Archive August 15, 2025

Banish back-to-school anxiety with top-rated children’s toys that are ‘fun and calming’

By in Entertainment News, News

Beat the back-to-school nerves with these top-rated toys that are fun, calming, and perfect for helping kids feel relaxed and ready a new term

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Top-rated children’s toys to help banish back-to-school anxiety (Image: Getty)

The back-to-school season is nearly upon us, and along with thinking about school uniforms and accessories, it’s worth thinking about mindful toys and games that can help your kids calm down during stressful situations.

Anxiety among kids and young adults is on the rise, not only during term time but also throughout school holidays, when the lack of routine can leave many feeling unsettled.

Therapeutic games and calming activities are a fun and gentle way to help kids feel more in control and do more than just keep little hands busy. Not only do they help calm little ones down, but they also distract their eyes and minds from screens.From educational books to distracting fidget toys and anxiety-reducing plushies, we’ve rounded up all the games you need starting from £5.

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Silicone Sensory Activity Board
Silicone Sensory Activity Board(Image: Amazon)

This portable silicone sensory board helps kids develop fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and focus through fun play. Easy to clean, safe, and screen-free, it’s a calming, creative activity that’s perfect for travel or quiet moments.

Toymania Future Fidgets
Toymania Future Fidgets(Image: Toymania)

These are perfect for children who are feeling overwhelmed, as using a fidget toy can help focus their attention and energy. They’re pocket-sized, making them easy to carry and the perfect portable toy for school or on-the-go moments. They can help reduce stress and anxiety while boosting focus, which makes them great for both kids and adults.

Micro Monster
Micro Monster(Image: Puppets By Post)

If you’ve got a child nervous to start or head back to school in September, this adorable, fluffy monster toy can act as a little buddy to pop inside their backpack for some courage.

Mrs Wordsmith The Book of Big Feelings
Mrs Wordsmith The Book of Big Feelings(Image: Mrs Wordsmith)

This handy book from Mrs. Wordsmith helps kids express themselves and build emotional intelligence while being engaging and educational. Each day, a new illustrated feeling is revealed to spark conversations about emotions, while the back of each page features thoughtful prompts, stories, and activities.

Emma Madden, Headteacher at Fox Primary School says: “A fantastically fun way to develop phonic knowledge. The audio tracks ensure correct pronunciation, while the tiered decks allow differentiated instruction.”

Learning Globe
Learning Globe(Image: LeapFrog)

This interactive world globe helps kids learn through fun facts, games, and videos, making education both exciting and engaging. The playful characters and hands-on activities also provide a soothing distraction for children with anxiety, helping them focus and relax while they explore.

Children's Mindfulness Calm Me Flash Cards
Children’s Mindfulness Calm Me Flash Cards(Image: Amazon)

These affordable mindfulness cards from Amazon teach kids calming exercises, breathing techniques, and sensory activities to help them focus and relax. Perfect for use at home or on the go, they offer a fun, portable way to reduce anxiety and encourage a sense of calm.

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Foodie Friends Activity Pack
Foodie Friends Activity Pack(Image: Crayola)

Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,268

By in News, World News

Here is how things stand on Friday, August 15:

Fighting

  • Ukrainian drones struck two Russian cities in attacks that injured at least 16 people, local authorities said.
  • Thirteen people were wounded, two seriously, when a drone struck an apartment building in the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don, and three civilians were wounded in the city of Belgorod near the border with Ukraine.
  • The Ukrainian military said its drones hit a Russian refinery in the Volgograd region overnight, causing huge fires.
  • Russia’s Defence Ministry said Russian forces captured the settlements of Shcherbynivka and Andriivka-Klevtsove in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region.
  • Ukrainian troops have stabilised an area of eastern Ukraine where Russian forces had made a sudden push this week to pierce Ukrainian defences, the Donetsk region’s Governor Vadym Filashkin said.
  • Ukraine said small groups of Russian infantry had thrust some 10 kilometres (six miles) towards its main defensive line near the town of Dobropillia, raising fears of a wider breakthrough on the front line that would further threaten key Ukrainian cities.
  • The Russian advance, coming as United States President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are due to meet in Alaska on Friday, appears aimed at pressuring Kyiv to give up land in return for peace with Russia, observers said.

Alaska summit

  • Trump said he believes Putin is ready to end his war in Ukraine, speaking on the eve of Friday’s summit between the two leaders in the city of Anchorage, but a peace deal would likely require at least a second meeting involving Ukraine’s leader, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
  • Trump and Putin will meet face-to-face on Friday before holding a joint news conference, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said.
  • Putin said the US was making “sincere efforts” to halt the war in Ukraine and suggested Moscow and Washington could agree on a nuclear arms deal as part of a wider effort to strengthen peace.
  • Putin said “in order to create long-term conditions for peace between our countries, and in Europe, and in the world as a whole”, there could be agreements reached “in the area of control over strategic offensive weapons”.
  • The Kremlin warned it would be a big mistake to predict the outcome of the upcoming summit, the state-run Interfax news agency reported. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said there were no plans to sign any documents following the summit.
  • The talks in Alaska between Trump and Putin present a viable chance to make progress on ending the war in Ukraine, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office said in a statement.

Military aid

  • Zelenskyy said he had a detailed discussion on possible security guarantees for Ukraine during a “productive meeting” with the United Kingdom’s Starmer.
  • Zelenskyy said Kyiv had so far secured $1.5bn from its European allies to buy US weapons as part of a mechanism – the NATO Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List initiative – that he said “truly strengthens our defence”.
  • French President Emmanuel Macron said Trump expressed a willingness to European leaders on Wednesday that the US and other allies should be part of giving Ukraine security guarantees to end Russia’s war in Ukraine.
  • The US Agency for International Development (USAID) did not monitor the uses of 5,175 Starlink terminals sent to Ukraine, with nearly half of the operational units ending up in areas fully or partly held by Moscow, according to a report by the agency’s internal watchdog.

Prisoners of war

  • The United Arab Emirates has successfully mediated a new exchange of captives between Russia and Ukraine. Some 84 captives were released from each side, bringing the total number exchanged through UAE mediation to 4,349.
  • Ukraine brought home 84 prisoners of war that included 51 civilians, Ukrainian officials said, at least one of whom had been held for more than a decade.

Regional developments

  • Russian State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during an official visit to Pyongyang, the Russian parliament said. Volodin, a close ally of Putin, conveyed greetings from the Russian leader and thanked Kim for North Korea’s support of Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine.

Economy

  • Ukraine’s Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko ordered a review of all licences to mine strategic minerals in the country, as part of a broader effort to help the war-ravaged economy and secure new investments under a minerals deal with the US.