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Five Minute Mum

Five minute fun activities for busy people to do with little kids

Advice + Tips

From Five Minute Mum

Getting Our Child a Phone

Our eldest, Ewan, turned 11 in June. He started secondary school this September (2025). One of the biggest talking points my husband and I have had over the course of this year is whether or not to get him a phone, and if so which one. This blog is about our decision making process.

A Child with a Broken Arm - top tips!

Information and tips and advice from when Ewan broke his arm!

My Top 5 Teacher Gifts

Every year I am asked about what gifts I get for teachers, to pass on my gratitude to the poor souls who have had to wrangle my children through the education system for the past year so I thought I’d share my 5 top gifts with links and discount codes to help you out!

Screens and a guest blog from Nicholas Carlisle

We are part of the first wave of parents raising our children in a world where screens and online electronic devices are dominant in society, and we are now navigating how we manage screens and devices at home with them, as a family, with limited knowledge. I thought I’d share a few of my…

Water Safety with the RLSS

Top tips on keeping children safe around water for Drowning Prevention Week (17th June - 24th June) in partnership with the Royal Life Saving Society UK.

Moving House and Schools

As the new year swings around again I am reminded that it is now two years since we decided to leave the only town our children had ever called home, and move across to the other side of the country. In the middle of a pandemic. I know, what were we thinking? But for us it was the right thing to…

Using doll play to help toddlers with a new baby

I’m sure like many of you who have also awaited another arrival, doubts spun endlessly around my head. So I got a doll to help prepare for having a new baby around, and I wanted to share with you what I found useful and the tips I’ve passed on to my brother and his wife for my niece and the…

Children’s Birthdays

Ah the birthday. Swings round faster and faster each year doesn’t it, and often makes us parents look back over photos of years gone by with rose tinted glasses thinking a two year old on a potty looks cute, forgetting you’re stood behind the camera silently begging them not to sh*t on the…

The Building Blocks of Learning

I spoke about this on my Instagram stories the other day but I thought I should perhaps get it down on the blog as I got quite a strong response to it on messages.

Anti-racism - some thoughts and resources

I have been writing this blog for the best part of a year. As I have learned (and un-learned) more about racism I have added to it, altered it, gone away to research some more, wanted to try to make sure what I was saying was accurate and reflected the seriousness of this subject, but in my usual…

Playing Together

I recently asked those who watch my Instagram stories what they wanted from see more of from me. Obviously I assumed the overwhelming request would be more of my incredibly coordinated and professional kitchen dancing, but amazingly no. It was people asking for ideas of how to play my games with…

ALL DAY at home with kids - how do I structure the day?

I’ve been getting an increasing number of messages from people who are at home with kids in lockdown. I feel it could be imminent for us here in the UK too. So in order to try and help I am going to write and do a few things to give parents stuck at home with kids an idea of how to not go…

Mental Health

So here’s a massive topic. And what on earth do I know about it? Well, I’m no expert, as we all know. I’m a subscriber to the half-arsed way of parenting that means I can get away with doing as little as possible but still have a continuously positive impact on my children. I want them to…

Sibling Play

Got more than one child? Oh you don’t have to worry then because as soon as you have two they can play together right? WRONG! ;) Sometimes they might play yes, but they are equally as likely to be trying to dismantle each other’s limbs with accompanying squeals that drill tiny holes through…

Independent Play

Well, this is a huge topic. I get asked about it almost daily. Here are my top five tip for how to encourage your children to play independently and why it is so important to have this as part of your daily playtime...

An Open Letter to Mrs. Hinch

If you don’t know who Mrs. Hinch is, then here’s a brief intro. Sophie Hinchliffe is the cleaning extraordinaire who’s instagram account @mrshinchhome has taken the world by storm and is continuing to rapidly grow towards two million followers.

Homework Tips

I was recently asked by the team at education.com to see if I’d like to have a try of one of the Autumn worksheets on their website. These are free downloadable printables for you to do at home with your little ones, and are themed around the seasons.

Five Minute Mum’s Top Toys

Ready for some imaginary bloke in a red suit to take ALL the credit for your hard work over the next few months, while you painstakingly gather ideas, generously buy toys and dodgily wrap them? No me neither, but here’s something that must just help a wee bit. At least for the ideas part. I…

It Doesn’t Always Work

I wanted to write this blog post because I’ve said it before on my social media pages but I can’t quite always convey what I mean within those limited characters so here’s the truth…it doesn’t always work.

Starting School

Starting School is daunting, exciting, emotional, and I’m not even talking about the kids here! It’s a big logistical change to a routine you’ve probably had for a few years now, and a new prospect for your child and you as a parent. But don’t worry, I’m here to help guide you through it.

Why I won’t be doing games for 0-12m

Bit of an unusual post for me this. But I’ve been thinking about it all week and thought…do you know what, I just need to ‘fess up! So a couple of weeks ago I was asked by a few lovely followers (after my last post on activities and games for babies 1-2 years old) if I could post some ideas…