If your little ones don't have the best concentration, or seem to tire quickly from monotonous work, then spice up their involvement by choosing fun locations where they can do their colouring, shapes, letter practice and so on.  Some children are naturally challenged with arduous tasks such as practicing their letters or colouring in pictures, others get bored rather too quickly.  If you have difficulty encouraging your little ones to settle down to do their work then try doing it outside at a garden table, or in the park at a picnic table.  Maybe create a camp from a few old sheets draped around bushes, or if the weather forces you inside, drape a sheet or towels over a clothes airer.  No space is too small for your little ones to cram in.  They will enjoy it all the more if they are hidden from you.

Tasks such as colouring, writing, constructing jigsaws and the like take time and concentration.  Many children don't persevere at these tasks for the time required but they are really important activities in order to encourage fine motor skills and problem solving, indeed, to help with concentration.

Build your little ones an 'office' space and tell them that they are 'going to work', something that they see parents doing.  Young children love to mimic grown-ups and this will give them a sense that they are doing what you do.  Relocate to a cafe, the local library or the park.  Make an adventure of basic tasks and you will find that your children quickly lap up the excitement of doing otherwise very ordinary activities in a different setting.

Local libraries offer a fabulous resource, but at a time of severe funding cuts, there's every danger that your local library may be targeted for closure.  When evaluating the value of local services, local authorities will look at how well utilised their services are.  If you want to keep your local library open, then make sure you are using it and are appearing on the local radar!

• Make sure you and your children are enrolled so that you are counted when the council investigate how many people use the library
• Make sure that you borrow books regularly to help contribute to healthy lending rates
• Attend special events laid on for children during half terms and holidays
• If your library doesn't hold craft days or readings, see if you can help organise some during holiday periods
• If your library has a cafe or toddler group, make sure you use them, even if only occasionally
• Spend time in your library with your children, take them in and read to them in the library

Local libraries offer all sorts of services in addition to simply lending books.  It would be a shame to lose these facilities, yet they can only be justified if they are being used.  Make sure that you use your library with your children, and help local authorities justify keeping libraries open so that your children's children can one day enjoy them too!