Winter and Christmas is a fun and festive time of the year. When the kid’s are off school for the holidays, they are full of excitement and have plenty of energy! Unfortunately, that’s not always the case for the hard working mum and dad.
It is hard to juggle a house full of kids and a busy work schedule. Finding exciting; budget-friendly ways to keep the family entertained is something we could all use more tips on. With that in mind, take a look at the handy checklist for a few ways to create family entertainment and be conscious about money saving at the same time.
1. Dress up ideas
Most kids love to play dress up. You can provide them with a few cheap bits of play clothing, and they will happily find hours of entertainment in just pretending to be their favourite character. Try making a wedding dress for your kids, using old sheets or charity shop dresses that have been altered to suit your needs.
You can create simple hair accessories or track down some fancy dress wigs to give them a hairstyle fit for a prince or princess. Be creative and think outside the box with your choices and your kids will love the ideas that you come up with.
Try making swords out of cardboard for some family friendly play. The perfect swashbuckling accessory to go with a pirate outfit perhaps? All you need to do is find a large piece of cardboard and cut out the shape! Of course, superheroes are always going to be a popular dress-up idea. Why not treat your little ones to their very own personalized superhero capes so that they can put that personal touch to saving the day – they make for great gifts!
2. Play accessories
If you don’t want to spend a fortune on expensive toys, then why not try making your own? For smaller children, the most exciting presents they can receive are the homemade ones.
Cardboard boxes have a multitude of uses! Stick a few together, cut out the eyes and mouth and you’ve got a robot that is ready to decorate. Use some cardboard or empty wrapping paper tubes for the arms and you’ll have some very happy kids.
You could even try making a castle or a fort with leftover boxes from Christmas deliveries or presents after Christmas. Anything that the children can decorate themselves is sure to be a winner. Stock up on plenty of cheap paint and crayons which can be used for future creative days.
3. Create a tent
A great way to end the day is with a carpet picnic under your very own blanket fort or tent. Just grab an old sheet and drape it over some chairs or a table and fill the inside area with cushions and comfortable things. Just don’t let them use your favourite bed sheets!
Good luck giving your family a fun-filled time of things whenever there is no school. Family days are the best and sometimes the most fun you can have, is the kind that doesn’t break the bank. Playing creatively like this will also teach your kids the value of money and encourage them to save for their own futures, rather than having the need to spend, spend spend.