Good
morning everyone! As the snow continues to fall and disrupt our
everyday lives I thought it may be helpful to offer some ideas to
keep the kids busy and entertained without having to step outside
onto the slippery, slushy pavements that are surrounding London and
the rest of Britain!

How to make photo props
Mustaches,
glasses, hats and lips are becoming every more popular in photo booths
at parties and weddings, why not make your own at home and then spend
your afternoon having a photo shoot! Here are some I made for a party
back in October.

What
you will need;
Felt
in a variety of colours,
Printable
templates ( attached at bottom )
Scissors
Strong
felt glue
A couple of sticks, chopsticks or even straight twigs from the garden
will do
  • Simply
    cut out the printable templates below and trace round them with a light
    pencil onto the felt of your choice
  • Repeat twice so that you have
    two identical shapes in which to sandwich the sticks between
  • Glue around the edges and leave to dry

(As I made mine for a
client they had to be slightly more rigid so I also cutout cardboard
and placed in-between the felt and then stitched the fabric together,
however this option is slightly less child friendly!)


Treasure Hunt
A
simple and easy way to keep the kids distracted for an hour! ( if you
have a dog its great to get them involved too – I would put a lead on my dog and my mum would place a dog treat next to every clue for them to sniff out!) Whether your looking for
sweeties, pennies or toys, reading and deciphering the clues or
riddles is not only fun, but a great way for children to think on
their own feet. 

If you decide to go down the riddle route (best for
older children) this blog is great for ideas… http://dailybrainteaser.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/riddles-for-kids.html

However,
here are a couple of my favorites;
Until
I am measured I am not know,
yet
how your miss me when I have flown. ( answer- time (clock))

If
your drop me I’m sure to crack, but give me a smile and i’ll always
smile back. (answer- mirror)

Little
miss Eticote in her white petticoat and her red nose, the longer she
stands the shorter she grows. (answer- a candle)
‘Mars
Bar Truffles’
Cooking
is always a popular choice for an activity, especially if the
children can make the treat themselves! I remember being taught this
particular treat in nursery and have kept it very close to my heart
since, in fact I still get requests to make these ‘truffles’ for
family during the Christmas period – if only they knew how incredibly
easy they are to make…..
What
you will need
5x
Mars Bar
¾
Packet of rich teas
Raisins
( optional )
1x
Bar of white chocolate
  • So,
    simply melt the mars bar over a pan of hot water on the oven
  • Whilst melting,
    place the rich teas in a bag and use a large wooden spoon to bash
    them into dust (my little cousins love this bit)
  • Once the chocolate
    is melted, place all of the ingredients (including raisins) into a bowl and mix together
  • Once the chocolate has cooled down a little, get your hands
    in and begin to roll into small-ish bites
  • At this point, melt the
    white chocolate and then drizzle onto the truffle bites
  • Place in the
    fridge and wait.. I promise it will be worth it
  • Serve with hot chocolate and eat whilst snuggled up on the sofa watching the snow fall outside 
Thanks for reading! Please look out for our next installment, 
Speak soon! 
Zahra xxx