Summer is here! Our thoughts naturally turn to fun in the sun, holidays and quality time outdoors. For mums, dads and anyone caring for a child though, the sun is just another item on our never-ending ‘dangers to overcome’ list. So how do we keep our precious babies safe during these hot summer months? Planning…

If water isn’t on your list of regular baby and toddler activities then you are missing out on something amazing. Free, fun and fantastically versatile, water can draw out chuckles from even the tiniest of tots. Most water activities can be adapted to suit all stages; great if you have more than one child at…

Things to do with a baby and an older child Having your first baby is an amazing experience and most parents find themselves able to be completely baby­-centric as they only have one child on which to focus. However, when you have your second child, it’s not so simple and you’ll find yourself having to…

The Education Minister, Liz Truss would like school nurseries to open from 8 am – 6 pm. Michaela gives her views on this suggestion. “At Bumpkins we start our day at 7.30 am and we don’t close our doors till 6.30 pm, so I would like to think Liz Truss would be very happy with…

Messy play might not be everyone’s idea of a good time because, as the name suggests, it is inherently very messy! But toddlers and babies love it and it is great fun, once you get into the swing of it. It’s also fantastic for their cognitive development and developing those fine motor skills. Touching, feeling…

Valentine’s Day Crafts to Enjoy With Your Toddler Valentine’s Day is a great excuse to get out the boxes of bits and bobs and start crafting with your children! Here are some lovely ideas to keep you inspired! Baking is always lots of fun; children love getting their hands dirty and there’s nothing quite like…

The Bumpkins Nature Rangers was set up to enable all children to have direct contact with nature. Evidence and research highlights the fact that in our ever changing society children are spending less and less time playing outside and this has huge implications on their overall well being and development. Nature Rangers enables the children…

Christmas Crafts for Toddlers Here are our Bumpkins suggestions for some simple Christmas crafts to enjoy with your toddler   Now it’s time the trees are popping up in the shops (and some keen houses) let the creative juices flow and get the children interested in Christmas by crafting.   

First Days at Nursery This is a guest post from a mummy who has recently settled her child into our nursery. Leaving your child at nursery for that first day can be really nerve wracking for many parents. You may have spent a full 12 months with your child and that feeling of handing them…

Vanessa’s 101 Commandments – otherwise known as Bumpkins Staff Guidelines Bumpkins is loved by parents because it’s a relaxed, homely environment. But we are also professionals, working in an environment where rules, policies and procedures are very important. A parent asked us about “Vanessa’s 101 Commandments” recently – because a member of staff had commented…