Author: Claire Hewson

National Vegetarian Week: Great recipes for children

Posted on by Claire Hewson

It’s National Vegetarian Week from 16th – 22nd May which is about raising awareness of how we can all help the planet by eating a more veggie-based diet. Cutting back on meat is one way we can reduce our carbon emissions and save many animals and plants from extinction.

The problem for parents, however, is that children don’t always like to eat vegetables. So, we are here to help you with these quick, easy and delicious recipes for National Vegetarian Week.

If you can get your child involved with cooking, then they are even more likely to enjoy and appreciate different food.

Hidden vegetable pasta sauce

Ingredients:

1 x 400g can tomatoes

1 x tbsp tomato puree

1 x onion

½ stick of celery

1 x leek

½ apple

A handful of any other vegetables you choose (mushrooms, broccoli, green beans etc.)

1 x tsp mixed herbs

1 x tbsp oil (or a knob of butter or margarine)

200ml vegetable stock

Method:

  1. Roughly chop all the vegetables, except the onion, and put into a food processor.
  2. Dice the onion and fry until golden.
  3. Whilst the onion is frying add the rest of the ingredients to the food processor and blitz until you have made a pasta sauce.
  4. Add the pasta sauce to the pan with the onion and give a quick stir.
  5. Cover the pan and leave on a medium-low heat to simmer for 25 minutes. Cook pasta at the same time.

Cheese tart

Ingredients:

1 x packet ready-rolled puff pastry

1 x punnet (or 2 large handfuls) of plum tomatoes

150g goat’s cheese

1 x tbsp of fresh thyme (finely chopped)

1 x clove garlic (finely chopped)

2 x tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 1900C/3750F.
  2. Place the rolled-out pastry on a greased baking tray.
  3. Mix the goat’s cheese, thyme and garlic in a bowl with a little salt and pepper.
  4. Spread the goat’s cheese mixture on the pastry about 1cm from the edges.
  5. Slice the tomatoes and spread them over the cheese mixture in rows.
  6. Drizzle the tart with olive oil and a season with salt and pepper.
  7. Bake for around 50 minutes, or until the pastry is golden.

Vegetarian Shepherd’s pie

Ingredients:

Mashed potato for the topping (made from about 3 medium sized potatoes)

1 x onion

2 x cloves garlic

1 x carrot

2 x tsp mixed herbs

190g cooked green or brown lentils

2 x tbsp cornflour

3 x tbsp soy sauce

200g (or ½ a can) tinned tomatoes

250ml vegetable stock

Salt and pepper

Handful of grated cheese

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 2000C/4000F.
  2. Finely chop the onion, garlic and carrot and fry in a little oil, butter or margarine until softened.
  3. Add the herbs, lentils, cornflour, tomatoes, and soy sauce and stir well.
  4. Slowly add the stock and a little salt and pepper.
  5. Stir the mixture until it boils.
  6. Pour the mixture into an ovenproof dish and top with mashed potato.
  7. Sprinkle with grated cheese.
  8. Bake for 30 minutes.

Winter soup

Ingredients

85g red or brown lentils

2 x tbsp tomato puree

2 x carrots

3 x celery sticks

2 x leeks

3 x tsp mixed herbs

2 x cloves garlic

3 x tsp vegetable bouillon

1 x tsp ground coriander

Method:

  1. Boil 2 ½ pints of water (1.5 litres) in a large saucepan.
  2. Add all the ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes.

Butterbean stew

Ingredients:

2 x 400g cans butterbeans

1 x 400g can tomatoes

2 tbsp tomato puree

1 x onion

1 x carrot

Generous handful chopped parsley

Small handful mint

2 tsp dried oregano

½ tsp paprika

1 x tsp sugar

Method:

  1. Finely chop the onion, carrot, parsley and mint.
  2. Fry the onion, carrot and paprika in a little bit of oil until softened and slightly brown.
  3. Add the drained butterbeans and can of tomatoes to the pan.
  4. Half fill the empty tomato can with water and pour in.
  5. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the stew has thickened.
  6. Serve with warmed pitta bread and a leafy salad.

Did your child love our National Vegetarian Week recipes?

If your child loves to cook, you might like to read our other blog posts: Easy pancake recipes for kids and Fun ways to teach your child where food comes from.

At TutorMyKids we are dedicated to inspiring young people to learn new skills. Whether your child already has a passion for a certain subject, or they need a boost in a subject area we can help.

We offer tuition in English, maths, science, humanities and languages to children in Cambridge, Ely, Huntingdon, Newmarket and the surrounding areas.

To find out more about one-to-one tuition please contact 01223 858 421 or hello@tutormykids.co.uk

Fun Easter games for all the family

Posted on by Claire Hewson

Are you wondering how to keep the family entertained on Easter day? We may have the solution for you!

Here are some fun Easter games that children and adults of all ages can enjoy together. We’ve included both outdoor and indoor games because who can predict the British weather at Easter? 

Some games are more relaxed, while others are perfect for working off that Easter roast and all those chocolate eggs.

Have fun and happy Easter!

April showers

Start by dividing the family into two teams. Everybody needs to wear a shower cap covered in squirty cream. Each team is given a bowl of Cheerios (other similar breakfast cereal will do).

When someone shouts ‘Go!’ the teams run around throwing Cheerios at the other team’s shower caps.

When all the Cheerios are used up, or everyone has had enough, the game ends. The team with the fewest Cheerios on their shower caps wins.

Bobtail tag

For this chasing game you need a selection of large craft pom-poms and some sticky tape. Make little loops of sticky tape and stick a loop on each pom-pom. Put the pom-poms in a bowl or box, making sure they don’t stick together.

To play, everybody runs around the garden trying to stick bobtails to each other. When all the bobtails have been stuck, the game ends. The person with the least number of bobtails stuck to them wins.

Easter bingo

There are lots of free Easter bingo games available online, which are great for a rainy day. We like this one by Crayons & Cravings.

If your child is feeling inspired, they could create their own Easter bingo or matching pairs game. They could make boards and cards by drawing designs or by cutting and sticking Easter-themed pictures from magazines or the internet.

Egg roll

For this racing game everybody needs a hard-boiled egg (to hard boil an egg place it in boiling water for 8 minutes), a paper plate and some Easter-themed stickers. Arrange some stickers, sticky-side up on each paper plate.

Everybody then rolls their egg around on their plate to decorate it. Whoever decorates their egg with the most stickers before it falls on the ground is the winner.

Egg tower

For this challenge you need lots of toy eggs (you could also use Cadbury’s Crème Eggs or hard boiled eggs). You will also need to cut up kitchen or toilet roll tubes to make lots of smaller tubes.

When you’re ready, everybody builds a tower using the eggs and tubes – tube, egg, tube, egg, tube, egg etc. The person who builds the tallest tower wins.

Eggy nose race

This is the same as an egg and spoon race except racers must roll an egg along the ground with their nose (no hands or other parts of the body are allowed). A hardboiled egg or plastic egg is best for this game!

Hopping rabbits

This is a sack race, but everyone could wear a pair of bunny ears so they feel more like hopping rabbits! Sacks can be old pillowcases or potato sacks which can be brought for a reasonable price online.

Anybody feeling crafty could decorate their sack before the race with Easter themed designs. Fabric markers work well on sacks, and they can be bought online or from craft shops.

You could help your child to think of design ideas by taking them on a spring walk and asking them what they can see and hear, or you could type ‘spring art’ into Google Images.

Silliest bunny ears

Everybody in the family makes some plain bunny ears from card. Then, the fun begins.

Using anything you have in the house (old magazines, scraps of paper, buttons, bits of ribbon, old clothes etc) or in the garden (leaves, flower petals etc.) everyone decorates or otherwise embellishes their bunny ears.

Who can create the silliest bunny ears?

Treat line

For this game you need a length of string (or washing line) and some biscuits or cakes to thread onto the string. Party rings and doughnuts work well.

Thread one treat for each member of the family onto the string and then tie the string between two posts. Posts could be a fence and a tree or two chairs, for example. Make sure the youngest member of the family can reach a treat with their mouth.

The object of the game is for everyone to eat their treat off the line by using only their mouth. No hands allowed!

Does your child need a learning boost after Easter?

Give your child the confidence and knowledge they need to achieve their full potential with TutorMyKids.

We offer tuition for primary level, SATs, Common Entrance Exams, GCSEs and A/AS Levels. Our tutors cover English, maths, science, humanities and languages in Cambridge, Ely, Huntingdon, Newmarket and the surrounding areas.

To find out more about one-to-one tuition please contact 01223 858 421 or hello@tutormykids.co.uk

Would you like to find out about Ramadan?

Posted on by Claire Hewson

This month, all over the world, Muslims are celebrating Ramadan. If you are not a Muslim, you might know very little about this holy month. In today’s blog we share some resources and activities to help you and your family to find out more about Ramadan.

Why find out about Ramadan?

Encouraging children to learn about other cultures is very important. It helps them to build empathy and respect for others. At the same time, we need to treat people as individuals rather than generalising because everybody has their own character, mindset and experiences.

What are the benefits of understanding different cultures? written by Les Elfes International is a fantastic and quick read for anybody who would like to learn more.

What is Ramadan?

Find out what Ramadan is and how it is celebrated with this animated film by Adam and Ayan.

We also recommend What is Ramadan? from the Australian public broadcasting service (ABC). In this short film, older children explain how Ramadan is important to them and what fasting is like.

Share Ramadan stories

For young children, Hassan and Anneesa Love Ramadanby Yasmeen Rahim and Omar Burgess is a lovely picture book to share. The story follows two characters on the first day of Ramadan. Through the characters children find out about Ramadan traditions and discover that thinking about others is at the heart of Ramadan. Your child might also enjoy Rameena’s Ramadan from Twinkl which is  about empathising with others and sharing what you have with them.

Older children may like to read A Party in Ramadanby Asma Mobin-Uddin and Laura Jacobsen. Leena, the main character, faces dilemmas and challenges as she fasts for Ramadan. When her friends enjoy chocolate cake at a birthday party, what will she do? This book explores the universal themes of making difficult choices and resisting temptation. It is also about sharing and empathy, and what it is like to be Muslim in a multicultural society.

Learn about the Moon

Ramadan starts when the new Moon appears in the sky. Your child could learn about the phases of the Moon by watching this Free School film about the phases of the Moon. Can your child look at the Moon tonight and identify the phase?

Young children might like to make this Puffy Paint Moon or Phases of the Moon mobile. Older children might enjoy these Moon activities from NASA. The NASA activities are quite challenging and they encourage problem solving and creativity.

Make an Eid dish

At the end of Ramadan Muslim people celebrate the festival of Eid, which is a big party. Your child could make an Eid dish in the shape of their hand to hold sweets and treats at a party.

To make the dish, they need to roll out a piece of air-dry modelling clay. They place their hand on the clay with their fingers and thumb together and cut around the shape of their hand (not in between their fingers though).

They then decorate their clay hand by drawing in lines for their fingers, thumb and nails. The hand could be decorated with little dots, dashes and wiggly lines to look like henna patterns. Use tools you have around the house to imprint designs – the end of a paint brush, a chopstick, a blunt knife, a fork etc. Older children could take inspiration from henna designs on the internet.

Once the design is finished, curve the edges of the hand inwards a bit to make a concave dish shape. Then leave the dish to dry.

Once dry, the dish can be painted with acrylic paint. When the paint is dry, the dish can be sealed with a layer of Mod Podge.

Make healthy Ramadan food

Muslims fast during Ramadan but they do eat before sunrise and after sunset. These are generally healthy meals, as puddings and sugary snacks can make fasting during the day much harder.

Here’s a vitamin-packed fruit salad your child might like to make. All you need to do is stir the following ingredients together and then serve:

4 tbsp. lemon juice

5 tbsp honey

2 tsp. chopped mint

1 peeled and diced apple

Handful each of diced strawberries, grapes and blueberries (or any fruit your child loves).

Does your child enjoy learning?

Whether your child has a passion for a certain subject, or they need help with a specific area of learning, TutorMyKids can help.

Our tutors build on children’s interests and passions and boost their confidence so they develop a ‘can do’ attitude. When children are enthusiastic, motivated and determined we know they are more likely to reach the highest standards of achievement.

We offer tuition in English, maths, humanities and languages to children in Cambridge, Ely, Huntingdon, Newmarket and the surrounding areas.

To find out more about one-to-one tuition please contact 01223 858 421 or hello@tutormykids.co.uk

World Wildlife Day nature activities for children

Posted on by Claire Hewson

World Wildlife Day is about raising awareness of the ways we can protect our natural world.

Almost a quarter of all species on Earth are at risk of becoming extinct in the next 50 years which means we are in danger too. People of all ages need to work together to protect nature and ourselves. You can join in with the event through the official UN World Wildlife Day website.

In our blog today we share some nature activities to fire children’s enthusiasm and their desire to protect our world.

Hedgehog café

You can make a hedgehog café any time of the year, but if you don’t get any visitors in the spring try again in the autumn when hedgehogs are looking for food to get them through their winter hibernation.

You will need:

  • A wooden or plastic storage box with a lid. The box must be big enough for a hedgehog (roughly 18cm high and 36cm long).
  • Saw
  • Duct tape
  • Scissors
  • Newspaper
  • 2 x shallow dishes for food and water
  • 1 or 2 bricks
  • Hedgehog food. You can often buy hedgehog food from pet shops. If you can’t find it, crushed cat biscuits or wet cat and dog food that doesn’t contain fish or beef is fine. Never feed hedgehogs bread or milk as they cannot digest it.

Instructions:

  1. Using the saw (with adult supervision) make a hole in the box so a hedgehog can get in. This hole needs to be cut at the base of one of the sides of the box and it should be 14cm square. Do not make the whole too big or a cat could get in.
  2. Cover the edges of the hole with duct tape in case there are any jagged bits of plastic or splinters of wood that could hurt a hedgehog.
  3. Take the lid off the box and line the inside with newspaper and dried leaves. Hedgehogs particularly like birch, hazel and oak.
  4. At sunset put dishes of food and water inside the box. Replace the lid and put bricks on top to stop predators getting in.

Top tips:

  • Make sure your café is in a sheltered spot in your garden.
  • Replace hedgehog food and water daily so it doesn’t go off.

Make a mini pond

Making a mini pond is easy. All you need is a washing up bowl or a bucket and some gravel and stones. Place rocks and stones in the bottom of the bowl/bucket and wait for the rain to fill it up with water. Once the pond has filled you could add some water-loving plants bought from a garden centre.

In the spring all kinds of wildlife will be attracted to your pond. Your child might spot dragonflies, pond skaters and water boatmen, for example. If they are lucky, they might even get tadpoles and newts.

Your child could identify life in their pond, and other ponds where you live, by referring to Usborne’s brilliant book: Pond Life to Spot.

Minibeast hotel

Building a minibeast hotel is a great way to attract all sorts of insects to your garden. Your child could use a magnifying glass to observe the insects in the hotel and they could find out more about them in books or on the internet. We recommend the National Trust’s Minibeast Explorer book.

Follow Scotland Rural College’s instructions: How to make a bug hotel. You will need a wooden box, flowerpots, logs, bark, pinecones, leaves, straw, bamboo sticks and moss and corrugated cardboard. Supplies can be bought from garden centres or collected when you are out and about on country walks.

Treasure Hunt

Take your child for a walk in the park or the woods encouraging them to collect ‘treasures’. See the Woodland Trust’s Spring scavenger hunt for a list of things they might find. These treasures can be turned into an outdoor collage if they like. Type ‘outdoor nature collage’ into Google Images for ideas.

Before going out, your child could make a special box, bag or basket to collect their treasures in. We love How to make a basket from plastic bags because it’s great fun and encourages recycling. You don’t have to use plastic bags for this project – any plastic wrapping will do.

Further ideas

For more nature-related ideas see our blog posts, Homeschooling project: World Oceans Day and Getting Involved in the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch 2021.

The School Run website also shares some fantastic nature activities for children.

Has your child enjoyed World Wildlife Day?

Does your child love science and nature? Whether they are fascinated by science and nature or they need support with their studies, TutorMyKids can help.

Our science tutors are passionate about their subject, and they want to share their enthusiasm with children. When children are engaged with their learning and enjoy what they are doing they are more likely to reach high standards of achievement.

To find out more about science tuition please contact 01223 858 421 or hello@tutormykids.co.uk

Easy pancake recipes for children

Posted on by Claire Hewson

Hooray it’s Pancake Day, so we are sharing easy pancake recipes for children and unusual topping ideas they might like to try.

Traditionally Pancake Day (Shrove Tuesday) was the day to use up all your eggs and fats before the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday. Also traditionally, (or often?) pancakes are served with sugar, lemon juice and maybe a few sultanas. But pancakes are so versatile, they can be served with just about any topping.

We hope the ideas below inspire children to experiment with their own concoctions and have lots of delicious fun in the kitchen!

Basic pancake recipe

To save you looking up a recipe here’s one that makes 8 pancakes:

You will need:

100g flour

Pinch of salt

1 egg

300ml milk

1 tbsp oil

To make a pancake:

  1. Sift flour and salt into a bowl.
  2. Add the egg and half of the milk.
  3. Beat into a smooth batter.
  4. Coat the base of a frying pan lightly with oil and place on a medium heat.
  5. When the oil is warm pour about 3 tbsp of the batter mix into the frying pan.
  6. Tilt the pan until the bottom is covered in batter.
  7. When the pancake moves freely flip it over.
  8. Cook until golden.

Terrific topping ideas

Here are some pancake topping ideas to get your child started. Can they mix and match the ingredients here to invent toppings of their own?

Apple crumble

Spread apple sauce onto a pancake. Top with a few thin slices of apple sprinkled with crumble mixture.

To make crumble mixture you need 175g plain flour, 75g butter and 50g caster sugar.

Sift the flour into a bowl. Rub butter and sugar into the flour with your fingers until it looks like breadcrumbs. Lightly press the crumble into a buttered ovenproof dish and place under a medium grill. Cook until golden. Once the crumble has cooled slightly it is ready to sprinkle onto your pancakes.

Go nuts!

Toast some nuts (almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, pecans, walnuts – anything you have in the cupboard) for 1-2 minutes. Top your pancake with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream and sprinkle with a handful of nuts.

Herb and crunch

Smash up a Crunchie bar (you could place it under a clean tea towel and bash it with a rolling pin). Sprinkle the Crunchie over your pancake with a drizzle of honey, a pinch of salt and a pinch of rosemary.

Jam and peanut butter

Jam – any flavour – goes perfectly with pancakes. Spread it on, mix and match different flavoured jams if you like, and enjoy.

If you are a fan of peanut butter spread some onto your pancake before the jam. A quick tip: peanut butter can be difficult to spread, so put a few spoonfuls into a bowl and microwave it for a couple of seconds.

Millionaire’s shortbread

Sprinkle a pancake with crushed shortbread, broken chocolate (such as a Flake) and a drizzle of tinned caramel sauce. Easy!

Mixed berries

Top your pancakes with a mixture of berries – or just one type. You could have blueberries, cranberries, raspberries and/or strawberries. Drizzle with honey, golden syrup or maple syrup. Top with whipped cream or crème fraiche.

Rainbow stack

Make a stack of coloured pancakes. To do this, cook pancakes in the usual way but add a drop or two of food colouring to the batter mix.

Stack the pancakes into a giant sandwich by spreading chocolate spread or syrup between each one.

Salted caramel

You could make your own salted caramel sauce, but be careful as it gets extremely hot. Children must only make this sauce under supervision. Tinned caramel sauce is a safer alternative.

Drizzle caramel sauce over your pancakes and top with vanilla ice-cream and salted pretzels.

Sweet pizza

This is great fun as basically you make a pancake look like a pizza.

Use strawberry jam for the tomato base and desiccated coconut for grated cheese. Then add little pineapple chunks, black grapes (for olives), pink mini marshmallows (for ham chunks), and white marshmallows (for mozzarella cheese).

Has your child got any more ideas? Their imagination is the limit…

Savoury pizza

If your child prefers savoury food, they could use actual pizza toppings on their pancake.

Start by spreading the pancake with tomato puree and sprinkling with grated cheese. Then add toppings such as pepperoni, olives, tomato slices, peppers, anchovies and tuna etc.

More easy pancake recipes for children

If your child has enjoyed experimenting with different toppings, they might like to try completely new pancake recipes. We highly recommend Oreo Pancakes and Jaffa Cake Pancakes. Delicious!

For those with savoury tastes, try this easy ham and cheese pancake recipe from BBC GoodFood. This is a great recipe for a child who wants to experiment with savoury fillings.

Bring learning to life with TutorMyKids

At TutorMyKids we believe children learn best through real-world experiences like making pancakes. By making pancakes and experimenting with toppings, for example, children weigh and measure (maths), read and follow instructions (English), and learn through observation and experimentation (all subjects).

Whenever they can, our tutors bring real life into their teaching. They know that when learning is relevant children are motivated and their understanding is greater which leads to further achievement.

Our tutors offer English, maths, science, humanities and language tuition to children in Cambridgeshire. To find out more please contact us today on 01223 858421 or hello@tutormykids.co.uk.

Engineering Week projects children can do at home

Posted on by Claire Hewson

Engineering Week in February celebrates the different ways that engineering is part of our everyday lives, from our washing machines and cars to our mobile phones and toys.

Here we share some engineering projects your child might like to try at home. Challenge your mini Brunel to build these fantastic bridges and towers. How tall/wide/strong can they make their structure?

As well as being great fun, building towers and bridges can develop your child’s problem-solving skills, spatial awareness, hand-eye co-ordination, and social skills too!

Engineering Week Projects

Box towers

For this activity you will need to raid your recycling for boxes of all sizes – Amazon boxes, cereal boxes, shoe boxes, orange juice cartons, tissue boxes – anything and everything. You could make thinner boxes more stable by stuffing them with crumpled scrap paper and taping them up.

Challenge your child to stack the boxes to build the tallest and most stable tower they possibly can.

Pebble towers

You will need a selection of flat pebbles. If you are not planning a trip to the beach, you can buy pebbles cheaply online or from garden centres. The challenge is to build a tall and stable tower from the pebbles. This activity is best done on a flat surface.

There is a lovely picture book called Bring Me a Rock! which is all about a bossy grasshopper king who insists the other animals build him a high throne from pebbles. The tower is about to topple when someone wedges a tiny pebble between the rocks. You could share this story with your child as inspiration if you like. Free readings are available on YouTube.

Pyramid!

Can your child make a pyramid from paper cups?

They could start by placing seven cups upside down in a row, then balancing six upside-down cups on top of those, five on top of those and so on.

Can your child build a taller or a wider pyramid?

This activity could be a great introduction to the Egyptians – those incredible engineers of the ancient world!

Clothes peg and lolly stick bridges

We love this fantastic bridge building project. You need clothes pegs, craft lolly sticks (available online) and bulldog clips. Books could be a replacement for blocks in this project.

Your child can have fun building different types of bridges and testing their strength by placing weights such as toys and books on top.

Index card bridges

To build index card bridges, you need a packet of index cards (or ‘record cards’) which you can buy online or in stationary shop. You also need some small stones (like gravel).

With this project your child might build a beam bridge, an arch bridge and an accordion beam bridge. The challenge is to find out which type of bridge can hold the most stones without collapsing.

Can your child say why they think a particular type of bridge is the strongest?  

Paper bridge

You will need two heavy books, paper, cellotape and some coins.

Make a bridge by placing the two books a distance apart and then putting a piece of paper on top to make a bridge. Put a coin in the middle of the paper bridge and see what happens. Your child will probably notice that the paper sags.

The challenge is for your child to think of a way to stop the bridge sagging in the middle. For instance, could they fold the paper to make the bridge stronger? Could they make a support for the bridge from scrap paper and tape?

Can they make a bridge that is strong enough to hold many coins without sagging?

Would your child benefit from science tuition?

Does your child love engineering and science? Whether they have are fascinated by science or they need support to understand tricky concepts, TutorMyKids can help.

Our science tutors are passionate about their subject, and they want to share their enthusiasm with children. When children are engaged with their learning and enjoy what they are doing they are more likely to reach high standards of achievement.

To find out more about one-to-one science tuition please contact 01223 858 421 or hello@tutormykids.co.uk

Fantastic children’s activities to celebrate Chinese New Year 2022

Posted on by Claire Hewson

Find out about Chinese New Year and join in the 2022 celebrations with these super-easy, super-fun children’s activities, recipes and games.

What is Chinese New Year all about?

There are a few legends surrounding the origins of the Chinese New Year.

According to one such legend thousands of years ago a monster called Nian always attacked villagers at the beginning of every new year. The monster was afraid of the colour red as well as bright lights and noises, so the people used this to scare it away. That is why Chinese celebrations are full of red, gold, vibrant decorations, lights, and a cacophony of sound.

You could help your child to learn about Chinese New Year with the following books and films.

Children’s information books and stories

These books introduce children to Chinese New Year and are a little bit of fun too!

Celebrate Chinese New Year by National Geographic is full of engaging photographs of people celebrating Chinese New Year. The photos might spark discussion and raise lots of questions.

Chinese New Year: We Love Festivals by Saviour Pirotta. With full colour photos and accessible text, this is a great introduction to the ways people celebrate Chinese New Year.

Mr Men: Chinese New Year by Adam Hargreaves and Roger Hargreaves. The Mr Men are having a party with a dragon dance to celebrate Chinese New Year. What could possibly go wrong?

The Runaway Wok by Ying Chang Compestine is a delightful picture book for young children about a wok that escapes from a rich man’s home. It’s a book about generosity which is the true spirit of the Chinese New Year.

Films to bring Chinese New Year 2022 alive

For a young child, you could share CBeebie’s Preparing for Chinese New Year – Let’s Celebrate. This short film shows how families prepare for and celebrate New Year.

An older child might enjoy, How is Chinese New Year Celebrated? It is the story of Nian the monster and the origins of the Chinese New Year.

Finally, you could really bring Chinese New Year to life by watching festivities in China.

Children’s craft activities for Chinese New Year

These easy arts and crafts are suitable for children of all ages.

Moving Tiger

The year 2022 is the Chinese year of the tiger. Your child might like to make this fantastic moving tiger. All you need is cardboard, paint, scissors and split pins.

Panda rock

We love this panda rock painting idea. You will need pebbles and pebble painting pens.

Your child doesn’t have to paint a panda – they can paint anything. How about a tiger to celebrate 2022 or a dragon instead? You could find pictures online or in books for ideas.

Spicy, red playdough

Make some spicy red playdough by mixing 2 cups of flour, ½ cup of salt, 2 tablespoons of cream of tartar, 2 tablespoons of oil, a few drops of red food colouring and some Chinese spices (such as cinnamon and cloves) in a saucepan over a medium heat.  Continue to stir the mixture until it forms a ball.

Once the playdough is cool your child could decorate it with red and gold craft materials such as bottle tops, craft pipe cleaners, gold stars and chocolate coin wrappers – anything you can find at home.

Older children could sculpt dragons from the playdough and craft bits. Imagination is the limit!

Traditional Chinese cooking

Sticky rice is traditionally thought to be good luck at Chinese New Year. The stickiness of the rice is also a symbol of family togetherness. 

Why not have a go at cooking this sweet, coconut-based dessert? It’ delicious and the perfect way to celebrate Chinese New Year.

You will need:

1 x 400ml can coconut milk

2 cups of jasmine rice

½ cup sugar

½ teaspoon salt

Instructions:

  1. Wash the rice in a sieve and keep rinsing it until the water runs clear.
  2. Put the rice and all the other ingredients in a saucepan and bring to the boil.
  3. When the mixture is boiling turn the heat down.
  4. Cover the saucepan and simmer for 20 minutes.
  5. Taste the rice to see if it is cooked. If cooked, serve immediately.

The great family chopstick race

We love the chopstick race. It’s a great game for the whole family, plus good practise with using chopsticks.

To play, give each person a pair of chopsticks, an empty bowl and a bowl filled with an equal number of sweets (like mini marshmallows). You will also need a one-minute timer – an oven timer will do.

The players have one minute to transfer as many sweets into their empty bowl as they can using their chopsticks. Whoever transfers the most sweets is the winner!

To learn to use chopsticks before you play watch Teach your child to use chopsticks. For young children, or anyone who is struggling, try this fantastic chopstick hack.

Does your child love learning?

Whether your child has a passion for a certain subject, or they need help with a specific area of learning, TutorMyKids can help.

Our tutors build on children’s interests and passions and boost their confidence so they develop a ‘can do’ attitude. When children are enthusiastic, motivated and determined we know they are more likely to reach the highest standards of achievement.

We offer tuition in English, maths, humanities and languages to children in Cambridge, Ely, Huntingdon, Newmarket and the surrounding areas.

To find out more about one-to-one tuition please contact 01223 858 421 or hello@tutormykids.co.uk

Guide to the best FREE online educational resources

Posted on by Claire Hewson

Here is our guide to the best free online education resources. We have included resources suitable for children from primary school up to A level, as well as resources for university students and adult learners.

Whether you are a parent who wants to support their child’s learning or a student studying for exams, this guide is for you!

  1. TED-ed

On TED-ed you will find a wealth of lessons created by teachers and turned into animated films. These short films are useful for children of any age and those revising for exams.

You can sort the videos by age range and subject to find what you need. For example, if your child is interested in engineering and they are at primary school they can browse this selection of fabulous engineering films. Films are perfect for building on children’s existing interests or igniting enjoyment in a new subject.

2. It’s Okay To Be Smart

It’s Okay To Be Smart is a science channel on YouTube created by knowledgeable scientist, Joe Hanson. Joe is keen to inspire children to share his passion for exploring science and nature.

Children will find everything here from short documentaries on ‘butt-tickling ants’ and ‘death-eating scavengers’ to films showing elephants living in communities and caring for their young just like people.

There are films that answer children’s big questions such as, ‘Why do we dream?’ and ‘What is nothing?’ We think Joe successfully builds on children’s natural curiosity.

3. National Geographic Kids

We love the National Geographic Kids website. Although it is a paid magazine there are fabulous, free resources on the website that support children’s learning in geography, science and nature. There are quizzes, fact files, films, competitions and games galore.  Check out these bitesize facts about the Great Fire of London and this quiz about comets and meteors as examples.

The website is also brilliant for supporting primary-aged children with learning at home. Under the primary resources tab on the menu bar there are activities and films to help children with every subject from science and maths to phonics and history.

This is an engaging resource which brings learning to life for children – and adults – of all ages. The whole family can learn and discover together.

4. Primary Homework Help

Whatever subject or topic your child is studying at school, they are likely to find support on Primary Homework Help. This is not a fancy website, instead it simply provides key information. Information is clearly written for children to understand and is presented in bite-sized chunks.

Sometimes all a child needs is a straightforward answer to a burning question and they will be able to find it here. Have a look at Why do we have night and day? as an example.

5. National Numeracy Challenge

The National Numeracy Challenge is a website for adults who want to improve their maths. Whether you would like to become better at managing your finances or you want to be able to help your child with their homework – this is the resource for you!

We recommend the National Numeracy Challenge for students who are studying subjects other than maths, but who need to improve their maths skills to support the subject they are studying. The website is also brilliant for teachers and tutors whose specialist subject is not maths – especially those teaching at primary school level.

This resource makes acquiring essential skills enjoyable and can bring a real sense of achievement.

6. Get Revising and Revision World

Get Revising contains a wealth of revision materials and tools across a range of subjects from GCSE to university level. The website aims to make revising fun and we think it succeeds. Using the interactive tools to make notes and plan revision helps students to feel in control of their learning schedule which fosters a positive ‘can do’ attitude. Students can also share resources with others on the site.

Revision World is another revision tool suitable for GCSE and A Level students. The materials here are high-quality and written by a team of education experts.

We recommend checking both websites and choosing the one that suits you best.

Would your child benefit from private tuition?

TutorMyKids offers private tuition across Cambridgeshire including Cambridge, Ely, Huntingdon, Newmarket and the surrounding areas.

We have tutors who specialise in English, maths, humanities and languages and we teach children from primary age up to and including A Level.  

If you are looking for local private tuition, please contact us today on 01223 858 421 or hello@tutormykids.co.uk

Big Energy Saving Week 2022 – get children involved!

Posted on by Claire Hewson

Big Energy Saving Week runs from 17th to 23rd January 2022. Here we share some fun ways you can teach your child about the importance of saving energy and what they can do to help. By saving energy they are looking after our planet and also lowering your household bills.

What is energy?

You could kick off Big energy Saving Week 2022 by drawing your child’s attention to the ingenuity behind energy production. This may help them to appreciate the energy we all take for granted and to be more committed to saving it.

You might share books about how renewable energy is produced, such as:

Renewable Energy Sources – Wind, Solar and Hydro Energy Edition by Baby Professor

How Does it Work? Solar Energy by Baby IQ Builder Books

Wind, Rain, Hydro and Renewable Energy by Baby IQ Builder Books

Renewable Energy Sources – Wind, Solar and Hydro Energy Revised Edition by Baby Professor

If you type ‘how energy is made’ into YouTube you will find a wealth of free films on everything from nuclear power to how energy reaches our homes. Always watch films all the way through yourself before sharing them with your child.

On E.ON’s Energise Anything website you will find lots of activities you can do with children aged 5-18. They can even make their very own lightning storm!

Life without electricity

Show your child how much we rely on power by turning off electronic devices for a couple of hours (or a day if they would really like a challenge).

Ask your child to help you carry out household jobs by hand instead of using the washing machine or dishwasher. This helps them to appreciate how much we rely on energy and they may think twice before putting clothes they have worn just once into the washing basket.

Your child could watch A day in the life of a regency servant from BBC Teach shows which shows what life was like for people before electricity.

Save energy in the house

Each day you could play a game where your child races around the house turning off lights in empty rooms and devices nobody is using. It is important not to leave machines on ‘standby’ as it is a potential fire hazard.

You could turn this race into a family competition to see who can turn off the most unused equipment. If you have a smart meter at home, you could use this to show your child how their efforts are really saving energy.

For an overview of how saving energy protects the environment and what we can all do to help, we recommend watching Protecting our environment by conserving energy from BBC Teach.

Go outside

Playing games outside in the garden or in the park is a great way to save power in the house. Show children how they can warm up outside by running around or cool down in hot weather by sitting in the shade and enjoying the breeze rather than switching on a fan.

Stuck for games to play outside? Read our blog post 10 equipment free outdoor games for ideas.

Save water

A major part of saving energy is using less water. To find out why it is vital to save water you could read Why we should all be saving water from the Energy Trust. Water is a scarce resource and supply in the UK is already struggling to meet demand. People often think our rainy climate means water supply here is not a problem, but this is far from the case.

There is plenty we can do at home to save water. Showers are the biggest water users in the home, and we also use lots of energy heating them up.

You could turn water saving into a game for your child by keeping a tally. Each time your child saves water they could give themselves a point on the tally.

Here are some easy, water-saving ideas:

  • Take showers instead of baths and keep showers short.
  • When brushing your teeth turn off the tap.
  • Use cold water instead of warm water when possible. According to Unicef cold water and warm water are equally effective at killing viruses such as Covid-19 as long as you wash your hands for 20 seconds, use soap and dry your hands completely afterwards.
  • Only use washing machines and dishwashers when they are full.

Did your child enjoy Big Energy Saving Week 2022?

Our specialist science tutors at TutorMyKids can build on your child’s interest in the environment to extend their science skills and knowledge.

All our tutors are science enthusiasts who have a strong academic background and proven track record in teaching. They will adapt their teaching to your child’s learning style, boosting their confidence, which in turn drives achievement.

To find the right science tutor for your child today, please contact us on 01223 858 421 or hello@tutormykids.co.uk

Best children’s Christmas books to bring festive magic

Posted on by Claire Hewson

Nothing brings the magic of Christmas alive more than a brilliant festive story.

The children’s Christmas books we share here have compelling characters, beautiful illustrations, and exciting plots. The books also contain meaningful messages that embody the spirit of Christmas, providing food for thought.

Reviews of the best children’s Christmas books

We think every Christmas book here is a real page-turner that will delight children from aged 2 to 12. Happy Christmas!

A Boy Called Christmas

By Matt Haig

Canongate Books, 2016

This is the story of how Father Christmas came to be Father Christmas. He wasn’t always an old man with a long white beard, once he was a little boy.

The plot is like Dicken’s Oliver Twist in that the main character, Nikolas, runs away from a cruel adult and is eventually rescued. Instead of being rescued by his uncle like Oliver Twist, Nikolas is rescued by Santa’s elves. Like a Dickens tale Matt Haig’s story is full of fantastical, quirky characters and the plot twists, turns and surprises which makes it a difficult book to put down!

Bursting with Christmas wonder, yet touching on some tricky subjects including abuse, death, grief and trust, this is a must-read book for children aged 8 years plus.

Little Robin Red Breast

Jan Fearnley

Nosy Crow, 2019

This magical story for young children embodies the Christmas spirit as it is about generosity and kindness. The plot is similar to Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s The Smartest Giant in Town except that a robin instead of a giant gives away his best clothes to help animals in need. 

By Christmas Eve Little Robin has given away all his warm, woolly vests to keep other animals warm and he has nothing left to wear himself. Shivering with cold he’s rescued by Father Christmas who says how proud he is of him and gives him a hand-knitted red vest that will keep him ‘warm forever’ and make other people ‘feel warm too’.

Mouse’s Night Before Christmas

By Tracey Corderoy and Sarah Massini

Nosy Crow, 2019

It is Christmas Eve and everybody is asleep.  Mouse, who lives inside a grandfather clock, pops his head out and sees a star on top of the family Christmas tree.  He scrambles to the top of the star and makes a wish. As he makes his wish, he hears a commotion outside.  It’s Santa and he’s lost!  Mouse climbs aboard Santa’s sleigh and shows him the way to go.  Mouse helps Santa to fill the stockings, so all the children receive their presents before daybreak. 

When it is time for Santa to leave Mouse is sad.  He’s been feeling lonely and has enjoyed having some company for a change.  As Santa leaves, he tells Mouse he heard the wish he made on the star.  He gives Mouse a present – it’s two pairs of ice-skates.  Full of hope Mouse follows a map Santa has given him which leads him to a lonely bird who is also in need of a friend. They ice skate hand-in-hand across a frozen pond, skating the words The End.

This is a wonderful story about thinking of others and the value of friendship which captures the Christmas spirit.

Pip and Posy: The Christmas Tree

Axel Scheffler

Nosy Crow, 2019

Pip and Posy are busy decorating their Christmas tree with home-made biscuits and candy canes. The strange thing is that each time Posy goes into the kitchen to fetch something, a decoration vanishes from the tree. ‘When Posy came back, she noticed that one of the candy canes was missing. “There were four candy canes,” she said. “But now there are only three.”’ 

Soon there are no decorations left and Pip is feeling strangely sick.  He confesses that he has eaten all the decorations and apologises to Posy. Together they go out for some fresh air to make Pip feel better.  Then they return to make more decorations for the tree – this time, paper ones!

We love this story of friendship and forgiveness, and it also helps young children with their maths skills.

Santa Clause Vs the Easter Bunny

By Fred Blunt

Andersen Press, 2019

The Easter Bunny lives next door to Santa, and he is fed up. Every Christmas children say thank you to Santa by leaving him treats – rice pudding in Denmark, mince pies and sherry in England, milk and cookies in America. On top of that, Santa is helped by a team of elves. The Easter Bunny receives no treats and no help and he’s feeling jealous, so he hatches a plan to punish Santa and the children.

In the dead of night, the Easter Bunny sneaks into Santa’s workshop and fills the toy machines with chocolate. On Christmas Day, the Easter Bunny gleefully switches on the television to enjoy the upset he has caused. However, things don’t go to plan because the children are delighted with their chocolate aeroplanes and bicycles!

The Easter Bunny shuts up shop and prepares to leave home, but at that moment Santa knocks on the door. Santa makes him an offer he can’t refuse – they will be a team!  The Easter Bunny is given full access to Santa’s machines and elf power, and he is rewarded with all the carrots he can eat (thanks to the reindeer who are sick of carrots anyway). 

This is a delightfully funny story with an important message. Although what the Easter Bunny did was wrong, Santa understood why he felt jealous and helped him rather than punishing him.

Does your child need help with reading?

The ability to read is fundamental – it makes nearly all other learning possible. That is why TutorMyKids only recruit reading tutors who are experienced, qualified teachers.

Reading difficulties can include issues with decoding, lack of comprehension skills or difficulty tracking texts. Some children just need a short-term boost from a tutor and others require longer term support.

Whatever your child needs, we will match them with a tutor who has the right experience. Your child’s tutor will tailor their teaching to ensure your child reaches their full potential and discovers the joy of reading.

To find out how we can help, talk to us today on 01223 858 421 or hello@tutormykids.co.uk