Garden · Giveaway

Help Your Schools to Get Out and Grow!

Here at Mum’s the Word, we’ve been long-time supporters of the Get Out and Grow campaign, pioneered by Sudocrem, in association with Greenfingers charity and Cliffton Nurseries, with the goal of getting children out of the house and into the garden. They sent us some facts which are, quite frankly, a little bit sad..

Despite the fact that 87% of British households have a garden, over half of British children between 4 and 8 are unable to name 5 vegetables or fruits grown in them and 95% were unable to name 3 herbs. Many of those couldn’t identify gardening tools, with only 8% able to identify a trowel, 80% never having seen a rake before and, worrying, 79% believing worms are bad for plants. 

73% of those asked said they had never grown a sunflower, while only 8% had ever picked an apple, which perhaps explains why they’re unable to name even one. Less than 10% had dug up a vegetable and only 6% had ever eaten a fresh pea from the pod. Based on this evidence, it is perhaps unsurprising that only 20% have ever eaten a vegetable they’ve grown themselves.

Sudocrem is now expanding the initiative to include schools, based on the figures that 90% of children said that they would like a garden at school and at one primary school in Lincolnshire, a school garden made all the difference when it came to pupil’s behaviour.

The Benjamin Adlard Primary School, run by headmaster Sam Coy, was previously rated by Ofsted as one of Britain’s worst schools. Four years and one school garden later, and the Gainsborough school has won the national Pearson award for School of the Year: Making a Difference.

Headmaster Coy insists: “The children absolutely love den-building, just generally getting dirty and nature hunts. One child recently told me that he loves going to the forest school on a Tuesday afternoon so much as it helps him to behave all week as he never wants to not be able to go.”

We’re absolutely delighted that Sudocrem is offering people the chance to nominate schools which they think could benefit from their very own gardening kits, and they’ve asked Mum’s the Word to be an ambassador for the project.

All you need to do is comment below the name of the school you wish to nominate and why you think they deserve one of the kits, comprising of gloves, spades, wheelbarrow and much more to get the school’s garden into full bloom. The kits are worth £160, but having the tools to get outside could be worth SO much more to the kids of the school you nominate.

Leave your comment by Sunday 9th of June and we could have the kit sent to the winning school before the summer holiday begin.

(Winner will be chosen by me, prizes will be provided by Satellite PR and sent straight to the winning school, no monetary alternative will be offered, all decisions are final)
Environment · Family · Giveaway

Win a Sudocrem ‘Get Out and Grow’ Bag Worth £40

Husband and I have always been passionate about getting the kids outdoor and spend a lot of time educating them about nature. It’s something we both find really interesting and that love of all things nature-related really seems to have permeated down to the kids, too. We’ve lived out in the countryside for almost 4 years now and we absolutely love it – we all agree that our very favourite thing about living out here is the huge variety of wildlife that we get to see every day.

That’s why, when I read the results of a survey conducted by Sudocrem, I couldn’t help but feel a little sad. Here’s what they found:

“Whilst 87% of British households do have a garden, it’s clear growing isn’t something that families do together. Over half of British children between 4 and 8 are unable to name 5 vegetables or fruits grown in this country, with 95% unable to name 3 herbs. Many of those couldn’t identify basic gardening tools, with only 8% able to identify a trowel, 80% never having seen a rake before and, worrying, 79% believing worms are bad for plants. 

73% of those asked said they had never grown a sunflower, while only 8% had ever picked an apple, which perhaps explains why they’re unable to name even one. Less than 10% had dug up a vegetable and only 6% had ever eaten a fresh pea from the pod. Based on this evidence, it is perhaps unsurprising that only 20% have ever eaten a vegetable they’ve grown themselves.”

That’s why we’ve teamed up with Sudocrem to give away TWO Get Out and Grow goody bags, containing a whole load of stuff that will help kids to get outside and learn all about planting their own produce.

Goody bags contents for 2-5 yr olds include:
– Get Out and Grow branded drawstring bag
– Get Out and Grow branded t-shirt for 3-4 yr olds
– My Little Sudocrem
– Child’s gardening gloves
– Small watering can
– Mini gorilla gardening tub
– Flower seed packet
– Lavender seed packet
– A few coloured sticks to use as plant markers

The packs contain over £40 worth of goodies and winning one couldn’t be simpler. Just leave me a comment below telling me what your favourite variety of apple is! The giveaway will stay open until 26th April 2019, so you’ve got plenty of time to enter. 

Giveaway · Happiness · Health

Seeds Pack the Ultimate Punch (Giveaway)

Any parent of young children will be familiar with those times when you grab for something – anything – that will give you the energy to get through the next few hours without falling asleep on your laundry pile or sink full of dishes. A tablespoon of peanut butter at 9pm; half a baguette at 5am; handfuls of dry cereal as the older kids eat breakfast and you look for your keys, and shoes.

While pregnant we are endlessly mindful about what we eat, drink and breathe. We look after our bodies for the sake of our precious, unborn child and are glowing, buoyant gatekeepers – eating well, taking our vitamins and drinking our litres of water. But once baby is born we all-too-often become janitors – shuffling through the day on just enough empty calories to keep us upright and putting all the focus on keeping the children healthy. Actually the truth is that eating a healthy, nutritious diet while breastfeeding, or through days of little sleep, or while balancing households full to the brim with dependents, is just as important as during those serene, pregnant days. And prioritizing a balanced diet of healthy, whole foods for mum – plate-spinner and family-pivot – is crucial for our health, energy, happiness and mental health.

And here’s where we come to the star of the show – seeds – which really do pack a punch for such a small player. Seeds provide us with a wide range of essential oils and nutrients and fall within the guidelines of most dietary restrictions. Snacking on seeds not only offers fantastic health benefits, providing much-needed nutrients, they are full of slow-release energy, so perfect for long days (and nights) as parents of young children.

Share the Love

And let’s not stop there. Seeds are great for kids too. With so many nut allergies around, seeds are a safe go-to gap-filler. And their slow-release energy is a winner when it comes to being focused. Unlike the peak and crash of a high sugar snack, it’s well documented that eating whole foods result in better application, concentration and stamina for the classroom, pitch and playground.

Don’t know your linseed from your birdseed? Don’t worry. Allow us to shepherd you through the seeds currently topping the pops, how best to use them and their various life-bettering properties.Chia means ‘strength’ and as far as fuel goes, it doesn’t get much better than this. Chia seeds are full of nutrients and, unlike some seeds, come with very few calories. Harvested from a flowering plant in the mint family, these seeds can absorb a lot of liquid – they expand to hold about ten times their dry weight. Chia is a real all-rounder; it’s used in puddings and porridge, added to smoothies and sprinkled on salads.

Flaxseed (also called linseed) is packed full of good things including dietary fiber, omega-3 and vitamin B1 – you can see why it is often referred to as wonder food. You have to grind flaxseed before using it but once you’ve done that labour of love, you can add it to anything from morning porridge to homemade bread.

Pumpkin seeds have long been a favourite for healthy snackers, and they haven’t lost their appeal. Bringing vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and essential acids with every handful, these seeds are seriously versatile. They can be eaten raw or cooked in sweet or savoury dishes – or simply roasted for a super on-the-go snack.

Sunflower seeds are crunchy and nutty and usually eaten plain as a snack or simply sprinkled on salads. Filled with antioxidants, magnesium, copper and Vitamin E, they are top of their game and are even said to bring a glow to tired skin! Filled with goodness that’s drawn straight from the sun, they become the star of the show in recipes such as sunflower seed pesto and homemade bread.

Seeds really do deserve the hype. And there’s family fun to be had growing them too. Summer is around the corner, the sun will be shinning and kids love planting and getting their hands dirty so grab a paper cup, pop a few sunflower seeds and soil into it and get kids growing their own in your own home. And for those of us who don’t have the time to brush our hair let alone grow seeds, there’s 9NINE.

9NINE products celebrate super seeds and are the perfect snack for people who care about their well-being but don’t always have time to prepare snacks from scratch. Seeds provide big tastes for even the smallest occasions – if you aren’t already, it’s time to take seeds seriously!

Nutrients in 9NINE:

Magnesium restores mindfulness with good energy
Fibre boosts your body with good digestion
Copper activates your immune system
Phosphorous looks after your mental energy
Vitamin E gets your skin glowing
Thiamin gets the best energy out of your food

Potassium gives your heart the love it deserves
Manganese maintains strength through healthy bones
Calcium keeps the balance with happy hormones
Zinc gives a natural immune boost
Protein is an essential building block for a balanced life
Iron keeps oxygen moving around the body

To win a collection of goodies from 9NINE, leave me a comment below telling me which of the ingredients you need the most at the moment, be it calcium for the happy hormones, zinc for your immune system or something else!

Winners will be drawn at random on 4th July 2017, no cash alternative will be offered.

Giveaway · Review

MUM’s Office Diary Review and Address Book Giveaway

You’d think, given the amount of time that I spend on my smartphone, that I would be using it’s calendar to its fullest potential, using it to organise the family, but regardless of what device I’m using I’ve just never really liked using a digital calendar. I think it’s because I like it all just there to see, on a page, in my own handwriting preferably. I’ve been looking for a paper diary for 2017 for a while now, something that I can use to keep track of the whole family but haven’t been able to find anything which has everything I need…until I discovered MUM’s Office!

This is the Mum’s Office MUMs Diary 2017, with a week-to-view on one page and a grid arrangement on the opposite page, allowing me to have a column for myself, Husband, Sausage and Burrito Baby. I chose the French Navy colour which comes with teal print inside, basically my two favourite colours, and it looks really stylish (something I am usually NOT!).

MUM's Office Diary 2017

What I love about this diary is that it has SO many little clever touches to make your life easier. There’s an elastic loop on the side to keep your pen attached (how many hours have I lost to spending time digging in my bag for a pen?!), there’s a cardboard pouch on the inside back cover for keeping slips, receipts and all the other annoying bits of paper which usually end up on my car floor, there’s a whole section for logging pocket money (the ex-accounts assistant in me finds this very appealing!) and it all just looks lovely. 

MUMs Office Diary 2017

Another part which is absolutely genius is the “In Case I Lose my Mobile” section, a whole area for writing phone numbers just in case your mobile phone goes walkies, as well as term planners, important info for you, your partner and your kids and even a section for planning travel. You might think that a diary containing this many pages would need to be huge, but it’s a really good, baggable size without being heavy or cumbersome. Honestly, I’m in love.

The lovely folk at MUMs Office also make address books and they’ve kindly given me one to give away to my lovely readers. All you need to do is fill in the Rafflecopter widget below for your chance to win! I’ll draw the winner on Christmas Eve at 5pm and the prize will be sent out as soon as the postal service resumes.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

Days Out · Family · Giveaway

Win Four Tickets to Rave-a-Roo at Ministry of Sound!

Rave-a-Roo Ministry of Sound LondonI must admit, when it comes to kids events I’m definitely not your average ‘bunting and cake stands’ kinda Mum and I love to do things with the girls which are just a little bit different. That’s why, when I heard about Rave-a-Roo, I was very excited. Without even reading too much about the event, I came to the conclusion that ANY family event which is held at Ministry of Sound in London is probably ridiculously cool, and after reading more I definitely wasn’t wrong!

Here’s what the guys at Rave-a-Roo had to say about the events:

Rave-A-Roonies are in for a real treat, as the biggest and best family rave fest returns with a host of new dates! Taking place at London’s iconic Ministry of Sound club on Saturday 1st October and Saturday 15th October, Rave-A-Roo is back with an even more jam-packed line-up of family festival fun.

With live stage performances, madcap hosts and DJs including DJ Cuddles and Mr Ben, Rave-A-Roo focuses on the whole family partying and playing together. The incredible Jungle Jane and Tiger Tim (renowned comedy duo Kat and Matt) will also be performing their brand new hilarious show that’s not to be missed!There is also the chance for mini-clubbers and adults to take on the dance floor with resident artists Go! Go! Go! (Electro set) as seen on Nick Jr.

 The event is broken into three zones targeted at families with children up to the age of 12. Energy levels are set high in the Main Room with live music and entertainment, spectacular lights, Disco Ball Games, and an impressive confetti mayhem finale to top it all off.For mini guests who need a little time out from partying, the Glow Chill Room is the place to be! With neon crafts and a UV glitter tattoo station, this space provides the perfect environment to relax and take time out. Children under-three can also join the party in The Funky Softplay Room, featuring soft play, a mini ball pool, air jugglers and café del mar style music.

Jenny Kane, event co-founder said: “Since the first event back in February, Rave-A-Roo has gone from strength to strength and we’re delighted to be adding a host of new dates to the calendar.

“Rave-A-Roo gives kids and families the chance to let loose, be themselves and party together. From babes in arms to grandparents, the whole family is invited to Rave-A-Roo which is for everyone and all ages.”

With a fully licensed bar (and tea, coffee and snacks), spotless surroundings, a convenient onsite buggy park, baby changing with handy supplies, professional security and staff, carefully monitored sound levels and beautifully lit rooms, Rave-A-Roo offers a unique and safe environment for families. 

Sessions are 12pm to 2pm and 3pm to 5pm.

I absolutely love the sound of this – Husband and I spent a LOT of time in clubs in our youths and I definitely miss it at times so having the chance to convert that into something which is family friendly and can be enjoyed with the girls sounds like a stroke of pure genius to me. Now, here’s the good bit: I’ve got four tickets (two adult tickets and two kids tickets) to give away to the event on Saturday 15th October. All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning is complete the Rafflecopter widget below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck! We can’t wait to pick a winner!

rar-logo