Five activities to keep the kids happy this Covid half-term

keep the kids happy
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Shorter days and colder, wetter weather usually pose a challenge for parents over half-term at the best of times. But this is far from the best of times. Throw Covid restrictions into the mix, with some of you reading this perhaps already in a local lockdown, and you might have a real conundrum on your hands when it comes to how to keep the kids happy entertained this half-term break. 

Soft play and leisure centres closed, restaurants and cafes likely to shut at a moment’s notice. It’s going to be a tough half-term and a tough few months.

Luckily, we’ve got five things you can try to keep smiles on their faces (and stop you pulling out your hair!) this half-term. Read on to find out how to keep the kids happy:

1 – Head on an autumn hunt

Just because it’s getting colder, doesn’t mean we can’t wrap up warm and enjoy the great outdoors as much as we did in the summer. The leaves are turning the most wonderful oranges, reds and yellows as they fall to the ground. The floor is filled with sticks and pinecones and acorns, as the squirrels scurry about preparing for winter. 

Make a list of items to find and head to your local park. Make sure to take a bag with you so you can bring them home. You could even have little competitions – who can spot a pinecone first? Who can find the biggest leaf? 

The best bit is that you can use your collection for the next activity!

(Don’t forget to make a huge leaf pile and jump in it while you’re at the park!)

2 – Let’s get crafty

Okay, crafts aren’t exactly the most original activity idea for kids. But using the items you picked up on your autumnal hunt makes it all the more fun and all the more creative. Why not paint and print those lovely big leaves, make a picture of a big acorn using all the little acorns you collected, or create a collage of different leaves?

If you’ve got slightly older children, you could try your hand at making an autumn wreath for the front door. Let your (and your children’s) creativity go wild and see what you come up with. But if you need a little help, check out some ideas on Pinterest.

3 – Saddle up

If it’s not raining, there’s no reason you can’t still get outdoors, get some exercise and have plenty of family fun. Most casual riders only venture out in the summer, so it’s a great chance to see your local routes in a new season. Or, why not explore somewhere else? 

If you’re thinking your little one is too young to head out on a ride, think again! Child bike seats are the perfect solution. Just make sure they’re wrapped up warm! 

The first lockdown was a big struggle for a lot of people’s mental health. Getting outside and exercising when you can, as often as you can, will help to keep both your body and mind fit and healthy and keep the kids happy.

4 – Introduce your childhood craze

Head into the attic and dust off some of your old favourite toys. Pick the right one and you’ll be spending hours and hours of quality time playing with your kids, all with the added bonus of reliving your youth. 

Every now and then, a major craze makes a big comeback when the kids who played with them the first time around now have children of their own. There are plenty to choose from, so you can get creative.

5 – Soft play

Need to wear them out but taking them to soft play is out of the equation? No problem. Buckle up and get ready for a lot of craziness and some very rosy cheeks! Grab whatever soft, cushioning item you can and create your very own soft play – sofa cushions, mattresses, duvets, pillows, blankets, cushions, bean bags. They’re going to be running and jumping in every direction, so be sure to cushion any hard edges and remove anything breakable. If you’ve got a ball pit, add that in too. Otherwise, you can pick up a pack of balls quite cheap from various retailers. 

Older ones can probably be left to themselves, but you’re going to have to get stuck in with the younger kids! Covid restrictions are only likely to get tougher in the coming weeks and months, so while these ideas are great if you want to keep the kids happy this half-term, keep them in mind to help get you through what will undoubtedly be a very tough winter.

Author bio

Han-Son Lee is the founder of DaddiLife -the UK’s leading platform for Millennial dads, with over 150,000 fathers in the community. 

He founded DaddiLife after becoming frustrated with the number of online resources for parents that only spoke to  mums. Over the last 4 years DaddiLife has grown to become the UK’s leading content platform for dads with their focus on modern day fatherhood, lifestyle, and their campaign for change for dads at work.

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