Play ideas for School holidays

These are the 3 words that every mum dreads but know are inevitable at some point during school holidays. 

So with this in mind here are some fun and simple ideas to help you help your kids to play this winter.

1. Bring out the board games or make your own.

Monopoly, snakes and ladders, checkers, cards, uno… The list is endless. Sit down with your kids on a cold rainy day and have some old fashioned fun. Making your own counting board game can be a great learning opportunity and will take a bit of time to create and then play. (win/win) Let creativity take over. Just remember whose game it is.

2. Build a cubby house or fort. I love making cubbies with my kids. This activity is great for all ages and you can be as creative as you like. Use your lounge, dining table and chairs or even the kids bed as your frame and fill with blankets, pillows and cushions. Add some books and a torch for a snuggly reading space or surprise the kids with a movie and popcorn inside.

3. An invention box. Set up a cardboard box with some odds and ends from around the house such as bottle tops, jars, string, buttons, polystyrene balls, lids, cups, plastic cutlery, card, milk bottles and egg cartons. Place in a safe space with a ‘tool kit’ (masking tape, scissors, glue, markers etc) and via a letter give your kids instructions to invent a machine or object that has a purpose. This activity works best when done in pairs or groups.

4. Craft fun. Make some masks out of paper plates, bugs out of egg cartons, make play dough or slime (if you’re game) even for the big kids! Create a rainbow collage using all different textures (paper, paint, feathers, sponge, foil), Do some finger painting and thread a necklace with noodles.

5. Write a story and or a letter to someone special. Send a letter with a picture and drawing to someone the old fashioned way (via the post). Have the kids tell a story, recount a fun experience of the holidays or even a ‘when I grow up’ type line to begin.

6. Alphabet Treasure Hunt. Write each letter of the alphabet on a piece of paper and put them on the floor. The aim of the game is to find one item from around the house that starts with each letter. If the item is too big or precious to move, let the kids draw it on the paper. Take a photo of each letter and create a book for the kids to read for later. They will love the game but they will absolutely love their book because they will remember how fun the experience was. It will be relevant and interesting to them.

My Play Board

7. Inside obstacle course. Place teddies down the hall to run around, chairs to climb over, sheets, or balloons hanging from the door way to run under and ribbons on the floor to balance on. Give the kids a start and a finish and be creative with how they have to go though the course each time. For example – Be tigers this time, sing your favourite song, count to 10 or hop the whole way. The winners of this game can be decided by who helps clean up the best.

8. Mission Impossible – Using a ball of yarn and sticky tape, carefully string the yarn across the lounge room or hallway to create secret lazar maze. The aim of the game is to be like 007 and weave your way through the lazar beams (yarn) without touching. The winner is the one who touches the least amount of lazars.

9. Cooking Day. Sit down and plan a menu that the kids can help create. Vary the difficulty depending on the age of course. Cookies, muffins, cakes, slices, fruit salad, pizza, sausage rolls, pancakes, soups, sandwich faces and quiche.

10. Pool noodle playtime. Buy a few pool noodles and cut them up to create some fun and clever activities. – Cut long ways in half to create toy car racing tracks. – Cut into small cylinders to create ‘quiet blocks’ for building fun, place in a ball pit or write numbers and letters on them for practise. – Bend over the top and add some eyes and ribbon for a horse. – Add some balloons to create a tennis match. – Join the ends together to create circles and use as a target for a game of toss.

I love play and everything it represents and I think that holidays can be a special time for everyone to get off the 'train' and stop for a while. Playing with your kids is good for the soul - yours and theirs. When was the last time you stopped and played a while?

I have hundreds of play ideas and activities on my Pinterest Play bored that will inspire you to reignite your inner kid!

Have fun and happy holidays everyone

mylittletable.com.au

Party Planning Tips to help busy mums!

I am a mum, a teacher and have my own online retail business so I am a busy busy woman.

But when it comes to party planning do you think I can happily pass the buck? NO WAY!!!!

Party planning is a love and a passion. I have organised many parties and love every aspect - the planning, the sourcing, the organising, the set up and of course the actual event.

Here are a few little planning tips I have learnt (usually the hard way) along the way. I hope this helps to prepare you for your next special party.

1. Make sure your party will be age and stage appropriate for your child - Don't plan a cocktail soiree for your daughter's 3rd birthday.

2. Start with a budget... Eek I know we hate that word but you need to set a limit to how much you want to spend on a 3 hour event. If you don't you could run the risk of impulse buying and last minute guilt sneaking up on you.

3. Think of how many children you want coming - Be mindful that most parties under 4 require the parents to stay so catering for this is essential.

4. How long will the party go for? – Usually a party lasts around 2 – 3 hours depending on the age of the children. As they get older the duration also increases

5. Location - Will you host at home, in a park or at a venue? And do you have a wet weather plan?

6. Choose a theme (this is really important) - whether it be a colour, a character or time or year, it is vital to have your theme set in your mind. Once you have chosen a theme you can move on to colours, graphics and decorative features. Ask your kids to give you a top 3 and go from there. 

7. Entertainment: Whether you choose paid or free you need to plan for this - Allocate space for the Jumping Castle or Ball Pit, is there a room for the Clown or Fairy to perform their show? - Have you thought about a craft table? Would you like organised games?

8. Party bags - These are an absolute highlight at the end of a party (and not just for the parent wink wink) Make sure to select contents based on the age of the child. To keep costs down I send each child home with a balloon that was used for decoration and I let the adults add lollies from the dessert table to the treat bags at the end of the party. This takes the pressure of me to provide double the treats and allows the parents to pick and choose what their own kids are allowed to eat. (Win/win)

9. Decorations - Keep it simple. Stick to your theme. Hand make if you can. Include the kids in this and they will be happy for hours!! 

10. Pinterest!!!! - Create your own Pin Boards for each party theme you think you might like to do. Browse, search and pin anything and everything that gives you inspiration. But be warned, it is very addictive. Just see my Pinterest Boards if you don't believe me!

So there you have it. Some very simple yet super helpful ideas for planning your next party.

Happy party planning everyone and happy pinning.

Play time

Don't you just love it when you discover a new app!

Image from http://www.abeautifulmess.com/2013/05/a-beautiful-mess-app-faq-.html

Recently I was introduced to the app called

A Beautiful Mess 

and I am in love!

This amazing little application allows you to transform photographs taken from your iPhone into gorgeous little works of art that you can share with the world.

You can change filters, add borders, doodles, phrases, word bubbles and text... So basically you can do lots!

Image from http://www.abeautifulmess.com/2013/05/a-beautiful-mess-app-faq-.html

Admittedly this app is targeted at us females and is quite girly. 

As a mum I love adding speech bubbles and comments of what my kids are up to, which will be great to look back on in years to come.

And for a small business it can be an invaluable tool to aid in product promotion and marketing. 

Once you have completed your creations you just share to Instagram to add the final touches and woolah!

Have a look at the little gems I created:

Now, I must warn you, A Beautiful Mess is addictive. So what are you waiting for? Jump on to the App Store and 99c later you are ready to create.