There are many activities that you can do with your children that actually don’t cost ant money at all and most of them are activities that both the kids and the parents can get involved with. There are lots of outside activities that are free, in the fresh air and which will also keep kids active at the same time. Playing the park, whether that involves kicking a ball, running up and down on the slide, riding their bike or just walking around the grounds, these activities are all free and help keep kids active. There are also many indoor activities that you can do with your children when the British weather has set in. Children love making crafts, whether that is making pictures with glitter, creating figures with play dough or making salt dough jewellery. There is also baking which children will love doing as it allows them to get messy and at the same time they can make something that they can share with the rest of the family.

Kids need to stay active and one of the best ways to get them active is to introduce them to fun sports activities that will get their hearts pumping and them enjoying themselves at the same time. I think one of the best activities is skiing, as it gets everyone out in the fresh air and it is an activity that both parents and children can do together. At one time skiing was perceived as an expensive sport as you would need to fly to Europe or North America in order to find the perfect piste, including hotel accommodation, all the equipment and clothing, however there are now several indoor ski and snowboard centers in the UK where the whole family can go skiing for a day at a reasonable price. You can hire all the protective clothing plus skis and snowboards for a small price which allows the children to experience life on the piste with out having to go on an expensive holiday abroad. Several of the ski centers also use real snow which the children will love playing in and they also have specific activities for smaller children such as tubing and the lunge.

Well it’s the first day of the February half term and typically it’s pouring down. So the big question that every parent will be asking themselves is what to do with the children in February half term when it’s raining. One fantastic place for parents and children to visit when it rains is the Blue Planet Aquarium at Cheshire Oaks, in Ellesmere Port near Chester. They are even hosting a special ‘Pirate week’ over the February half term where children can dress up, take part in pirate themed treasure trails, themed face painting, competitions and activities.
The highlight of Blue Planet Aquarium is their famous Aquatunnel, which is one of the longest in the world, at 70 meters long. This section allows children and adults to get up close to sharks and other sea creatures as you walk down the tunnel. There is also a section where visitors can get up close and personal with a wide variety of creatures which inhabit the British coastline.

One of the best days out for February half term is Chester Zoo, which is regarded as the UK’s number 1 zoo and having been there several times I can totally understand why. It has state of the art enclosures for the animals as well as interactive games throughout the zoo for the children. Having recently visited London Zoo where I was very disappointed with the lack of modernization, I can see why Chester Zoo is so popular and if you are lucky enough to live in the North West of England it is certainly worth a visit. If you live further a field it is still well wroth the trip to the Roman city Chester and the zoo.

One of the best ways to get kids to learn is to disguise educational tasks through fun, playful activities. One of the best North West destinations where kids are able to mix play with learning is The BugWorld Experience at Liverpool’s Albert Dock. At The BugWorld Experience kids are guided through several different ecological environments throughout the world, from a typical British home to the Amazon Rainforest, where they are able to explore the bug and insects that would inhabit each area.
Towards the end of the tour children are also able to hold some of the creepy crawlies such as stick insects, centipedes and spiders. Kids will love the interactive games throughout the experience and adults will be pleased with the fact that their children are learning at the same time. The BugWorld Experience also forms a base for teachers to discuss and explore mini beasts and the different environments that exist in the world.

The snow has eventually disappeared. Now, don’t know about you but it helped fill in many an hour at the weekend, sledging and making snowmen. It kept us entertained for hours and we didn’t have to spend a penny!

But fear not – there is still snow nearby all be it artificial but I went ski-ing to my local indoor snow dome last week and there was all sorts to do. Not only is there a snow slope for all levels of snowboarders and skiers but there is an area for beginners – commonly known as the nursery slope. There is also an area for the little ones which includes being able to sledge and even a slide!

…putting a bit of fun into chores!

Now, I dare you to try this – the idea may seem a little daunting but you may be surprised at the outcome. Our house needed a good day spent on sorting it out – old clothes needed bagging up for charity and things putting back in their place but the main thing was my sons room. It’s only the size of a postage stamp so storage and keeping it tidy so the poor lad can have room to play is always a chore but has to be done.

So we set Sunday aside for us BOTH to tidy and do know what? we actually had fun doing it. The toys he’s not played with have been given to charity. We’ve sorted the hundreds of tranfsormers and all the bits and bobs into one box and jigsaws into another – cars in another. He knows where everything is now so has absoultely no excuse for not playing with anything. We even came across things that he had as a baby so in sorting his room out we also had a trip down memory lane talking baot when he was a baby and toddler – stories which children always love to hear!

My son is seven – as I’m sure I’ve mentioned already on many of my previous blogs. He loves, his DS but knows when to put it down – normally because his neck or shoulders are aching! He loves his Wi he has at his Dads. But what he also loves is good old session of playing games.

In our collection we have ‘Guess who’ this can go on for hours until we’ve exhausted all possible questions to ‘Guess who’ He loves playing twister – normally because I land flat on my face with my bum stuck in the air. And he also loves a good old game of snap or pairs.

All really simple but they can take up time – it’s just whether you have thattime to spare. I didn’t think I did but after begrudgingly giving up 30 mins of my time to spend with him – we had lots of fun and will definately be making much more of an effort in future.

The recent snow has brought us lots of fun. I’ve found myself going back to my own childhood and making all sorts of shapes in the snow….

Snow angels – where you lie on your back and nove your straight arms up and down – get up and you leave the shape of an angel behind!

If you look around the fields and peoples gardens, everyone has made such an effort to build the biggest and best snowman / woman / decorated with all sorts – I saw one the other day with big feathers popping out of its head to makes it look like an indian.

If the snows going to last the challeneg is to see what you can construct so you have the best snow shape on your front garden!

Christmas is well and truly gone for another year- everyone is feeling fat from eating too many mince pies or drinking too many galsses of wine. What better way is there to get some fresh air – get the kids out of the hosue – and get some excercise than to go sledging!

It’s time to dig out the sledge from the back of the gargage, dust it down and go insearch of the nearest biggest hill – for some fun that doesn’t cost anything at all.

Just make sure you’re well wrapped up, weelies are worn and no snow can get down your neck, up your arms or in your footwear. Keep an eye on the young ones too because as soon as they get too cold that’s where the fun ends and you have to head for home!