But what can they do to amuse themselves if the clouds gather overhead and the weather turns rainy? Here are a few things that takes it back to basics if you don't want them plonking in front of the TV or playing videogames:
- Bake some brownies (they'll be busy and happy when they taste their sweet treats!). Get the recipe HERE.
- Get a complicated jigsaw puzzle and give a reward for the person who finishes first.
- Play a board game. We suggest Scrabble, 30 Seconds and Settlers of Catan.
- Turn the lounge into a stage and hold a talent competition.
- Build houses from cardboard. Give the children old boxes, sticky tape and a pair of scissors and let them build a house. They’ll be keen to have their own house. Alternately, haul out a few sheets and make tents around your house.
- If it’s windy fly a kite.
- Set up a Skype link with Granny and Grandpa if they're not close. This should keep the children busy for some time.
- Build a drum set comprising empty buckets and containers for drums and sticks for drum sticks.
- Make paper aircraft with waste paper. If you live in a double-storey house the children can fly them from the top storey.
- Write a story. It needn’t be an original story; it can be their favourite story. Just get them to come up with their own ending.
- Marelize Potgieter
