:: Add ribbons and you have a swirling homemade dance studio

:: Remember there’s no such thing as . . . → Read More: Moving and shaking: winter ideas for fit kids]]>
Don’t let grey days and freezing temperatures stop your kids moving and shaking. Use these ideas from our Play Academy link ups for action games to have fun and keep your kids fit and active all winter long.

Winter active play ideas

:: Add ribbons and you have a swirling homemade dance studio

:: Remember there’s no such thing as bad weather so long as you’re wearing the right clothes. Get wrapped up and enjoy a spot of puddle jumping.

:: Combine movement and nursery rhymes and sing your way to fitness.

:: Adding tunnels, bubble wrap and balloons makes for a fabulous obstacle course whether it’s outside or indoors.

:: Make an activity cube, roll a dice and get moving.

For more indoor activity play ideas come and follow my Action Games Pinterest board.

happily shared with link and learn and the sunday showcase it’s playtime and thrifty thursday

We originally made the trees to decorate our Christmas tree and . . . → Read More: Playdough and art]]>
We’ve been mixing two of our favourite things this week: playdough and art. My girls love to make and create, especially if they can make something to play with too. Here’s their winter woodland with a forest of Christmas trees.

How to make cocktail stick Christmas trees

We originally made the trees to decorate our Christmas tree and the girls spent two weeks gazing at the cake, waiting for it all to be eaten so they could get their hands on the trees to play with!

To make the trees we cut out lots of triangles from white card. Then we had a treasure hunt through our drawing box to collect together all the green pens, pencils and crayons we could find. The girls set to work adding colour and patterns to make the trees – with no two exactly alike. A cocktail stick fastened on the back made the trunk and gave a spike to stick first into the icing and later into the playdough.

How to make snow playdough

We used our favourite no cook recipe for the snow playdough. For extra white dough you can use cornflour instead of plain flour, and a whole heap of silver glitter adds to the frosty effect.

Once you’ve made your winter forest you might like to make some playdough snowmen too.

happily shared with link and learn and it’s playtime and thrifty thursday made by you monday and made by little hands monday and monday madness

Inspired by a photo on Pinterest that was originally featured on foodcreate, we used a simplified version of an ice cream snowman so the children could all make their own. This was our pudding on . . . → Read More: Snowman ice cream]]>
What’s the best thing to eat when you want a fun treat on a winter’s day? An ice cream snowman of course!

Inspired by a photo on Pinterest that was originally featured on foodcreate, we used a simplified version of an ice cream snowman so the children could all make their own. This was our pudding on Christmas day and the children loved making and eating them. Here’s how to make one:

 How to make an ice cream snowman

Two or three scoops of vanilla ice cream make a snowman body – and if you run your ice cream scoop under water first you’ll find it a lot easier to get the ice cream off your spoon in a great snowball shape.

Chocolate Matchsticks are just right for stick arms.

Tiny chocolate chips are perfect for eyes, mouths and buttons and easy for little fingers to pop in place. And an orange jelly bean is just thing for a carrot nose.

And that’s your ice cream snowman finished and ready to eat – cool!

happily shared with the sunday showcase