| Entertaining your kids can be a tricky business at the | | | | has written their section, read the whole story out loud |
| best of times, and it's even more difficult during | | | | - it's usually pretty funny! |
| holidays. | | | | Best for: Boys and girls |
| Here are 10 great family activities that will keep your | | | | Age: 6+ |
| kids busy, whatever the weather or their age. | | | | 6. Host a dance party |
| 1. Get them in the kitchen | | | | Invite around some of your daughter's friends, get a |
| There are loads of simple recipes you can try out with | | | | bunch of their favourite CDs and let them dance til |
| your children. If you're concerned about them getting | | | | they drop. All you'll have to do is provide drinks and |
| things in and out of the oven, then why not try making | | | | snacks! |
| chocolate crispy bars, which have to be chilled in the | | | | Best for: Girls |
| fridge. | | | | Age: 8+ |
| If they really love it, then why not challenge them to | | | | 7. Tire them out |
| come up with different sandwich fillings for their tea? | | | | Indoor play centres are becoming more and more |
| They many not particularly enjoy the results, but you're | | | | popular. They're great fun, safe and allow you to relax |
| teaching them about taste, as well as having fun! | | | | while your kids run riot without fear of injury. |
| Best for: Girls and boys | | | | Activities include bouncing on trampolines, go up foam |
| Age: As soon as they can reach the table or | | | | staircases and then coming down slides, climbing |
| worktops | | | | rigging and jumping into ball pits. |
| 2. Go fly a kite | | | | Best for: Girls and boys |
| Brighten up a windy day by going outside and flying a | | | | Age: 4-12 |
| kite. You can buy kites from most toy shops, or you | | | | 8. Tie-dyeing |
| could have a go at making your own. | | | | It may conjure up images of hippies, but tie-dyeing is a |
| Best for:Girls and boys | | | | great way of jazzing up some of your kids old clothes |
| Age: 5+ | | | | and it's fun to do. |
| 3. Teach them cross-stitch | | | | Basically, you gather up, fold, and tie your t-shirt (or |
| Cross stitch is enjoying a new lease of life and is a | | | | other item of clothing) with rubber bands or string and |
| great way to get kids involved in arts and craft. You | | | | leave it to soak in fabric dye. |
| can get special kits designed for younger children, so | | | | Best for: Girls |
| they won't hurt themselves on the needles and the | | | | Age: 9+ |
| pattern will be easier to follow. | | | | 9. Make a scavenger hunt |
| Best for: Girls | | | | Come up with a list of odd and fun items for your kids |
| Age: 7+ | | | | to find. They can hunt around the house or your |
| 4. Make paper planes | | | | garden. |
| Use up all that scrap paper that was destined for the | | | | Suggested items can be: a cancelled stamp, a straw, a |
| recycling and build a fleet of paper airplanes. Then you | | | | rubber band, a penny dated in a particular decade |
| can launch them from an upstairs window, or in the | | | | (before the kids were born, or perhaps have them find |
| back garden. You could make different kinds and see | | | | one in the year the birthday child was born), a |
| which one flies the furthest. | | | | toothpick. If you live in the country, or go to a park, |
| Best for: Boys | | | | some suggestions are a pine cone, a worm, a bug, a |
| Age: 5+ | | | | white rock, something red, a feather. |
| 5. Write a story | | | | Best for: Girls and boys |
| Use your imaginations and write a story together. It | | | | Age: 8+ |
| doesn't have to be original, the kids could write down | | | | 10. Make a sundial |
| their favourite fairy tale and just change the ending if | | | | Teach your kids how people used to tell the time |
| they feel like it. | | | | before clocks and watches were invented. All you |
| Another great idea is to write chain stories with friends. | | | | need is a compass to find out where north is and then |
| Each person writes a paragraph and then shows the | | | | put a stick in the ground and watch the shadow |
| final line only to the next writer. Once the final person | | | | change position as the sun moves. |