Kids' fun

What’s better on a hot summer’s day than an ice-cold treat straight from the freezer? These refreshing ice blocks are packed with real fruit and contain no added sugar, so they’re a great healthy alternative to storebought. Plus, they’re super fun for the kids to make!

What you’ll need…

• Ice block mould tray (or small plastic cups with wooden sticks) • 2 cups frozen mixed berries • ¼ cup apple or orange juice • Juice of ½ a lemon • 2 tbsp honey • ¼ cup plain yoghurt (optional)

Tip: if there are dairy allergies in your family, coconut yoghurt works just as well and adds a tasty twist! Who’s looking forward to a hot summer full of fun? Here are a few ideas to help stay cool and keep the kids busy this summer – and maybe even inspire a bit of holiday reading! Check them out.

 Harri Sharman

Real fruit ice blocks

How to…

Step 1: Place all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth – ask an adult to help Step 2: Pour the mix into each iceblock mould or cups and place the sticks straight up in the middle Step 3: Freeze the ice blocks for at least five hours, or overnight

More fun flavours

If you want to mix it up a bit, here are some other tasty flavours to try:

Tropical fruit

Replace the berries, honey and juice with frozen mango chunks, pineapple juice and coconut water for an island holiday vibe.

Feijoa

Got a stash of frozen feijoa to use? Blend it in with some apple and lime juice for a Kiwi-style refresher.

Peach cobbler

For a cooling take on this classic dessert, combine tinned peaches and their juice with honey, yoghurt, and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Funky felt bookmarks

Make summer reading more fun with an awesome do-it-yourself bookmark! These funky felt bookmark ideas are fun, easy, and guaranteed to brighten up any book. They might even inspire the most stubborn readers to pick up a book over the break! What you’ll need...

• Coloured felt • Clear drying glue •Scissors • Pencil • Thin piece of cardboard • Things to decorate with: sequins, buttons, ribbons, marker pens

How to…

Step 1: Draw the shape of your bookmark onto the cardboard, and carefully cut out it out with the scissors Step 2: Place two pieces of felt on top of each other and lay the cardboard on top. Trace with a pencil around the edges of the cardboard, leaving ½ centimetre gap all the way around Step 3: Cut out the two pieces of felt into matching pieces Step 4: On one side of a piece of felt, start decorating with your chosen design. Get creative! You can glue on sequins, cut out smaller pieces of felt from different colours to make a pattern, or simply draw something on with marker pens Step 5: Do the same on the second piece of felt, and when you’re happy with how it looks, start putting the bookmark together Step 6: First, place the back piece upside down on the table. Apply some glue to the felt, then place the cardboard down in the centre Step 7: Glue the top of the cardboard piece, and place the second piece right-side-up so your bookmark pattern can be seen from both sides Variation: older kids can practice some basic sewing skills by using a needle and thread in place of the glue. Sew around the edges of the felt bookmark to keep the cardboard in place. Use a different thread colour to add a bit of bright contrast.

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