Tractor Express Game
10 Ways to Entertain the Children During the Summer Holidays
Now that summer is finally upon us, mum's up and down the country will be seeking low cost and fun ways to entertain the kids.
Our top ten activities below include things to do indoors when the heavens open and a number of activities to do outdoors when the sun is shining.
Grow a Grass Head Monster. This is a slightly more sinister version than a normal grass head. You will need; a foot from some tights, some sawdust, grass seed, elastic band, yoghurt pot and lots stick on eyes and teeth.
Fill the toe of your tights with the grass seed. Next add the sawdust until you have reached the required size to fit nicely in your yoghurt pot. Fasten with the elastic band. Stand the head in the yoghurt pot with the grass at the top. Stick on as many eyes and teeth as you can fit in the space provided. Put water in the yoghurt pot and keep it topped up. You can of course decorate the yoghurt pot for his body. For a nice twist, grow a herb head instead of a grass head, at least you can use the herbs when cooking!
Musical Dress Up. This game can be hilarious. First you should visit a charity shop and buy lots of really garish or old fashioned clothes. The bigger the better. Put them in a pile in the middle of the room. Choose an item of clothing. Start the music. When the music stops the person holding the item of clothing has to put it on. This works especially well if you get hats, scarves, old ladies dresses etc. The winner is the person wearing the most amount of clothes. Take care when it is warm as they will be wearing a lot of clothes.
Make Some Salt Dough. Salt dough is so much more fun than play dough! You will need some basic ingredients and equipment that you probably have in your kitchen cupboards. You will need for the recipe; 2 cups of Plain Flour, 1 cup of table salt, 1 cup of water, 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil, 1 tablespoon of wallpaper paste (optional – gives it more elasticity) and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Mix all the ingredients together, adding the water slowly. You can make any number of projects using salt dough, but a particular favourite is Christmas tree decorations. Simply put a hole in your object and when it is dry, thread a ribbon through it. Salt dough models can take around 3-4 hours to dry in a really low oven (below gas mark 1) or around 4 days in the air. Once dried they can be painted and varnished to extend their life. If modelling with young children it might be best to leave out the wallpaper paste in case they eat any dough.
Play Chase the Balloon. This is more fun the more people are involved. You will need; 2 balloons per person, some string and lots of energy. Blow up lots of balloons. Tie some string round each balloon and then tie one to each ankle of each person. Each person then has to try to burst someone else's balloon using their feet. This game is great for a giggle and wears them out. Make sure the kids are wearing non slip shoes.
Play What am I? This can be adapted for older or younger children so everybody can play. You will need some animal playing cards (or make your own) and some sellotape. You need at least 2 people. Each person chooses a card. Then choose an opponent and stick the card on their forehead (mind their hair) so everybody can see the card accept your opponent. Your opponent has to work out what animal they are by asking ‘yes' or ‘no' questions such as, "Do I live in the jungle?". This game can be used with other types of cards, you could do letters or numbers or colours. It can be educational as well as fun.
Go Pond Dipping. What child doesn't enjoy messing around outdoors and getting their hands dirty? Make sure the children are dressed in old clothes and are wearing trainers in case the edge of the pond is slippery. You will need a fishing net (small), a container (white is best to see the insects etc clearly), a tea strainer (to sieve out their findings) and a magnifying glass to get a really good close up of the beasts! Ensure children wash their hands afterwards.
Go Crabbing. From an adult point of view this seems to be an utter waste of time, but kids love it. You will need; a bucket, some string (length depends on the depth of the water), a weight and some bait which could be uncooked bacon rind or raw meat. Fill your bucket with sea water. Simply attach the weight and the bait to the string and feed this into the water so it goes all the way to the bottom. Then wait, and wait. Kids love this activity as there is the anticipation of the catch, the danger of handling this vicious beast and then the study of the beast after capture. Be sure to keep the water in the bucket cool and return the crabs to their natural environment afterwards.
Go on an Adventure. Every now and then National Express Coaches offer coach trips for a £1 each way. You could pick a town from their list of destinations, find out what's on offer in that town and take a day trip. The trip is far cheaper than if you had to pay for petrol. The coach trip will become part of the day out as it's far more fun that going in the car. It's also less hassle for mum and dad as no driving is involved.
Day Out at the Beach. There is no simpler pleasure than going to the beach with your brood. Pack a picnic, bucket, spade and sun cream and off you go. Generally you'll find lots of other children down the beach and mum might even get a chance to relax.
Visit a Working Farm. Many working farms are now open to the public for a small fee. This can be so much fun. Pack a picnic and enjoy the great outdoors. Children can learn all about farming, feed the lambs, go on tractor rides and milk the cows.
The key to surviving the summer holidays is to be prepared whatever the weather. Make sure you chat with local mums and arrange play dates and gather ideas.
A child won't remember that their house was spotless when they were younger but they will remember having fun with family and friends on days out.
About the Author
Lisa Mills owns two commercially driven websites, one selling baby baskets and the other promoting toddlers toys
Big Tonka Express a Trukz.com Company
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