So, next week is half term. What do you have planned ? The weather (where we are at least) is looking a bit mixed – some sunny days, some dry days but also some wet days! We’ve put together a list of a few activities to keep you busy when its cold and wet outside.
Georgia is 4 and is definitely an outdoor child – she loves being outside, loves getting messy and the cold does not phase her one bit. I encourage her to spend as much time outside as possible but when its raining, its not that easy. Here are some of the ideas we’ve come up with to try when the weather isn’t on your side.
Baking: Georgia loves baking, and so do a lot of her friends. Don’t worry about getting fancy equipment and spending a fortune on ingredients. You can pick up a cupcake kit at most supermarkets for a quid and all you need is a muffin tray, some water and an egg. They love opening the box, mixing and then pouring the ingredients into the cupcake cases. Try not to worry about the mess – the more mess, the more fun! The hard part is waiting for the cakes to cool before you can decorate them. Most of the cupcake kits come with icing and edible toppers.
Having a Pizza Party: during lockdown my husband was furloughed so we had a lot of time together. Georgia absolutely loved our pizza parties – we would make dough (there are so many simple recipes on google), watch it rise and then make our own pizza’s up with our favourite toppings – you could even try and cut your dough into the shape of a pumpkin to fit in with the Halloween theme.
A Sleepover: Pull some mattresses off the bed and make a den in your little ones bedroom. Make it cozy with duvets, blankets and teddies and decorate it with fairy lights. You can surprise your little one and get the room ready while they are occupied elsewhere. Make sure you video their reaction as I can guarantee you they will love it. Get a story, have a little play with their teddies and just enjoy the time together.
Crafts: we love crafts in our house! Paints, glue, stickers and GLITTER !! The messier the better. You don’t need to spend a fortune either, you just need a few staples and then you could use things from around the house / in the garden. Georgia went for a walk with her nana last week and collected a whole bag full of leaves. We let them dry, and then glued them to a piece of paper to make a picture – let them make up and tell you a story while making it. You can then add a little sparkle by sprinkling glitter over the leaves. You can also sign up to a craft subscription box – there are a few out there, Georgia got a subscription to Toucan Box for her birthday and they have some great activities – we got her Halloween box last week so I have saved them and we will be doing those next week.
Making something out of a box: I don’t know about you but we are doing a lot more online shopping at the moment, trying to avoid unnecessary contact. It can be a small box or a big box – we’ve made a train from lots of little small boxes tied together and we’ve made a space ship, theatre and house from big boxes. Georgia loves role play and they have the best time making up stories and its a great way to encourage them using their imagination.
So don’t stress about the weather – there are so many activities you can do indoors. Have fun, embrace the mess and enjoy it. It won’t be long before they want to sit in front of the TV all day long!