School holidays, mid-term breaks and long weekends can seem endless sometimes, and it can be hard to keep the kids occupied without breaking the bank. Our top tips to beat the boredom are perfect to get the whole family together; your little ones will love the quality time that comes with these fun and free family activities.

1. Cooking

One of the best ways to keep your kids occupied is involving them in the kitchen. Cooking can be a great bonding activity and will also teach your kids to appreciate and explore food. They are sure to get excited about trying something new if they have been involved in the cooking process. Don’t be afraid to let them get messy, it’s all part of the fun! Why not build up the excitement by making shopping lists and getting fresh ingredients before hitting the kitchen.

Homemade Mini Pizzas

So quick and easy, these Homemade Mini Pizzas are perfect for little fingers.  They are a great way to get your kids to try something new, so get creative with your toppings! Pizza is a classic favourite and this healthier alternative makes a tasty baby friendly food the whole family will love.

Courgette Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Our Courgette and Peanut Butter Cupcakes are the perfect naturally sweet treat, great to get your little ones to try something new! Decorate with our easy sugar free icing for a fun family activity to get little fingers involved in the kitchen. Store in an air tight Portion Pot without the icing for up to a week.

2. Get Out of the House

Kids can get bored easily, especially if they are in the house all day. So make the most of their time off by getting out and about. Make it fun by playing games like ‘eye-spy’ or ‘I’m going to a picnic’ along the way. They are a great way to get your little ones thinking without them even noticing! If you are out and about for the day, be sure to pack some healthy snacks, or even a warm lunch in our Portion Pots or Food Flask to fuel the family fun.

Eye Spy: Rules
The first player says ‘I spy with my little eye, something beginning with (said letter)’. The second player then guesses what they may have spotted beginning with that letter. Keep guessing until somebody guesses correctly! Whoever guesses correctly gets the next turn.

I’m Going to a Picnic: Rules
The first player starts off by saying ‘I’m going to a picnic and I’m going to bring…’ and says an item. The next player repeats the first person and adds something of their own. This continues and as the list grows, it is trickier to remember all the items. Players are out if they miss something on the list!

3. Treasure Hunt

A treasure hunt can be a great way to get the family involved in some practical thinking and navigation. Around the house, in the garden, or in a local park, you can have a treasure hunt whatever the weather! Simply create some maps with some clue cards, and plant clue cards at certain locations on the map. As your child follows the map, there will be another clue waiting for them at each destination. Get your printable clue cards here.

Some treasure ideas:
Fun stationary
Handmade voucher for a day out (cycle to the park) or making dinner with mum or dad
Special treat (kids smoothie)
Tea party

4. Get Creative

Painting, colouring books, making jewellery or dressing up are perfect fun and free ways for the whole family to have fun together. They are also great if your little one is home sick for the day, or simply bored during time off school. Beads and loom bands are a fun and fuss free way to keep those little hands busy! Don’t be afraid to make a mess; it can all be cleaned up after the fun!

5. ‘Bored’ Games

Board games and puzzles can be fun, but we all know that pieces get lost along the way! So why not opt. for classic games that only require a pen and paper or a dice. Stop the Bus and 100 are easy and fun family friendly games, perfect for 2 or more people.

Stop the Bus: Rules
Each player gets a pen and a piece of paper, divided into columns; these will be your categories. Boy’s name, girl’s name, place, famous person, movie/TV programme, food etc. The first person runs through the alphabet while another player says stop. Whatever letter they land on is the letter for that round (eg. Landing on B: boy’s name Ben, girl’s name Beth and so on). Players race each other to fill in all the categories. The first to complete them all is the winner. The winner is then next to run through the alphabet. Get your printable playing cards here.
Fun Rule: Every answer is worth 3 points. If you have the same answer as another player, you each get 1 point.

100: Rules 
Each player gets a piece of paper and there is one dice and one pen between everybody. Place the pen in the middle of the playing area. The first player rolls the dice, and everybody takes turns until they roll on a one. If a player rolls on a one, they take the pen from the middle and start writing numbers until they reach 100. The other players continue to take turns rolling the dice while the other player is writing. If somebody else rolls a one in the meantime, they take the pen off the player writing and start their journey to 100. This continues until the winning player gets to 100.

Have fun and let us know how you get on!