Take Flight

 Month 8 - Bite 27

Do you possess a kite? When was the last time you tried flying it? Today could be a day to try it out. Find yourself some space and a bit of breeze then go for it. Round here kite surfing is pretty big, it might be an option for a taster for you too. Anyway that you try it you'll find that wind and flight can be exhilarating and exhausting at the same time. All that running back and forth to launch the flight along with the concentration needed to keep it airborne might even bring about a good night's sleep!

If you don't have a kite look around for materials you have at home to make one. Traditional stick, paper and string versions have been tried and tested over the years, but you can experiment with other, free household materials. What about a plastic carrier bag with string tied to the handles and then attached to a long 'leader' length of string?

Whatever materials you choose, remember to pick them up at the end of the game, especially if the kite finally falls apart and take the bits home. No litter now!

Month 8 - Bite 28

There are, of course, some real flight experts around. There are regular bird watch and bird counts run regionally and nationally. Check out the details for a chance to contribute to the numbers of specific species.

If there isn't one running, create one of your own where you live. There will be plenty for you to spot, record and identify... another trip to the library perhaps for the information. Although you could research online too and see if you can find some audio clips to recognise their calls and songs.

Some will be welcome visitors

While others may be more annoying!

But record them all!

A Camping Trip or Two

 When we were younger our parents were very involved with Scouting and for a while I worked for the Association so we have experienced a bit of camping here and there!

It can be great fun for children to try spending time 'under canvas' although you may not have it in your plans to go away, so...

Month 8 - Bite 25

Having a tent and a garden to pitch it in is fine, but not necessary! Give them the materials to make a camp - either indoors or outside. 

All you need is something to make the shelter - a big tablecloth or an old sheet for example. Next they'll need a structure to hand it on - a clothes dryer, a table a washing line - you get the idea. You might have a play tent or screen - anything will do with some added imagination.

Once the den is built they can 'furnish' it with cushions and a duvet (or sleeping bag if you've got one) for the bed and so on. Of course, there's always a danger they'll move in there with as much furniture as they can fit...

Once in there they'll need to at least eat inside to make them feel the experience......

Month 8 - Bite 26

Having and playing with a den or tent is all very well. How much more exciting is it if you actually get to sleep in it?

Okay it may put your living room out of commission for the night, but it's great fun. You could turn it into a family camp too, or even a festival. Add face paints, bunting, music and wild dancing and who needs Glastonbury?!

Here's One I Made Earlier

 Month 8 - Bite 24

So the holiday is well underway and you've had some great fun. The endless stream of good ideas, not to mention the holiday cash may be stuttering just now. However, you were all prepared for this moment..

Remember that box with the stash of downloaded templates, craft materials and so on. Now is it's moment...

                                     

Discovering all that new stuff for making things should inject some new inspiration and cost little or nothing as you've been saving it for a while. It's an idea we try to repeat for each holiday so that there's always a supply of materials for rainy or cash strapped days.

Sometimes the contents include junk materials or cake kits - anything really that helps the entertainment!

Becoming Someone Else

 Now how about a change of character? 

Not literally, obviously. Here's a chance to explore a different creative side.

Month 8 - Bite 21

Why not let the children loose on some old clothes for a dressing up session? Do you have any old gear that you sorted out during your wardrobe purge that they could experiment with. The items don't have to be used for their original purpose. A skirt could become a superheroes cape or a scarf could turn into a sash  or sword belt.

Let their imaginations run riot as they role play themselves through what's available.

Take note of anything they wish they had - 'if only we had something for a tail', 'what can I use as wings?', 'all I need is a witch's hat'. 

That list will come in handy tomorrow!

Month 8 - Bite 22

Now they can design some costumes of their own. That tail could be made of some left over yarn attached to elastic or a belt. This one I made for a World Book Day for the Big Bad Wolf. It took forever to brush, straighten and fluff after I saw a video of how to do it. Yours doesn't have to be so fancy!

Wings could be conjured up from some filmy fabric attached to bent coat hangers or a witch's hat made from card. You can whistle up a stick as a magic wand or a pillow case for a Pharoah's tunic. I love the usefulness of old pillowcases. Just a slit and cut here and there turns them into a variety of costume basics (watch out for more pillowcase stuff in October and December!).

There are plenty of templates online for masks of different varieties and cardboard cut out stethoscopes for budding doctors or vets.

What will your designers go for?

Month 8 - Bite 23

Now they've got costumes and have practised dressing up, what will they do with their new characters. Plan an entertainment. It could be miming or acting out a favourite tale with a narrator telling the story. They might choose to improvise a dramatic scene or two - suggest a few of your own for example Harry Potter and a Wolf go shopping and see a butterfly taking sweets from a shop - what happens next? They may have some ideas for plays of their own or have found a script at the library that they want to act out. Alternatively there's the chance to put on a musical show with them pretending to be a number of different singers or bands.

Photo Shoot

 Month 8 -Bite 19

Time for a walk again! And once more a camera will come in handy...

You can either just go for a walk to see what you can find to shoot and collect as many photos of your trip as possible - the more unusual the better. Try not just taking a picture of a tree for example, try and get a real close up of the bark. Or go window shopping with your phone/camera to see what's on display around you.

The other option is to choose a theme before you go out - rather like the other day's bug safari. Anything goes - you could even try to take some snaps that don't show the whole object so that the viewer has to guess what they are looking at...

If you can't go out or the weather isn't being co-operative you could complete your walk indoors finding things to snap around the house ...

Got plenty of images? Then it'll be on to ..

Month 8 - Bite 20

Now it's time to turn your photos into a story. Pick the photos that you want to use and then put them into an order that helps to tell your story. It could simple show the route you took, or be a 'what is this?' quiz if you took some close up or different angle shots. 

You might want to make up a story with the photos illustrating the narrative.

These could be linked together as a presentation to entertain the family or take into school to show what you've been up to. You could add music or a commentary and text. You could have plenty of fun together creating and directing your own piece of artwork!

Look at a Book

 

Do you belong to your local library? I know around here we're lucky to have kept our library service with minimal closures, but that others aren't so lucky. To keep the service open and running we all need to our bit in using them and making sure that the footfall is high.

Month 8 - Bite 16

If you can, visit your local library. Take some time to really look around it and see what's available. Round here it's not just books on offer. There's Lego Clubs, Science Afternoons, Art Events, Speakers, Music, Computers for use, Reading Challenges, Book Clubs, Activity Packs, Table Football (yes really!), Storytimes, Bounce and Rhyme..... and more.

There are other services available online - videos, TED talks, ebooks, magazines, audio loans....

And it's all either free or at a charge that just covers materials used.

Make some notes about what's available - I'll admit that this is a little late in the month if you're following it by date, but once you get into the routine you'll be able to plan ahead. 

When I was little, a trip to the library was one of our first holiday trips so that we could register for a challenge, pick up some 'how to' books and find out what was going on for free so that we could put the dates in the diary.

For today, visiting, signing up if you haven't already and borrowing some books - one or two will do - especially activity books to give you some more ideas for the rest of the break.

Month 8 - Bite 17

Gather the information you got yesterday and start planning. 

Are there any activities or talks you want to book in to or just go along to? What's coming up later on once the holidays are over?

Now's the time to start putting these into your diary for later.

Month 8 - Bite 18

Right then, break out those books you've borrowed. Are you using any of them to look up the bugs from your recent safari? What other activities are you thinking of pursuing? Share your ideas together and plan ahead to get anything you need - craft materials, cooking ingredient, you name it then list it.

What other ideas have you got?

Bug Safari

 Month 8 - Bite 15

Back outside again now.

Time to become a hunter - your prey will be small and your weapon will be a camera (phone) or paper and pencil.

Go for a walk to see how many bugs you can spot...

They might be decorations in others' gardens ..

                                             

Or the real thing in the park or your own patch...

Record what you find in some way and see if you know the name of the creature.

If you don't try looking it up online or try tomorrow's task for some help!

There are also regular surveys and counts that are advertised to help naturalists and other scientists to gauge the health of our bug (and other creature) populations. Earlier this month there was a butterfly count. It's worth looking out for them and many have their own apps or downloadable resources so that you can find out more about your hunted subject...

Of course you could also do a bug safari at home.. and I don't just mean counting spiders hiding around the place. See if you can track down images of mini-beasts on cans, covers and books as well as magazines, comics and toys. They really are everywhere.

Make some noise

Okay I get it, many of these suggestions have been pretty calm or calming and out of doors, so now it's time for some noise!

Month 8 - Bite 14

Go music crazy!

It doesn't matter whether you have any recognisable musical instruments or not - there will be something lying around at home that can be put to work in this activity. And it doesn't have to cost a penny!

Here's a selection I found in the kitchen....

Anything you can bash and bang will act as a drum kit, saucepans, wooden spoons, tin cans, you name it. Then you can use any sealable container part filled with rice or lentils as a shaker. Alternatively use a box or inner toilet roll tube as long as you seal them effectively. Otherwise they could burst and you'll all feel like Cinderella picking up the debris!

You could go a step further and make a stringed instrument to pluck or strum. A sturdy box or container like the plastic one above with different thicknesses of elastic bands round it will be fine.

Got any paper drinking straws lurking? Cut one end into an arrow shape and experiment with blowing through it as a whistle.

Now that was just a quick trawl in the kitchen, what else might be lurking around your place that could be pressed into service?

Once you've explored the sounds you can make, create a band. You could always stream a favourite tune and act as the backing band!

 

Bored or Board?

Month 8 - Bite 11

Search out some free entertainment online that doesn't involve computer games!

There's always times during the school breaks (and at weekends come to that) when there's a need for sit down and do something calm! It's good to have a change from frenetic activity or to have something up your sleeve for days with poorer weather or when everyone fancies flopping about at home.

Have a session of surfing the web, not for cutesy videos of other people's pets or numberless gaming apps to use up your tablet's memory, but for downloadables. There's so much available whether that's quiz sheets, colouring pages, games to cut out and play..... Spend some time having a search and printing some examples off.

Be careful though... you won't want to wildly print off pages and pages of stuff which could a) waste paper and resources if it's not used or b) adds to piles of clutter about the place. Be selective about what you need right now and save other material in a folder for printing as needed at a later date.

With some of the materials you might find you only use one side of the paper, well, save it and print on the reverse next time.

With some of the downloads you could make it a paired or team activity and only print one copy.. just saying!

Month 8 - Bite 12

When I was little we always got a compedium of games either at Christmas or for birthdays. I well remember my mild dad becoming a ruthless hunter during ludo! My husband's family spent many hours playing Touring England - we now have our own game of it with a trophy to play for... There are the perennials too, of course, Scrabble, Mastermind and Monopoly (that often had to left out overnight as we never seemed to finish it.

What's in your cupboard? Have you any old favourites from your past that you haven't introduced your youngsters to? If you don't have any try a look around a charity shop or two to see what they have. 

It'll be interesting to see how individuals develop their own game playing characteristics once you get started.

Month 8 - Bite 13

After all that competition it's time for sharing an experience together. Try a film night, complete with popcorn and ice cream.

There will be plenty of films (or maybe some DVDs if you still have the machinery) to stream - even on free to view platforms. Or you could splash out on an old film you enjoyed in the past and see what the younger members of the family think about it.

Set the scene at home with low lighting and a quick 'speech' or 'trailer' about why the film is your choice. You might even make tickets to be exchanged for front row seating!!

Don't forget to ask your band of film reviewers/critics what they thought of the movie at the end....

 

Playing Outside

 Month 8 - Bite 8

Time to get outside - as long as the weather is on your side, although a little drizzle never hurt anyone... much.

Are there any local sports' facilities that are offering free taster sessions? Do a bit of research online to check it out. There will be some teams and organisations that are recruiting new members by throwing their doors open. See if there's anything your crew would like to try. Many of these will be advertised online or in the local press or down at the library so why not take a look?

Month 8 - Bite 9

When was the last time you visited your local park?

We're lucky round here. As well as the usual swings and grassy areas there are tennis courts, mini golf, a skateboard arena and an outdoor gym. Do you know what's on offer near you? Getting out in the fresh air is good for all of you, especially as (generally) whooping around and letting off steam is easier in open areas.

Phone round and see if one or two friends want to meet up and have a play together. Take some snacks and drinks with you and it shouldn't cost much at all.

Month 8 - Bite 10

In all that sorting out did you uncover a ball, racket, bat, or any such thing? You could all play a ball game together today. It could be a traditional game that you all know the rules for, or you could invent your own... With some improvised skittles (plastic milk cartons) or obstacles to go round or through (chair legs, rope laid on the ground) you can make up your own games and rules based on the number of players, time and space available and the skill set of those taking part!

Buying and Selling

 Month 8 - Bite 5

Right, now back to that pile of stuff from the bedroom tidy (and any other items you may have gathered up while the urge to declutter was upon the household.)

Are there any toys or clothes that would be good enough to sell?

Decide on how you're going to do it and involve those throwing the things away in the process. You might decide on an auction site or social media platform. Do it together and you could offer to pass any profits on to the person that donated them to the 'chuck' pile. Or you might all decide that the proceeds from any sales will fund a special day out at the end of the break.

It might be that there is so much that a table or boot sale is more suitable. Do some research together and plan it, sooner rather than later. Book it onto your calendar and start pricing and packing everything.

Month 8 - Bite 6

Of course you may have some friends and their offspring that have also had a tidy up. What about getting in touch and joining some other like minded souls for a giant clothes and toy swap? That way everyone could enjoy some time together (don't forget some cake), find some new possessions and have a play - and that's only the adults - only kidding!

If the weather's good put some sheets or blankets out in the garden and lay everything out for all to see. You might need some rules (no grabbing your old stuff back, only so many items per participant - you decide), but it's a good way of enjoying part of a day and getting some new stuff for nothing (well apart from the cake).

Month 8 - Bite 7

There will be some items that you would rather donate so ask those who've contributed their off casts where they would like their donations to go. Check that whichever charity or shop is open and receiving donated stock and when the best time is to deliver it. Now do it all together. There's nothing like your goods being warmly received to make children (and adults) want to help again. They might even want to find out a bit more about how their gifts will benefit others once you get home.

Booking it in....

 Month 8 - Bite 4

So the holidays are underway... It's easy to lose track of what's going on, satisfy all the things that need to be done and remember every suggestion that each member of the family has made. So today is about getting the ideas booked in.

First either download or draw up a giant calendar for the month.

Now in pen write in all the appointments and bookings that are already made - birthdays, dentist, trips away that have already been booked, prior arrangements to meet friends/visit granny - all of those sorts of things.

Now begin to fill in the rest with suggestions, ideas and desires! At this stage you might want to make the entries in pencil so that they can be changed. Alongside make a mark in a different colour for each member of the household that suggested or wanted the activity. That way you can be sure there's a fair spread of who wants what.

There may be definite tasks that need to go down - a regular clean up and sort the home day, or a regular trip to the library.

The next job is to make some more bookings. If you haven't got all those essential appointments made then now's the time to start ringing, emailing, online booking, whatever. Dentists, hairdressers, shopping for new school shoes, next term's clothing and so on. Some of these will need to go at the end of the holiday as sure as eggs are eggs someone will have a growth spurt!

So much for the essentials, now for the fun - do friends and family need contacting to arrange time to get together? Do it now and get the dates firmed up. 

Slowly some of those pencilled in days will need to be written in pen and you'll be able to see what's left.

Of course, any of the ideas could change depending on who's available, what the weather's like and any new opportunities that come along. And don't forget to save this calendar once the holiday is over so you can refer to it again next time!

One for the Kids

 Okay, so we're on to Month 8!

Another playful, cuddly elephant for this month. I know I have been trying to make most of these ideas non-particular-month-specific, but as I write schools' out and thoughts of entertaining our younger family are at the forefront of the mind. Especially now my younger niece and her crew are due to arrive from Italy to swell the throng.

I've tried for this month to mix a range of free/cheap activities that we have tried in the past and are planning for now. The age range of our lot is quite wide and not all the activities will appeal to all of them. That's life! Still let's get on with the first batch...

Month 8 - Bite 1

This opening activity will seem a bit odd as we're beginning by thinking of the end of the holiday. No, it's not like in the shops, where as soon as term breaks up the advertising for 'Back to School' starts appearing. While we're all keen and excited we like to start to build a stock for the end of the holidays. Today sees a concerted effort to gather together the first components of the 'end of the Holiday Box'.

There's lots of bits and pieces around - craft stuff, colouring sheets, templates, that between all the family we're putting together. Books that were on sale go into the mix as do any puzzles, games and so on that we pick up in the first few days. The web needs searching for downloadables (you won't believe how much is out there) which are printed off and saved.

As other ideas crop up (along with any special bits and pieces that might get acquired from gift shops or outings) they get squirrelled away too.

All of these get put away ready for the end of the holiday when inspiration begins to wane, other tasks need to be accomplished ready for school or even the weather refuses to co-operate.

You'll thank me for this one later I promise.

Month 8 - Bite 2

Time to get out of the house and go for a walk. It doesn't matter where or for how long. It's time for a stretch and an explore of what's around locally. With all the to-ing and fro-ing that accompanies the frenzy of the end of the school year a  nice walk and chat is welcome. It provides the chance to talk over what's happened in the past few months, what might lie ahead and what they'd like to do during the break (don't forget to make a note of the ideas - they might surprise you with how simple the things they come up with are). It also creates an opportunity to revisit and remember those facilities and amenities that might exist close by.

Month 8 - Bite 3

An at home day today. A sorting out day! Release them into the wild that is their bedroom(s). 

How about emptying all their cupboards, wardrobes, shelves, bookcases, everything? Now they get to look at all the stuff around. Will they discover toys and games that have been forgotten? Decide there are clothes that no longer fit? Laugh at the thought of ever playing with some things again? See something their sibling wants to throw away that they'd like?

At the end of the voyage of discovery all the items they want to keep can be carefully replaced and stored and it should leave a pile of discards (especially with some encouragement).

What will you do with them.. well we'll get to that later.....

Hang out the bunting!

 Extra Mouthful Number Four

I did mention some help with crafting inexpensive cards so here's one idea...

Bunting always seems to go alongside celebrations so I wanted to create some cards for birthdays, etc. using it as a feature.

Firstly I cut some decorating paper and plain card so that they fit onto a card blank...

                                                 

Next came a selection of tiny triangles from paper scraps - you could use magazines or old wrapping paper too...

                                                    

Finally I glued them onto the top piece of card, linked them with a drawn line and mounted it all onto a card blank.

You could add a greeting to the front of the card as well if you like.

Then I wanted to see how it would look repeated in fabric. This time I glued some fabric to the top card and cut the triangles out of leftover bits and pieces of fabric from other projects.

                                                      

I glued the top edge of the triangles to the fabric before stitching a line instead of drawing it. Then, again I mounted this all onto the card blank..

One or two more to make and then I can add them to the greetings card store ready for the next appropriate occasion.

In the Bag

 Onto the last (belated) leg of this month's offerings... a few bits and bobs about parties.

The first two bites here are about those infamous party bags that seem to have become a staple these days!

How do you create and fill them so that they don't cost the earth and yet are a nice reminder of a good time?

Month 7 - Bite 28

The first thing to do is to create the party bags themselves. There are plenty of templates available to print so why not try making your own rather than buying them. It's even better (cheaper and more environmentally friendly too) if you use paper left over from projects, spare wrapping paper, magazine pages or brown paper that wrapped something you had delivered! Of course you can also unfold a spare bag you have from a previous party to create a template.

                        

Some of these options seem to produce a rather dull bag, but wait... What if the first activity of the party was for each participant to decorate and label their own bag? As each person arrives provide them with the wherewithal - pens, stickers, sequins, glue - to make their own very individual bag. All of these can be put, empty on a surface awaiting their contents.

Month 7 - Bite 29

So on to those contents...

Not so long ago we went to a relative's 80th do. Her daughter and grandchildren had pulled out all the stops to make it an occasion to remember without spending huge amounts of money - although they did put lots of love and effort into it.

Guests there, old and young, each received home made party bags. Inside were one or two sweet items including this..

Forgive my photography - it's a phial for blowing bubbles! There was also a small pack of seeds gathered from their own garden to grow flowers with a note on the envelope to explain that as the flowers grew we could remember the special day. Among the other things was an individual cake box to choose a favourite cake (there were loads!!) to take home.

It's very easy to think the bags have to be loaded with plastic knick-knacks or sweets, but why not try something similar. 

We're always looking out for small gifts for Christmas, birthdays etc. so when any of us spot a bargain in the mini books/pencils/stickers/anything really line it gets snapped up and stored. These are particular favourites for prizes for pass the parcel, musical bumps, or any other game. Guess where these prizes go? Yep, that's it - those waiting party bags - it's easy to top up any non-winners' bags too while they are all eating.

Then there's those scrunchies I made a while back, some bookmarks, and... well, you get the picture.

The next bite might also give you some ideas for fillers too....

Month 7 - Bite 30

A make it yourself party..... Well, why stop with the party bags? You could try having a short game or two and then set out a table with plenty of craft materials for a grand making session. It could be a step-by-step process where all the guests make the same item following someone's lead - decorated hair grips, for example, or fabric brooches from scraps glued onto a backing piece (thank you internet for soooo many ideas!). You could give each guest a sock to decorate as a puppet or some felt, pom-poms, wiggly eyes and buttons to make finger puppets. Whatever you choose make sure there's time for the glue to dry while you eat whatever spread you've laid out and played another game before their masterpieces are added to the party bags.

Recently I found these initials on sale and gathered a number for decorating and adding to the take home stash - remember my comments about wrapping paper scraps and tissue paper? This is the sort of project they go too...

                                                 

You might decide the makes should be edible. Make some individual cakes and provide icing, colouring and toppings for them to decorate their own cakes which can be added to the bags. Or use plain biscuits (shop bought or home baked) for them to create faces using icing sugar glue, small sweets and sprinkles.

Phew - all partied out?

Wait till the excitement of children's holidays appears for next month!