LIVING WELL

ELEANOR OZICH

Home wellness expert LIVING WELL

Rainy-day pursuits

Five easy, fun and affordable ways to keep the little ones entertained when the weather turns gloomy

If you have little ones at home during winter, you’ll know exactly what it’s like when cabin fever sets in. Whether it’s stormy outside, or there’s an unexpected school closure, it pays to be prepared with a few unique activities up your sleeve to keep them amused, not only for them but for your sake, too.

I’ve put together a list of some of our favourite indoor activities for children that cover a wide range of ages, from my family to yours. I encourage you to grab all the necessary components so that when the rain clouds roll in, you’ll be ready.

Discover the joyof scrapbooking

As a child, you might remember the joy of scrapbooking, and conjuring up a visual dream board using old magazines, photographs, and bits and bobs from around the house. This is where fancy pens, Washi tape and vintage books can also come in handy. I usually pick up my supplies from op-shops and craft stores.

Bring the outdoors in

Whether it’s a fort made from blankets and pillows, or setting up a proper tent inside, it’s fun to create your very own camping experience without having to deal with all the water, sand or mud, and mosquitoes. Make the space as comfortable as possible, then get your kids to choose a stack of books to read. You can even put on a children’s audiobook and let someone else do the talking. There are some neat podcasts for little ones, too.

Get crafty with tape

Grab yourself a big roll of low-tack painter’s tape, and discover all the ways it can keep the younger set entertained.

A good place to start is to measure out 10 separate lines of tape on your floor, each about 50cm apart. From here, there are endless possibilities. Start with the long jump and see how many lines they can jump over.

Next, get them to do it backwards, or with a run and jump at the start. Hopping and lunging are more ideas. Once you’ve got them into the game, leave them to it. Let them come up with further ideas.

My littlest one is also a huge fan of using the tape to make a racing car track or geometric patterns on the carpet. Search ‘tape games’ on Google if you want your tape to go even further. Pull out a pen and paper

With technology being our main form of communication these days, your children might find it novel to write letters on actual paper to out-of-town loved ones or friends. They may even receive the joy of a letter-box reply.

Have a cookbook planning session

Cooking can be tedious with little ones at home, however, getting them involved with the recipe planning can make your mid-week dinner choices a whole lot easier. I make them a hot chocolate each, pop some music on, then lay out all my cookbooks and magazines on the table. I let them flick through the pages and put bookmarks in the recipes they like the look of. I find this keeps them entertained for at least long enough for me to have a cup of tea and a moment to myself. eleanorozich.com

Top fi nds this month

01

BEANIE CRUSH Absolutely crushing on this luxuriously soft beanie from Max. It’s made from recycled cashmere and wool and has a slouchy look, which I love.

@max_stylelived

02

LIGHTEN UP This peach-coloured spiral candle is almost too pretty to light. Hand poured in New Zealand using a blend of natural beeswax and soy wax, along with a wick made from natural fibres.

@husk__home

03

LOAF ABOUT You just might find yourself in the mood for baking with one of these rustic loaf tins. Available in two sizes, small or medium, I imagine they’d also make nice serving dishes for small vegetable sides.