We parents all want to give our kiddos the best start in life, but life as a parent isn’t one to be downplayed. A long with the mountains of life admin; dishwashers to empty and piles of clothes to swim through, who has the time to research how?

I’ve been kindly sent all of the below resources from Quarto for review and that’s what I’ll be doing in this post. I’ll give you my honest opinion, as a mum of a 5 year-old, as well as how best to use these resources – and how to gain time for yourself whilst doing so! Spoiler alert – they are all brill.

7 Amazing Resources to Inspire Kids

Little People, Big Dreams – Who Am I? A Guessing Game

The aim of the Who Am I? game is to choose your favourite inspiring person and have your opponent guess who your are. You’ll find the likes of Billie Jean King, Malala Yousafzai and Ada Lovelace, to Jesse Owens and Ella Fitzgerald. Questions about experience and achievements will get your further! A little booklet about the 24 famous people is included so you can learn about who they are before you play. There’s also a handy stand to hide your card behind, which is also covered in useful questions to ask if your kid needs a bit of a prompt. This is perfect if you’re a home educating mama and want to start teaching your little one some history in a fun way.

The game is aimed at 6+.

Little People, Big Dreams – Amazing Women Memory Game

From Jane Austen to Marie Curie, this interesting memory game is a great educational tool for teaching about all the amazing women from times past and present. The game also comes with a 28 page booklet so your little ones can learn about who each woman is and what they have achieved. Would make a fun birthday present for a 4 year-old girl!

The game is aimed at 4+.

My Beautiful Voice by Joseph Coelho

A poetic story about a child who learns to find their voice. Joseph Coelho tells a story of bravery, language and perseverance. The illustrations are bright, inclusive and inspiring for a young ones. It would make a wonderful gift for a child who is starting school or who perhaps struggles to be heard amongst a busy classroom environment. We all deserve to find our inner voice! A brilliant bedtime read too.

Courage Out Loud – 25 Poems of Power by Joseph Coelho

We love to read poetry in our household. Kids love the rhythm and the rhyme, and sometimes the silliness that comes with poetry. This collection of 25 poems by children’s Laureate, Joseph Coelho, does not disappoint. Each poem teaches of courage in different scenarios, from diving into a pool to saying no and finding your voice (to name a few!) Each one is beautifully illustrated by Daniel Gray-Barnett. I know this one is going to be a regular feature during our home school morning time!

A Year of Nature Poems by Joseph Coelho

Another beautiful poetry book – one that you can keep by your bedside all year-round. Each monthly nature-based poem is wonderfully illustrated by Kelly Louise Judd. Each one comes with a little factual introduction linked to the topic of the poem – jellyfish, summer solstice, toadstools…

Again, this one will feature during our morning time and I just know my little one is going to love learning the seasons through poetry.

Little People, Big Dreams – Sally Ride by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara

If you’re looking to introduce an important person to your kids, the Little People, Big Dreams series is the perfect place to start. This one focuses on Sally Ride, the first American woman to fly into space. Perfect for any tiny astronaut-wannabes! Her life and achievement is told through a simple, not overwhelming story. Perfect for little ones who are too young to take in too many facts. There’s a helpful timeline at the back of the book too. Perfect for home ed science/history projects. A permanent one for the bookshelf!

Be A Creative Changemaker – A Kids’ Art Activity Book

This art activity book has got to be one of my favourite resources. Perhaps you’ve got a kid who’s really into art and would love to explore how different artists changed the world – this is the book for you! Or maybe you’re a home schooler looking for a different way to angle your art lessons. This wonderful guide to 25 amazing artists is the perfect book for you.

Each artist gets a whole page introduction of their life story and then there’s an activity to complete afterwards. There’s helpful vocabulary, techniques and tips on each page too. Each art activity is easily explained in step-by-step photos with all the materials you’ll need listed. You could be making a Chinese scroll painting, a historical figure sculpture or a mirror mosaic. I would say that these activities are better for the older child (7+) or maybe younger if done with an adult.

5 Exciting Ways to Use the Above Resources

Set up a board game afternoon and have your kids invite over their friends

Tie this board game session with snacks and soft drinks and I guarantee you that you’ll be able to step away for at least 15 minutes (depending on the age of your children!)

A poetry and tea afternoon

This may suit a family of more than one child where one child can read independently. Set up your dining table with a cute table cloth, cake stand adorned with cupcakes, mini sandwiches and other sweet treats and a selection of your fave poetry. Have your older children read to the younger ones and enjoy poetry together! Only got one child? This would make a lovely activity to do together.

Host a book club led by an older child

Have one of your children pick one of their fave stories (it could even be a picture book) and read it together as a family (or with a group of friends). You could discuss what you liked about the book; the illustrations; who your favourite character is (you can change this depending on age). If your child is older and can lead the group, you may get a chance to at least prepare dinner!

Get a group of kids together to get arty

Choose an art project from Be A Creative Changemaker, gather up your friends and get arty together! This would be better for kids age 11+ or for a family with older kids who can help the younger ones. Be sure to get the materials ready and set up before everyone arrives. You can then leave them to it!

Games night in the morning

One thing I like to do before I go to bed, is set up a bunch of activities on the dining table, so my kid can dive straight in when he comes downstairs. This means I can get breakfast ready in peace (most of the time!) You could do this too but with games. Be sure to choose games that kids can play independently (Amazing Women Memory Game) or ones that an older kid can help with.