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Posts Tagged ‘activities’

When it comes to naturally stunning destinations worlwide, Australia’s Mount Tamborine area ranks very highly and for good reason.

Located around 60 kilometres south of the state of Queensland’s capital city of Brisbane, Tamborine Mountain is a volcanic plateau set within Australia’s Gold Coast hinterland.

The area is the result of an outpouring of lava from nearby Mount Warning and this geological phenomenon created a plateau approximately 8 km long by 5 km wide that now sits 600 metres above sea level.

The many attractions of the Mount Tamborine area include beautiful views that can be enjoyed on both sides of the range and the many craft and antique shops, galleries, cafes and restaurants which attract thousands of tourists every season.

Tamborine Mountain is famous for its National Parks. The Tamborine National Park covers eleven square kilometres of the mountain’s plateau and foothills and its oldest section, the Witches Falls, was first declared in 1908, making it Queensland’s oldest National Park. Over the years, additional reserves have been declared and today Tamborine National Park comprises 13 sections of land.

So why should you – literally – ‘take a hike’? Well, first of all, the Tamborine National Park overall has much to offer walkers including sundappled picnic areas (many with BBQs), breath-taking lookouts and waterfalls, cliffs and gorges, sparkling rock pools and shady woodlands. The Park is also home to an astounding 85 percent of all fauna species and 65 percent of all flora species in the Gold Coast City area.

Now that they are part of Tamborine’s National Parks, these rainforest areas with Piccabeen palm groves, wet Eucalypt forests, sky scraping flooded gums and open areas of bracken and ferns, are all protected. This protection extends to cover its interesting fauna too, including the rare Albert’s Lyrebird & one of the world’s largest skinks; the glossy, black and very generously proportioned Land Mullet.Richmond Birdwing Butterflies, whose males are a brilliant iridescent green and Noisy Pittas, birds that hop on the rainforest floor in search of leeches and snails, both migrate eachs eason to the park, making this a significant area in terms of conservation.

Many believe that the Witches Falls section of Tamborine’s National Park is one of the most captivating to walk. Its 3.1 km circuit begins from the picnic area on Main Western Road. This lawned rest area has electric barbecues, picnic tables, toilets and is surrounded by soaring eucalypts.

The Witches Falls Circuit snakes down a steep incline through closed-in forest into a rainforest area that features cycad groves. Cycads are the single most ancient plants on earth that still exist today and are known, through fossil findings, to have been present in the Permian era – over 200 million years ago – even before dinosaurs roamed the earth. Although once abundant across the planet, cycads are greatly reduced now in both numbers and distribution and much international attention is being drawn to protect these plants that are believed to be nearing extinction.

While en route to the waterfalls you will come across shimmering lagoons, palm groves and enormous strangler figs. After heavy rain, the lagoons fill with water and thrive with many species of frogs and insects. The Witches Falls waterfalls only flow after recent rain and can be viewed by taking a short 200m detour from the circuit to a lookout platform. The track then returns through the rainforest and ends behind the local cemetery.

For your own safety, walk only in daylight hours and wear sturdy shoes, a hat, protective clothing and sunscreen. Take along a mobile phone and drinking water as creek water may contain organisms that can cause illness. At a usual walking pace, you can expect 3km to take about an hour. If you are walking with young children however or if plan to take photographs or bird watch along the way, do allow extra time.

When it comes to Mount Tamborine accommodation, the most spellbinding place to stay is at the Witches Falls Cottages , a retreat that consist of many private cottages tucked away in one of the Mountain’s most secluded and peaceful locations and just a few steps away from the Witches Falls’ circuit’s start point.

School Christmas holidays will soon be here and little kids the world over may soon be chanting, “Mummy! I’m bored!”

So, here are a dozen or so play-time ‘recipes’ to help keep your children entertained this winter.  Learn how to make homespun goop, papier mâché, cinnamon ornaments, soap crayons and much more. Pull out this article and stick it to your fridge – it will be one of your best weapons against the ‘boredom’ gremlins!

Washable window paints
A selection of tempera paints (powdered or premixed)
Clear dishwashing liquid
Mix powdered paints with dishwashing liquid until they resemble house paint. Ensure that you line the window sashes with masking tape & spread newspaper under the window area to protect flooring. To erase paint or touch up mistakes just wipe paint away with a dry paper towel.

Home-made coloring books

Go online and download a dozen or so coloring book pages and collate them into a coloring book. Put this aside for rainy days or for long car/train/plane journeys. Little boys love images of cars and trucks while little girls prefer coloring book pictures of fairytales and princesses. At sites like Hello Kitty Coloring Pages you’ll find the best .

Cinnamon Christmas ornaments
3/4-1 cup applesauce
1 (4.12-oz.) bottle of ground cinnamon
Mix applesauce with cinnamon to form a stiff dough. Roll out to 5mm thickness. Cut with cookie cutter and make hole for ribbon using the end of a drinking straw. Carefully put aside to dry for several days – turning occasionally. This recipe makes twelve sweet-smelling ornaments/drawer scenters.

Goop

2 packets of cornflour
2 cups of water
Several drops of food colouring

Place newspaper or plastic sheets on your work surface. Mix the ingredients in a fairly large bowl. Children love goop’s squishy consistency. You can also use colored or plain black paper to make goop paintings if you wish. To remove goop from carpets, allow it to dry, then brush or vacuum. The brilliant thing about goop is that it may be re-used after it has dried out. Crumble it to a powder then restore it to the original consistency by adding water a tablespoonful at a time.

Funny putty
2 tablespoons of white glue
1 tablespoon of liquid starch
Food colouring
Mix glue together with the desired food colour. Pour starch over top. Swish so that all the glue is covered. Let set for 5 minutes. Squeeze off extra starch and then knead until mixed.

Bubbles
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon of sugar
1 teaspoon of glycerine
2 tablespoons of liquid dish soap
Mix water, glycerine and soap. Pour in sugar. Add food colouring if desired.

Papier mâché

1 cup flour
1 cup warm water
1/2 inch strips of newspaper
Balloon/s

In a large bowl, mix flour and water – add more flour is mixture is too sloppy (dripping). Place newspaper strips into mixture until well soaked, then smooth onto blown up balloon. Cover balloon completely twice, letting dry in between layers. Do not cover the balloon’s knot. Dry in a warm place for around two or three days then hold the knot and pop the balloon with a pin. Paint, glitter and decorate the balloon as is or cut in half so you have a bowl/hat shape to embellish.

Modelling/play dough
2 cups flour
1 cup salt
water
food colouring

Mix the ingredients and knead to a dough consistency. To speed up the drying, place the dough artwork in the oven on a low heat.

Soap crayons

1 3/4 cups of soap flakes

50 drops food colouring
1/4 cup water

Mix water and soap flakes together. Add food colouring and put mixture into an ice cube tray. When hardened, pop the ‘ice cubes’ out. These soap crayons are fun to write with on the tub and tiles during bath time. If grouting stains, simply spray with a weak solution of bleach.

Sand dye

Fine sand

Water

Food colouring

Paper cups

Plastic spoons

Fill paper cups half full with sand. Next, add water to the cups to completely cover sand. Add food colouring until you get the desired colour. Stir with a plastic spoon and let set for 15 minutes. Pour off the water, spoon sand onto paper towels and then spread the sand out to dry. Use sand to make pictures (spread glue on paper and sprinkle sand on top) or to fill pretty bottles in layers.

Cornstarch Art/Finger-paint

3 tablespoons of cornstarch

1/4 cup cold water

2 drops of dishwashing liquid

1 cup boiling water

Food colouring

Combine cornstarch and cold water – stir until smooth. Add dishwashing liquid. Pour boiling water into the bowl and stir until the mixture thickens. Add food colouring and let cool. Use as you would finger paint.

Puffy Paint

Flour

Salt

Water

Tempera paint

Mix equal parts of flour, salt and water in a bowl. Add a tiny amount of tempera paint to the mixture and pour into a small plastic squeezy bottle. Repeat this over and over to make as many colours as you wish. Squeeze liberally onto heavy paper or even cardboard to make designs. Mixture will look great when it hardens into puffy shapes.

Colourful Salt

1/2 cup salt

5 to 6 drops of food colouring

Add food colouring to salt. Stir well. Cook this in a microwave oven for 1-2 minutes or spread on waxed paper and let salt air dry. Store this in an airtight container and use as you would glitter.

Weightlifting is widely popular today. We could find many weightlifting tips and tricks on workouts for men… What is with weightlifting for women  
We now come to read about weightlifting for women not only on Internet websites but also in sports magazines. There are lots of false myths and misconceptions that require debunking, and given the larger number of women who take up weightlifting, we’d say that progress is being made in that direction. A pretty common belief says that a woman who lifts weights will look like a man. This is totally wrong because, weightlifting for women addresses other body needs and it does not trigger the secretion of the male hormones that are responsible for the masculine look. Weightlifting can help women get fit or prevent joints and bones disease and postpone the damage of old age.

The same barbells, dumbbells and machines are encountered with weightlifting for women, but the sports practice makes a difference between the male and female versions of training. More advanced weightlifters will get bored following the tips and suggestions available in e-guides dedicated to weightlifting for women. Intense motivation usually comes with the first results of strenuous gym work. And weight loss is the element that will convince any woman that she is doing the right thing.

Burning down the fat deposits is the issue, even if you replace them with lean muscle mass and the weight remains the same. Tissue firmness, the absence of fat deposits, better body contours, all indicate weight training progress. Results will not appear overnight, but weightlifting for women works great when adjusted to a healthy lifestyle that aims at promoting a positive overall body and mind condition. Sleeping and eating patterns should also support a weightlifting program.

Stop thinking that more muscles will make you look bulky or unfeminine. The body curves will in fact get better defined following weightlifting for women workouts. So as to make the training approach more harmonious and not turn gym work into a heavy and unpleasant duty, it is important to work at your own pace and be informed as well as you can. Don’t hesitate to ask for help or assistance; there are lots of gym trainers that can make a smoother passage through the workout routine so that you may enjoy every minute you spend in the gym. Consequently, weightlifting for women could be a great way to be healthy, fit and content with your body.

Why camps are so popular? In camps what are the benefits of and activities while somebody there? Are there various activities in camps? 
Summer is the time where kids get to go on vacation and parents get to relax after months of tireless work. Summer holidays are used for exciting day trips as well as camps. The excellent weather condition is much awaited for each year and when it does come, there’s no stopping for anyone who wants to have fun.

If you are a parent with kids, chances are that you’d be waiting to send them off to a summer youth camp where they could learn a variety of skills. Summer camp activities are actually quite interesting. Nowadays children are more prone to watching the television, browsing the internet, playing around with friends or simply chatting with them. There’s not much knowledge that one could acquire from it, especially when it comes to leadership and development skills. Many youth camps provide various summer camp activities that help in the development of the child.

Most summer camp activities cover a range of games and other events such as team building activities and creative sessions. If your child is shy and more of the introverted type, this could be their chance of getting to know new people and polishing up their social skills.

In addition to the day camps, there are also the overnight summer camps that are carried out for different campers. Summer camp activities carried out for both types can sometimes vary. Overnight campers are usually provided with food and accommodation.

All summer camp activities are usually conducted by skilled instructors who are experts in the field. Some of the sports that are much enjoyed by campers are football, basketball, tennis, volleyball, golf, etc. Summer camp activities that are carried outdoors include mountain hiking, rock climbing, etc. In addition to these, there are summer camp activities that involve the waterfront. Swimming, waterskiing, windsurfing, rowing, canoeing, fishing are activities enjoyed by both kids and teens.

For campers who love to live with nature, green walking trails, cycling would be ideal. There are also summer camp activities that include white water paddling, depending on the camp location.

You may wonder what creative sessions include. While the children get a good physical workout from the different outdoor summer camp activities, they also get involved in various craft programs that include painting, beadwork, pottery, sculpting, calligraphy, etc. Some youth camps provide classes for campers interested in journalism.

Camps are good experience because there are lot of various activities available for kids in the camps. How about the Jewish camps?
If you are living far away from the country that you originate from or if you feel your children are drifting away from the culture and the religion that you are accustomed to, why not enrol them in a Jewish camp from which they will gain knowledge about Judaism while having fun?. A Jewish camp is ideal if you do not live in a Jewish community and want your child to meet other Jewish children.

Whether to settle for one day camps or for those that stretch up to several weeks is your choice and you can choose the perfect Jewish camp for your kid depending on his/her likes and dislikes.

Individual attention is something that your child is guaranteed to receive at Jewish camps. The camp staff is well trained in handling kids of all ages. The main objective of such camps is to create a better Jewish community by encouraging the campers to work together as a team. The activities provided at Jewish camps not only provide the campers with various life skills but also help to strengthen there Jewish identity.

Although most Jewish camps take in both girls and boys, there are a few camps that are gender specific. If you wish your child to attend a Jewish camp that focuses on a particular denomination, then you can choose a camp based on your religious observances by asking around in your community. Then there are other camps which does not particularly look in to which denomination one belongs to. Therefore, at these camps you will find a mixture of children with different Jewish backgrounds.

It may make things easier for your id to fit in if you could just walk him/her to the camp before enrolment. If there’s any special attention or facilities that your kid needs, these should be brought to official’s notice well in advance.

In Jewish camps the start over time is 8am and end time is 9pm with activities such as skills building, sports and spiritual practices being carried out throughout the day. Some camps even have lessons in the Torah or in Jewish law. Isn’t that cool?. One problem with Jewish camps could be that they may not be available in every State. Therefore, you need to do some careful research in order to find a camp nearest to you.

Availability issues may also arise due to the high demand that Jewish camps have. However, early reservation will save a lot of trouble for you. The best news is that scholarships and grants are available in most camps so even if you can’t afford it, there’s still some hope left for your kids.

Camps are really popular and perfect source for experience and joy. In camps you can find wide scale of activities and programs to improve different skills. What are the Christian camps?
Chriastian camps can be both fun filled and educational on the level of religion where children of all ages share their spiritual experiences together. These summer camps are ideal for kids to have a lot of fun away from home and out of their parent s hair. There are also Christian camps for the entire family as well as married couples to participate in order to encourage bonding and growing stronger in the faith as a family. Some Christian camps are specifically designed for a certain purpose and for certain groups of people, so some thorough research will present you with the ideal camping solution for you

Make sure your kid is given a chance to talk and make collective decisions on which Cjristian camp they’d like to attend. It is best if two or more of his/her friends are also attending the same camp for company of friends will make your kid feel at ease throughout the long camping days.

If you are settling for a family camping experience, make sure you choose a christian camp with many activities and programs on offer. Physical activities could compromise of swimming and hiking, while there could be sessions of arts and crafts and to encourage the mind and spirit there would often be Bible studies and group prayer sessions.

Couples who wish to register in a Christian camp should talk about what they want the program and experience to involve. An ideal choice of program would allow for the couple to commune, as it is a primary feature, whilst it takes exception their relationship as well.

Christian camp activities are usually designed to give a sense of protection and family belongingness to children. Activities such as parent days, storytelling and letter writing serve children remember their activities at home and share their family experiences with other youngsters.

Picking Out the correct Christian camp will involve some research and work put into it. Propositions from friends and other families will surely help narrow the selection. The important thing is to select a program that is in favor of the participant in terms of interest and activenesses.

Halloween will soon be here and many parents are wondering how and where to celebrate this spooky annual event.

When it comes to Halloween, there is no lack of variety in what is available. From trick or treating to hosting a scary movie marathon, finding something not to do would actually be more of a challenge! Here are some frightfully good ideas for you that will make for an interesting evening.

If your neighbourhood is a friendly one, you might like to trick or treat. This works incredibly well if you give advance notice to your friends and neighbours of your intentions by leaving a note on their doorstep a few days before Halloween.

Certain neighbourhoods and gated communities really do make an effort to be prepared with treats and some even decorate their front gardens. My children still remember the house of the guy who turned his whole front yard into a dark catacomb and who then sat quietly in the dark as we walked up the path before scaring us all half to death!

If Halloween falls on a school night this year, young children who need an early night will still feel as though they celebrated if you set up a few special treats, some arts and crafts and perhaps a fun movie before bedtime.

Print a few coloring pages and activities for them based on their favourite characters, for instance little girls love princesses and fairies and at sites like Fairy Coloring Pages you’ll find the best fairy coloring pages meanwhile at Spongebob Squarepants Coloring Pages you’ll find heaps of coloring pages of Bikini Bottom’s most absorbent dweller!

Fancy dress parties at Halloween are great fun to attend and if you are at a loss for costume ideas, again – head to Google and do an image search! If you have teenagers, they may scoff at the thought of having a Halloween party but may like the thought of a night of terror and suspense. Depending on their age, you could arrange to rent DVDs of movies such as Hocus Pocus, Psycho or the Blair Witch Project. Just add a bunch of their best friends, popcorn, soda and a pizza delivery for instant teenage heaven.

Scour the web elsewhere too for a variety of activities including paper plate pumpkins and pipe cleaner spiders. Older children may enjoy making slime with two cups of water, half a cup of cornstarch and a few drops of red or green food colouring.

Murder Mystery parties are incredibly good fun and if you choose a theme that is Italian, Chinese or Indian, you won’t even have to cook– you can just order a home delivery – or pick up a take-away from your local Chinese or Indian take-away or from your favourite pizza place. Choose fun guest with a sense of humour and who will get into the spirit of the evening by dressing up and taking on the mannerisms and accent of the character you have chosen for them and you are in for a memorable evening.

To spend the evening playing games with family is also a great way to pass the time. Board games such as Cluedo or the types of jigsaw puzzles that involve solving riddles are just perfect. Prepare some themed nibbles and a few drinks and you will have spent some true Halloween quality time together.

These are just a handfull of ideas that will keep you occupied this eerie evening – happy howling!

Planning your kids’ Halloween party need not be bubble, bubble, toil and trouble. Here are ideas and recipes for a unique party that your little witches and warlocks will talk about for months to come.

When planning a Halloween party, the first thing on your list is to send invitations. You can make invitations very easily using your computer and, if your children are old enough, they may like to design and print these themselves.

To avoid the frustration of people turning up at your party who have not RSVP’d, a good tip is to purposely omit the party’s commencement time from the invitation. Instead, add the line, ‘Please RSVP to know the party’s start time’ – this should significantly decrease the number of ‘gatecrashers’.

Costumes are next on the ‘to-do’ list and to children this is one of the most exciting aspects of Halloween. Before talking with your children about the options, bear the following in mind:-

• Select a costume for your child that won’t disintegrate before the night’s festivities are over and one that won’t make the child feel too hot or cold.

• For safety’s sake, ensure the costume will not hamper your child’s movement.

• Face paint is a safer alternative to a visibility-impairing mask.

• If the costume is elaborate, dress your child in simple clothing underneath. This way they can easily slip out of it to play games, take a break or visit the toilet.

Costumes can be purchased, hired or home-made. If you’re considering the latter, there are many websites with a glut of unique ideas – head for Google!

As with any party, you can either keep the décor simple with streamers and balloons or go all out and create your own Haunted House. When planning the party’s décor, bear in mind the ages of the kids who are attending. Younger kids may find just a few hanging bats sufficiently scary, while most teenagers enjoy a heavily themed venue with scary ambient music and sound effects.

Store-bought cobwebs and dimmed lights are wonderful additions to the Halloween atmosphere too. Older kids delight in sitting down to eat at a themed party table. All you need is a black or purple tablecloth, a vase of dead flowers, tealight candles and a scattering of small party favours to set the scene for a ghoulish supper. If the table is too small to accommodate all your guests, use it to display your food and beverages and provide a buffet meal.

What would a party be without food? A quick Google search will result in many Halloween recipes for some superb but gruesome sounding food including Kitty-litter Cake, Baked Bones and Dracula’s Blood Pudding. You can really get creative when it comes to Halloween food -however, it’s best to keep it simple and not too gross-sounding for the younger elementary ages.

When it comes to drinks, a Halloween party isn’t complete without a bowl of punch. Maybe you’d like to try a Blood Bath? This is made by mixing 64 ounces of cran-raspberry cocktail and four cups of apple juice with four cups of vanilla ice cream. Or perhaps you would prefer a Toxic Punch? For this wicked mix, combine four litres of chilled green lemon-lime soda, 24 ounces of orange juice concentrate, two packets of blue Kool-Aid and a few drops of green food colouring.

When planning your Halloween children’s party, prepare two to three games ahead of time. It’s also a good idea to have an extra little game or activity ready just in case. Children can be unpredictable (no way – I hear you say!) and you need to be flexible – so, if a game is not working or is not being enjoyed, having a back-up means that you can easily substitute one with another.

Many well known party games can be given a Halloween twist – for instance Pin the Hat on the Witch and Pass the Pumpkin. Halloween’s classic game however is Bobbing for Apples in a bowl of water. At our parties we quickly follow this (with faces still wet) with a game of Bobbing for Marshmallows – on a plate of flour.

Making ‘Ectoplasm’ is always a big Halloween party hit. This eerie substance is made by combining two cups of cornstarch, one cup of water and a few drops of green food colouring. It is made in just seconds, is a great consistency to play with – and guests can also take some home in a sturdy zip-lock bag!

It’s always a good idea to provide a calmer and quiet corner at parties for children who are not into games. Crayons and some colouring-in sheets along with a batch of play dough and a few biscuit-cutters will keep little hands occupied. At sites like Hello Kitty Coloring Pages you’ll find the best Kitty coloringwhile little boys would perhaps enjoy the coloring sheets at Pokemon Coloring Pages.

As an extra activity, fill a plastic jar with sweets and have each guest write their best guess as to how many are in the jar. This is a great game to play at the beginning of the party, as guests filter in. Announce the grand- winner at the end of the party – the champion wins the jar! As your guests leave, surprise them with some spooky treats to take home.

One of the simplest and most effective additions to the traditional goody bag of sweets and chocolates is the Ghost Pop. Place a square piece of white tissue over a lollipop, tie with a small elastic to make a head and then use a black marker to draw eyes on the ghost. These small treats also make great prizes for games.

Finally, remember to charge up your camera and your trusty camcorder and capture each spell-binding moment.

What is GPS portable? This is a GPS receiver unit used for GPS navigation. How?
While lots of devices are limited to in-car usage, a portable GPS system allows for all the mobility you may need. Non-portable devices are usually older models that require cable links, but the same inconvenience is found with combinations of PDAs or Palms and GPS devices that have to be car powered in order to save battery life. The portable GPS unit is designed according to special standards that allow for outside usage in various  applications and sports such as hiking, climbing, cycling, fishing and the like. Even if the functionality and the features are similar, there are lots of differences between car GPS units and portable GPS systems.

the ease of programming, the detour options and the speed of the satellite connection make the difference in terms of system proficiency. Multiple tasks are therefore suitable and available for portable GPS or hand-held GPS units. If used for outdoor applications, the portable unit should be weather resistant and waterproof in order to allow usage in all sorts of conditions without any inconvenience. The same portable device can be used in the car, since the design of new units is adaptable to a larger number of circumstances. You can for instance use the GPS device to find alternative routes that avoid traffic jams.

Are there any criteria to be used for the correct choice of the portable GPS system? Comparisons and ratings are available for many models, and the best way to find them is on the Internet. You can find all you need online, from price info and reviews to features comparisons and return policies. The good bits and bad bits of different portable GPS system models are discussed, and you can also choose from the shopping suggestions. It is important to stress out the fact that the navigation system should be tested for more than the vocal announcements, although this feature has a considerable significance too.

Consider the relevance of a certain feature of the portable GPS system for your personal needs. And since we are talking about a portable device, the size is very important. If the GPS comes with a screen it may not fit your pocket, therefore, check this portability range too. Then, the price comes next on our list of criteria to be met. If you are keen on buying a cheap unit, you could be disappointed when the unit functions only half the time. Automatic rerouting and the possibility to calculate the remaining distance or travel time to destination are equally valuable in a portable GPS.

Are you fed up with paying top-dollar for the latest piece of over-hyped plastic? Answer “What can we do now Mum?” by making and creating activities from items you already have around the house or that cost nothing at all.

1. Shops. Save all your empty grocery cartons for a week or so and you’ll soon have a shop any aspiring grocer would be proud of. Gluing down the flaps makes cereal boxes, jelly packets etc. look unopened. Clothes, shoes, and even toys can all be used as “stock”. Paper bags and real or play money add to the fun.
2. Paper balls. When the kids keep arguing suggest that they throw something at each other! Paper balls are easily scrunched up from torn out magazine pages to make “ammunition”. When it’s time to tidy up, stand the waste paper basket in the middle of the room and see who can throw the most in. A rolled up magazine makes a good “bat” too.
3. Doctors/Nurses. A roll of white toilet tissue paper makes this game much more fun as Dads, Grans, teddies or dolls are mummified before your eyes. Plastic medicine spoons and cardboard box hospital beds for toy dolls are extra props that make the game last longer.
4. Tubes. Cardboard tubes from kitchen roll or foil make instant telescopes for sailors or pirates, or tunnels to roll marbles through. Babies love to watch things disappear then reappear out of the bottom. Don’t leave them alone with the cardboard tube though as they will probably suck it.
5. Cardboard boxes are tops – how many times have you bought your child a toy – only to find that s/he is more interested in its box? Boxes must be about the best free toys you can get hold of. Push in the ends of large ones to make tunnels and caves to crawl through. Draw-on windows and doors with felt tip pens to create a house, add a flag and portholes to fashion a boat or paper plates and a steering wheel for a car.
6. Miniature gardens. The foil trays that (meat and dessert) pies and other prepared foods arrive in make lovely containers for miniature gardens. The little ones can enjoy hunting around the park or garden for twigs to make trees, moss for a lawn, stones to arrange as a rockery or a waterfall. Keep twigs or stones where you want them with a little blue tack or plasticine. Add toy people or animals and maybe a little water if the container is watertight. This can be a very creative and enjoyable exercise if you have children of very different age groups to entertain. A variation is to use play sand (not builder’s sand – it stains everything yellow) to make a beach scene, maybe adding shells, stones and a blue paper sea.
7. Paper puppets. A picture of anything – colorful bird, clown’s face, animal or cartoon character, carefully cut out by an adult and stuck to the top of a strip of card about five inches long and one and a half inches wide becomes a very easily made puppet. These give such pleasure and are so easy to make that you will probably end up with dozens of them. Magazine pictures can be stuck on to folded card to make theatre set background and wings.
8. Potato prints. After cutting a potato in half, draw on a simple shape. A triangle, circle or star perhaps. Cut away the rest of the potato, leaving a shape to dip into paint and print on to paper.
9. Skittles. Skittles can be improvised from large plastic cola or lemonade bottles. A little sand or water in the bottom makes them more stable. A good game for learning to count.
10. Dens. Building a den must be one of the most memorable parts of childhood as we all seem to recall the bliss of blankets draped over the airing rack in the garden or over the backs of chairs indoors. Even today’s sophisticated kids seem to find the thought much more exciting than just erecting the shop bought plastic play house. I think the secret is to give structural advice about making the thing stay upright, but let the children do as much as possible themselves. Really large boxes of the type that washing machines and fridges come in can be had for the asking from the big electrical goods retailers and are useful for rooms within dens. Indoors, one of the simplest dens can be made by throwing a large sheet or duvet over a table. Cushions, torches, biscuits and comics or books will all be needed at the housewarming.
11. String. Children find a million uses for string, from tying up toy “baddies” to making a washing line for doll’s clothes. It can be tied up to the legs of chairs to make a jump, it can be dipped into paint and twirled on to paper, plaited, knitted with, made into a parachute or mobile, used as a measuring aid or for learning how to tie shoelaces and bows. It need never linger in the kitchen drawer again.
12. Sewing cards. Stick a picture on to a postcard or draw a simple duck, car or teddy shape. With a sturdy bodkin needle, push holes around the outline of your design approximately one inch apart. Using brightly colored wool in the bodkin or a long bootlace, thread in and out of the holes.
13. Create a personalized coloring book for your children and/or their friends by printing free coloring pictures from the Internet. Little boys love coloring images of trucks and cars as well as those of favorite TV characters such as Bob the Builder or Pikachu. At sites like Pokemon Coloring Pages  you’ll find  Pokemon coloring book while at Princess Coloring Pages you can print and color  many free princess colouring suitable for little girls.
14. Stilts. You need to do a little drilling for this one. Take two strong tins (coffee or clean paint tins are ideal for this) and drill a hole about one inch from the top on opposite sides of the tin. Insert a length of string and knot securely. Check that the handle is at a comfortable length for the child before knotting the other side. These are always a very popular part-time, but never leave young children alone with them especially near stairs or steps.
15. Cafes. Children’s tea sets are a handy prop for this game, but a picnic set or microwave cookware is just as good. Giving the waiter/waitress a little notebook and pencil to take orders and making a tall white hat from a cylinder of paper for the chef will add realism. Place dolls and teddies around as well as willing Aunts and Grannies for extra customers.
16. Playdough. Mix together two cups of flour, one cup of salt, one cup of water, one tablespoon of oil and a few drops of food coloring for an easy to make dough that will keep for about three weeks if you wrap it in polythene and keep it in the fridge. All you have to do is make sure that you knead the mixture well. Divide the mixture up first if you have more than one color available.
17. Obstacle course. An obstacle course can turn a rainy day into an exciting adventure. Use whatever you have available. A bench to walk the plank, cushion stepping stones across shark infested seas, through a cardboard box tunnel, up a chair mountain or through a duvet cave. The wilder your imagination the more your children will love it.
18. Easy boats. Recycle your empty margarine cartons. Use them as boats for the bath or paddling pool. These are so easy that even the very young can help to make them. Cut out triangular sail shapes from white or colored paper. Make a little hole at the top and bottom of the sail so that you can poke through a straw to create a mast. Let the child fix this to the bottom of a clean margarine tub with a lump of blue tack or plasticine. They sail extremely well and will even take a couple of toy people on an exciting cruise.
19. Capes. Nurses, kings, queens, Batman, Superman – they all need capes or cloaks. Luckily they are easy to make by attaching ribbon ties to an oblong of fabric in the color of your child’s favorite caped character. Keep an eye on them though, because anything that is tied around the neck (of course!) could be dangerous.
20. Leaf art. Collect leaves and draw around them. This is fun for little ones and an educational tree identification game for older children. Color in the details with crayons or paints. The leaves could then be stuck on to paper collage style or dipped into paint and then pressed firmly on to paper for a lovely leaf print.
21. Make a puzzle. Stick a favorite picture on to the front of the card and allow drying with a heavy book on top. Cut into pieces, how many depending on the age of the child, for an almost instant and personal puzzle