There’s nothing like some wet weather or a bit of illness to bring on a dose of the dreaded ‘cabin fever’.
I don’t know about you but my toddler goes a little crazy when trapped indoors all day.
Instead of watching Toy Story 3 for the 100th time, why not try your hand at some old school kids entertainment?
Here are three great recipes that you and the kids can try out – finger paint, play dough and home made bubble mix.
Why is finger painting, play dough and bubble fun beneficial for children?
- It’s a great opportunity to let your children get a little bit artistic
- Kids love to see their works of art displayed on the shelf, wall or fridge
- It uses all the senses, especially touch (and hopefully not too much taste)
- In this don’t-forget-the-hand-sanitiser world, sometimes it’s good for kids to get a little messy (pop some newspaper down if this makes you nervous!)
- It allows kids to let their imagination run wild
- It works on developing their fine motor skills
- Children can learn how colours are made
Edible Finger Paint
This edible recipe is really aimed at the littlies who still enjoy putting everything in their mouths. To be honest when we tried it (see picture) it was more a case of body art than actual artwork. The kids still had a great time!
Ingredients:
- Plain yoghurt
- Food colouring
Method:
- Grab a set of plastic containers and pour some plain yoghurt into each.
- Use your food colouring to create different colour ‘paints’ remembering your primary school days of colour combinations.
- blue + red = purple
- red + yellow = orange
- blue + green = aqua
- Spread out some large sheets of paper and let the kids go wild.
Play Dough
Who doesn’t love the squishy fun of play dough? I often find I’m still sitting there creating a master piece long after the kids have wandered off….
Ingredients:
2 cups plain flour
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- ½ cup salt
- 2 tablespoons cream of tartar
- Up to 2 cups boiling water
- Food colouring
- A few drops of glycerine (this is optional but will add shine to the dough)
Directions:
- Mix together your flour, salt, cream of tartar and oil in a large bowl.
- Add the boiling water and stir continuously until it comes together as a sticky dough.
- Add the food colouring and glycerine (if using).
- After it has cooled, remove from the bowl and knead the dough firmly for a few minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when it’s no longer sticky.
- If you find it is still a bit sticky you can try adding a little bit more flour until it feels right.
- Get creative! Why not try customising your dough – add sand for texture; glitter for some sparkle; ground spices like cinnamon for some aroma; and some shells or other decorative items for the finishing touches.
Bubble Mixture
What is it about bubbles that kids love? Either way you will be a sure fire hit with this one.
Sure you can buy pre-made mixture, but when it’s this easy why not try making your own?
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of filtered water
- 2 tablespoons of washing up liquid
- 1 tablespoon of glycerin
Method:
- Mix all of the ingredients together in a large bowl.
- Allow the mixture to sit for 24 hours undisturbed, which allows the bonds in the solution to strengthen (which means stronger bubbles).
- The whole waiting game can drive kids a little batty so feel free to mix in private and bring out the bubble solution when it’s ready to go!
Ideas for bubble wands:
If you haven’t got an old bubble wand lying around you can try:
- Pegs
- A stretched out wire coat hanger
- A slotted spoon
- A funnel
- Cookie cutters
How do you keep the kids entertained at home? Let us know in the comments.
