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Savvy ways to…
Entertain the kids for free this summer
595,000 thefts from gardens took place last year, with 75 per cent of AA home insurance members saying it would cost them up to £5,000 to replace the stolen items. Yet nearly half of homeowners don’t include garden contents when buying home insurance – see overleaf for more. Source The AA
YH Fab find The iBlockCube Worldwide Travel Adapter lets you use almost any electrical device in almost any country. Its pins can be reconfigured to work in over 150 countries’ sockets so you’re unlikely to ever get caught out. It also has two USB ports for charging your gadgets, powersurge protection and a 12-month guarantee.
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near to bug-friendly flowers and shrubs. You can find online tutorials at the RSPB and Eden Project’s websites, or buy a kit from Amazon. MAKE A DEN Begin by looking for long, thin branches and removing any smaller offshoots. When you have enough, create a teepee shape and tie rope or string around the top to hold them together. Thread thin leafy branches in between the upright ones until the teepee is covered. Visit themightyeagle.co.uk or getoutwiththekids.co.uk for ideas. On rainy days, make an indoor den by placing an old duvet cover over a table. Make a cut in one end to create an entrance, then roll up the flaps and fix them with clothes pegs to open it. CREATE A KID’S GARDEN Giving children a small patch for growing their own plants and veg could be the start of a lifelong love of gardening and will instil a sense of responsibility. Choose anything that’s colourful and easy to grow, such as sunflowers, snapdragons and marigolds. Add bird feeders, birdbaths and bug hotels to bring some wildlife into their patch, too.
Tech news These Nanoleaf light panels are colourful and clever! As well as touch controls, the LED squares have an audio sensor – so they can light up along with music, movies and games. Compatible with Smart Home systems such as Amazon Alexa and Google Home, you can also activate the panels with your voice. Nanoleaf Canvas Smarter Kit, nine panels, £179.99, nanoleaf.me
iBlockCube Worldwide Travel Adaptor, £15.99, Amazon
July 2020
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Feature Alison Davidson Top photo Getty Images
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It’s a perennial problem: finding fun ways to keep the kids occupied, which don’t cost a fortune. But there’s no need to spend money if you’ve got a garden as there are plenty of ways to create fun in your outdoor space. So, what can you do to create free fun for kids at home? PLAY GAMES According to Cuprinol, the makers of exterior wood protection products, hide-and-seek is the nation’s favourite free garden game. Everyone knows the standard way to play but to mix it up and make each round last a little longer, you could try the ‘wave’ version. Once found, a caught-hider becomes a seeker, competing with the original seeker to find the remaining hiders. If the new seeker spots another hider, they should wave at each other, at which point the caught-hider gets to hide again. BUILD A BUG HOTEL Invite a little wildlife into your garden by filling a box with different-sized hollow tubes. These could be the dead stems of plants or reeds – bamboo or seed heads are good choices. Wedge them in so they don’t move, then place the box in a sunny position
