Sarah Richard-Preston | The Bubble Box

How does Western parenting differ from other cultures?

Sarah Richard-Preston — Tue, 27 Sep 2022 06:59:00 +0000

“Can you recommend any books for new mums?” an expecting colleague asked me. I gave her the titles of a few books I’d read when my own children were young. Later, I contemplated how strange it is that Western mothers rely on books to learn about ways of parenting. In many other cultures around the […]

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How to help your child become a good listener

Sarah Richard-Preston — Sun, 14 Aug 2022 05:14:05 +0000

Believe it or not the most important skill we need to succeed in life is listening. As parents, we all want our children to listen to us, to listen to their teachers at school and to others. But how can you help your child become a good listener? Well perhaps, the key is to be […]

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How Lullabies Calm your Fussy Baby

Sarah Richard-Preston — Mon, 04 Jul 2022 06:04:28 +0000

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The Wonderful Benefits of Wonder for your Family

Sarah Richard-Preston — Sat, 18 Jun 2022 02:42:24 +0000

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, how I wonder what you are. There is nothing quite like a vast night sky to evoke a sense of wonder, for children and adults alike. When my eldest child was a toddler she loved looking at the moon. As evening fell she would ask to be taken outside. Sitting upon […]

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Learn English Through Music: How Music is Superfood for Your Baby’s Brain

Sarah Richard-Preston — Mon, 09 May 2022 05:57:43 +0000

As an early years teacher, I have taught for many years at a school in Brisbane, Australia that has predominantly Asian students. Many of my students are from non-English speaking backgrounds. Every day in my class we sing songs, recite nursery rhymes, listen and move to music. I am always amazed by how quickly my […]

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3 Ways to Give Your Baby a Head Start: Advice From a Teacher

Sarah Richard-Preston — Fri, 22 Apr 2022 05:16:25 +0000

Dear Expecting and New Parents, There is often the perception that a child’s first school teacher is the most important teacher. Well, I have been an early years teacher for 12 years and let me tell you that the one thing that has become more and more clear to me over the years; a parent […]

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Screen Time for Young Children: How to Strike a Balance

Sarah Richard-Preston — Mon, 07 Mar 2022 02:18:00 +0000

Technology is hard to say ‘No’ to I just read that Pink won’t let her 10-year-old daughter get a mobile phone, despite the fact that most of her peers have one. Go Pink – I applaud you on your conviction! My husband and I have experienced the constant pestering of my own 11-year-old daughter for […]

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3 Ways Young Families Benefited from Music During the Covid Pandemic

Sarah Richard-Preston — Mon, 28 Feb 2022 07:54:12 +0000

Back when I used to teach early childhood music classes, my favourite part was witnessing the beautiful smiles and giggles that were shared between mother and child when they interacted through music. I could see what an incredibly powerful tool music can be for nurturing relationships. Beyond my own observations, there is a plethora of […]

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The Importance of Making Time for Play with Baby

Sarah Richard-Preston — Thu, 17 Feb 2022 06:53:00 +0000

Becoming a parent for the first time can be a huge transition, from only having your own wants and needs to meet to having a baby dependent on you for everything. There are so many new things to get your head around such as feeding. changing and sleeping. Throw in household chores like laundry and […]

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10 Bubble Songs for Babies and Young Children – With Audio and Lyrics

Sarah Richard-Preston — Wed, 06 May 2020 20:32:17 +0000

Blowing bubbles is one of the world’s oldest and most popular activities for young children. The wonder, awe and stimulation that bubbles provide, represent an exciting way to encourage your baby’s curiosity and learning. Singing a little song while you blow the bubbles with young children makes it all the more fun. It also makes the experience […]

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8 Musical Christmas Gift Ideas for Baby

Sarah Richard-Preston — Fri, 18 Dec 2015 07:05:08 +0000

Give your baby the gift of music this Christmas! Music really is the most wonderful gift that you can give your baby this Christmas. You are not just giving your baby a toy – you are giving them an experience. One which develops their learning and skills in so many areas! I certainly remember how […]

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Why ‘old-fashioned’ nursery rhymes are still important

Sarah Richard-Preston — Sat, 15 Aug 2015 07:02:00 +0000

Are nursery rhymes a thing of the past? Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All the King’s horses and all the King’s men, Couldn’t put Humpty together again. It seems that Humpty and all of his Mother Goose friends are falling out of favour with today’s parents and are […]

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5 Fabulous Music Ideas for Babies

Sarah Richard-Preston — Wed, 24 Jun 2015 06:58:59 +0000

I am often asked the question – when can I introduce my baby to music? In fact, it’s never too early to introduce your baby to music. You can integrate music into your baby’s day to day routine right from birth, which really is giving them the best start in life. The benefits are undeniably […]

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3 Tips for Introducing Your Baby to a Foreign Language

Sarah Richard-Preston — Mon, 25 May 2015 06:57:30 +0000

You might think it’s impossible to teach your child a language that you don’t speak. But who says you have to be fluent in French, proficient at Portuguese or able to chat in Chinese to introduce your baby a foreign language. Why teach your baby another language? Unless you or another significant person in your […]

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Nature play ideas for young children

Sarah Richard-Preston — Wed, 29 Apr 2015 06:49:50 +0000

Wonders to see, smell, touch and hear, Nature delights us all through the year, With beauty that’s ours to enjoy and protect, Because nature deserves our love and respect. – Disney Winnie the Poo “Nature’s True Colours” In today’s busy world we tend to spend more time indoors and less time connecting with the natural […]

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5 Surprise Games to Improve Baby’s Learning

Sarah Richard-Preston — Thu, 09 Apr 2015 06:46:17 +0000

Your baby is a little scientist If you’ve ever watched your baby encounter a new experience, you may have noticed the look on his face as he processed the fresh information and how it fits in with the core information with which he was born. Babies are constantly learning and they can do amazing things. […]

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Boogying With Your Baby has Brilliant Benefits for Both of You!

Sarah Richard-Preston — Wed, 18 Mar 2015 06:44:35 +0000

The other day I was feeling a little stressed about the list of household chores and work I had to get done. Added to that was a dose of “Mummy guilt” about not spending enough time with my 3-year-old on my day off. So I decided to blow a big raspberry to the housework and […]

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Handmade Egg Maracas Make an Egg-cellent Easter Gift for Babies and Toddlers

Sarah Richard-Preston — Mon, 02 Mar 2015 06:43:22 +0000

Easter is upon us and so is the season of chocolate! But if you’re like me you might prefer to wait a couple of years before giving your baby sweets. When my girls were babies I tried to keep them away from the taste of sugary foods, especially chocolate – it’s so addictive and it […]

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7 music and movement activities to help your baby develop advanced motor skills

Sarah Richard-Preston — Mon, 16 Feb 2015 06:40:00 +0000

Rocking, bouncing and swinging activities stimulate your baby’s vestibular system You and a friend from your mother’s group are carrying your babies when you stop and talk to each other. As you stand there you both start to jiggle without even thinking. Does this sound like a familiar scenario? We intuitively know what our babies […]

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6 Pre-literacy Skills Your Child can Start Learning From Birth

Sarah Richard-Preston — Mon, 02 Feb 2015 06:36:00 +0000

Preparing your baby for school My “baby” started school this week. It seems like just yesterday that she really was a baby whom I held in my arms and who barely left my side. When I said goodbye at the door of her new classroom this morning all I could think was “how did she […]

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Give Your Baby the Gift of Music this Christmas

Sarah Richard-Preston — Sat, 15 Nov 2014 06:25:00 +0000

Baby’s first Christmas is a very special time Is this your baby’s first or maybe even second Christmas? This is an exciting time for you as a parent – sharing the magic of Christmas with your little one. I remember both of my children’s first Christmases well. I couldn’t wait to rush out and buy […]

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To Market, To Market – Free music activity – nursery rhyme

Sarah Richard-Preston — Sat, 04 Oct 2014 06:23:00 +0000

Hi! I just wanted to share a fun, quick knee-bounce rhyme. This is taken from Session 3 of my Music Activities for Babies program here at The Bubble Box. If you enjoy this with your baby and would like to have access to many more activities like this one then signing up is just $5/month. […]

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Music Matters – How to Support Your Baby’s Musical Development

Sarah Richard-Preston — Thu, 14 Aug 2014 06:21:34 +0000

If I asked you to list the significant physical and language developmental milestones that your baby is progressing towards I’m sure that you could give me an answer without thinking twice… rolling, sitting, standing, walking…babbling, saying a few words, constructing sentences. All very important stuff, right? YES! The Significance of Baby’s Music Milestones But what […]

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Fun with balloons – 4 creative arts activities for Preschoolers

Sarah Richard-Preston — Mon, 28 Jul 2014 06:19:00 +0000

Give a young child a balloon and they will play with it for a lot longer than most fancy toys. What is it about balloons that excite and engage them? Perhaps it’s because they’re bright, light, bouncy and large – very peculiar properties when compared to most other familiar objects. Balloon activities for preschoolers Today, here […]

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7 Tips for Talking to Your Baby and Building Intelligence Through Language

Sarah Richard-Preston — Thu, 17 Jul 2014 06:16:00 +0000

When dropping my 2-year-old off at daycare the other day the educator asked her for a hug, then smiled and looked up at me. “Oh I’ve missed her,” she said, referring to the week before, which Miss 2 had off due to illness. “She and I have the best conversations”. I knew exactly what she […]

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“A song I made up…” – Letter to the Editor

Sarah Richard-Preston — Thu, 10 Jul 2014 06:13:00 +0000

A few weeks ago I posted an article with some advice on why you should sing to your baby every day. I received a wonderful email response from Bubble Box mum Jacqui that I just have to share with you, with her permission of course! I absolutely love hearing mums’ stories so if you’d like to […]

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Immerse your child in the arts with Out of the Box Festival in Brisbane

Sarah Richard-Preston — Mon, 23 Jun 2014 06:28:00 +0000

This is just a quick post today for parents in Brisbane to tell you about the upcoming Out of the Box Festival for 2014. Picture this – your baby is exploring a safe and special play space immersed in dance and music, your child co-creating an eye-catching large-scale sculpture, your child listening to a story […]

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“Zoom, Zoom, Zoom, We’re Going To The Moon” – Free music for babies

Sarah Richard-Preston — Thu, 19 Jun 2014 06:11:00 +0000

This is a “lap play” taken from Session 2 of my music activities for babies program here at The Bubble Box. In Session 2 we explore all kinds of fun songs. rhymes and dances around the theme “Sun, Moon and Stars”. What to Do Place baby on your lap facing you and rock gently back […]

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Do Re Mi (Solfège and Hand Signs) – What is it and why teach it to young children?

Sarah Richard-Preston — Tue, 17 Jun 2014 06:06:59 +0000

In Sessions 1 and 2 of my program of music activities for babies, I show you how to share Solfège (or Do, Re, Mi) with your baby. But unless you have a musical background (beyond a vague recollection of learning Do, Re, Mi during primary school music class) you might be wondering what it is, what it’s for […]

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5 Fascinating Facts Every Parent Should Know About Baby’s Brain Development

Sarah Richard-Preston — Tue, 03 Jun 2014 05:54:44 +0000

There’s much more going on inside your baby’s brain than you ever imagined possible! The new idea in brain research is that there’s a “big bang” in learning and it happens in the first 2000 days of life. What happens in those first 5 years stays with baby for life.After learning about this idea and watching […]

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World Turtle Day – Say hello to Tiny Tim in “I Had A Little Turtle”

Sarah Richard-Preston — Fri, 23 May 2014 05:52:03 +0000

It’s World Turtle Day! (Who would have thought? Seems everything has ‘its day’ nowadays.) I immediately thought of this little rhyme, “I Had A Little Turtle”, a children’s ryhme about a little turtle called Tiny Tim finds himself in a bath tub and ends up having a little bit too much fun! Bubs and toddlers […]

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Bubble Wrap Dancing and Printing – Music and Art Activities for Toddlers

Sarah Richard-Preston — Fri, 16 May 2014 05:43:00 +0000

Although I have dedicated my site and program to babies music activities, I will also be posting blogs with music, visual art and play activities for Toddlers and Preschoolers from time to time. If your bub doesn’t have an older sibling you might like to share these ideas with friends and relatives. Integrating arts experiences […]

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Happy Mother’s Day – Fancy a Musical Present? 20 Coupons for Free Access to my Music for Babies up for Grabs

Sarah Richard-Preston — Sun, 11 May 2014 05:39:00 +0000

Happy Mothers’ Day to all my fellow mums out there. I hope you’ve all been spoilt and received plenty of cuddles and “I love you’s” from your little cherubs. A special mention goes out to all of the new mums too. There are probably quite of few of you who are celebrating mother’s day for […]

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7 Powerful Reasons Why You Should Sing to Your Baby Every Day

Sarah Richard-Preston — Wed, 07 May 2014 05:36:21 +0000

There are just so many fantastic reasons to sing to your baby every day. Research has shown that there are many benefits of exposing babies to music. Here are my top 7 reasons why singing to your baby every day is a win-win, for you and your baby to “make the most of precious baby time.” […]

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My 7 Top Tips to get the Most out of ‘Music Time’ With Your Baby

Sarah Richard-Preston — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 05:33:57 +0000

So you’ve made the awesome decision to introduce your baby to music activities, good for you! Now what? How does it all work? Imagine this scenario for a moment… You sit your baby down and you start your first music session together. You start singing and they looks away. When you try to demonstrate an […]

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“This Is The Way The Ladies Ride” – Free music for babies

Sarah Richard-Preston — Wed, 23 Apr 2014 05:30:00 +0000

This Is The Way The Ladies Ride is a knee-bounce rhyme. This style of activity is a great way for you to support you baby’s developing body awareness and balance. The spoken word also encourages language development and bonding. Knee-bounce rhymes are also very good giggle inducers. I bet your bub will crack a giggle […]

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Make Instruments for Baby from Simple Household Items

Sarah Richard-Preston — Tue, 22 Apr 2014 05:25:00 +0000

It is tempting in today’s world of “hyper consumerism” to buy everything new and shiny. Especially for our babies. I know that I have fallen prey to the “my baby deserves the best so I must buy it brand new” mentality on more than a few occasions. There are endless ways to spend money on babies, […]

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“Row, Row, Row Your Boat” – Free Music for Babies

Sarah Richard-Preston — Tue, 15 Apr 2014 05:22:00 +0000

This is a free music activity for you to enjoy with your baby. It’s taken from my Music Activities for Babies 8 session program, Session 1 – “Over The Water” in which we explore songs and nursery rhymes about boats and water. Row, Row, Row Your Boat is a classic nursery rhyme that you would […]

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Introducing Art History to Young Children

Sarah Richard-Preston — Thu, 04 Jul 2013 05:19:00 +0000

Why introduce young children to art history? You may think toddlers and preschoolers are too young to be introduced to art history. How could a young child possibly understand and appreciate Vincent Van Gough’s ‘Starry Night’ if you aren’t sure that you do? The point of sharing great works of art with young children, however, […]

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Why Quality Counts in Child Care – The Importance of the National Quality Framework

Sarah Richard-Preston — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 08:55:16 +0000

The Australian government established the National Quality Framework for early childhood education at the beginning of last year. The Framework has introduced improved child to educator ratios, new qualification requirements for educators and a focus on learning outcomes. The term “child care” seems less appropriate for this new system, which has a clear focus on […]

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Is there an Easy Choice When it Comes to Being a Stay-at-Home Vs Working Mum?

Sarah Richard-Preston — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 04:59:00 +0000

The debate over whether mothers should stay at home to raise their children versus mothers returning to work during their child’s early years is a contentious one to say the least, and there are certainly no easy one-size-fits-all answers. The pros and cons of being a stay-at-home Mum As a stay-at-home mum, mother to two […]

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Why the Creative Arts are Important for Young Children

Sarah Richard-Preston — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 04:04:38 +0000

The Creative Arts are a Universal language Art is a language that crosses the boundaries of countries and time. There are many ways in which we can have artistic experiences that not only affect our thinking and our emotions but also our connections with each other and sense of spirituality. Throughout history, music, art, drama […]

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How to Instil a Love of Music in Your Child

Sarah Richard-Preston — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 04:03:01 +0000

Making music is for everyone Do you like to sing along at the top of your lungs in the shower? Perhaps you dance around your kitchen to music when you are making dinner. You might tap your foot along to music during a performance. There is no doubt that music brings humans joy and plays […]

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