Some fun activities to share with the kids

1.  Kids Yoga - Cosmic Kids (YouTube)

https://www.youtube.com/user/CosmicKidsYoga

2.  Decorate an outdoor ‘Winter Tree’ (like a Christmas tree, but make the decos - chains, eggs, rabbits, chickens, stars, snowflakes)

3.  Paper Mache - make the paste  (https://www.familycookbookproject.com/recipe/2420767/paper-mache-glue.html) ,use white butcher's paper over an inflated balloon - cover 1/4 or 1/2 to make a super hero or monster mask and paint, or put (secret) item inside each partially inflated balloon (you will need to do the first layer) and paper mache over the balloons x6 - ’smash’ each of the ‘eggs’ a couple of days later outside once ‘set’ to find out what the secret item is inside.

4.  Lego Treasure Hunt with pieces of lego (from a small lego kit). Make sure you remember where you’ve hidden each piece as it can be VERY frustrating if you lose a piece. then part of the competition is who can put the lego item together the fastest.

5.  Car Rally - gather a bunch of matchbox cars from the toy box. Write a series of small notes of affirmation on each note to Noah and Isaac. Fold up each note and stuff one into each car - hide the cars after the kids are in bed (go on the rally next day). Draw up a rally map, using landmarks, directing the kids to each car until all cars are found and all notes read 

6.  set up a Kids Boot Camp circuit to complete in the back yard, using tunnels, hurdles, ropes, weights, mud and water - this is a good one before a bath/shower 

7.  build a Tower made of Playing Cards …. that old chestnut!

8.  Jenga, Uno, Memory, KNex, Connect 4, Checkers, Meccano, Twister (make your own)

9.  Indoor bowls, Pom Pom tennis (help the kids make the Pom Poms), Marbles

10.  Egg & spoon race, Sack race, 3-legged race, Elastics, make Paper Planes and fly/ Paper Boats and float

11. Have cooking competitions – ‘Mini MKR’. Each child makes a meal/biscuit/cake/slice and Dad or Nana gets sent the pics to judge the best looking dish.

12. Make a Mr. Grass head – fill an old stocking with sphagnum moss or potting mix.

https://youtu.be/HQhLGX0MmpQ ..... these grow quickly and kids love to give them a haircut. Sit the grass head in the rim of a cup and dangle the ‘tail of the stocking’ into the cup of water to keep them alive.

                                ____________________________________________________________

Don’t over-schedule - let them anticipate  x1 morning activity and x1 afternoon activity. 

By the time you …. schedule in shower and teeth cleaning, breakfast, <am. Activity>, morning tea, outdoors, lunch, quiet time (shut the world out for 1hr after lunch each day by closing the blinds, no screens, no overhead lights and encourage books, puzzles or quiet indoor play, as a down-regulation habit), <pm. Activity>, afternoon tea, outdoors, dinner; add realistically 1/2 hr of screen time x1-2/day, and 2 jobs to help mum each day …. it should be time for bed!

Good luck my friend!

I hope you enjoy these ideas as much as your kids.

Louise