It’s half term already. Where have the last six weeks gone?! I’m off with both boys this week, but still feeling the pinch from summer (if that’s what you can call it) and with Christmas just a few weeks away, we are being ‘creative’ with how we spend the week i.e. Cheap. So here’s a brief insight into what we’ll be doing to keep busy without spending too much and not a museum in site:

• Park trips – can never go wrong with a trip to the park, even with dodgy weather. Grab your waterproofs and wellies and get the kids splashing in puddles and rustling in leaves. Remember, there’s no such hung as bad weather, just bad clothing ☔️
• Movie night/day – we love a good film and Boy2 is gradually learning the art of sitting still for 90min (if it’s animated with hallucinogenically bright colours). Make an event of it by drawing the curtains, making some popcorn and snacks, then snuggle on the sofa.
• Craft – I’m not a crafter. I’m by no means creative, but kids do love crafting, so I find rainy half terms are a great opportunity for this. Give them a challenge, or even get them to make tickets for your movie night. We have a random craft box of old shoe boxes, toilet/kitchen roll tubes and other random bits. If you are really stuck for ideas, these rainy day activity jars from Clara & Macy are great for inspiration. You can even personalise them, making a great gift.

• Baking – now this is more my kind of thing. I loooove pretty much all baked goods. A few eggs, flour, sugar, icing sugar and you’re sorted for a cake. If you are feeling more creative or have an extensive baking cupboard, you could get more adventurous. We sometimes try to do one sweet treat then one healthier option like ‘low sugar flapjacks’ or savoury biscuits. The boys love decorating them too
• PARTY!! – Boy1 is getting to that age where he’s ‘cool’ and loves listening to the latest music and thankfully his little brother loves a boogie. So we’ll open Spotify, let the kids own the playlist, have a few nibbles and grab our dancing shoes.
• Story time – usually reserved for bed time, there’s no harm in grabbing an extra half hour of cuddles by picking some favourite books to read. With such a large gap between my boys, it can be difficult to find something that works for everyone, so I get Boy1 to read to his little brother.
• Cooking – yep kids can help cook. I’ll try to have one day where they pick the menu (from a carefully selected list of child friendly recipes). Washing, slicing, mixing, they can get stuck in. Homemade pizza is usually a hit at Mumsomnia towers.
• House work – sounds like I’m desperate for ideas and it’s only Tuesday but I do like to get the kids involved. A) so my house isn’t a bomb site for the whole week and B) to teach them a bit of responsibility. They’ll match socks, have a race to put toys away (their competitive natures comes in handy sometimes 😉), rake leaves in the garden or help write a shopping list. It might take them longer than I’d like, but it keeps them occupied!
• Go local – lots of shopping centres, museums, farms tend to have free activities in the holidays, especially at half term. From workshops to craft activities, to trails and hunts, there’s usually something going on. Most businesses do it to lure you in to spend money, but if you’re strict with timing and take your own lunch or snacks, then you can still enjoy a different environment without breaking the bank. Check your local newspapers, Facebook groups and notice boards for updates.

That’s pretty much my list for now, but I’m always open to new ideas!