Keeping kids busy over the winter holidays
School Christmas holidays will soon be here and little kids the world over may soon be chanting, “Mummy! I’m bored!”
So, here are a dozen or so play-time ‘recipes’ to help keep your children entertained this winter. Learn how to make homespun goop, papier mâché, cinnamon ornaments, soap crayons and much more. Pull out this article and stick it to your fridge – it will be one of your best weapons against the ‘boredom’ gremlins!
Washable window paints
A selection of tempera paints (powdered or premixed)
Clear dishwashing liquid
Mix powdered paints with dishwashing liquid until they resemble house paint. Ensure that you line the window sashes with masking tape & spread newspaper under the window area to protect flooring. To erase paint or touch up mistakes just wipe paint away with a dry paper towel.
Home-made coloring books
Go online and download a dozen or so coloring book pages and collate them into a coloring book. Put this aside for rainy days or for long car/train/plane journeys. Little boys love images of cars and trucks while little girls prefer coloring book pictures of fairytales and princesses. At sites like Hello Kitty Coloring Pages you’ll find the best Hello Kitty printables.
Cinnamon Christmas ornaments
3/4-1 cup applesauce
1 (4.12-oz.) bottle of ground cinnamon
Mix applesauce with cinnamon to form a stiff dough. Roll out to 5mm thickness. Cut out a shape with the cookie cutter and make a hole for the ribbon using the end of a drinking straw. Carefully place aside to dry for several days - turning occasionally. This recipe makes twelve sweet-smelling ornaments/drawer scenters.
Goop
2 packets of cornflour
2 cups of water
Several drops of food colouring
Place newspaper or plastic sheets on your work surface. Mix the ingredients in a large bowl. Children love goop’s squishy consistency. You can also use coloured or black paper to make goop paintings if you wish. To remove goop from carpets, allow it to dry, then brush or vacuum. The great thing about goop is that it may be re-used after it has dried out. Crumble it to a powder then restore it to the original consistency by adding water a tablespoonful at a time.
Funny putty
2 tablespoons of white glue
1 tablespoon of liquid starch
Food colouring
Mix glue and desired food colour. Pour starch over top. Swish around - so that all the glue is covered. Let this set 5 minutes. Squeeze off extra starch and knead until mixed.
Bubbles
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon of sugar
1 teaspoon of glycerine
2 tablespoons of liquid dish soap
Mix water, glycerine and soap. Pour in sugar. Add food colouring if desired.
Papier mâché
1 cup flour
1 cup warm water
1/2 inch strips of newspaper
Balloon/s
In a large bowl, mix flour and water – add more flour is mixture is too sloppy (dripping). Place newspaper strips into mixture until well soaked, then smooth onto blown up balloon. Cover balloon completely twice, letting dry in between layers. Do not cover the balloon’s knot. Dry in a warm place for 2-3 days then hold the knot and pop the balloon with a pin. Paint, glitter and decorate the balloon as is or cut in half so you have a bowl/hat shape to embellish.
Modelling/play dough
2 cups flour
1 cup salt
water
food colouring
Mix the ingredients and knead to a dough consistency. To speed up the drying process, place the dough artwork in the oven on a low heat.
Soap crayons
1 3/4 cups of soap flakes
50 drops food colouring
1/4 cup water
Mix water and soap flakes together. Add food colouring and put mixture into an ice cube tray. When hardened, pop the ‘ice cubes’ out. These soap crayons are fun to write with on the tub and tiles when bathing. If grouting stains, simply spray with a weak solution of bleach.
Sand dye
Fine sand
Water
Food colouring
Paper cups
Plastic spoons
Fill paper cups half full with sand. Next, add water to cups to completely cover sand. Add food colouring until you get the desired colour. Stir with plastic spoon and let set for 15 minutes. Pour off the water, spoon sand onto paper towels and then spread the sand out to dry. Use sand to make pictures (spread glue on paper and sprinkle sand on top) or to fill pretty bottles in layers.
Cornstarch Art/Finger-paint
3 tablespoons of cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water
2 drops of dishwashing liquid
1 cup boiling water
Food colouring
Combine cornstarch and cold water - stir until smooth. Add dishwashing liquid. Pour boiling water into the bowl and simply stir until the mixture thickens. Add food colouring and let cool. Use this exactly as you would use store-bought finger paint.
Puffy Paint
Flour
Salt
Water
Tempera paint
Mix equal parts of flour, salt and water in a bowl. Add a small amount of tempera paint to the mix and then pour into a small plastic squeezy bottle. Repeat the procedure making as many colours as you wish. Squeeze onto heavy paper or cardboard to make designs. Mixture will harden into puffy shapes.
Colourful Salt
1/2 cup salt
5 to 6 drops of food colouring
Add food colouring to salt. Stir well. Cook in the microwave for around 1-2 minutes or spread on waxed paper and let the salt air dry. Store this in an airtight container and use it just as you would glitter.