Tiny Hands Growing Big Brains: Puffin Magic for a Calm Home
As the cherry blossoms pop out across Princes Risborough, spring traditionally represents new growth. But we know that for parents, spring also means finding new ways to keep little hands busy!
We’ve got a Puffin themed way to keep those hands busy: a simple activity that grows little brains and buys your brain a minute or two of peace!
Puffin Burrows!
Puffin’s make their nests in holes in cliffs tops rather than trees, making their nests super easy to create by raiding your recycling bin! Add to the recycling some toys/treasures and kitchen tools and you’ve got fun (and brain building play!) for your little(s)
The Setup: Grab a cardboard box from your recycling. Tape it shut and cut a sturdy hole in the top (size the hold to your child’s patience level - larger holes for less patient ones!). Fill it with scrunched-up junk mail or old newspapers.
The Activity: Hide “Puffin Eggs” inside—smooth garden stones, Duplo blocks, play eggs etc.
The Challenge: Ask your little one to see if they can find the “eggs” using their hands, or for an extra challenge, kitchen tongs or ladle.
The Science: Why it Works
While you have a couple of minutes with occupied child (maybe enough for a hot cup of coffee, or sort that load of washing, or make tea…!), your child is doing some incredible "brain-building." For the geeks in our community, the skills being developed are:
Executive Function: By rummaging for specific items, they are practicing Working Memory (remembering what they are looking for) and Task Persistence (staying with the job until the burrow is empty).
Fine Motor Strength and Coordination: Using tongs or even just navigating the paper builds the strength and coordination.
Sensory Processing: The crinkle of the paper, the different textures all provide a grounding experience that often leads to a period of deep, quiet focus.
The "Breathe" Factor
If this home activity gave you a fleeting taster of peace, but you’re craving the full "sanctuary" experience, we are here for you.
Open 7 days a week through to Easter, come and enjoy a barista-quality coffee in our spotlessly clean and calm environment.