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Patchwork Kids

8 year old boy showing his birthday gift of a Nintendo Switch with happy smile on his face

A special boy’s 8th birthday gift

by Rosie Hurwitz November 8, 2021

Children’s birthdays can become fraught with worries about gifts. What to buy? How much to spend? What if they already have it? What if they don’t like it? We chat to a family who solved all these problems by using Patchwork to set up a birthday fund so that a special 8 year old could buy the one thing he was dreaming of. A new Nintendo Switch of course! We chat to mum Caroline who explains why it worked so well for them.

Tell us a bit about the birthday boy.

Caroline: Jonty has just turned 8 and loves football and Minecraft and annoying his little sister Verity who is 5. We are a family of four living in North Hampshire. The family also includes an incredibly stupid Golden Retriever called Alan and a menace of a cat called Treacle.

Why did you want to set up a birthday Patchwork page for Jonty?

Jonty has been desperate for a Nintendo Switch for over a year and has been saving up his pocket money but was nowhere near! So we suggested he use Patchwork to help him get there. We were also conscious that he has so many things already – we literally can’t fit another piece of lego in this house. So we set up a Patchwork gift page for a Nintendo Switch and some games to get him started.

How easy was it to set up the Patchwork page?

So easy, we broke up the cost of all the bits and games he wanted into smaller chunks so it worked for friends and family on different budgets as well.

What did you like most about using Patchwork for a birthday gift?

We didn’t have to try and squeeze any more lego in the house! Plus it was really good for Jonty to start to understand how much things cost and the concept of working towards something and how the people who loved him wanted to contribute to it.

What was the response from friends and family to gifting online?

They were amazing. It was especially welcomed from family in the US and his godfather in Australia – who can’t wait to come over and play Mario Kart with him. The grandparents were a bit discombobulated at first and we had to talk my Mother in Law through it but she got there in the end.

When did Jonty first see his Patchwork gift and what was his reaction?

He spent the week before his birthday wondering whether he had been given enough money, and when we would be able to go and buy it. Not knowing that the total had already exceeded what he needed and we had already bought it plus 2 new games and a carry case for it. So when he opened his present on his birthday he nearly popped!

Thanks so much Jonty and Caroline for sharing your very happy birthday story with us. We’re so happy to see that Patchwork helped make your dream come true Jonty. We hope you have lots of fun being 8!

If you’d like to set up a Patchwork gift page for a birthday or Christmas gift that’s really wanted we’d love to help. Check out some of our brilliant birthday gift ideas and cool Christmas ideas and have a play around!

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Father holding young daughter above his head, both laughing

Patchwork Kids

Top 5 Kids’ Birthday Gifts 2021

by Rosie Hurwitz March 16, 2021

written by Rosie Hurwitz

We’ve been having a peek at what kids birthday gifts are being planned for this year on Patchwork and it looks like good things are coming your way kids! Every child has that one big gift they’d love to have. But, sometimes these more expensive children’s presents or experiences are a bit of a stretch for parents or carers alone.

With Patchwork however, dreams really CAN come true with a little help from wider family and friends! Set up a Patchwork page and invite people to chip in towards one really wanted kids birthday gift. So much better than ending up with lots of smaller presents that aren’t wanted and will end up in a cupboard gathering dust. So let’s take a look at the best kid’s birthday gift ideas in 2021.

Traditional style camera

1. A proper camera

Not a phone camera, but a proper camera. For lots of children and teens, living in lockdown for the best part of a year has meant they’ve had more time to look around them. Whether it’s the changing seasons in the park, or day to day family life, capturing experiences on camera and keeping a kind of ‘photo diary’ has become popular. It’s sparked a broader interest in photography. Hopefully as the year goes on and restrictions lift there will be more and more ‘material’ available to photograph. Parties, holidays and adventures await and so now is a great time to invest in a good camera as a kids birthday gift so they can record all the fun times ahead. Something waterproof and shockproof sounds perfect!

This is a great group gift to set up a Patchwork for and invite everyone to contribute towards. After receiving their gift, the birthday girl or birthday boy can show everyone how their hobby is coming along with regular photography updates. You can add patches to your Patchwork gift page from as little as £1 up to £500 so everyone can chip in what they can afford. Plus they can leave a gift message for the birthday boy or girl too.

2. A trampoline

With too much time cooped up at home in front of screens and after a very long winter, we are all feeling like the kids need to get outside more. Uncertainty remains over when sports and activities can return to normal. So it seems like a good plan to cover all eventualities and get the biggest trampoline for whatever outside space you have! A trampoline is a great kids birthday gift to get everyone to chip in to. And (according to our sources) is the most used piece of equipment they have ever bought! Apparently if you get one large enough, the big kids of the house REALLY enjoy themselves with this gift once the small people have gone to bed.

3. A bedroom makeover

This is a really great one and something we’ve seen more and more of in recent months for obvious reasons! Giving their bedroom a refresh is a great way for kids to express their style and personality in their own space. It’s also the perfect group gift. You can ask for cash contributions towards things like a desk, new bedlinen, or a roll of wallpaper. Even better, you can also invite people to contribute their time and skills too. Maybe you have a relative who might be able to build a shelf unit? Or ask a friend to sew a cushion cover, knit a blanket or design some artwork for the walls? Perhaps you’ve got someone who can help with the planning and design or come over for an hour or two to help decorate.

This group gift idea is Patchwork at its best. It brings everyone together. Using their resources and skills in the ways that suit them best and brings a dream bedroom project to life!

4. A set of wheels

Again, with the changes that childrens’ lives have undergone in the last year this one is no surprise. They may not be old enough to get behind the wheel yet. But giving them their own bike, scooter or even a set of roller skates or a push along toy gets them outside. It gives them independence and confidence and of course – most importantly – gets them off their screens!

Some sets of wheels can have pretty big price tags, so it makes sense to invite friends and family to chip in via a Patchwork gift page and let everyone contribute a little bit. In this way an expensive children’s gift becomes affordable. For example you can add patches to your page so that someone can purchase the bike bell for £5, someone else can buy the saddle for £40 and another a wheel for £20. Friends and family will be thrilled to know they are buying something really wanted. And, even better, buying the dream gift doesn’t involve a trip to the shops!

5. A big lego set

Lego is the classic child’s birthday gift and a toy that never wears out or goes out of fashion. There’s simple duplo for the little ones, to 7,000+ piece masterpieces for budding architects and creator experts. Lego has something for everyone of every age. Our very own Manu was one of the first Patchwork kids to ask for a big lego set. Manu put a Palpatine’s Arrest set on his Patchwork birthday wish list. Star Wars lego has been popular on Patchwork from the beginning. But with Lego covering every interest from Harry Potter to Bonsai trees there’s something for everyone.

You can use our readymade template to get started or set up your own Patchwork gift page from scratch. Then family and friends can choose to contribute towards the best kids gift that’s really wanted and appreciated, which is good for all involved and for the planet too!

Ready to set up your birthday Patchwork page?

It’s super quick and simple to set up your Patchwork child’s birthday gift page. You can start a page from scratch or use one of our easy to customise templates. Simply edit the images and text with your child’s gift or birthday experience ideas, add your personal details and link a payment method. That’s it – you’re done and it’s ready to share. When people arrive at your birthday Patchwork they can see the things your child is dreaming of. Then choose which elements of the present they’d like to contribute towards.

Payments are made directly to you into your Paypal or your bank account via Stripe. So you and your child can choose when, where and how to spend the birthday gift money you receive. You can also send thanks and a photo of your child enjoying their birthday present to everyone who chipped in via your Patchwork dashboard!

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Child hanging decorations for virtual school Christmas fair

Patchwork Kids Schools and community

How to organise the best ever virtual school Christmas fair!

by Rosie Hurwitz October 1, 2020

written by Rosie Hurwitz

It’s that time of year when Christmas fair planning and fundraising for schools is in full swing. And whether that means getting together irl or setting something up online, we can help you out. We’ve been thrilled to see so many creative school communities and PTAs use Patchwork to set up brilliant virtual Christmas fairs. You can join them and bring a bit of sparkle and fun to families for Christmas. And raise money for your school too – of course!

Savvy schools and PTAs began using our site over the summer to set up virtual events, and now with winter around the corner, they’ve discovered a virtual school Christmas fair works brilliantly too.

Why organise a virtual school Christmas fair?

It’s a really easy, colourful and engaging way to celebrate the Christmas season safely; in a way that’s fun for families and raises essential funds for your school too. With Patchwork, you can set up a virtual fair – where each “patch” represents a stall or activity. Whether it’s a competition or a game, items to purchase, a request for donations, or just some fun ideas for the kids to do at home, everyone can take part – no matter how much or little they have to contribute.

Payments are collected securely through the site via Stripe and go direct to your PTA or school account. Also, because this is a virtual event, the Christmas fair isn’t just limited to one day – you can keep the page open for a few weeks to maximise donations and give everyone a chance to join in the fun.

Oh and maybe the best news of all – there’s no need to rope parent volunteers in to get up early on a Saturday to set up, or stay behind to clear up all that cake and glitter! A virtual fair means no mess, so you can put your feet up and enjoy a mince pie and a mulled wine and watch the funds roll in.

How will my virtual fair look?

Virtual school Christmas fair displayed in ipad

A Patchwork virtual fair works so well because the page is extremely visual, inviting and easy to use. The only limit is your imagination, so you can really make it look and feel festive with Christmassy images and plenty of colour, glitter and sparkle.

How does a virtual fair work?

As visitors scroll over the virtual fair patches, they will see how much each activity or item costs, and they can add patches to their basket, adjusting quantities if necessary, leave a message if they need to communicate any information to you, and then pay securely via credit / debit card.

How do I set up a virtual Christmas event page?

It takes just minutes to setup your school’s virtual Christmas Fair page, and we even have a readymade template that you can easily customise and edit to suit your event. Visitors don’t need a password or an account to visit your page – you just send them your unique URL and they’ll arrive directly at your virtual fair, ready to start taking part!

We recommend including a variety of patches, so some might be games or activities that the kids can take part in – (perhaps you can offer the winner a small prize or certificate). Some patches represent items that you are selling. You could see if any parents make Christmas wreaths or facemasks for example, or you might have some stock of school water bottles to sell. It’s also good to include things that don’t cost money – for some this has been an especially tough year, and Christmas puts an extra strain on budgets. Perhaps you can run a Christmas art competition, or ask the kids to send in pics of their festively decorated homes or gardens? Conversely, there are also some families who do want to donate but don’t have much spare time. So, it’s a good idea to include a patch or two that are straightforward donations – you can be quite specific about what the fundraising is for – maybe the Head has requested funds for new books for the library, or some new laptops or other tech.

Children playing on laptop on virtual Christmas fair page

Christmas stollen loaf on a baking tray with knife placed on side

What kinds of activities can I have at our virtual Christmas Fair?

It’s been really fun to see the kinds of things schools have been adding to their virtual Christmas Fair pages – some of our favourite easy-to-organise ideas are here:

Festive pet show – Kids pay a small fee via the page to enter and email entries to the PTA team for judging!
Christmas bake-off – For a small entry fee via the page, kids can cook up some Christmas themed cakes or biscuits and send photos to the PTA team who will award the bake off crown!
Guess the name of the reindeer – (or the number of decorations on the tree) – upload a photo of a Christmas stuffed toy, or a decorated tree and ask the children to play guess – for a small fee of course!
Dare a teacher – get the children to pay to vote for the teacher they’d like to see do something silly – maybe get dressed up as an elf or try and eat three mince pies in under a minute. The teacher with the most votes (or highest donations!) has to do the dare.
Win a mystery prize / enter the bottle tombola – for a small entry fee, children are entered in to a mystery prize draw or the bottle tombola.
Deck the halls – perhaps this could be a free of charge activity, to make sure everyone can take part. Ask children to click this patch to say they’ll decorate a corner of their home and make it look really festive – then they can send their entries via email for judging.
Sell items from local businesses or crafty parents – if you have parents who can sew, bake or make something, or know a local business happy to supply, you can sell items via the page for a bit of variety and great fund raising potential!
Ask for cash donations for your school’s wish list – for parents who want to donate but don’t have much time, add a patch that’s purely monetary. Maybe £5 towards some new books, or £20 towards some new tech equipment. Don’t forget all cash goes direct to the PTA to spend as you need!
Christmas doorstep portaits – Families can book and pay via the site and then you’ll need to recruit a willing photographer parent to donate their time to do doorstep portraits – Christmas themed ones can be really fun!
Make your own jolly jar – this is possibly the most popular stall at the traditional Christmas fair! Of course this year it has a twist. For a small fee, get the kids to enter a competition to make their own magnificent jolly jar at home, decorate it and then send in a pic so the winner can be chosen! Then they get to eat their own jolly jar treats, making it a risk free, easy and very popular fundraiser that the kids will love!

Editing item on a virtual school Christmas fair patchwork

Mother and daughter on laptop setting up virtual school Christmas fair

How much work is it to set up?

Setting up a page is simple and you don’t need any tech know how – anyone can do it! The Patchwork platform is very intuitive so it’s unlikely you’ll need assistance, but if you do we are a friendly team and are always on hand to help. You’ll need to sign up with a few details to create an account, once you’re happy with your page you can link it with Stripe, create your own URL to share and then it’s ready to go live! If you want to add or delete patches, change the text or images, or indeed make any other changes to the page you can continue to edit it even after publishing. You can also add a collaborator if other PTA members would like to get involved too. One thing’s for sure – a virtual Christmas Fair is a whole lot less work than a real one – and yet still a great way to raise money, and get a bit of that school community feeling back – albeit digitally for the time being!

Editing the virtual Christmas fair patchwork

How will I keep track of activity on my virtual fair page?

In your Patchwork account you’ll be able to view and edit your page, and also see who has contributed to what. So you can manage payments in, see how many orders there are against each patch, and send messages or thanks to parents for their help in making the event a success. You can easily export all data from your account in to an excel spreadsheet to make post event admin manageable.

How does Patchwork make money?

We usually charge a 3.6% commission for our service, but we have made a commitment to support support schools and families, especially during this difficult time. When a school signs up to be a Patchwork School Partner you’ll receive not only a 50% reductio in our usual fee, but the chance to earn commission throughout the year by referring parents to us for their own gifts and occasions. Read more here about the Patchwork School affiliate programme and join hundreds of other happy schools using Patchwork for their PTA and fundraising events. Please note that Stripe charge their own small commissions to process your payments. You can read more about how these charges are calculated here.

three tiny snow covered fir tree decorations

We hope this has helped inspire you to set up your own virtual Christmas fair page! Don’t forget to check out our win-win School Partner offer, and let us know how your event goes by following and tagging us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter! If you need to get in touch please do drop us a line at [email protected]

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Parent & Baby Patchwork Kids

Socially Distanced Baby Shower Ideas

by Ismay Ozga September 8, 2020

written by Ismay Ozga

Although some aspects of life are gradually returning to normal, when it comes to baby showers, it still may not be possible to celebrate in the way we used to. If there’s a new mum-to-be in your life who deserves to be spoiled rotten, but you aren’t able to get together, we’ve got some ideas for socially distanced baby showers for you. It’s still totally possible to show her loads of love, from a distance.

Organise a drive-by baby shower

Drive/walk/cycle-by baby showers are becoming a big hit in place of getting together for a bash. This is the perfect option if you all live near the parents-to-be. Just send out an invitation telling friends to pass by their house at a certain time, decorate your car or bike, and blast some favourite tunes out as you go! Arrange for the mama-to-be to sit by her front door as you all come past in your party parade to shower her with love. Everyone can drop off their gifts – from a safe distance. Pro tip: order pizza and cake to turn up at the same time. Pregnant people like food.

Host a garden extravaganza

If one of you has a nice big outside space and you’re all able to travel, it’s a lovely idea to get together for a socially distanced baby shower in the garden. Set the table with beautiful flowers and little games, and lay blankets and cushions on the grass so that everyone can sit comfortably (a meter apart!) and enjoy the afternoon. Just make sure the mum-to-be gets an extra comfortable seat with lots of cushions! Decorate with balloons and bunting and make (or order in!) some special treats.

Post a big box of love

Volunteer to put together a big box of treats from all the friends and family. Ask everyone to either send a homemade gift to you or choose something special which you can buy – then wrap everything up beautifully and package it all up together in one big box. This saves everyone making trips to the shops or post office and it creates a super special moment for the parents-to-be as they get to open all of the gifts for the new arrival at once. Organise a Zoom so that you can watch their faces as they dig into their box.

Chip in towards one big ticket item

If you know you can’t physically take your friends a gift at the moment, why not ask everyone to club together to help buy them a more expensive item – like a beautiful new cot? It’s a gift that will be loved, used and appreciated for years to come. Or maybe they’d rather a high chair, a bouncer, car seat or baby carrier? Whatever it is they really need, just make a patchwork to send to everyone, collect the money, and then buy the gift.

Throw a virtual baby shower

Zoom baby showers are a super fun way to get everyone together – albeit virtually – to show your mate lots of love. There are plenty of things you can do to make it a special call – from matching backgrounds and a gift delivery to the mum-to-be in time for the call, to coming up with lots of fun games to play. In fact we’ve got a whole post about virtual baby showers which tells you everything you need to know to make it a hit.

So whichever route you decide to go down to show your friend and their new arrival some love, all you need to do is make a patchwork to let everyone know the plan – then they can choose how to get involved and you can keep track of the funds and who’s doing what. Then you can surprise your pal with a gorgeous treat that will definitely make them feel your love, even in this strange time.

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Parent & Baby Patchwork Kids

‘It Takes a Village’ – help and support new parents

by Rosie Hurwitz August 13, 2020

written by Rosie Hurwitz

This is my first time writing on the Patchwork blog, so let me briefly introduce myself before we get into how we can help new parents. My name is Melisa, I am 23 years old, and I have just graduated from the University of Southampton where I studied Marketing. I was born in Harare, Zimbabwe and moved to the UK at the age of 6. I love all types of music, honestly, anything I can dance to! However, my favourite genres have to be Afrobeats and South African House music. Also, I love watching movies or TV series with a cheeky cuppa, sweet or butter popcorn and ice-cream.

Young boy holding a flower carried by his mom

“It take a village to raise a child” – what does it really mean?

From my experience of being at Patchwork thus far, it reminds me of an African proverb that states ‘it takes a village to raise a child’. This means that the community aids in the process of a child’s growth. That might be through teaching, sharing experiences or lending new parents a hand. It emphasises the importance of the family, whether immediate or extended, and the community around you to help and support you in crucial moments. It perfectly captures the African culture as a whole and how it thrives from the influence and help of the local community.

Growing up in a Pentecostal Church when a dedication ceremony was being performed, (a Christian tradition that dedicates the infant to God and welcomes the baby into the church), the Pastor would ask the congregation to vow and accept responsibility to teach and train the child [in the ways of the Lord]. Thus, the meaning of this proverb can be expanded to imply that a community can work together for the benefit of one main goal. The purpose of Patchwork aligns with this; to help and support our loved ones, ease the stress of milestone events and grant them experiences that bring them joy.

Young girl with blond hair hugging her grandmother in the sunshine

Celebrating the birth of a new baby? Use Patchwork to ask your village for help

As new parents, you need as much help as possible. The beauty of Patchwork is that because it is a digital platform, your family do not need to be close by to be able to lend a helping hand. So even if family and friends are overseas or unable to meet up in real life, your ‘village’ can feel close and show their love from a distance. Setting up a Patchwork template is a super-easy way to ask your ‘village’ for precisely what you want and need for a new-born. Whether that is asking for cash contributions, gifts, time or skills. Patchwork can be used for organising a baby shower, decorating the nursery or even asking family and friends to bring food after giving birth. Whatever your need is, Patchwork can help support new parents.

Helping hands for new parents readymade patchwork template in an iPad

The village supports you for life – and so does Patchwork!

It’s not just about support and help for new parents and babies. The African proverb is really an approach to life. It’s about the community coming together to support and celebrate each other throughout life. And this is what Patchwork is all about too. It can help with all occasions – whether you’re celebrating a special milestone or coming together to support someone in need.

For example; as your little one grows, you can use Patchwork to ask friends and family to help fund a much-wanted gift or experience. It may be something that is out of reach for one person but can be shared by many. When everyone clubs together, larger items like a bike for example, or a course of swimming lessons, becomes affordable. It’s also more rewarding for family and friends to know they are sharing in helping you reach a goal or realise a dream. Rather than buying a gift that might go unused or just clutter up the cupboards!

Young toddler sitting on sofa next to his sleeping grandfather

What other occasions can Patchwork help us celebrate?

As they get older, friends and family can help them with other milestones. For example, driving lessons for a 17th birthday, helping with savings for their Gap Year travel, or helping to plan for and fund a big birthday party. Patchwork is unique because unlike other crowdfunding sites, you’re not limited to just asking for cash. Perhaps a relative is happy to take them out to practice in their car? Or lending them a backpack or some guidebooks for their Gap Year travels. Or even to bake an amazing cake for their party. With the “village” coming together in this way – anything is possible. Everyone can put their talents and skills to good use, so that money isn’t a barrier to being involved.

And of course, Patchwork is there for when families join together through marriage to make an even bigger village. Whatever it is that the couple need can be asked for with Patchwork, in a way that’s personal, meaningful and waste-free. A deposit for their first home or help doing up the kitchen? The honeymoon they’ve been dreaming of? Or just everybody’s help with making the day a huge success.

grandparents standing on edge of shoreline looking our to sea with their arms round their grandchildren

If you’d like to ask your village for help and support, you can browse our selection of readymade templates. And setting up a patchwork page takes just minutes. Or if you’re feeling creative you can start your own page from scratch. You can add your own images and text to make it really personal.

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Patchwork Kids Schools and community

Organise the Best Virtual School Summer Fair

by Rosie Hurwitz June 26, 2020

written by Rosie Hurwitz

Not to be defeated by lockdown, PTAs are using Patchwork to organise brilliant virtual school fairs. The kids can still join in the fun and raise vital funds for their schools. You can too! It’s super easy and you can have a brilliant virtual summer fair page set up in minutes. With competitions to enter, cakes to be made, Pimms to be drunk and games to be played. It’s guaranteed to be lots of fun (at home) this year, You can also raise lots of funds for your amazing school!
The best news? There’s no setting up or sweeping up mountains of cake crumbs and glitter afterwards.. WINNER!!!!

How can I organise a virtual school summer fair?

It’s that time of year – the kids are usually gearing themselves up for the overdose of sugar, sunshine and excitement that always comes in the form of the summer school fair. It’s also the biggest fundraising event for most schools across the country.
This year is a bit different of course with Covid-19 dashing hopes of putting on the usual crowd-drawing events. However, Patchwork can help! You can organise a brilliant, fun, and most of all profitable school fair. This will also be a lot less work than usual!
Yes, that’s right, you can organise your school fair virtually. In reality, this means families can host their own “school fair” in their homes or back gardens. They can donate funds to your school via your online Patchwork page.

It’s super simple. Here’s how:

Virtual School Summer Fair Patchwork in iPad

How can I set up a virtual school fair Patchwork page?

Set up your virtual summer fair Patchwork page in minutes by using our readymade template. Next edit the template with your school details and date.
You can add or delete patches, add your own images or use our gorgeous photo gallery. It’s easy to edit prices, and add patches so that people can “fund” “make” or “do” things that will make the fair a huge success. Patches can be rearranged and resized, and it’s so easy even a technophobe can do it. You can be as creative as you want – so have a play!

How to raise funds at a virtual school fair

Fundraising is super simple with a Patchwork virtual summer fair page. Just link your page with your school’s bank account via Stripe, our card processing partner. Stripe allows parents to donate easily and securely via a debit or credit card.
Details of all contributions are stored in your account. You can see who’s doing what, generate post-fair reports and calculate revenue.

People can also leave messages on the page sharing what they are doing to support the fair or just letting you know they will take part! It’s a great way to build that community spirit again and get everyone together, albeit virtually for now!

Ideas for a virtual school fair

A virtual bake off: Charge a small entry fee, ask entrants to bake their masterpiece on or before the day of the fair, then email photos of their cake, and a description of it for a virtual bake off competition!

A pet show: Get the pet owning families to send in pics of their furry friends for a small entry fee and judge the cutest / fluffiest entrants!

A doorstep family photo competition – keep it simple with some rules or themes. “Dress as your superheroes”, or “wear your school colours” are easy ways to do this, and it’s one the whole family can join in.

Name the teddy: Ask the children to guess the name of a soft toy for a small charge (put a photo of the toy on one of the patches) and pick the winner after the fair. The winner gets the teddy!

child playing summer fair games in garden

Games to play at a virtual school fair

Encourage parents and carers to get involved by setting up a hot dog or pizza stall at home, or a lemonade and Pimms bar. They can get the kids to design posters, decorate the space indoors or out, and play some summer party tunes to get in the mood.

If they have paddling pools or a trampoline, make these part of the fair too. Face painting, jolly jars, a make your own burger stall, tin can alley, egg and spoon race, beat the goalie, guess the name of the teddy, soak the teacher (or this year, soak the grown-up!) are all great ideas for summer fair games. Then give the kids some pocket money so they can recreate that summer fair experience at home, have lots of fun and raise money for your school at the same time!!

If you’ve been inspired to set up a page for your school check out our easy to customise template. Next, link your payment details and share the URL of your page direct with your school families so that they can start preparing and donating! Then sit back, enjoy a Pimms and watch the funds roll in! Let us know how your goes by sharing pics with us on Twitter – using #virtualsummerfair and don’t forget to follow us on FB and Insta too.

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Parent & Baby Patchwork Kids

Help with New Baby Essentials for First Time Parents

by Rosie Hurwitz June 3, 2020

written by Rosie Hurwitz

Alice and Angus were expecting their first baby and knew that friends and family would want to shower them with new baby gifts – who doesn’t love shopping for tiny clothes? However, living in a London flat meant that space was precious. Rather than risk getting bought duplicates of items that weren’t really needed, they put together a baby ‘wish list’ with all the new baby gifts that they’d need for baby’s first year. Then they set up a baby gift page with Patchwork, showing friends some of the things they’d love, at a wide range of price points to suit all budgets. This meant that everyone could contribute in an easy, secure and fun way, and the new parents received money towards baby essentials that were really wanted and appreciated. From a car seat to a baby bouncer, everything was covered!

Tell us a bit about your new arrival!

We had our first baby Sienna, in 2018; the first couple to have a baby in our friendship group. We celebrated with a massive baby shower a week before she was due, with 100 people who all contributed to our Patchwork. Subsequently she was born the next day by c-section. Advice to new mums, don’t have a baby shower at 39 weeks!

Doing up the Nursery New Baby Patchwork readymade template in iPad

What made you choose to use Patchwork for your baby gift registry?

My friend used it for their wedding gifts and I thought it was a great idea. We are young parents so the idea of getting exactly what you want without having to buy it yourself was great!

Toddler at nursery looking out of window

How did Patchwork help you as new parents?

The support we got for the first few months through patchwork was invaluable. It was great as we had a sum of money we could use to buy what we wanted for our baby. We also didn’t have to use the money straight away. It lasted for the first 6 months for anything we needed. Our friends and family all loved it too! Super easy to use and happy they were buying us what we wanted! The customer support was great too when I had a few questions.

Would you recommend Patchwork to other new parents?

I would recommend using it if you’re a first time family living in London with not much space. When you have a baby EVERYONE wants to buy you something! It’s so lovely but it means that your tiny flat gets even smaller! It’s nice to be able to stagger the purchases so you don’t have too much at one time.

Patchwork Kids: Toddler walking on pavement next to pram

And how is life with a busy toddler?

Sienna is now at nursery in Stockholm. We moved here just before Corona hit. We have great adventures in her pram everyday! Her pram, cot, Moses basket, newborn clothes and toys were all bought using Patchwork. Also some of her bedroom furniture. We still have all of those things and we use them all the time.

THANK YOU SO MUCH PATCHWORK!

Thank you so much Alice and Angus for sharing your story with us, and we wish you many more happy days exploring Stockholm with Sienna!

If you’d like to set up a new baby gift page, for yourself, or a friend, we have lots of beautiful, easy to customise templates for you to use, or you can create your own page from scratch.

From baby shower ideas to celebrating birthdays, Patchwork can help make family milestones fun, personal, and inclusive for your friends and family. And practical and waste-free for you!

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Patchwork Kids

Patchwork Kids: Love Letters from Home

by Rosie Hurwitz March 21, 2020

written by Rosie Hurwitz

Rosie looks after our customers at Patchwork and like many working mums is at home with her daughter Bo – who has had the most excellent idea. She’s written a letter to ‘an old person’ trusting that her local postie will know who might need cheering up. It’s such a simple thing to do and as Bo says ‘it’s kind and also better than doing spelling sheets.’

Rosie says: “As soon as she found out her school was closing, Bo said she wanted to start writing letters to her classmates. We posted a couple to her friends and then she had the idea of sending to old people as well who are now confined to home and possibly more isolated than ever.”

Elderly man standing at window with blind down

Social distancing doesn’t have to mean increased loneliness

It’s vital that we all protect the elderly and those most vulnerable, by taking seriously the recommendations to start social distancing now. But not having physical contact in the ways we are used to, doesn’t mean we should stop contact altogether. In fact it means we need to try even harder to connect in other ways. These may include ways we have forgotten about, like picking up the phone or writing a letter.

Short and sweet and simple

Writing letters to elderly people in their community is a really nice and simple way that even young children can help. It can be a letter, a card, or postcard or just a short note. A few lines about who they are and what they have been doing and feeling, along with a few questions back is perfect! Sticking to a strict homeschooling timetable is tough, if not impossible. This is a way to weave learning in, with an activity that’s simple and accessible. If your child is very young, just their name and a colourful drawing is lovely.

What should my letter say?

Start with a ‘hello my name is” and get your child to add in their age and location (don’t feel the need to add surname or address if you’d rather not) Ask your child to note how they are feeling, and maybe get them to include what their plans are while school is closed or their routine has changed. What are they looking forward to? Do they have anything special planned while they are at home? Keep it age appropriate and fun. Better to write a few short letters than allow your child to get bored struggling to write a long one!

A learning experience that benefits everyone

This idea works so well because it’s so simple and accessible. It can be a nice routine to each morning, perhaps writing their letter as they have breakfast. Then a walk to the postbox (if you’re lucky and there’s one near you!) allows some time to stretch their legs, get some fresh air and learn about how the postal service works. Explain to them what their letter might mean to someone who is alone. Helping them to develop their empathy, their sense of community and the feeling of doing something positive at a difficult time. And with homeschooling in mind, improve their handwriting too (shh don’t tell them that!)

For an elderly person, living alone or perhaps carrying the responsibility of caring for their partner, a handwritten letter can mean a lot. It shows that someone has thought about them and cared enough to write. It’s a small connection to the outside world, and something to look forward to in what might otherwise be a long and uneventful day.

Like to give this a try?

Great! Get a stock of paper, notepad or some cards, and some stamps that you can keep close to hand for when you have a 5 minute gap in your homeschooling schedule to sit with your child and have a cup of tea. Unless you personally know an elderly person in your community, we recommend addressing your envelope more generally, for example:

To: an elderly person near me, then a street name and postcode, and then a note to the postman to help locate someone who is alone and might need cheering up!

If you want to share what you’re doing on social media and encourage others to so the same please share your photos and stories with the hashtags #stepbackreachout and #loveletters and let’s all do our bit to connect more and infect less.

For your reassurance, Public Health England (PHE) has advised that people receiving parcels or letters are not at risk of contracting the Coronavirus. You can read more here.

And finally, if you’d like to find out how Patchwork can help kids cope with the disappointment of cancelled birthday parties during the Coronavirus, check out our ideas for distance gifting for kids and keep the love and birthday fun alive!

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Three pumpkins on a table. Two are carved for Halloween, one with a ghost face and one with menacing eyes. The third pumpkin is very small.

Patchwork Kids

Make Halloween zero-waste and plastic-free

by Ismay Ozga October 22, 2019

written by Ismay Ozga

Love it or hate it – it’s that time of year again and if you have kids, they are going to want to be part of the festivities. And yes, you CAN have fun at Halloween while still being mindful of the impact on the environment.

As Chris Rose of Fairyland Trust, a family nature charity says “the scariest thing about halloween now is plastic“. If you try to be zero waste and plastic free the rest of the year – why make halloween any different? Patchwork is all about being collective, resourceful and creative so read on for how to tackle trick or treat season like a true green warrior…

Preloved and homemade costumes over new.

Small boy in preloved Halloween cat costume

There are so many perfectly good Halloween costumes floating about out there (like Archie’s cat that we found on eBay). It does seem crazy to spend money and consume precious resources for an outfit that might only be worn once before being outgrown.

Each year after Halloween approximately 7 million costumes are thrown away – the equivalent to 83 million plastic bottles. A super-scary statistic. Many costumes are made of plastic in the form of polyester, so not the most eco-friendly fabric either. Ask friends and family to do swaps or have a rummage in your local charity shop. You can also search on eBay or your local FaceBook groups for a pre-loved bargain that you can then pass on again to the next trick or treater!

Or customise an old pair of old black leggings or a black or orange t-shirt. Cut slashes in the fabric for a scary effect and pair with some orange accessories and a bit of ghoulish make up for a truly terrifying look. And there’s always the good old cut-out-eye-holes-in-an-old-piece-of-sheet à la E.T. in 1982. See it’s not a new thing!

Go green with your decorations this Halloween.

Cut out paper circles orange black and white - plastic free Halloween decorations

Black Happy Halloween sign on an orange and yellow background - plastic free Halloween decorations

Ordinary glass tealights can be customised for Halloween with some orange ribbon tied around or some paper bats stuck to the outside. If you’re using outdoor fairy lights or lanterns try to get solar powered if you can.

All you need for a spooky hanging garland is card, scissors and a little bit of artistic talent! Use string or ribbon to attach dangling paper spiders, witches and skeletons and hang in the doorway or at a window. Even little ones can get involved with some splodgy glue and a mixture of fabric, tissue and card. If it’s black and orange – it counts!

Check out more eco Halloween ideas on Pinterest. And of course the best way to be green this Halloween is just to reuse all those decorations you’ve already got! The plastic trick or treat buckets and other scary props can be used over and over again and kids usually love rediscovering their old treasures if they’ve been packed away in the loft for a year! If you’re lucky, this makes for an hours peace and quiet for you while they go through the box of spooky delights.

Sweets and treats that are not so scary for the planet.

Homemade Halloween biscuits on a baking sheet

Halloween clementines decorated to look like mini pumpkins

Four kids outside a front door dressed in winter clothes and hats holding Halloween props

It’s not going to be Halloween without an overdose of sugar in some form, but if you start planning early you can avoid damaging the environment along with their teeth!

So, let’s start with the easiest (and healthiest) idea. Buy a box of clementines (or get them loose if you can), and then simply draw little faces on them for instant mini-pumpkins. They look adorable, cost very little and have no wrapping. It takes two minutes for a whole batch and it gets some vitamin C inside them ahead of the winter cold season. Win, win, WIN!

Second best, and with a whole lot more sugar, buy loose sweets in paper bags from a high street sweet shop such as Mr Simms. You can ask them to package up 5 or 6 sweets in a small bag, and then tape up or fold over and decorate for a gorgeous little trick or treat surprise.

Making a batch of cupcakes or biscuits and decorating with some orange icing and googly eyes is also an easy one. Or if you don’t have time and do buy shop bought, try to opt for chocolates wrapped in foil rather than plastic. Collect your treats in a paper bag decorated with a Halloween theme, or (for the super hopeful kids!) use a pillowcase. Otherwise just keeping reusing that plastic bucket – it’ll last forever.

Save us some pumpkin!

Two slices of pumpkin pie on a wooden chopping board

It seems everyone knows how to carve beautiful designs in to their pumpkin but not many know what to do with all that gorgeous orange flesh!

Terrifyingly, the UK will bin 8 MILLION pumpkins after Halloween. The equivalent of enough pumpkin pie to feed the entire nation, research by Hubbub has found. So, in support of the #PumpkinResuce campaign we have a secret family recipe to pass on to you. It’s called Red Nanny’s Pumpkin Pie (our founder Liv’s mum has been making it for over 40 years as you can see by the state of the recipe). It’s delicious, comforting and aromatic as all autumnal recipes should be and it’s the colour of fallen leaves. If, like us, you have trouble deciphering the above – we’ve printed the instructions nice and clearly at the bottom of this post ?

If you’d like to host your own Halloween party, get friends to help by customising a Patchwork party templates and adding your own spooky images and text! Get someone to provide the scary tunes, another to make some terrifying cakes, and someone to help decorate! Get more tips on waste free party planning, and read our take on why old is the new new.

Red Nanny’s Pumpkin Pie recipe:

Pastry:

8oz self-raising flour

4oz margarine

a little water

(or buy a sheet of readymade shortcrust party)

Filling:

1lb stewed pumpkin (mashed)

3oz sugar

1tsp cinnamon

1.5 tsp ginger

1.5 tsp nutmeg

2 eggs

10oz milk

a knob of butter

Add the sugar and spices to the pumpkin, add eggs, milk and butter.

Pour mixture on to pastry base and put in oven at 180 degrees for 40 minutes until set. Eat when cool. See more yummy pumpkin recipes.

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Party Planning Patchwork Kids

Our Advice For a Feel-Good Eco-Christmas

by Ismay Ozga December 6, 2018

written by Ismay Ozga

Here are our top tips on how to celebrate a feel-good eco-Christmas and enjoy the festive season whilst reducing your plastic and carbon footprint at the same time.

Relax, imperfect is perfect

Splodgy, glittery paper ones made by little ones, thoughtfully chosen gifts from friends, inherited antiques, some cheap and tacky and some quite special – the best bit about Christmas is getting the boxes of decorations out and re-using and re-discovering the random, familiar collection of pieces year after year. They might not be matchy-matchy but they all have a memory attached and give the tree a comforting, homely look. An eco-Christmas is about telling your own family story. So, enjoy growing your collection, but don’t feel you have to buy new ones each year or follow this year’s on-trend colour scheme. And don’t throw out the glittery pine cones yet.

Eco Christmas, green Christmas, Christmas decorations

Deck the halls … green

Collecting new and 100% natural decorations however is totally different. And really fun. Head out to find holly branches, long ivy tendrils and festive foliage from your local park to hang around window frames, drape over wall mirrors, wind around stair banisters or use as table decorations – even more lovely when wrapped with fairy lights. Then use scraps of ribbon or lace to tie rosemary and other herbs or twigs around old jars and put a candle inside for an easy decoration that doesn’t cost a penny. Pinterest has loads of homemade decoration inspo for your eco-Christmas.

Eco Christmas, Christmas disco, kids Christmas

Action packed Advent

The classic paper picture calendar is a lovely way to countdown the days till Christmas. As kids we used to use the same one for a few years in a row! But if you want a new one each year make sure it’s made from recycled paper. To avoid adding to plastic consumption invest in a re-useable calendar that you can bring out year after year. Choose from wooden houses or nativity sets, or fabric hanging calendars. Or make your own by using small bags tied or pegged up and fill them with sweets and treats. If you don’t want to encourage guzzling chocolate every morning, talk to your family about doing a month of advent activities like Christmas baking, a front room Christmas disco, or just a walk or drive around your local streets admiring the Christmas lights on the houses. The “reverse advent” is also lovely: each day instead of receiving a gift, make a box and place an item inside that will be needed and wanted by a local food bank or homeless shelter. An eco-Christmas allows kids to learn that to give to others as well as receive is a gift in itself.

Waste free wrapping

When wrapping presents try to avoid foil embossed paper that can’t be recycled and make sure you use plain or patterned paper. Even better use recycled craft wrap, or use old newspaper, magazines or last years calendars. Plain brown paper or newspaper can be dressed with foliage, lace or ribbon, (to keep and use again) or get creative with paints and stamps to add some colour.
If you keep old Christmas cards, cut them up and use them to make this years gift tags. It’s the sort of activity that will keep kids busy for an hour while you make dinner. Making up eco-Christmas hampers as gifts? Avoid covering in cellophane, and the same if you buy flowers from a florist, just ask them not to use plastic wrap – they usually have a paper option too.

Eat, drink and be merry

If you’re planning a big family Christmas it makes sense to ask people to pitch in to help with the festive food and drink and means people don’t feel compelled to buy grown up gifts. Someone can bring wine, another cheese and someone can peel the potatoes! Organise yours here for an easy, fun and stress free day.

Cut out the plastic

Zero waste, or even plastic-free food shopping is a real challenge, plastic IS everywhere, and some will find its way in to your trolley. We recently tried to go for just one week buying zero plastic. Even with amazing support from our four kids it was really difficult. Eye opening and educational. But tough! What it taught me was that it’s no good making zero plastic a start point for your eco-Christmas. Better you set your zero plastic ambition as a goal! Start small by swapping products in plastic for their cardboard or glass counterparts and aim to reduce as much as you can. Swap your plastic ketchup and mayo for glass bottles. Choose unwrapped fruit and veg if it’s an option. Take your own bags or containers and buy loose bakery items and meat from the counter. If you do buy plastic packaged items, buy in bulk if you can. And don’t forget the milkman! A proper old-fashioned bottle of milk delivered to your doorstep in re-useable glass bottles makes mornings happy. Find out more at milkandmore.

Eco shopping, shopping bag, no plastic, shop local

Celebrate your local shops

Where possible, buy locally produced goods in the run up to your eco-Christmas (seasonal veg, English wine and beer) and support your local independent shops and markets who will really value your custom. They are more likely to be open and adaptable to making changes to packaging if their customers ask too. Find your local market here.

Christmas gnomes, Christmas decorations, elves

Try something new

There’s been a huge rise in veganism in the last few years along with concerns about the impact on our environment. In 2018 every eco-Christmas table needs a non-meat alternative! Christmas isn’t a time to go without, so if you love your turkey or goose then go for it, but try some of the non-meat options if you get a chance – they’ve come a long way! See the latest on offer from your supermarket here or if you feel like trying some recipes yourself check out some delicious ideas from Viva and these from the Jamie Oliver.

Christmas present, Christmas gift, Christmas experience, buy less,

Give Group Love

Get together with friends and family to buy one big gift that’s really wanted.. It doesn’t have to be a material object. A massage, dancing lessons, or a special dinner date can all be gifted easily. Or club together for that really wanted new bike or watch that will make them happy. An eco-Christmas can and should be fun and joyful and gift giving is about showing love and thought and giving something that will be treasured and loved.

Green Christmas, coloured pens, stationery

Good green stocking fillers for under £5

It’s easy to find reasonably priced stocking fillers for an eco-Christmas. How about a bamboo toothbrush, some packaging free beauty products like these gorgeous ones from Lush or the latest novel from around £5.00 (even better if it’s second hand!). Support your local charity shops and bookshops or try Waterstones.

Pop some slave free chocolate in from Tony’s Chocolonely – they use uncoated, recycled FSC-certified paper for their wrapping or try this from Seed & Bean – the wrapping is non-plastic and fully compostable.

Then raid the charity shops for pre-loved toys and games and don’t forget the socks and satsumas!

To set up your own eco Christmas wish list check out our beautiful and easy to customise template here.

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