Latest news with #freeplay
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Swindon arcade makes all games free for summer
An arcade is set to offer unlimited gaming for the summer. High Score Arcade in Swindon will be open every day until September 3. All its games are set to free play. The venue has more than 80 games to choose from. Be the first to know with the Swindon Advertiser! 📱 💡 Our flash sale brings the latest local happenings directly to you. Save over 50% on an annual subscription now. 🔗 #SpecialOffer — Swindon Advertiser (@swindonadver) July 4, 2025 As part of its Summer Games Fest, there will be challenges every week for visitors, with limited edition prizes and almost 2,000 free tickets available. Costume characters Mario and Luigi will also be making an appearance in Swindon on August 26. Nicki Gamblin, head of operations, said: "We are thrilled to be hosting a summer of excitement at High Score. "With Games Fest returning for a second year, and a visit from everyone's favourite brothers Mario and Luigi, we are intent on providing a unique experience for visitors of all ages." Read more: Pensioner 'heartbroken' after being turned away from cruise ship holiday Swindon High Score will also be launching an Epic Arcade All-Day Pass on July 23. Quiet Hour SEN sessions will be held every Sunday between July 27 and August 31. High Score has just opened its seventh venue in Worcester and will open its eighth in Newport, Wales, on August 2.
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Chalk, a squirt gun, and 18 minutes of peace: A mom's low-key win goes viral
Picture this: A tired mom emerges from the garage, National Geographic narrator voice engaged, 'From the garage, she tosses out a weathered bucket. Two pieces of chalk, and a water squirter. The ancient ritual begins: 'Go paint the driveway.'' The tweet from user @GigaBasedDad humorously documented a mom's brilliantly minimalistic tactic for achieving a coveted sliver of peace… exactly 18 minutes, to be precise. It wasn't a Pinterest-perfect craft or a detailed summer itinerary. It was lo-fi parenting at its absolute finest. Alright moms, chime inIs this what happens when summer starts? ð — Giga Based Dad (@GigaBasedDad) July 6, 2025 As hilarious and relatable as the tweet is, it touches on a deeper conversation resonating with exhausted moms everywhere. Because let's face it, summer parenting burnout is real. Between feeling pressured to keep kids entertained every waking second and battling our own perfectionist tendencies, the mental load feels heavier than ever. But what if the solution wasn't more planning, crafting, or scheduled activities? What if the solution was, simply, chalk and a squirt gun? Related: A 'lazy parent summer' is the only way I want to summer Lo-fi parenting, embracing unstructured, low-maintenance play, is gaining momentum among parents who are realizing it's not just about their own sanity, but also about giving their kids essential tools for development. Child experts agree: free play encourages creativity, problem-solving, and emotional intelligence. It's not lazy; it's foundational. Yet, even in these seemingly effortless parenting moments, judgment can creep in. The comments under the original tweet reveal exactly that. One commenter, @Angela Dawn, said, 'No way. This makes me so sad. I homeschool, but I have always loved having all of the kids home, neighbor kids, everyone! I think my kids have kept me energetic and motivated.' Related: Summer is here—and so is my mom guilt It's time to redefine what a successful summer looks like. Lo-fi days aren't a sign of failure, they're evidence of parents creating space for their kids to flourish independently. Chalk, water play, and driveway games? These activities hold the potential for imaginative worlds and genuine joy. So next time the mom-guilt creeps in or you feel tempted to over-plan, remember the mom who tossed out chalk and a squirt gun and found not only peace but validation in the simplicity. We're all doing the best we can, and sometimes, less truly is more.
Daily Mail
25-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE I'm a pediatric nurse... here is the common parenting practice that is extremely harmful to children
A pediatric nurse has revealed the common parenting practice that is actually extremely detrimental to children. Mother-of-two Mary Catherine, 36, from Louisville, Kentucky, has had over 13 years of experience working with children in the medical field. Over the course of her lengthy career, she has learned a lot about what's good and bad for kids. And according to the expert, there's one thing that tons of moms and dads do that she believes is extremely harmful: scheduling kids for a ton of activities at a young age. While chatting exclusively with the Daily Mail, she explained that parents love to put their kids in art classes or get them involved in sports really early. But she warned that 'overscheduling' a toddler can 'impact both their physical and emotional health.' 'Young kids, I'm talking prior to elementary school, need unstructured free play every single day,' she stressed. 'This is how they "learn" and develop their mind and bodies. In their free play they learn how to label and express emotions. 'Young children also need rest and downtime. Their bodies are rapidly growing physically and they need the rest (hence why most of this age group still naps daily).' The pediatric nurse added that being busy all the times often means parents 'miss out' on chances to 'connect' with their kids. 'We are meant to sit down and eat dinner together as a family most nights, not be running from one ball field to another or from work to gymnastics to home just in time to bathe and get in bed,' she continued. 'This is stressful for most kids, and adults, when you slow down to actually think about this impact.' If you want your child to try out an activity, Mary suggested focusing on one thing at a time so it really gives them a chance to discover whether or not the enjoy the hobby. And when it comes to sports, she reminded parents that it's meant to be 'fun' and should not be about winning when they're young. 'I also think travel sports (and the intensity that comes with them) should not be allowed until kids are much older, middle school to high school age,' she added. She encouraged embracing a 'slower-paced life,' and if your child is getting bored at home she suggested getting them involved in household chores as they make them feel important and can even be fun to young kids. When it comes to sports, she reminded parents that it's meant to be 'fun' and should not be about winning when they're young (stock image) 'Involve [them] in the tasks at home like laundry and cleaning,' she recommended. 'I'm not saying we all have to be homebodies and never schedule events, but having something on the calendar nightly should not be the norm. 'We've created a culture of overstimulation, even us adults, we can't sit down without scrolling our phones. 'The current busy culture tells us it's not okay to rest. We as parents have to learn to rest and slow down too, so we can model that for our kids.' She also spoke to the Daily Mail about how dangerous 'unsupervised screen time' could be for kids. 'I think using screens to pacify kids' boredom is a huge issue,' she said. 'I constantly see kids scrolling their parents' phones on TikTok or YouTube in my clinic and it pains me.
BBC News
09-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Rent rise puts future of Thetford SEN play group in doubt
Parents are worried about the future of free play sessions for children with special educational needs (SEN), being run for families in a Traquinas Hub which runs sessions has been renting space from The Charles Burrell Centre (CBC) in Thetford, South CBC, which is itself a charity, is increasing the rent from £750 to £1, for all tenants were essential to help it balance its books, the business and community support hub said. The sessions have had a big impact on families with SEN said her son Elijah's complex medical needs meant most groups were not suitable for them. "We need this for the kids that don't access other places easily," she said. "It can be very lonely, but having a place like this, there are others in the same situation that you can talk with."Beth brings her little boy Fernee, who is two years old. "This the first place I've been for SEN children and they have just been beyond helpful."Before we came to this group he wouldn't socialise. He wouldn't play or interact - just be glued to me. "Now as soon as we walk in he is happy to just run in and he's not shy anymore." Carla Ferreira runs Traquinas Childcare, which has two nurseries in Thetford, as well as a base at the CBC where they deliver free SEN sessions and paid-for holiday clubs. She started the SEN group three years ago after her own experience with her daughter, who has a rare genetic condition. "I know the struggle of these parents, they have to fight for everything,". Mrs Ferreira said."I just wanted to do something that they don't have to fight for. "Why can't a non-profit community building [The CBC] embrace what we are doing here?" Last October they were told by the CBC that their new rent would be increased by more than 50% to £1,140 per Ferreira said they could not afford to pay the increased rent and would struggle to find suitable alternative premises, leaving the future of the SEN sessions in doubt. 'Remain sustainable' Nicola Welham is the manager of the Charles Burrell Centre. She said like all organisations, core costs like gas and electric had "risen sharply"."It does mean we have to increase our rents just to enable the centre to remain sustainable," she added. "If we fail to respond to those rising costs, then we risk the future of the centre as a whole and that would put all of our 60 tenants at risk."Traquinas are an excellent childcare provider in our local community. "We want to support businesses like them, but we also have to be fair to all of our tenants so we charge them all a reasonable rent that reflects the costs incurred." Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
