Affordable half term activities for the whole family

As quick as a flash, the February half term is almost upon us. With weather more than a little up and down of late, we thought it would be a great idea to create a handy guide to help you survive the week off… From outdoor activities, to indoor rainy day things to make and do, we’ve got half term covered. Check out our half term fun ideas below:

Explore the local area

Often, people don’t tend to visit places of interest that are right on their doorstep, instead tending to venture further away to make it a larger break. – Why not turn your attention closer to home and make a list of all the sights in your area? Depending upon the age of the children, you could make a day of it and find small memos throughout the day, such as tickets, leaflets, leaves and small souvenirs for them to collect and curate; either in a scrap book or even as a mini wall display!

And if city sight-seeing is more your thing, cities such as Bath, London, York, Edinburgh and Oxford all have wonderful history and architecture, as well as museums and galleies to explore. - Influence their love of learning at a young age, and see if you can ignite a passion for history!

Discover the great outdoors

From short forest walks, to exploring National Trust properties, this time of year is great for spotting the very first signs of spring and shaking off those winter cobwebs. Why not pack up a picnic to enjoy, or take little ones out on their bikes? There’s nothing better than a burst of fresh air to the lungs, in our opinion!

Cook up a storm

cookery

Introducing little ones to cooking healthy recipes is a sure fire way to instil good eating habits for later on in life. Why not create a Pinterest board with the children first of all, to collate your recipe ideas? Going food shopping together specifically for the half term Cookathon is bound to get them excited about what they’re about to whip up, and for older kids, is a great introduction to budgeting and spending money.

The BBC Food website has some great ideas for healthy kids’ recipes, as well as the best pancake recipes (it may be a week or so early, but who doesn’t love a pancake or two?!)

Revamp their room

Perhaps they’ve got some serious study times ahead, or maybe they’re about to share their bedroom with a sibling? Whatever the reason, early Spring is the perfect time to have a good old declutter and refresh their bedroom. Why not consult your child on how to make their bedroom the best it can be? Spend a morning looking through interiors magazines, checking out tester pots, and collecting paint and fabric samples to help them create their own mood board. Mood boards are all about creating ideas and inspiration, so try not to worry if they include ideas that are impractical. - Instead, spend some time talking through the images and compromise on ideas that are both sensible and stylish. The more involved kids are with choices that concern them, the more likely they’ll be to love their space.

Get creative with cardboard boxes

Lots of DIY shops, farm shops and garden centres give away old cardboard boxes. And what better a half term project than creating a cardboard box castle, space ship, monster truck or submarine?! You needn't worry if you feel you lack the crafty skills to make the perfect princess carriage; children are naturally imaginative and will make their own fun without the need for reality!

Start a film club

On a rainy day, there’s nothing better than a trip to the cinema. Often thought of as an expensive day out, during half term there are plenty of offers to be had. Lots of cinemas run Kids Club deals, and special screenings just for the little ones to keep them entertained. It's also always worth checking out other money saving websites too, to see what offers they have running during the holidays.

Visit the local shopping mall

Scour your local shopping centre website for offers, deals and fun activities for all the family. Shopping centres try really hard to get prospective customers in so that they spend money in the shops, so they’ll often run free activities throughout the school holidays such as treasure hunts and drawing competitions.

Discover their favourite animal

If you have a local pet shop or aquatics centre, why not while away a few hours making furry or feathered friends? It’s a great way to introduce children to new animals, helps build confidence with them, and many centres have cafes too where you can grab a bite to eat and a coffee, so you needn’t feel so guilty about spending time looking without the intention to buy.

Have you any half term fun tricks up your sleeve? Why not share your ideas with us, or check out our Pinterest board for more inspiration... https://www.pinterest.co.uk/LittleFolksFurniture/february-half-term-activities/

Happy Half Term! x

 

Comments