Making Playdough

The holidays are almost here and the weather in many parts of the country means that your kids will be playing indoors quite often.

What can you do with them to keep them amused?  What about allowing them to make their own playdough?

This recipe does not involve cooking and all the ingredients are edible so if your child is a nibbler it won’t matter if he or she eats any of it.

The recipe is so simple that any child can do it so they can each make their own batch and choose their own colour.

There’s nothing quite as much fun as playing with something you’ve made yourself, is there?

Things To Do On School Holidays

Keeping kids busy and active can be a challenge at any time but with school holidays close by this can become an even greater challenge.  Here are some tips and ideas for you to consider to follow on from our post entitled “Keeping Boys Active in Winter”.  Most ideas are relatively cheap, will get them out of the house and as they are just a little bit different, they may get to experience something new.

·       Go ice skating; it is great exercise and fun.  Some ice skating rinks offer a free lesson so this can be ideal for the novice skater.  Also, as a parent and for those who are not too keen on skating, you can take a break in the café while watching your kids skate around.

·       Tenpin bowling is becoming popular again and most places are bright, colourful and designed to entertain.  Plus if you or your kids need some extra help, you can put up the bumper bars to stop the balls going down the gutter or alternatively, use the ball ramps so kids of any age and strength can participate.

·       Have a movie day or night where you hire a couple of dvds so your kids and their friends can be entertained.  Great for those cold wet days plus with popcorn, the kids are sure to have lots of fun.

·       Horse riding is another great activity for your kids that they may not have done before.  Most places will have ponies for the small kids that are under the control of a handler and will allow longer rides for the older kids. 

·       Get a couple of simple recipes and get your kids to try and cook or bake something.  Scones can be a good start plus they can eat what they cook.  While this can get messy make sure they also clean up after they have finished.

Obviously there are so many other ideas but the challenge can to try and make it interesting, maybe educational and possibly give them something new to experience as it might spark an interest or passion that may stay with them for life.

Facebook For Kids – What Do You Think?

Do your children use Facebook?

At the moment children have to be at least 13 before they can join Facebook but as we all know, many kids younger than that are already using it.  It’s easy to invent a new birthday, after all.

According to various news sources, Facebook is looking at changing their age policy.  A spokesperson said "Many recent reports have highlighted just how difficult it is to enforce age restrictions on the Internet, especially when parents want their children to access online content and services…”

A recent survey found that 7.5 million users of Facebook are under the age of 13.

The new system would allow children under 13 to create an account under parental supervision.  As parents, you would be able to see the activity on their page and manage friend requests and third-party applications.

I think the main worries for parents are online bullying and the potential exposure to pornography and predators.  But if our children already have access to Facebook (with or without your consent) how will it be different when the age requirement alters?  At least the new system will mean that children don’t have to lie about their ages and parents will have some control over what they can and can’t do on Facebook.

What do you think?  Do your children use Facebook?  Would you let your 8 year old create an account?

Leave us a comment and share your opinion.

Black Evil Jeans

Is your son a budding great adventurer?  Maybe he likes climbing trees or he may even love getting out into the wild bushlands of your backyard and exploring amongst the grass and plants? Maybe he is just a young dude who wants to look good and have that slight point of difference from other kids his age?

If any of these scenarios fits the image of your son then the Black Evil Jeans by Munster are going to be ideal – especially as we hit the cold winter months.  These stylish jeans are made from 98% cotton and will stand up to the toughest tests while at the same time look good.

These Black Evil Jeans have a funky black wash style and as highlighted below can be easily mixed with a range of other clothing style from jumpers, tees, jackets and shirts.  They won’t shrink and they retain their colour no matter how many times they have to be washed and, knowing boys, that will be often!

These are suited for all ages from 2 to 10 - visit Black Evil Jeans for more details.