Nikki will be discussing the importance of rhythms and seasons for children and families sometime after 6.15am tomorrow.  Tune in for some creative ideas.

We get so uptight about doing things perfectly, from providing our children with a perfect education to the perfect party, and the most perfect life we can create for them (and more). Our pursuits can be accurately called perfection addiction — a process that calls us into judgement all the time, mostly with ourselves because we feel guilty if we don’t measure up to our expectations, which is often the picture of looking good, to the outside world.

I was recently reminded by Irish philosopher and leadership expert, Sean Weafer, that the essence of life is not about being perfect but about perfecting. We are all walking a unique path in the company of others. We must discover and uncover that uniqueness — and children will help you to do just that — if you give them half a chance to be their authentic selves instead of training them to play the looking good game too.

We fall in to this trap so easily because society supports it, and because we have become so numb to our own emotions, our own need to feel. So, when it comes to birthday parties, for example, do we allow our children to get involved in making the invitations, decorations, the food and wrapping the prizes? Or do we keep all these things to ourselves, calling it hard work, instead of fun? Do our children get to really live their parties — to breath life into them — which include the planning, the putting together as well as the enjoyment of the event itself, or are they just visitors dropping in for a while to attend a well-executed event?

They need and want to be part of the process, not just the pretty outcome. It’s part of how memories are made, and how lifeskills are acquired. It’s part of building a life and living it. It’s about living, loving and appreciating.

We will all do things differently and hold varying opinions, from birthday parties to our children’s education and how we spend our time and our money. On many issues there is no longer a strictly right or wrong or black and white answer. Rather, there are many shades of grey often due to diverse backgrounds, religions, circumstances, family make up, financial situations etc. These are the things that impact on our choices or our ability to make choices, and we need to honour our journey of perfecting that which we are, and that which we are becoming.

“Out on the edge of town, beyond the place of right and wrong; there is a field.

Let’s meet there.”

Rumi

I look forward to journeying with many of you at some of my up and coming workshops in May and June. Let’s move beyond the pursuit of perfection to authentic connection — with ourselves and our children. They can tell the difference! Click here for my diary, and here for May workshop dates and here for June workshop dates.

BEYOND THE NAPPY BAG

Monday, 9 May 2011                
9am to 12pm
Venue: Douglasdale, GAUTENG
Cost:  R350.00 per head including delicious refreshments & notes
Bookings:  info@brightideasoutfit.co.za
 

Join Nikki Bush for a fun and interactive workshop covering:
• the specific perceptual skills your child needs to acquire within the first 6 years of life in order to be ready for school
• how to really be creative with your classic toys such as: shape sorters and stackers, threading and pegging games, matching and association games, puzzles, gross motor equipment, construction toys, etc.

This workshop takes parents well beyond what’s in the instruction leaflets. Parents are encouraged to put their own stamp on their child’s play experiences by using their imagination, adding love letters, breaking the rules and combining games in order to create more games! Come prepared to play.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
Parents of 2 – 5 year olds

BIRTHDAY TALK

Saturday, 14 May 2011
9am – 12pm    OR     2pm – 5pm
Venue: Bryanston Sports Club, BRYANSTON, Gauteng
Cost:  R175.00 per head including delicious refreshments and notes
Bookings: info@brightideasoutfit.co.za
 
Birthday Talk  is for busy mums (or dads) of 2 – 8 year olds who attend a lot of children’s parties…….
Speaker and author Nikki Bush, will be chatting with you about the social issues and etiquette around birthday parties – from the value of gifts to party packs, whether to invite or not to invite siblings and lots more……. Nikki will also present her gift recommendations for the season, ranging from R75.00 to R175.00 per gift, as well inspiring you with lots of creative party ideas.
Join in the Birthday Talk chat, have some fun and leave with practical ideas on how to navigate the social, emotional and practical issues parties present. Be inspired with some fabulous party ideas and save your precious time by getting all your gift shopping done!

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

Parents with 2 – 8 year olds.

PARENTING ON THE RUN

Monday, 23 May 2011   
 6.30pm – 9.30pm
Venue: Miele Gallery of Fine Living, Bryanston GAUTENG
Cost: R350.00 per head  including delicious refreshments & notes
Bookings:  info@brightideasoutfit.co.za

Parents today are busy. Being able to parent creatively – on the run – makes your parenting journey easier and much more fun.   In this workshop, Nikki introduces the concept of cheating time and turning the ordinary into the extraordinary, helping parents to give away the guilt they so often feel.
 
She will show you how time spent in the car; doing household chores and activities or waiting for appointments, can be so valuable to both you and your child – it is never a waste of time! This insightful talk is peppered with personal anecdotes and you will leave armed with over 100 creative and practical ideas for converted wasted time with your children into quality time.
 
Nikki will also include her ever-popular suggestions on toys to pack for travelling, or for when you are simply on the run. Connecting and communicating with your child can be so easy, even for busy parents.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
Parents of 2 – 10 year olds Parenting on the Run™ Workshop

With so many families taking advantage of the long Easter break, take three days leave and get an 11 day break, I thought you might be looking for some  fun activities to take on your travels.  Here are my recommendations.  Each item has been chosen based on the following  criteria:

• Play value
• Packaging
• Size
• Price

Age guidelines have been included as well as sizes of items where possible.  This is a while stocks last promotion so do get your orders in soon.

Orders can be placed by email info@brightideasoutfit.co.za.  Deliveries will be made to your door or you may collect if you are in Johannesburg.

NEWIES:

MY GIANT STICKER HOLIDAY ACTIVITY BOOK (R99.00)

6 years and up

A magnificent book with over 300 stickers, a free CD and over 200 pages of beautifully illustrated and laid out facts, puzzles, drawing and colouring activities to keep your child busy for hours.  You will keep going back to this bumper book that is filled with fascinating general knowledge that you can share together too.

Size:  A4 x 3cm thick.

ZINGO TO GO (R150.00) (The very clever travel version of the very popular Zingo)

Ages 3 – 7 years

At last, a travel version of the very popular  Zingo, a classic bingo lotto-type game.  Fun for the whole family but easy enough that children can learn how to play without adult supervision very quickly. A drawstring bag is supplied for easy storeage of all items in Zingo to Goa when travelling.  There are 9 ‘robots/traffic lights’ which click/snap together to form a bingo board.  Three traffic lights each means three players can play, two each means four players can play etc.  The little car contains two picture dice. Shake it and see how the dice land.  If you have the picture on your board make sure you shout out quickly.  Then turn over the disc so that the picture is face down.  The first person to turn over all his discs is the winner.  As children get older you can play the first to turn over a horizontal/vertical/diagonal line is the winner etc.  10 – 15 minutes a game.  Size of box is 16cm x 16cm x 8cm.

FILO (R250.00) (Back by popular demand.  We can’t always get this product so buy while you can!)

Age 5 – adult

This light as a feather, beautifully and practically packaged eye-hand co-ordination acitivity will have your child engrossed for ages.  Under the age of 7 your child will just doodle, pushing the ‘pen’ which is filled with a lace, into the ‘holes’ on the rubbery board.  The holes trap the lace with no knotting required and voila, you are on your way to making a picture.  Comes with 18 double-sided pattern cards for older children as well as a complete booklet with even more complex patterns and pictures to copy.  Copying one of these pictures requires counting and spatial planning – a brilliant mathematical activity that also stimulates all the eye-hand and fine-motor co-ordination skills for good reading and writing.  Creating pictures with Filo exercises the tripod grip for handwriting and gives fabulous proprioceptive feedback to the brain via the muscles and joints.  “How hard do I need to push?” A very soothing and creative activity.  Great for travel, the size of an A4 page and 5cm deep.  All the ‘pens’, laces and pattern cards are stored in the plastic, basket-like container with a clip on rubber mat.  Size 30cm x 22cm x 4cm.

OLDIES:

BENDAROOS (R135.00)

Age 5 to adult

Amazing, flexible building sticks.  Shape them, wrap them, stick them. A 500 piece mega set including 250 rainbow colour Bendaroos and 250 neon Bendaroos, these wax covered super strong strings make for hours of creative fun.  Create flat constructions or 3D ones, stick them on your windows or patio doors.  Use your imagination.  We have seen some stunning ideas at our Toy Talk events.  Create small packets of mixed colours to take to restaurants etc or while travelling to keep boredom at bay.  Brilliant for eye-hand co-ordination and a real see, touch and feel experience.  Fun for the whole family and great when lots of children come to play.  Size of actual box 25cm x 25cm x 22cm x 5cm.

DINKIE BOOKS (R25.00)

Age 3 – 5

Lovely A5 size books that fit neatly into your handbag.  The following are available:

• Dinkie mazes
• Dinkie dots

FLIP-TO-WIN MEMORY GAME (R150.00)

Five to nine years.

A fabulous travel version of the memory game.  Flip the elasticated windows open to see the picture underneath. 14 reversible game cards that slot into the back of the game for safe-keeping.  Elasticated scoreboards at the bottom of the game board so you can’t forget who is winning.  10 – 15 minutes a game.  A4 size x 2cm thick.

FLIP-TO-WIN HANGMAN (R150.00)

8 years and up

Superb for travel.  All letters and parts of the hangman are on elastics so nothing can get lost!  A4 size x 2cm thick.

FUN ON THE RUN BOXES™  (R175.00)

Parents swear by Nikki Bush’s popular Fun on the Run Boxes™ for when they are travelling or are simply out and about.  They contain a number of items which translate into 25 different activities which are detailed on the information leaflet inside the box as well as listing the skills being stimulated.  Size 22 x 18 x 5cm.  Now available in three different age groups:

• 1 – 3 years
• 4 – 6 years
• 6+ years

Don’t leave home without one.  If you haven’t attended Nikki’s acclaimed Parenting on the Run Workshop yet then make sure you book for the next one which takes place on Monday, 23 May from 9 – 12am.  Email info@brightideasoutfit.co.za

MONSTER CASES (R95.00) (only available in red with yellow fasteners and stock is limited)

These are the best cases for the car as they not only fit perfectly at your child’s feet between the front and back seats, but they make a great little ‘desk’ too.  Fill them with activities and games for the journey. 35 x 25 x 12cm

Monster Cases are also ideal for toy storage at home.  I have had 15 of them for 15 years and they are as good as the day I first bought them.  I have one for Duplo, one for Lego, another for playough, plastic food, army, cars, doctor kit etc.  See how I have marked them with masking tape and a thick black pen.  It makes tidying up together with your child very easy, and toy storage is neat and tidy as the Monster cases interlock.  Stacking on top of each other at the bottom of a cupboard, for instance, uses up wasted space.  The handles lie flat when required.

These cases are not always available and we have waited six months for this consignment.  Buy them while you can.

NO SPILL BUBBLES (R45.00)

Ages 1 – 7

It’s a miracle – bubbles that can’t be spilt!  What a win for parents of toddlers who’s first reaction to bubbles is to pour them out.  Once the bubble liquid is finished, just replace with any cheap bubble solution of make your own.  Putting the wand in and out of the No Spill bubble container is fine-motor, eye-hand co-ordination, and blowing builds the foundations for the ‘p’ and ‘b’ sounds.

FOR ORDERS EMAIL info@brightideasoutfit.co.za.  Let Bridgid Thomas know what you want and she will send you an electronic order form and confirm stock availability with you.

There are lots of great toys and games on the market at the moment, you just need to know what to look for and where to find them. That’s what Toy Talk is all about! 

Don’t waste money this gifting season, make wise purchases after you have had a “see, touch, feel” of what I am recommendng at Toy Talk™.  As a professional toy judge and and educational game designer msyelf, I look at toys very differently to a retailer. Toy Talk is a fun and informative experience.  You’ll also be able to do some of your Christmas shopping  too. Credit card facilities available.

SUMMARY OF TOY TALK

They’re everywhere from cheap Chinese junk, to expensive brands such as Fisher Price, Barney, Ben 10 and Bratz. From Lego and Meccano to battery-operated, winking, blinking, noisy toys, Playstation, Wii and computer games.

 Is there still value in jungle gyms, pot, pans, wooden spoons and the Tupperware cupboard? Do children need toys? What categories of toys are there? How do children learn? Why is play so important? What are the classic toys every child needs? What’s new on the market? Where do electronic toys fit in? How to select a toy, and more. Armed with a little bit of knowledge about toys and how children learn, this fun, interactive workshop will enable you to make better choices for your child and will make shopping for games and toys a piece of cake.

Toy Talk is a presented by Nikki Bush and Justine Heydra who are both toy judges on the professional panel of the SA Toy of the Year Awards, as well as being educational game designers. They are absolutely passionate about play not only because it is fun, but because it is such an effective way of connecting with your child. Nikki is well-known for her recommendations on appropriate toys and games to buy for your children. If you want to know what’s on her list – both the classics for each age group as well as what’s hot right now, then join us for Toy Talk 2009. Suitable for parents from birth to age 12.

DATES OF WORKSHOPS: 

• Friday, 23 October 2009, 9.00am – 12pm
• Saturday, 24 October 2009, 9am – 12pm
• Saturday, 7 November 2009, 9am – 12pm
• Monday, 9 November 2009, 9am – 12pm
• Tuesday, 10 November 2009, 9am – 12pm

All above dates at the Miele Gallery of Fine Living, Peter Place, Bryanston, GAUTENG

COST: R175.00 per head

Bookings:

nikki@brightideasoutfit.co.za