your child as much as you do so want to do a good job
• Your baby or child will get to know the grandparent even better and develop a strong bond because they will be spending time alone with them... something both the grandparent and child will cherish
• A grandparent has already had children so knows from experience
• They may live close by so its will be an easy drop off
• They may be more flexible about hours and whether to have the child if a bit poorly
• The child will settle more quickly because they know the carer
• They may be more easygoing if you are delayed or be prepared to drop off/collect from nursery/school
• They may be happy to have your child's friends round to play
• It may be cheap or even free childcare!

However, there are some disadvantages too:-

• The grandparent did their child care many years ago so may do things differently to you or may have forgotten a lot!
• They may be too old and find it physically too demanding but may not admit it
• They may have appointments or commitments already
• Their attitudes may need updating about what's allowed in terms of potty training and naps
• You may need to transport equipment and toys each time or buy two sets: high chairs, travel cot and buggy etc.
• Their home may be unsafe and have lots of potential dangers., and will not be OFSTED registered and checked
• They may not take the child out as much as a professional organisation and therefore your child may not meet children and socialise

You may wish to formalise an agreement for the care provided to your child and make clear details such as time off and holidays etc.  You may even agree to pay a fee for the care.  There are organisations dedicated to advising on this area such as The Grandparents' Association or Grandparents Plus.

Are grandparents being overlooked in what is perhaps a vital form of childcare fore babies, toddlers and young children? Responding to a report published by Grandparents Plus calling for direct payments for Grandparents providing childcare for their grandchildren, Daycare Trust joint Chief Executive Alison Garnham said: "Grandparents should be recognised for the role they play providing invaluable childcare, but introducing direct payments would require a process involving registration, auditing and inspection, and I don't think anyone wants to see Government inspectors in their living room scrutinising their family life. "If there is money available for childcare then it should be spent on meeting the Government's pledge to increase the free childcare entitlement to 15 hours per week for 3 and 4 year olds and extend the entitlement to all 2 year olds".

If you think its right  for you you should consider:

• Is the grandparents fit enough and in good health to run around after children?
• Do they have first-aid knowledge or qualification
• Is the house safe?
• Does it fit in with existing commitments?

If the answer is yes, to all these questions, lucky you!

One day your child will learn to read, and there's a lot that you can do to prepare them and make learning to read an easier task.  Before children can read there are some fundamental principles that they must understand.  They must be able to differentiate letters, words and numbers from pictures, they should be familiar with books and know that pages read from top left to bottom right and they should be able to identify each letter and know the sound that each one makes.  Even with all this there is still a lot more to learn before they can read, but at least they are in good shape to learn more easily.

Teach your child letters from an early age, sing the ABC song so that they learn their alphabet, and have them recognise their name.  Spot letters when you are out and about and play phonic games to help grow familiarity with the sounds of letters.  Write labels for things around your home and put signs up for your child to be able to spot different words.  Part of reading is about being able to read letters and make out a word, but many words have irregular letters and sounds and are more easily learned through recognition by exposure to them over time.

There's no doubt that reading encompasses a lot of different skills and knowledge, but being surrounded by letters and sounds, your child really will absorb the knowledge required to learn to read, and you'll find that they will learn to read more quickly than other children who weren't given this encouragement.

If you have snow around you then no doubt it's cold, but on the plus side, the children are probably loving it!  Wrap the children up in coats, hats, scarves and gloves, put on some cosy boots, and they can go out and play while the snow lasts.  Here are some game ideas to play outside in the snow:-

1. Snow Sculpture: Traditionally we build snowmen, but why not build snow animals and other sculptures like snow-castles or a boat?  Help your children to scoop up mounds of snow and sculpt it into a variety of shapes!
2. Animal Tracking: Look out for the footprints of different animals in the snow; birds, cats, dogs, foxes, squirrels, rabbits, deer...even if you live in an urban area you'll be surprised at how many animals wander in the wild!  Look for animal tracks and tell your toddlers all about the creatures that make them.
3. Footprint Art: There's nothing more inviting than pristine snow!  Have your children create a track of snow pictures by trampling through a pristine blanket of snow.
4. Obstacle Course: Build an obstacle course in the snow - draw a line that your toddler must walk 'tightrope' style, draw boxes that they must jump between and build hurdles that they must jump over.
5. Target Practice: Build a snowman then have your toddler pelt him (or is it a her?!) with snowballs.  Get a hat and have your children throw a hat onto its head!

You may be tired of the snow, but there are still plenty of games the children can have fun with outdoors!

It's common for toddlers not to be sure which hand is their dominant hand - they may scribble with their right hand one day and their left hand the next!  All babies and toddlers develop at different rates and most use both hands to begin with.  At about 18 months, their dominant hand will become evident to you: they'll draw with it, use it for eating and for brushing their teeth.  By 4 or 5 years, most children will have one favourite hand that is used for writing etc but as the brain is still developing and their co-ordination is still being established, it may not be always consistent.

What to look out for:

• Which hand do they use to reach for a toy or pencil that's put in their reach in front of them?
• Which hand do they use when eating?
• How do they stir if playing with water and sand?  Left handed children tend to stir in an anti-clockwise direction.
• When learning to write a left-handed child may prefer to start writing on the right of the page rather than the left.  This is more natural for them.
• When playing physical games, the left-handed child will prefer to stand on their left rather than right leg.

Should left handed children be encouraged to use their right hand?  Not at all!  A few generations ago this was the case: left handed children were made to use their right hands.  However, they must be allowed to use which ever hand is easiest in order for the task to be completed.  Being left handed is not a conscious decision.  It is dictated by the brain and therefore should not be contradicted.

There are various problems that may arise if a child is left-handed, but all the obstacles can be overcome with a little patience and some left-handed equipment if necessary.  Schools and teachers are sympathetic to the extra care needed by left-handed children and can help with learning to write and using scissors.

Just remember to be as patient as possible!

Learning to tell the time is something that takes a lot of practice and some children take years to understand the concept of hands going round a clock to measure the passing hours.  However, even though so many children can't grasp the notion of an hour or a minute or indeed the idea of time passing away for ever, its a good idea to get them familiar with a clock face so when the time comes, they are more comfortable with the idea of a clock.

Singing clock rhymes, such as Hickory Dickory Dock, is something that can be done with toddlers.  Why not make a clock to learn numbers?  Take a paper plate, mark on the twelve numbers in the correct places.  Make two hands from some card or a cereal packet and clip them to the plate with a split clip or a paper clip that you've opened up.  Then, use the clock to learn and talk about numbers.  Set the hands to the right hour for breakfast and lunch etc.  Allow your child to colour the clock or stick on some stickers.

As they get older, explain how the hours are marked and talk about the clock face together.  Start by looking at the second hand of a real clock and count the seconds together.  Chat about things that take 60 seconds to do: wash teeth, eat some grapes, brush their hair.  Time some activities together and see how many seconds they take!

Next look at the minute hand.  Explain that each time the second hand makes a full trip round the clock that the minute hand moves along one notch.  Think about things that take a couple of minutes: read a book, make a drink, get dressed.  Time some of these activities.

Go on to talk about the hour hand and show how the hour hand moves along one number every 60 minutes.  Think of things that take an hour or so to do: watch a film, go for a long walk etc.

Lots of talking about time, looking at clocks and numbers will certainly help children learn to tell the time, eventually building up to that special day when they are given their first real watch!

Table manners are a tricky area for young families - you want your child to eat nutritiously whilst eating slowly enough to avoid gobbling and causing indigestion but fast enough to get on with the day!   You want meals to be a happy experience for everyone and for their manners to be good: eating with mouth closed, not tallking when chewing, no rude comments about the size, look or taste of the food and 'please' and 'thank you' are welcome too!

But, don't be too hard on the children!  They learn from example, so the first thing to do is show them (not tell them!) how to eat a meal properly.  Start by making sure the children (even toddlers) sit throughout the duration of the meal.  Make their time at the table as short as possible, so call them when their food is served and has cooled enough to eat.

Encourage them to stay at the table while you all eat.  Of course, when you consider it appropriate they can get down, but try and establish the idea that you all stay at the table together for the meal.  Don't expect too much though.  A toddler is doing well if they don't throw food, so don't expect correct utensil use at age two!

Teach all toddlers and children to wash hands before eating.  This is a good way to signify the beginning of the meal and is hygenic even if your child is beyond finger food.  When they do mess around, try not to get angry, just explain in a calm voice what they are doing wrong.

Try to use 'please' and 'thank you' yourself!  It's as easy for adults to forget but if the little ones see you saying it they will too! And, there's nothing nicer than a proper 'thank you' to the chef at the end of the meal!  Especially encourage it when you're visiting friends and you're bound to be invited back!

The result, hopefully, is calmer and easier meals for you all!  The earlier you start introducing good manners, the better the children will adopt the behaviour and do it without trying.  Remember,  mealtimes make for the most wonderful family occasions...every single day!

Recent research has discovered evidence that some cases of childhood obesity are linked to genetic mutations, but the studies suggest that fewer than 2% of cases of obesity in children are caused by genetics.  Childhood obesity is reaching epidemic proportions with 1 in 5 children in the US and 1 in 7 in the UK classed as obese.

Obesity is measured by calculating body mass index which is calculated by dividing your height in kilograms divided by the square of your height in metres.  A result greater than 30 is considered obese although a high proportion of muscle, which is heavier than fat, can produce misleading results.

Obesity is linked to a number of problems, mental and physical, including:-

• Low self esteem and depression
• Low motivational drive, including feelings of lethargy
• Increased risk of developing diabetes and high blood pressure
• Reduced quality of sleep (sleep apnea)

Most causes of childhood obesity are linked to lifestyle - nutrition and activity being the two main factors.  Parents have a responsibility to look after their children and help their children avoid excessive weight gain.  Simple steps that you can take include:-

• Encouraging an active lifestyle - make sure that your children have time to run around outdoors and in the park
• Avoid excessive snacking - children don't need to be grazing constantly but it is an easy habit to develop, ration snacks to appropriate times of the day
• Provide a role model - if you are excessively overweight then your children will consider entirely normal
• Encourage whole foods and healthy snacks rather than fast food and soft drinks
• Don't let your children choose their meals - they will probably focus on unhealthier foods - ensure you give your children a balanced diet
• Breast feed as long as you can - research suggests that breastfeeding protects children against obesity in later life
• Make sure your children consume vegetables and dairy products in their diet

Childhood obesity is something that you will want to avoid.  There is no approved medication for obesity in children but so much can be done by adapting lifestyle.  If your children are growing excessively overweight for no apparent reason, then do seek medical advice.  There may be more serious underlying problems not linked to lifestyle, but remember that these cases are rare.