Free Family Stuff

Half terms over now and if like us you aren’t feeling to flush in the pocket it’s nice to still be able to do things together as family. I’ve made a list here of the top ten things we do as a family mainly to share with you and I’m feeling to lazy today to come up with a long post!

1.      A Picnic

Be it raining, windy or glorious sunshine we don the correct apparel and make the picnic accordingly. Haven driven to the sea or a local forest we will either huddle in the car with hot soup and rolls before going for a puddle walk or spread out a blanket and try and get as much food down the boys as they run wild.

2.      Night in

Thankfully our local library lends out dvd’s at a fairly cheaply and we choose one for the boys and then one for us when or rather if they go to sleep before us! We then spend the next hour getting the kitchen messy while we make and decorate our own pizzas.

3.      Fishing

Or rather heading down to our local stream with a jamjar and a bit of string and sending it to dive down to see what we find. Normal not much beyond mud and sticklebacks but its surprising how much interest this provides

4.      Playdough]

Handmade is the best. The boys choose their colour and enjoy making it as much as playing with it.

Uncooked Playdough (salt and flour)

1/4 cup salt
1 cup flour
1/4 cup water

Have your child mix the flour and salt in a bowl then add water.  Knead and squeeze the dough to make a clay consistency.  You may need to add more water.

5.      Gardening

Section off half a metre of bedding for each member and then plant some quick growing seeds. Kids don’t have much patience so something which sprouts quickly helps.

Sunflowers are great fun as are marrows and tomatoes when you get to see the produce grow pretty quickly.

6.      Baking

Make some basic little cupcakes and have a decorating competition

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla essence

125g caster sugar

125g soft margarine

125g self-raising flour

This recipe makes around 14 cupcakes.

Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4. Add all the ingredients into a bowl.

Beat and fold the mixture together until it is smooth.

Line a tin or cupcake tin with paper cake cases and half fill each case with the mixture.

Put the cakes in the oven for 18-20 minutes. They will be done when they have risen, are golden in colour and spring back up when lightly pressed.

7.      Create a Fort or Arabian Tent

With just some old sheets the sofa or s ome chairs you can create a world of wonder. Why not have a battle for the fort having a pillow fight or make an Arabian tent with cushions on the floor.

8.      Create a family scrapbook.

Using your old photos and old cards or bits of wrapping paper why not sit down and spend the afternoon making a family album?

9.      Airplanes

Build a load of different airplanes and have a contest – Longest distance – Most dramatic flight – Best decorated etc etc

10.  Go Out

These days museums are free think science museum or history museum in London. Mercedes Brnz world in Weybridge oooh hundreds look at http://www.dofreestuff.com/ for some ideas