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Rachel McFedries

Occupational Therapist | play educator

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Category: Indoor activities

Posted on July 11, 2019July 11, 2019

How Alexa Helps Us Stay Off Screens

Yes I know. It seems a little counter-intuitive, doesn't it? Bring a "smart device" into your home, and it will reduce the time your kids…

Continue reading → How Alexa Helps Us Stay Off Screens

Posted on April 23, 2019

Autumn Sun Catchers – A Perfect School Holiday Activity

Looking for a fun, cheap Autumn nature craft activity to do with the kiddos over the last few days of the holidays? A few years…

Continue reading → Autumn Sun Catchers – A Perfect School Holiday Activity

Posted on March 29, 2019March 29, 2019

Homemade Gummies – not as difficult as you’d think.

When I first saw bloggers/other Mums making their own gummies I thought "woah, that's hard core, they must be super-mums". Nevertheless, the more I read…

Continue reading → Homemade Gummies – not as difficult as you’d think.

Posted on December 16, 2018December 17, 2018

Open Ended Toys and Shopping Small: What Our Kids are Getting for Christmas.

I thought I'd share what my kids will be getting for Christmas this year. Not because anyone's asked. But because I'm a blogger, so that's…

Continue reading → Open Ended Toys and Shopping Small: What Our Kids are Getting for Christmas.

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Even though this pregnancy has been my most challenging, there are still many moments of JOY. Taking a moment to slow down and enjoy these moments has been priceless. . #findjoy #findjoyinthejourney #mytinymoments #momentsofmine #mumofthree #mumoffour #36weeks #36weekspregnant #handsfullheartfull #mumlife #parenting #motherhood #motherhoodthroughinstagram #mothering #mindfulmotherhood #mindfulmoment #mindfulness
Do not recommend spraining your ankle at 35 weeks. Other things I do not recommend: going out in public, leaving the house, trying to be a parent, trying to do too much, eating a whole packet of ready salted chips, wearing pants (maxi dresses is where it’s at). . What I DO recommend: asking for help, lying on the couch, going bra-less, resting, eating healing foods, acupuncture, and recovering! . I’m now almost 37 weeks, and given I had my first at 37+5, this really is the business end of things! Yeow! Ankle is feeling a little better every day. As long as I follow my own advice and don’t do too much 😆 . #pregnancy #35weeks #everydayimshufflin #hibernation #motherhood #babyonboard #sprainedankle
⚡️Last sale until next year. Get help to reduce screens and unlock PLAY in your house. . Yes I’m going on maternity leave. Almost 40 weeks pregnant = 40% discount on my online course for YOU 🌟 . Maybe you’re a Mama with a wee babe & toddler in the house. The screen time has crept up. . Maybe your Winter was hard and screen time crept up. . Maybe you’ve just got one kiddo and you want to get your family set up for less-screen success. . Whatever your scenario, you can take advantage of this discount until midnight Sunday ⏰ . This course has 2.5hrs of online coaching to take you through a science based process designed to set you and your family up for successful change 🙌 . It’s a series of videos with the latest research about screentime, support to set goals, set up your home for play, and unlock play that YOUR kids will THRIVE in. . Check out more info in my bio link, or highlights reel x . And please feel free to ask any questions! . {Enter code 40off at checkout to get the discounted price of $89.40, expires midnight Sunday 20 Oct}
{Free download} 🌟 I've compiled my top five tips to unlock play into a handy flyer. You can stick on your fridge, show your partner, or just use it to remind yourself when the kids are asking for the TV or iPad *again*. . What you get: A two page printable with easy tips to implement {Print it double sided A4 for best results.} . Enough info to be able to put into place some new strategies to help cut back your kids' screen time. . Link in bio! ⤴️ . If you are looking for help to start cutting back your kids screen time then this could be it ✔️ . More help and support available through my online course; flash sale launching TOMORROW ⚡️
Confession: my kids have never watched the Baby Shark video. But do they know the song?! YES! And do they drive me crazy singing it over and over?! YES! 🦈 . Same goes for Paw Patrol: they know the characters’ names, but I can count on one hand the amount of times they’ve watched the episodes 🐶... and also Minecraft - they know what that is, too! Only ever seen it around in other places; never had it in our house 🤷🏻‍♀️ . So if you’ve ever wondered or had a slight worry that your kids might “miss out” if they don’t watch popular TV/Netflix/use games at a young age, then DON’T. They won’t be the “odd ones out”. They will still be able to join in on playground games with their peers 💜. They *pick it up* from their peers, it’s just like they magically absorb it. . Don’t let this false fear stop you from reducing their screen time, if it’s something that’s holding you back. Popular culture surrounds us EVERY day. It is a part of their lives on the school/kindy playground. It surrounds them the shopping aisle of the supermarket even 🤷🏻‍♀️ . There is no way that they will “miss out” if you choose to have less of it in your home 🌟 . If you’re looking for support to reduce their screen time, check the link in my bio @rachel_mcfedries Watch this space 👀 I have a flash sale ⚡️ launching in the next few days.
“I could fit inside your tummy I think, if I curled up really small” ~ Mr 6 😳 Errrr I don’t think so dude! . Seriously these guys are so intrigued by the whole pregnancy and birth process. It’s been really neat to involve them in the journey. It’s a very different experience having older kids this time - our age gaps are small so the boys were only 2.5 and almost 4 when their little sister was born! Seriously, the things they come up with are rather amusing 😆 . One of the reasons I’m looking forward to another home birth is so that these guys can experience it alongside us. I know it’s an entirely personal thing, but for our family (and me) as long as they have a support person alongside, I welcome them to be part of their siblings’ birth. It’s a pretty magical thing to witness and helps to normalise birth for them! Our eldest still remembers snippets from his sister’s birth and talks about it with us occasionally ❤️ . Did you have your older children at a sibling’s birth? . #homebirth #family #mumofthree #threekids #soontobefour #siblings #birth #birthwithoutfear #empoweredbirth #pregnancy #35weeks #midwivesareawesome #kidquotes #funnythingskidssay #sixyearolds
I don’t really care about certificates or reading levels. I don’t really care about where my kids are “up to” on the curriculum. I don’t really care about those things at all. . THIS is what I care about. THIS is what makes me proud. . That they made their own mud pit. That they made up imaginary games in it for hours. That they crafted a bridge out of a perfectly formed muddy sandy clay mix. That they helped each other and worked as a team. That they invited their little sister into play. That they helped wash her down after she got all muddy. That they had a water fight, laughed with each other, and gave little sister a lick of an ice block after she fell and grazed her knee. . That they can play for hours on end. That they care about one another and show empathy. That they are creative, happy, and settled. . THIS is what I am proud of. . #freeplay #letthembelittle #playallday #playoutside #natureplay #backyardplay #mudplay #mymagicalmoments #mytinymoments #childhoodunplugged #parenting #schoolholidays #brothers
Wet chalk painting 🎨 a relaxing Friday afternoon creative session for the three kids at my house this afternoon 💖 They loved colour mixing and creating masterpieces. The wet chalk is a beautiful smooth texture, lovely to draw with and mix! . The best thing about this is you can start off with dry chalk, extend that to making the chalk wet💧then extend it some *more* by introducing different textures/things to draw on 🙌. I added some large flat stones when they were almost finished colouring the wood and it kept them engaged for a wee while longer 🌟 . They were so proud of their masterpieces. Ages 5, 3, and 2 years. . Have been dying to try this since seeing it on @naturallycuriouschildren’s account in the middle of our NZ Winter 😆 finally getting outside more now that it’s Spring ☀️
Have you ever wondered why an Occupational Therapist is so passionate about play? I mean, don’t OT’s just go into people’s workplaces and assess their workspaces? 🤔😆 . Occupational therapy as a whole can be a very misunderstood profession. People assume the term “occupation” is related to people getting jobs, keeping jobs, etc. And whilst that’s true in some roles, it’s just a tiny slice of OT world. . It can be helpful to think of the term “occupation” as “activity”. And for kids, their main activity/job is PLAY. . Play is how children learn, grow, develop and thrive. Occupational Therapists are experts in analysing the occupation of play! . And if something is a barrier to play, then we can help problem solve and recommend solutions. . Which is why I talk so much about screen time, which can be a major barrier to play. If parents are having to manage the resulting screen time tantrums, withdrawal, and settling their kids back into play, it can result in *less time* overall in play. Settled, child-led free play helps kids thrive. . It goes to say I’m pretty obsessed with play and helping families on their journeys to ‘less screens, more play’. I love chatting play, barriers to play, managing screens in a healthy realistic way, and thriving kids. . Play is the way. Play is a child’s work. Play is magic!

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