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Having a child at home all day can be quite boring for them but with the government pulling in their reigns with our money it is difficult to take our children out every day due to cost’s, so we asked our mums for some ideas of activities that are cheap but fun that can be done with a child that is aged 2 or above and here are some of the best ideas:
* Take your child to your local library and let them pick their own books, memberships are usually free.
* Cutting and sticking (old magazines, Argos books, newspapers, cardboard boxes, milk cartons) you can buy safety scissors for children from any local hobby shop for around £2.
* You could try and teach your children how to play follow the leader or Simon say’s.
* How about a treasure hunt? You could place a few sweets or chocolates or even healthy snacks around the home and give your children clues as to where to find the treasure.
* Give your child the items to make a den in their bedroom, some sheets, pillows and quilts will be all they’ll need.
* Bug hunt! Use a magnifying glass which can be bought from any hardware shop and get the children to draw what bugs they have found.
* Leaf finding, how many different ones can your child find, you can even get your children to make pictures with them.
* Grow your own vegetables, you can buy vegetable seeds from most shops and get your child to help with planting them and feeding them water.
* Potato stamping – cut some shapes out on and old or new potato and give them to the children to paint and stamp!
* You could get around 10-20 items and place them around your room and take it in turns to play shops with your child, this will also help them to count numbers and will help the older children with their maths.
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About The Real Supermum
love potato printing i think its great i used to love doing it when i was a child and so does my son
x
Will defo be using some of these!! Thanks xxxx
Coloring – is that a cheap activity? lol Each box can be cheap on its own, and each coloring book less than $5; but given that I buy one everytime I’m out with my tot, I don’t think it’s getting cheap, more expensive!
great ideas
x
i will be using these when sidney gets to that age. very helpful =D x
U cud make necklaces n bracelets from pasta n decorate usin glitter n paints or make home made shakers by putting rice or pasta in a empty bottle not forgettin to put the lid back on xxxc
Make a band!!
Saucepans and wooden spoons make great drums, and make shakers with rice in a tupperware box… Excellent for all ages.
Cake Making
Don’t even have to go crazy… Smart Price sponge mix spooned into some cake cases does the trick.
Board Game Making
My kids spend hours making board games, with cards and counters that they make themselves… It takes up most the day them making the games.
We did potato stamping yesterday
we also painted & glued bits of pasta onto paper plate to make a picture! You can also get some empty plastic bottles, fill them with pasta & paint the bottle..make a noise shaker! How about play-doh aswell! And my daughters all time favourite..water play! I get just a big clear storage tub, fill it with water & bubbles & give them some cups, tea pot, sponge, rubber ducks, boats. Big splash mat on the floor covered with a large towel, works well for the rubbish days when you have to stay in. Straws..they make excellent glueing material to make pictures with. I hoard anything that I think will come in handy for when we do arts & crafts…which is everyday in this house. Wilkinsons do a great range of £1 things…like make a fairy wand, paint your own canvas or jigsaw etc.. xxx
Messy play
cornflour and water on a big tray is great fun and bout a pound a box 
gloop – cornflour and water.
mix baby oil and flour. makes a sandy material.
cheap roll of wallpaper 99p from family bargins. roll it out in the kitchen and body paint!.
water/bubble play
shaving foam.
We had our son plant some seeds so he can see how flowers grow and he absolutely loved it
I also had him “making” rice krispie cakes and made a big den for him using sheets etc which I loved when I was younger and he even fell asleep in it lol
these are great ideas, will defo be using some of these
We do messy play in our house and my lg absolutoly loves it, shaving foam in a big tub to play in (for older toddlers who arent going to eat it ha) is great fun 
and at 30p for a shops own brand its not bad. cheap foods like jelly and own brand custards are good for messy play too, and tasty 
xx
Never even though of Potato Painting will be doing some of that this weekend thanks xx
ooo i forgot about potato stamping! i know what im buying tomorrow! lol x
never done potato painting yet with my lg will try it paper macha is great and cheap to xx
Some great ideas, some still to old for tyler but ill keep them in mind. I love the tent idea and ill be trying that in the next few days and also the liabary! Thanks for the ideas as Tyler hate to be stuck indoors and sometimes i struggle! xx
Thanks for the tips xx
these tips r great thanks xx
Some great ideas, kids love messy play.x
my dude has been going to library since he turned 1 and loves it. we love getting all dvd cases out and making a race track too
Oooh!! Some good ideas here! I’m defo going to try the potato one.
x