Welcome to part two of our ideas to help keep the family sane during the lockdown. This edition focuses on ideas for tweens, and will hopefully keep them entertained for hours and require less supervision or help from you.
Bring the Outdoors In
Just because they’re growing up doesn’t mean they should let go of childlike fun!
Building blanket forts are the perfect way to add a little cozy into their lives, you can build them in the lounge or even around a bed. Make it a little boho chic and add in some fairy lights and use sheets that have modern patterns on them rather than kiddy ones to make it a ‘cooler’ vibe. If you do this as a weekend activity you can turn it into a sleepover for siblings, complete with movies and yummy treats to differentiate from their weekday schedule.
Beauty Bar
This is a perfect activity to do together as who doesn’t need a little pampering these days?
Get all glammed up for a BNI (big night in) by starting with some facemasks and pop on slices of cucumber for the ultimate in relaxing activities. You can either source them online, in pharmacies or make your own with household products like honey, avocado and coconut oil. Once you’re all prepped, paint your daughter’s nails and teach her the basics of how to apply makeup and try out some crazy styles you’d never dare to usually. Fun, fabulous and lots of hilarity to ensue!
Marbling Paper
Marbling paper is a great way to create unique designs that make lovely cards, wrapping paper or art with very few supplies.
What you’ll need
– Marbling inks (easily found in art supply and craft shops, otherwise you can use acrylic paints, oil paints, shaving cream and food colouring, nail varnish or watercolours – each has a slightly different effect/process so double-check the method if you’re not going to use inks)
– A large tray with deep sides filled with cold water (a roasting tray works well)
– Pieces of paper that will fit in your tray – try different textures to achieve different looks
– A paintbrush
Method
Lay down some old newspaper in case of rogue ink drops and spillage. Fill your tray with cold water. Add a few drops of ink at various places in the water. Then take the non-brush end of the paintbrush to push the inks around the water in a pattern.
Carefully place the paper on the surface of the water. Make sure the paper is floating on but doesn’t go in the water. Then carefully roll the paper back off the water starting with the end furthest from you.
Leave the beautiful designs to dry. You can try out many pieces of paper in this adding more colours as you wish or doing different batches. The paper can wrinkle a bit from the water so using a low setting on an iron, flatten the designs on the reverse.
You don’t necessarily need to be particularly arty to create stylish and unique designs and they make gorgeous cards which loved ones would be grateful to receive during this time of social distancing to let them know your thinking of them.
Make Their Own Clothes (Upcycling or Sewing)
If you know how to sew and have a machine now is the perfect time to teach her the basics.
Why not find some fun fabric and teach her how to make a simple A-line dress or skirt for summer? If you’re not so hot at sewing yourself or don’t have a machine, upcycling clothes is a great way to add life back into old clothes. Adding embellishments to jackets or patches to jeans and shorts is a fabulous way to use clothes she’s grown out of by creating one of a kind items and you can easily hand sew this on, without the need for it to look too tidy!
We hope you’ll find this list inspiring and let us know if you try any ideas out via our Instagram- we’d love to see any creations you make! Check back next week for more ideas in our ‘stuck at home’ blog series!
