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July/August 2021
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Familiesonline.co.uk July/August 1
CLUBS & CLASSES
Performing Arts prepares your child for the new school year The start of the school year is a great time to consider new activities for your child and the skills learnt in performing arts can be hugely beneficial to children. These include empathy, listening, problem solving and confidence. Empathy One challenge children face when they return to school in September is changes to friendship groups. Empathy is essential to help them react appropriately to their peers and develop their social skills. To portray a character in a play we need to be able to step into their shoes and understand their situation; if a child learns to understand a character in this way, they can apply this skill to everyday life. READ MORE
OUTSTANDING PERFORMING ARTS TUITION FOR 4 - 18 YEAR-OLDS
ACT, DANCE, SING AND MAKE FILMS! Find your local Academy at pqacademy.com
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CONTENTS
In this issue
Welcome
4 9 11 13 14 15 19 22 27
Get planning for the long summer holidays! We know how challenging it can be to keep the kids entertained, so we’ve got dozens of ideas for you in our three part, six page summer boredom busters special. Plus fun activities that will keep little brains learning throughout the break too.
Summer boredom busters 1 Holidays Health Tween Summer boredom busters 2 Food Family Life Fun summer learning Summer boredom busters 3
Get in touch Competition winners Congratulations to Kate Petitclerc from Poole in Dorset whose family won a Smoby Playhouse in our Mar/Apr issue. Families is a registered trademark of LCMB Ltd, Remenham House, Regatta Place, Marlow Road, Bourne End, Bucks SL8 5TD. The contents of this magazine are fully protected by copyright and none of the editorial or photographic matter may be reproduced in any form without prior consent of Families Print Ltd. Every care is taken in the preparation of this magazine but Families Print Ltd, its distributors, franchisees and LCMB Ltd cannot be held responsible for the claims of advertisers nor for the accuracy of the contents, or any consequences thereof.
If you’re dreading spending the entire summer cooking meals for the family, worry not. We have some great suggestions for tasty summer lunches, food ideas for when you are away from your own kitchen and healthy yogurt ice lollies to make with the kids. You can also apply for a free children’s wellbeing activity book by signing up to receive our magazine in this issue. Signed up already? We have a free gifts for subscribers too. Have a happy summer!
Support your child!
Ages Receive a FREE children’s activity book 7-11 when you sign up to our magazine* Fun and engaging activities which guide your child to explore feelings, improve confidence and self–esteem and boost wellbeing.
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July/August 3
BOREDOM BUSTERS
Top ideas to entertain the family this Summer By Claire Winter Keep the family busy all summer long! Outdoors Find the Gruffalo. For Julia Donaldson fans, enjoy a themed family walk based on her books up and down the country. Trail details. Get appy. Get reluctant kids excited about walking with a brilliant app, Caper. Download and receive a call from Captain Redtail who needs help locating a crashed spaceship. New hobbies Explore geocaching. Join the world’s largest treasure hunt! Download the official Geocaching app, create an account and unlock the location of thousands of caches (i.e. the treasure) that other hunters have left for you to discover. Get green-fingered. Plant a veggie grow bag. You don’t need any more space than a window-box, or a tiny space in your garden. Kids will love deciding what to grow and charting its progress.
4 July/August
Boredom busters Rough and tumble. Play fighting is a great way to let off steam. Stuff some pillows up a pair of dad-size T-shirts to set up a ‘sumo wrestle.’ Make the rules of play fighting clear, otherwise the session might descend into chaos and tears. Eat a rainbow. Of course, we’re not talking about vegetables! Have fun with edible food colouring and let your kids paint and then eat rainbow toast. You could also make rainbow cake! Products at Cake Craft World. Free Get wild. Join the Summer Reading Challenge, Wild World Heroes, at your local library or online. Libraries have teamed up with WWF to create a nature-themed challenge. Go fly a kite! They’re cheap and easy to buy, or you can even make your own. Tips on kite flying.
Familiesonline.co.uk
BOREDOM BUSTERS
Top ideas to entertain the family this Summer Bucket list Flying high. Perfect for thrill seekers, try indoor skydiving and soar like a bird in a super-smooth, super-fast and super-cool wind tunnel. Suitable for kids aged 3+. Locations in Manchester, Milton Keynes and Basingstoke.
balloons and play-doh for kids, baby raves are a great way for the whole family to dance the day away. Big Fish Little Fish has events coming up in London, Liverpool and Norwich.
Wild swimming. Nothing beats swimming in nature (as long as the weather Take to the skies. co-operates). You could try wild For a really special treat, book a paddling if you have little ones! hot air balloon flight for the family. Ideas of where to go to find wild Suitable for children who are 7+ and water near you. at least 4ft 6in (1.4m) tall. Must also be accompanied by a responsible adult. MORE FUN IDEAS Learning ideas Letter fishing. This is a fun game for pre-schoolers. Grab yourself some magnetic letters from the fridge, some string, a pencil and a paperclip. Make a DIY fishing rod so your little one can fish for letters. Family history. How about finding out a bit more about your past and making a family tree? Get your kids to do some research about their grandparents and distant relatives. Check out Ancestry and Find My Past. Unusual Baby raves. With reasonable DJ bills for parents and bubble machines, giant Familiesonline.co.uk
Orchard Toys Game Giveaway! 6 bundles available, worth £27.80 each 3 games per bundle
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Magazine July/August 5
HOLIDAYS
Discover the Unexpected Wonder of Coins The Royal Mint Experience is back and ready to dazzle you with classic coins and exciting exhibitions. See a real Olympic gold medal, hold a solid gold bar and experience the world of coins like never before. Discover more at royalmint.com/experience experience@royalmint.com
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IN THIS ISSUE
Summer holiday special! Great ideas for a brilliant school break.
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New clubs & classes to try this autumn Best family events and great days out! Behind the scenes at Cardiff Castle
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HOLIDAYS
Fun travel activities for kids By Jemma Zoe Smith At long last, we’re able to go on holiday with the kids. But before the fun can begin, there’s the journey to deal with. Don’t despair! These activities will help keep your kids occupied and your sanity intact. What can you spot? Get your kids to spot cars/lorries from different countries. Younger children can spot cars or lorries of different colours. Books like the i-Spy series or Usborne Minis are great for primary school children. They can tick off what they see as they travel, whether that’s wildlife, birds or trees. ‘Person Do Thing’ The challenge is to describe a complex idea (eg ‘glasses’) in just thirty six simple words (eg person, see, thing, use, good, bad, yes, no). See beginner’s version. Road trip bingo Download/create bingo cards. Different ages can work at different difficulty levels; your toddler might need to spot a cow or a caravan, while an older child might need to spot an Eddie Stobart lorry. Audiobooks If your child suffers from car sickness, audiobooks are an alternative. Give the kids a shortlist to choose from, and let them rule out options so the final choice is something everyone’s happy with. Familiesonline.co.uk
Colour with water Colouring books can be difficult in the car but water colouring books let your child colour with a messfree, reusable, water-filled pen. Galt Toys has a good range. READ MORE
Free gift for our subscribers!* Readmio app (worth £49.99) Bring children’s books to life with sound effects triggered by your voice!
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HEALTH
Improve your child’s mental health Using proven cognitive-behavioural therapy methods along with fun and engaging activities, these peer-reviewed children’s wellbeing activity books, published by Summersdale, have been approved by a children’s mental health practitioner. Aimed at children ages 7 to 11, because much happens during these years that can impact a child’s sense of self-worth, the books can help
establish how your child is feeling and offer ways to improve their confidence and self-esteem and lower their anxiety levels. Children are guided through the activities and, with the help of a friendly character, supported to navigate their inner world. These great practical guides are also interspersed with useful tips, inspirational statements and practical information for parents. For more details a purchase nd ,c on the bo lick ok image.
Emotional well-being for new mums
Getting kids to talk feelings
By Marie Louise
By Esther Marshall
Baby brain. Baby blues. Postnatal depression. Add Covid 19 into the mix and it’s not surprising that pregnant women and new mothers are more anxious than ever before. Are you prepared for the effect that pregnancy and new motherhood can have on your emotional well-being?
It’s not always easy to get children to open up.
READ MORE 10 July/August
Author of the Sophie Says children’s book series, Esther Marshall, shares with us her five top tips for helping children feel safe and comfortable enough to start talking about the difficult stuff. READ MORE Familiesonline.co.uk
HEALTH
Family Couch to 5K (ish) By Andrew Campbell During the pandemic, lots of people chose running as their ‘exercise of the day’ and experienced a significant boost to their health and wellbeing as a result. The NHS ‘Couch to 5K’ programme allowed many to gradually build up their endurance until they were able to run a five kilometre course. So, is it time for the whole family to get in on the act? Is it realistic or advisable to expect children to run such a distance? Government guidelines stipulate that children ages 5 to 18 should accumulate an average of at least sixty minutes of physical activity per day across a week. Such activity can include running. However, it isn’t appropriate to expect children as young as age 5 to run continuously for five kilometres. As, they get older, however, it’s certainly possible to entice your child to extend their ability to run. Encouragement and fun will be the key to keeping them on board. Kids love a big occasion, so join a family fun run event or take the whole family to your local parkrun, where children are welcome to join their parents on a five kilometre course through parkland or open space. Don’t feel you need to run the whole course – starting small is best and you don’t want to push your child beyond what they are comfortable with. Try alternating running and walking and praise their effort. Familiesonline.co.uk
Alternatively, make your ‘family run’ a scavenger hunt with prizes. Or use the Couch to 5K plan to develop your own week by week plan to work towards running a shorter distance as a family.
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Magazine July/August 11
HEALTH
The Worry Cabinet
Download this activity, complete with instructions, to help your child deal with their worries. The Worry Cabinet is an activity for children taken from The Worry Workbook: The Worry Warriors Activity Book published by Summersdale.
The Worry Cabinet
The Wo
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In every pe about lurk rson’s brain is a w and som etimes it orry cabinet. It’s whe can get a Write yo bit over-f re all the things ur ull. that you and the bi worries on the worry labels; th g drawer e lit s are for the things tle drawers are When we for small that you w ev rit w e eryd orry abou down ou with your rw t the mos ay worries, t. the most child on this activ orries, it can mak solutions attention, so that ity, it can help th e them seem less em to wor you can for them scary. If yo tackle th . k em togeth out which wor u work ries er one by one, and need find
Things yo u can’t co ntrol Once yo u you can’ have finished th t control e worry ca - lik a news pr ogramm e thunderstorm binet, try getting e. rid s or som ething yo of the worries See if yo that u have he u ard abou control. O can compile a lis t on t nc fro e m your w you realis easier to or e ry th stop wor rying ab at these things ar drawers of the th out them in e gs ou t of your yo . hands, it u can’t becomes The Wor ry The Wor Cabinet is an ac ry by Imogen Workbook: Th tivity for children eW ta Harrison , publishe orry Warriors A ken from ct d by Sum mersdale.ivity Book
DOWNLOAD FOR YOUR CHILD NOW!
12 July/August
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TWEEN
Screen time (out?) By Chris Skeat
Most of us old enough to have tweens in the house, will remember the mantra from our childhoods that ‘watching too much television will make your eyes go square.’ Now the choice of screens and screen activities to be glued to is significantly wider with everything from Fortnite to TikTok competing for attention. But are beneficial for their children’s just how detrimental is this to the development, how do we maintain overall well-being of tweens and a healthy balance? are there any significant lasting effects? WeareTwixt, offers parenting support for tweens/teens. We asked The British Psychological them for their thoughts. Society warns that ‘too much screen time can unintentionally READ MORE cause permanent damage to stilldeveloping brains.’ It also advises that when using screens ‘the ability to focus, to concentrate… to sense other people’s attitudes and communicate with them, to build a large vocabulary… are harmed.’ 100+ stories Readmio app
Free gift for our subscribers!*
However there are some pluses. Screens can be social, interactive and provide escapism. They can be an opportunity to connect with friends and family members; they can, at times offer a welcome break and respite from the challenges and anxiety of modern day living.
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SUMMER FUN
Beach games and activities Bored of building sandcastles? Try these other great ideas to keep the kids entertained at the beach.
Beach treasure hunt You’ll need to give each child a bucket to collect treasure in for starters. Then they’ll need a list (words or pictures depending on their age). You can ask them to Running and jumping look for lots of different treasures like certain colour shells, different Sharks and minnows Play with a group of children. All you shapes of stone, a bird’s feather, need is something to mark out a big seaweed, driftwood. circle or square in the sand – and Throwing and catching children with plenty of energy! READ MORE Spiral stones Use a spade, piece of driftwood or Water bucket relay even sharp rock to draw a spiral in You can play this with two players the sand with a small circle in the or more. Each player will need a middle. The idea of the game is that bucket or container, as well as a children take it in turns to throw spoon, cup, or large shell to carry pebbles in the direction of the spiral. water in. A bit like darts, the closest to the READ MORE circle centre wins the round. Thinking and exploring Sand skeeball For this game, you’ll just need Outdoor noughts and crosses flat sand and a small spade or This game is perfect for dialling something to dig small holes with. down the pace a notch or two and goes down well if you’re feeling a bit READ MORE lazy! You’ll need something sharpish to draw the grid in the sand and then you’re ready to go.
14 July/August
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FOOD
Annabel Karmel’s easy toddler meals Enjoy these toddler meal ideas for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks, specially curated for Families by baby weaning and toddler food expert, Annabel Karmel.
Apple cinnamon sultana pancakes
Chicken apple balls
Dippy eggs and crumpet fingers
Sweetcorn and tomato rainbow fritters
Courgetti tomato sauce
Cheese and cherry tomato muffins
Mini fish pie
Spinach frittata
Mini cottage pie
Familiesonline.co.uk
July/August 15
FOOD
Tasty summer lunch ideas
Without too much time spent in the kitchen, you can keep the kids full of yummy, nutritious food. And involve them with the preparation, of course!
Ham and pineapple pizza muffins
Easy veggie fried rice
Salmon and cucumber sandwich
Egg mayonnaise pitta pockets
Scrambled egg, tomato and sweetcorn on toast
Tuna pasta salad
Chicken pasta salad
Beans, mushrooms and tomatoes on toast
Tomato and bacon muffins
16 July/August
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FOOD
Away from home? Simple meal ideas Cooking in a kitchen with more limited facilities than usual or on a BBQ? Find inspiration here.
Rainbow pizzas
Fish finger butty with lemony mayo
Tuna rice salad
Anytime eggs & potatoes
Campfire doughnuts
Cowboy chicken & bean stew
Traffic light chicken shish kebabs
Campfire nachos
Marshmallow & strawberry kebabs
Familiesonline.co.uk
July/August 17
FOOD
DIY coconut, vanilla and blueberry yogurt ice lollies Emily Leary, multi-award-winning food, lifestyle and parenting writer, presenter and photographer and author of A Mummy Too shares her yummy fruit and yogurt lolly recipe - the perfect healthy summer cooler!
Equipment Chopping board * Kitchen knife * Weighing scales * Jug blender * Four lolly moulds with sticks * Spoon
Prep Time: 15 mins Freezing time: 8 hrs Servings: 4
Step 1
Pulse the blueberries, vanilla yogurt and coconut milk in blender.
Step 2
Continue pulsing until ‘smashed’ but not completely blended.
Step 3
Carefully spoon the yogurt mix into four lolly moulds.
Ingredients
90g blueberries 100ml coconut milk 100g vanilla yogurt
Step 4
Place a lolly stick into each cup. Freeze for a minimum of 8 hours.
Families Special Offer! 50% discount on RocketLearn summer school RocketLearn is holding a two week online Summer School for children ages 7 to 13. Aimed at keeping children learning over the Summer in a light, fun manner, the online sessions, accessible whenever, will cover maths, English, daily PE challenges and well-being sessions. The academic enrichment sessions will include challenges in coding, esports and teamwork among others. Maths sessions have three levels for different age groups, focusing on topics covered throughout the year in school, whilst English will be about fostering a love of reading – complete with suggested reading lists for children. The School is priced £50 for two weeks. Families readers can register for a 50% discount if they enter the code FAMILIES2021 HERE. 18 July/August
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FAMILY LIFE
Talking about racial stereotypes By Bilkis Miah With Black Lives Matter still on everyone’s minds, many questions have come to the fore about how we can challenge racial stereotypes and help our children thrive, regardless of their race. As parents and communities become more reflective, here are some tips to help you and your little one identify and talk about race. How do children learn racial bias? Children learn about racial bias from a young age, often from their surroundings and the people they come into contact with. This could be at school or at home. As early as 6 months, a baby’s brain can notice race-based differences. Between ages 2 to 4, children can begin to internalise racial bias.
This is an important time to work to unpick these beliefs. So what can I do? Plenty! Including talking to your children about race and the existence of racial bias, confronting your own bias and encouraging kids to challenge the stereotypes and bias they see. You can also give your children access to lots of different types of role models and expose them to many people from different cultures from a young age.
By age 12, many children become set in their beliefs and embedded in their views about racial stereotypes. READ MORE
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Would you like to own this magazine? If you are interested in publishing a valuable local resource for parents, find out more here and contact us to discuss. July/August 19
FAMILY LIFE
Is a vegan diet ‘safe’ for children?
Managing your child’s moods
By Louise Palmer-Masterton
By Louise Baty
When it comes to a child’s diet, balanced nutrition is important. It’s obvious that fifteen packets of beef and onion crisps for dinner means you’ve lost your way. But how do you know what constitutes a balanced plantbased diet for your family?
Dreaming of lazy beach days? Picnics in the sunshine? You’re not alone. It’s understandable to hold high hopes for this particular summer. But what if family days out are marred by the darkening of your child’s mood or their public outbursts of emotion? What can you do? READ MORE
READ MORE
Why doesn’t my ex want to see our children?
While supporting parents with legal aspects of their divorce and separation, Only Mums & Dads are contacted regularly by parents concerned that their ex-partner does not want to be involved with their children. This concern is usually accompanied by much emotion and sadness. So how can this be handled? READ MORE 20 July/August
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FAMILY LIFE
Taking the inside out this summer By Claire Winter The time spent in our gardens during the pandemic last summer opened many of our eyes to the potential of having a lovely space outside to eat, entertain and hang out in. No doubt it’s also left many of us focused on improving the outdoor space we actually have. So how can you make the most of your garden or outdoor area this summer? There are three important factors to consider when creating an inviting outdoor space for your family: Comfort. If you can make a space for comfy outdoor seating, the outdoor space can become a second lounge for the summer. Suitability for children. It’s worth considering whether you can create separate ‘zones’ for children and adults. Weather proofing. You can never
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rely on the British weather so this is a vital consideration if you don’t want rain and chilliness to ruin your plans. Firstly, comfort. This really is a priority; outside will never be as appealing as inside unless you think carefully about how to re-create the wonderful relaxed-feeling you have inside in your outdoor space. READ MORE
Outdoor accessories for summer
Magazine
Garden gazebo
Outdoor pizza oven
Outdoor kitchen
Picnic table July/August 21
SUMMER LEARNING
Fun educational apps for all ages Make screen time learning time with our top picks.
Khan Academy
Fish School
Think!Think!
Free app with high quality/creative early learning activities. Ages 2-7.
Learn basic ABCs & 123s with fun fish pals. Ages 3+.
Engaging mini game. Develops lateral thinking and spatial reasoning. Ages 7+.
LEGO DUPLO World
DIY.org
Teach your monster to read
Free-play and goaloriented mini games. Ages 2-5.
Virtual treasure trove of craft, activity and practical activities. Ages 5+.
Engaging way for kids to learn phonics and reading. Ages 4+.
ScratchJr
The Human Body
Marvel Hero Tales
Introduces coding with interactive stories and games. Ages 5-7. 22 July/August
Brilliant interactive app about the human body. Ages 7+.
Beat the villains & learn language skills. Ages 7-11.
Familiesonline.co.uk
SUMMER LEARNING
Back to school Get organised now! Don’t end the summer holidays with a frantic last-minute rush! Manage a successful and stressfree return to the classroom. Get organised early.
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School shoes Visit a shoe fitter. Shop before the last minute rush.
After school activities Take advantage of early bird/free taster sessions.
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Haircut Phone early to get an appointment close to start of term.
Book after school care All schools are required to provide access to wraparound childcare but it’s popular, so book early.
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July/August 23
SUMMER LEARNING
Audiobooks for family road trips Great audio entertainment for the whole family to while away the traffic jams!
Ladybird Classics: The Complete Audio Collection Ages 3+. 10 hours 45 mins.
Matilda
Ages 7+. 4 hours 18 mins.
The World’s Worst Teachers Ages 8+. 4 hours 6 mins.
24 July/August
Finn Family Moomintroll
Ages 5+. 3 hours 33 mins.
Winnie-the-Pooh: The Complete BBC Collection Ages 4+. 3 hours 42 mins.
The Complete Chronicles of Narnia
How to Train Your Dragon
His Dark Materials: Northern Lights
Wolf Boy Book 1
Ages 7+. 15 hours 7 mins.
Ages 9+. 10 hours 45 mins.
Ages 7+. 3 hours 29 mins.
Ages 9+. 6 hours 25 mins.
Familiesonline.co.uk
SUMMER LEARNING
Seven steps to a book-filled summer Start small. For reluctant readers, start with magazines, comics or graphic novels. Let them choose. Children need to feel they are in charge of selection – as long as it’s age-appropriate. Join the Summer Reading Challenge. Your child will need to read six or more books during the holidays. Rewards include stickers and small prizes. Audiobooks improve literacy skills and whet appetites for more stories. Summer Book Club. Encourage your child to start a Book Club with friends. Then host a playdate with snacks and chats about their
favourite/least favourite parts. Keep it handy. Wherever you go this summer make sure you have reading material to hand. Make it a routine. Try to schedule regular daily ‘downtime’ for reading. Pick up a book at the same time as your child, so you can be a reading role model.
Children’s books with sound effects App from Readmio Watch how it works!
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July/August 25
SUMMER LEARNING
Free printable activity sheets for all ages
My Daddies! colouring sheets
Tad activity sheets
Hungry Caterpillar activity sheets
Ladybird bumper activity pack
Pirate Stew activity pack
Building a Home activity sheets
50 Things to do before you’re 11 ¾ activity pack
Diary of a Wimpy Kid Hard Luck activity sheets
Swallows & Amazon activity sheets
26 July/August
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SUMMER LEARNING
Make ‘n’ do learning activities for under 5s Keep your little ones busy and engaged all summer long.
Bottle bowling
Enormous crocodile word game
Water boats
Touch and feel board
Ocean life zip lock sensory bag
Homemade potato stamps
Three Little Pigs masks
Farm tuff tray
DIY toilet roll poppers
Familiesonline.co.uk
July/August 27
BOREDOM BUSTERS
Make ‘n’ do learning projects for primary school kids Keep ‘em busy on those dull or rainy days this summer.
Recycled marble run
Water rocket
Water balloon piñata
Tin can stilts
Fruit & vegetable art
Vinegar volcano
DIY articulated hand
Rusty Rivets robot
DIY Luna Love Lovegood glasses
28 July/August
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