for kids
1. DECORATE THE GARDEN WITH PAINTED ROCKS
You’ll need: brightly coloured acrylic paint, plate, paintbrushes and rocks
Collect rocks from the garden (we recommend smooth ones that aren’t too pale or dark as these will show the paint best). If you have time, clear the dirt, rinse them in water and let them completely air dry. They’re fine to use as is but it works best when they’re super clean. Select your paint colours, pour a little onto a plate and start painting! Use smaller brushes for details. When they’re dry (this might be the next day) you can set them up all around your garden as decorations.
2. CREATE A LOCKDOWN BUCKET LIST
You’ll need: a large piece of card or paper and coloured pens. Work together to draw up bucket list of things you all want to do during lockdown and display it on your card. You could add tick boxes or a spot to write the date when you complete each item. Maybe you could aim to learn a new word every day, try out a new baking recipe or read 10 books – it’s completely up to you what goes on there! Don’t forget to keep it in full view so that everyone can see
3. BUILD A READING NOOK WITH ACCESSORIES
Build a space in your home dedicated to reading for kids who love books. Build a fort or turn a giant box into a little nook and lay down some floor pillows and blankets to make it extra cozy. Accessorize the space with your child’s favorite books, a small reading lamp or flashlight and some decorated bookmarks and “do not disturb” signs. Pick a time each day for your child to visit their nook and read for a few minutes.
4. MAKE SLIME
While there are several recipes out there (DIY slime is very popular), our favorite recipe only requires three ingredients: glue, contact lens solution and baking soda.
To make slime, take one, 6-ounce bottle of glue (we prefer the clear Elmer’s glue) and mix in ½ teaspoon baking soda and 2 – 3 tablespoons of contact lens solution. Use a mixing spoon or popsicle stick to stir the slime until it starts to thicken. Once it forms into a blob, use your hands to mix and knead it. Pieces of it will stick to hands but keep kneading it. The slime will eventually harden to the point where it moves as one unit. For additional fun, add in food coloring or glitter.
5. CREATE YOUR OWN PUZZLE
You don’t even need a pair of scissors to make your own puzzle, as long as you already have puzzles at home. All you need is crayons, markers or paint.
Create your own puzzle by simply using the other side of a puzzle you have (it’s usually blank cardboard) to draw or paint your own picture. First, you’ll need to put the original puzzle together, then carefully flip it over. Draw your complete picture, take a picture of it to reference, then break the puzzle apart and build it back using your image instead. Make it even more difficult by drawing on the separate pieces first, then trying to put the puzzle together without knowing what it will look like until the end.