Marchelle Abrahams enlists the experts to stop cabin fever from setting in without you having to spend a cent.
Folks, we understand the predicament you are in, and that’s a lot of days to take into account. So before taking out your wallet and sending them on their way, we’ve enlisted the help of Blue Bird Aupair Agency to stop cabin fever from setting in without you spending a cent.
Start a holiday diary
Cover an old notebook and encourage your child to write in it every day. If your child is younger than 8, get him/her to draw pictures, paint or colour their days.
They can get as creative as they want and stick in photos, do check-lists of activities they want to do and draw pictures to remind them of the “winter holidays of 2018”.
Keeping a diary is a way of them getting creative when they put pen to paper. Picture: PxHere
Nurture your gardener
Checkers’ Mini Gardens have given children (and some parents) green fingers overnight. Encourage the children in the garden, planting, weeding and watering - it brings a new dimension to messy play.
On sunny days, get them outdoors with the promise of messing around in the dirt. Picture: Flickr.com
A real show-stopper
Make sock puppets by gluing wool on the top of an old sock and using a permanent marker and scraps of material to make eyes, nose and a mouth, then put on a puppet show.
Don’t throw your old socks away. Instead make sock puppets with a few scraps of material. Picture: Flickr.com
Mad Hatter’s tea party
Have a tea party with the little ladies (and gentlemen) in your home. Encourage them to dress in their “Sunday best” for the occasion. Don’t forget to dust off the good cutlery and crockery.
Make a big display of things and host a grand tea party. Picture: Flickr.com
Visit the library
Libraries are packed with books which will fire up their little imaginations. Just take along your most up-to-date municipal bill, complete the forms and choose from a plethora of books and DVDs.
Visiting your local library is an adventure in itself. Encourage the young ones to check out books across different genres to expand their minds. Picture: Pixabay
Ready, steady, bake!
Bake your favourite biscuit or cake recipe and let your child decorate their creation as they please. You supply sprinkles, icing and sweets.
Yes, it’s a chore to clean up afterwards, but having a cupcake decorating competition will encourage their competitive sides. Picture: Pixabay
Play dough surprise
Make your own non-toxic play dough: mix half a cup of salt, 1 cup flour, 1 tablespoon of oil, 1 tablespoon of cream of tartar. Combine with a cup of boiling water and a few drops of food colouring.
Play a game
Dust off the old Monopoly or Snakes & Ladders set and revive the old-fashioned fun of playing a game that does not require a battery or TV screen. Or try teaching your children the lost art of chess or backgammon.
Go old school, turn off the TV, and get the boardgames out. Picture: Pixabay