Here are a couple of ideas of things to do with your children that will help generate even more ideas of fun you can all have together in the future.
A FAMILY LIST OF FUN THINGS TO DO
Sit down with the children and make a list of all the adventures you’d like to go on and the fun things you’d like to do.
Use these categories and write down everyone’s ideas under each:
Start with the big ideas (day trips, holidays etc)
The things to do at home if it was raining and cold
The things to do outside that don’t cost any money if it was sunny
The things to do outside that don’t cost any money if it was raining and cold
When the list is complete, look at it together and manage expectations! If a trip to the moon is on there, or a holiday you can’t afford get a new category called Lovely Dreams (or ‘in your dreams baby!’ If you want to be more brutal!!) .
Big things you can do – but just as special treats can be identified and worked towards, looked forward to etc.
Then there are the free things that can be up there and referred to on those weekends when you all feel like doing something but can’t think what.
MOOD BOARDS
Mood boards are a great way to spend an afternoon or evening with the children cutting and pasting. Their a great way of expressing fun, hopes and dreams and allow you all to go off into fantasy la-la land!!
IDEAS FOR MOOD BOARDS
How about these ideas for mood boards as a starter for 10? Do these, or trump them with your own ideas….
Things I’d like to do in the holidays
My idea of a great day at home
A
ll the things I do – make sure you put in your favourite things as well as your least favourite (like brushing your teeth, homework etc)
HOW TO DO YOUR OWN MOODBOARD
Set up each person with a dedicated workstation around a table. Give everyone a sheet of A3 paper, a pair of scissors and a stick of glue. Have a pile of Christmas catalogues (the favourite in our house is the Argos doorstopper) and let everyone, you included, go into fantasy-land, cutting and sticking to their heart’s content. Be as imaginative and freewheeling as you fancy – cut out pictures, parts of pictures, words, colours and shapes.
WHAT DO YOU NEED?
Catalogues through post, or brochures from shops
Leaflets
Magazines
Newspapers, comics etc
Old wrapping paper
Oddments of ribbon and stickers
Scissors
Sheets of paper
Glue
