By: Natasha Archary
Although loadshedding will be suspended on Friday, 15 April, these 7 indoor activities are helpful to keep the little ones entertained for hours.
With the Transport Minister urging people to reconsider their Easter break at the coast due to the KZN floods, many have opted to stay home for the long weekend.
A “staycation” with loved ones in the comfort of your home may be just what you need to recuperate and count the blessings you have around you.
Sensory Play
Oobleck Slime
Kids love to immerse themselves in anything sticky, icky and colourful and this aids sensory development so put the wet-wipes down and scower around your kitchen for the following items to make Oobleck Slime.
All you’ll need is about a cup of cornstarch and some water and food colouring. Mix it all together until you have an ooey-gooey liquid/solid slime.
Oobleck has a consistency that is liquid when you allow it to slip from your hands but is solid on impact. Neither wet, nor dry, it’s best to just make a batch to experience what Oobleck is.
Water Balloons
Fill up a bag of balloons with water, tie them up and arrange them in a bath tub or inflatable pool for hours of outdoor fun.
Kids will love to pop the water balloons with their hands or feet and these “water bombs” are a fun way to keep toddlers and older kids busy during the holidays.
Use Your Imagination
Rainbow Bubble Snakes
- Plastic bottles
- An old sock
- Food Colouring
- Dish washing liquid
- Shallow container
- Elastic Bands
Assemble by:
- Cutting out the base of the bottle
- Dip the sock in the dish soap & food colouring mixture
- Covering the base of the bottle with the sock & securing in place
All that’s needed for hours of indoor fun with the little ones is to blow gently through the opening of the bottle and watch their rainbow bubble snakes take shape.
Also read: Kaya Drive: Indoor fun for those days loadshedding hits home
Make a river
What makes summer fun? Water! So turn your backyard into a little explorers jungle by creating a foil river for them to rescue many paper boats from.
- Foil
- Hose
Arrange the foil into a long enough moat to catch the running water. Now, we know the country is going through dire water crisis so make sure the river is not set up on a slanting slope so that the water stays within the foil route. You can get creative and even make a pond at the end of the river to catch all the water for the paper boats to float around in.
Arts and Crafts
There’s more rain expected this weekend and finding some indoor fun activities that stimulates creativity may be needed to turn the dull weather around. Kids love paint and anything that involves nurturing their artistic side is a win in any parenting book but these ways of painting have to be given a try.
Bubble Wrap Artwork
Simply tape some bubble wrap around your child’s feet and put some art-paper or canvas on a level surface and have them stomp around in paint and then the canvas for a masterpiece you can then hang up in their room.
Splatter painting
This is easy, give your child some art-paper and acrylic paint and a paintbrush. Then have them dip the tip of the paintbrush (not the bristles) into the paint and splatter away. Chances are you’ll have a messy toddler and living area but the good news is it cleans up no fuss.
Straw Painting
For the neat freak in you, arrange a sheet of paper inside a shallow box with splots of paint scattered around the paper, hand your child a straw and have them blow onto the paint and watch the magic unfold.
There’s so much fun to be had both indoors and outdoors this Easter. From camping in your backyard, starting a flower garden with your little one or just watching the sun-set while you sip on your favourite iced beverage.
Whatever your plans are, ensure that the kids have enough to do during their time away from school or boredom will surely drive everyone crazy with cabin fever.
Also read: Free fun things to do with the kids
