On my time off last week, two of my friends flew out from London and met me in Italy.
Being August, it was really hot, but the Italians have a two week holiday so it actually wasn’t exhaustingly busy.
I will use things we have done to promote books and activities with your children.
Would you believe this blog is going to talk about graffiti and ducks!?
Ducks
Just two bridges down from the famous bridge with all the jewellery shops on, down a little side street is a Rubber Duck shop.
They literally have any duck you could think of!
So when I took to social media to ask for pictures of their little ones with ducks, the response was overwhelming! So do check out all the wonderful children’s faces at the end of the blog.
But also, I connected with the lovely Helen McCarthy and Ria Culley from UK Nanny LTD. They held a hook a duck fundraiser for ERIC which is a children’s bowel and bladder charity.
Check out the websites for more info:
From this, an idea to help your children learn letters, words or numbers, is to use a marker to write on the bottom of the duck and let your child hook the duck to learn.
More to books…
Usborne have hundreds of books where little ducks are hidden on each page!
Tower and graffiti
Half way up the tower of the cathedral (not the dome- as you have to book in advance for that, just heads up if you do go to Florence) there was a little screen where you can “graffiti” on the “wall” and it gets published to their website! If you have a reluctant writer, use chalk on the floors and walls as in my blog on spellings!
https://moretobooks.blog/2019/04/24/spellings-how-to-get-your-reluctant-readers-interested/
And for your older learners, take them to learn how to do graffiti (in appropriate places)
https://www.youthgraffitiworkshops.com
With amazing artists such as Banksy, I think it’s a good way to motivate the reluctant ones.
At one school, we used to do talking Tuesdays where we took a picture of anything to create a writing activity. Use Banksy’s art to make up things about the people, or label them.
More to books…
When doing my research, I came across this book. Using the pictures that you feel appropriate for the age of your children can inspire talk/writing or BUILDING!!! I love Lego!
Florence- more to Books…
Pippo the fool by Tracey E Fern, illustrated by Pau Estrada, being held by the beautiful Pippa Kay (who is not a fool)
This book is for our older learners as the text is quite heavy. But it takes you on a journey where they are invited to design the dome for the cathedral. 
Who doesn’t love a pop- up book? For older kids again, or with adult supervision, I think younger children can get a lot out of a pop up book. I think the 3D element brings a certain magic to it.
Florence- a painted dream by Marta Manetti and Michèle Fantoli
A journey of a child through Florence turns out not to be as boring as she thought it would be!
Mini chef by Sandra Rosi, illustrated by Sara Gitto
There really is more to books than reading when you can cook! Gorgeous traditional Italian recipes. Cooking also helps with maths and science and art! And full tummies!
As with Banksy, using art to create a conversation and opportunities to write or help them to get creative, I love this book as it takes artwork from Florence.
Have you been to Florence? Send a picture to feature on this blog.
Let’s see those duck photos!
Love Kat x
Absolutely amazing response to my request for duck photos, thank you to everyone for sharing 🥰 it means so much to me when people interact with my blogs x keep them coming x
More to Books 