Member Advice on Children Activities

Children learn through playChildren of all ages get bored quickly. Creative play allows them to use their imagination and express themselves freely. You don't need to fill your house with expensive toys to entertain your children. Especially since children's toys seem to be getting more expensive. Children often have more fun with household items, as these are interesting and new to them. Here are some ideas for inexpensive activities: Here are a few things that he likes to do: • Look in the mirror • Play boo • Play with cardboard tubes • Different textured materials • Drawing with wax crayons ... more

Having just planned and managed a six week holiday club for children aged 4-11 years old I thought now would be a good time to record and share the activities which are simplest to prepare and implement and provide some very good entertainment!! ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ SLIME ~ *~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~*~ The following is a recipe to make a washing up bowl full of "slime". Children love it although for some it can take a bit of reassurance to get them to put their hands in it at first as it does look pretty gross!! I have made this for children aged 3 to 14 and they have all loved playing ... more

Neither my husband or I are musical. Neither of us were accepted into our school choirs. We both gave up learning the piano after a year or so in our teens, when younger brothers were clearly more talented. We enjoy listening to music, but that's about as far as it goes. When our two children were small, and I talked to parents of musical teenagers, I tended to assume their children showed clear musicality when they were toddlers; hearing about their concerts and practices seemed more like an episode from a soap than a reality we might one day appreciate ourselves. • Our personal experience • ... more

Just over a year ago I filled my days with work and not much else, then our much awaited daughter arrived and changed our lives completely. From the day she was born my life was filled with nappies, food and baby sick, now she has reached a year old and is toddling everywhere, so what do we do with our days now? I am lucky enough to be a full time mum, on the flipside I have plenty of hours to fill with activities that are fun and stimulating, here are some ideas that are great for filling those waking hours, most of them are practically free so you won't be bankrupted! Singing, Dancing, Music ... more

As winter is drawing in and we finding ourselves stuck indoors more and more often as the rain falls outside, my family finds itself partaking in more and more creative activities. And I thought I'd share a few of our favourite projects with you, some of the activities can be produced by the children on their own, others will need lots of adult help. Some of them take a little preparation, some a lot, most use common items you'll find in your kitchen cupboards, but what they all have in common is that they are fun, messy and you child may even be learning something. Before you start any of ... more