Potato Printing
You will need
- A pencil
- Scissors
- Sharp knife (grown-ups only)
- Cereal box
- Potatoes
- Paints
- Paintbrushes
- Plates or something with a flat bottom
- Kitchen paper
- Card or paper to print onto
No of players -
any
What to do
- Cut the sides off a cereal box. Draw shapes onto the inside of the cereal box and cut out.
- Peel and cut the potatoes into 1-2cm thick slices. Wash and dry the potatoes before marking and cutting (this will get rid of some of the starch and by drying them they will not be too wet for the cardboard).
- Place the shapes onto the potato slices and draw around them using a pencil or pen. Have an adult cut them out with the sharp knife.
- Put some paint onto a plate or flat surface and spread it out.
- Dip the shapes into the paints and then place them where you want to on the card and press, lift the potato off. If you want to use the same shape with a different colour, just wipe the shape with some kitchen paper before dipping in the new colour.
Family Jigsaw
You will need
- A large sheet of cardboard (if you don’t have cardboard, card or sturdy paper are good alternatives)
- Coloured pens and pencils
- Scissors (grown-ups only)
- An open space
No of players -
any
What to do
- Using the pans and pencils, draw a picture on the large piece of cardboard.
- Get an adult to cut up the drawing into small pieces. The drawing can be cut into squares or rectangles, or random shapes.
- Put all of the cardboard pieces on the floor and mix them up.
- Try to put them back together again.
- After the puzzle has been solved, the game can be reused by storing the pieces in a sealable plastic bag for next time.
Wooden Spoon Puppets
You will need
- A wooden spoon
- Cardboard
- Colours pens or paint
- Pipe cleaners
- PVA glue
- Scrap cloth
- Rubber bands
- Ribbon
- Decorative materials – buttons, glitter, sequins, faux fur etc.
No of players -
any
What to do
- Use the markers to draw facial features on the front and back of a wooden spoon. For fun, give each face a different expression (such as happy, surprised, sleepy).
- Add hair by bending a pipe cleaner around the edge of the bowl and gluing it in place. Stretch rubber bands around the spoon to hold the hair until the glue dries.
- Decorate your piece of scrap cloth by gluing decoration to it. Make sure it has dried before you secure it to your puppet.
- To dress the puppet, loosely wrap a piece of material around the spoon handle. Then, gather the cloth at the base of the bowl and tie a ribbon around the cloth to secure the dress at the neck.
Building a Fort
You will need
- Tall but sturdy objects
- A few weighted objects
- A torch
- A few pillows
- Several blankets or a large bed sheet
- Optional snacks and sleeping equipment
- A clear space
No of players -
any
What to do
- Arrange four tall, sturdy objects in a square (bar stools or sturdy maps are excellent)
- Throw the bed sheet or blankets over them. Weigh these down with the heavier objects so the blankets/bed sheet will not fall off.
- Put the pillows on the floor inside the fort to sit on.
Family fun
It can be hard for busy families to find time to spend with each other. Our wish is, that for even just a few moments each day, we can bring the whole family together to talk about their day and share time with each other.
