Are you struggling to find things to do with the kids?

It is hard, isn’t it? We all spent so many months home-schooling our kids that now things have become a little more normal, many of us have lost all inspiration.

Here are some simple things that you can do with the kids this week.

1. Bake some shortbread biscuits

Now, I’m no cook but I think even I can manage this simple recipe from Jane’s Patisserie ! It is a fun way to get the kids in the kitchen, make some cheap snacks for the week ahead and avoid going to the supermarket for a top-up of biscuits. You could have biscuit decorating competitions!

2. Do some Disney Zumba

Now, we are all on board with the god that is Joe Wickes and his workouts, but if you fancy a bit of a boogie around your living room, check out Disney Zumba. Just type it in YouTube, and several options come up. We have been having fun doing Zumba workouts to the Moana soundtrack

3. Make handprint flower cards

We made these in the first lockdown last year and sent them to our local care home. While visits are now allowed to some degree, if you are walking past one or can pop one in the post, I’m sure it will put a smile on the resident’s faces in this still pretty bleak time, and they are super easy and fun to make. You could download some lovely sunflower clipart to stick onto the cards.

4. Salt dough ornaments

Now, it’s been a while since I’ve made these, but it’s 1 cup of salt, 1 cup of flour and 1/2 cup of water. You could make some lovely spring ones to decorate a branch with to make a lovely spring centrepiece.

5. Listen to a David Walliams story

Now, I don’t know about you, but the kids and I LOVE David Walliams. I actually think he might be the Roald Dahl of our time, to be honest! Every day at 11 am, you can catch him reading a short story. 20 mins of chill-out time for the kids and the chance for you to grab a coffee and a breather.  Here’s the link to click: David Walliams Elevenses.

6. Draw themselves as a superhero

We are thinking about the things that we can do to help other people at the moment, and this is a great learning opportunity for the kids. Get them to draw themselves as a superhero and think about their special powers. It’s a great way to boost self-esteem, especially at a time when they may be feeling a bit lonely and strange!

7. Start a memory book or a gratitude book

Why not get them to make a memory book or a scrapbook of all the things they do? We have done a memory jar rather than a scrapbook. It encourages them to look for the small joys in each day – one of Ben’s was ‘I saw a new flower in the garden’. You could look at adding some lovely graphics to the memory books – perhaps some fall clipart.

8. Pom Pom water play

We do ours in a tuff spot, but a big tub will do. The weather looks quite nice this week so can be done in the garden or even on the floor with lots of towels to hand. You can see more about our Pom Pom water play by clicking here.

9. Teddy bear picnic

I don’t care how old you are, everyone loves a teddy bears picnic. If the weather is nice, you can do it outdoors, if it is rubbish, do it in the lounge. Throw a blanket or mat down, pack a picnic and enjoy it with the company of your favourite soft toys. 

10. Junk modelling

Before you chuck something out, ask yourself if the kids can use it? The chances are it will be yes. Give them the empty cereal boxes and kitchen roll tubes, milk bottle caps, egg boxes and anything else that is clean, throw some tape and glue and paint in their direction and see what they come up with. Extra curriculum points if you get them to design and plan their model first, and evaluate its effectiveness afterward.