As parents, we all try to limit how much time our kids spend in front of screens. But there are some situations where handing over a tablet or smartphone keeps them entertained and helps to pass the time – on rainy days stuck indoors or during long car journeys, for example. There are many apps out there that are as fun as they are educational, meaning your kids will be learning while thinking they’re playing! Clever, isn’t it?! We’ve scoured the app market to find five of the very best: 1. DoodleMaths Used in the classroom and at home, DoodleMaths is one of the UK’s best rated educational apps. It makes maths exciting with its bright visuals and quick, engaging questions. Kids earn stars to build their own robot, while parents can monitor their progress on the website. The app cleverly learns your child’s strengths and weaknesses to create a bespoke, daily-practice work programme. 2. Squeebles Spelling Learning to spell has never been so fun! Kids are tas...

Every home has a “stuff” drawer: a go-to place that contains a treasure trove of useful bits and bobs. And you can guarantee that in every stuff drawer is a heap of stray batteries of all types and sizes. Are they new? Are they old? Are they half-used? Who knows! Rather than losing your batteries amongst a mass of other items, why not invest in (or even better, make) a storage solution that’s just for them? Get organised, get imaginative  – and get those creative juices flowing with these top tips from the GP team: Raid your kitchen cupboards There may be a bounty of storage solutions in your home already, and a great place to start looking is your kitchen. Put old lunch boxes and plastic tubs to good use – choose stackable boxes to save space when storing in a cupboard. For a more creative solution, fill up mismatched mugs with batteries of various sizes, attaching labels to the handle. Go back to basics When thinking of ...

Hurrah! After what has seemed like a very long, cold winter, spring is officially in sight. We can hear the wildlife, see the trees start to blossom, and feel that it’s few degrees warmer outside . The longer days and shorter nights give many of us inspiration to start filling our diaries with things to see, do and experience in spring and beyond. If you’re keen to get planning, read these four top tips, courtesy of Team GP: 1.Make the most of the lighter evenings Tick, tock...the clocks spring forward on Sunday, 25th March. Yes, this means we’ll be deprived of an hour in bed but, on the plus side, we’ll get to enjoy more daylight in the evenings. Think of how to make the most of the longer days: could you sign-up to a running club? Join an amateur sports team? If you spend all day cooped up in an office, getting outdoors in the brighter evenings is guaranteed to make you feel happier and healthier. 2.Tend to your neglected g...

Greek fabulist Aesop once said, “ No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted. ” Kindness costs nothing and can really make a difference– not just to the people around us, but to ourselves and our precious planet. February 17th is officially National Random Acts of Kindness Day. So, what better opportunity to embark on a kindness mission and potentially make someone’s day, week, month or even year!? Random sometimes works, but if you like to plan ahead like us and are after some inspiration, here are some ideas: Be kind to yourself We all lead hectic lives and that often means we don’t get to enjoy enough ‘me’ time. But it’s really important for our health that we give ourselves a break – so, it’s time to start looking after number one! You might choose to be kinder to yourself physically by spending more time in the great outdoors, eating well, or signing up to a new exercise class, for example. Or you might focus on your mi...

Smartphones are clever pieces of tech that have almost become our personal assistants, able to perform a seemingly endless list of tasks. But one thing that manufacturers haven’t quite mastered yet is how to prolong battery life. So what happens if your phone runs flat when you’re out and about and there’s not a plug socket in sight? It’s happened to us all at some point - whether it’s during a camping trip or festival, in the middle of a long walk, or even on the train on the way back from work. Thankfully, there are many nifty devices that will keep you topped up on-the-move, meaning you can use your smartphone as much as you like without worrying about seeing the dreaded black screen. Here are five ways to stay in charge: 1.Laptop backpack with charging port A rucksack, laptop case and charging port all rolled into one. At around £30, these backpacks are the ultimate commuter’s accessory. Many feature a water-resistant charging port suitable for boosting yo...