Category: Indoor Play

Minecraft parties

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Minecraft has swept into the hearts and devices around the world, and you’re tasked with creating a Minecraft world in your own home for a kids birthday party. But have no fear! Minecraft is a great children’s party theme, with tons of opportunities to make your Minecraft party shine. With such a blocky style, it’s easy to build your party area into a one of a kind world for your birthday gamer.

Personalisation

Personalise your party to show off the special day you are celebrating. Customize messages on invites, labels, activity mats, bag tags and more.

Decorations

Minecraft is a world made of coloured blocks so your decor will mostly contain square-shapes. In the game, there are many different worlds you can create and explore, so getting an idea of which worlds you’d like to include in your party will help you tackle the decor aspect much easier. Whether it’s snow, desert, water, grass, or sand, you’ll find some great tips to throwing a one-of-a-kind Minecraft party in your home or outside.

 

  • You can coordinate solid blue, green, and black tableware and decorations with Minecraft brand elements to pull the whole look together.

  • Make a Minecraft party backdrop by taking square shaped paper plates and sticking them to the wall with sticky tack or non-damaging tape.

  • Use our stone wall backdrop to set the scene.

  • Take or make cubed cardboard boxes and cover with duct tape, construction paper, or tissue paper grass. Poke two small holes in the top and hang them from the ceiling with fishing line.

    Party Favours

Party favours are a part of the party fun, and with a Minecraft themed party, you’ve got lots of options to choose from. You can even make it a personalised gift, with either a themed name tag or another individual character. Carry your theme through your party favours to make it feel complete.

 

  • Use coloured paper bags or boxes and glue or draw Creeper, Golem, or Ghast faces on them.

  • Fill smartie tubes with red, green, and blue bubblegum labelled as “TNT,” “Diamonds,” or “Slimeballs.”

  • Small blind bags of Minecraft collectables also make great favours.

  • Make your own Minecraft boxes to fill with small favour items with this simple template.

  • For older children party poppers labelled TNT make a great party favour as well!

  • Paint or tape Creeper faces on lime green buckets so your attendees can take a character from Minecraft home!

    Party Games and Activities

While your party is in full swing, throw in some fun activities and games to keep the energy going. Keep the hands busy after meal time by having stations or times for different games.

 

  • Make a cookie decorating station for dessert. Use these Minecraft cookie cutters to make a batch of sugar cookies in advance.

  • With adult supervision, have kids make mini swords or Minecraft characters out of Hama beads.

  • Pinatas are a party classic, and making your own Ghast Pinata isn’t too hard!

  • Pin the tail on the pig is another fun game you can make incredibly easily with construction paper, scissors, and tape!

  • If you’re feeling extra handy, make a Minecraft beanbag toss with cutouts like a Creeper face.

  • Set up a photobooth with a few props. Like these Minecraft masks, and swords in front of a stone wall covering.

    DIY Crafts

Minecraft is all about building a world, so why not include some building creativity during the party? Having the kids (and adults) create a make-and-take craft is a great  way to keep them entertained and add one more keepsake to the pile of party favours

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  • Duct tape bracelets are a fun craft that’s quick and easy!

  • Pick up some inexpensive blank T-shirts and have the party attendees make their own Minecraft shirts use heat transfer vinyl or fabric paint.

  • With a little pre-planning, you can make some fantastic Minecraft creatures from simple items such as toilet paper rolls and small boxes.

Cool things to do as a family this winter

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1. Go outdoors and find a frosty spider’s web (then make your own using PVA glue and silver glitter)

2. Make a puppet theatre using leftover Christmas cardboard, then create a puppet show

3. Create a bird feeder using a pine cone, lard and bird seed then take pictures of the birds as they feed in your garden!

4. Create your own puzzles. Stick a family photo, or a child drawn picture to card and cut it into shapes

5. Go bowling, it’s a great indoor activity that the whole family can enjoy!

6. Go to a castle and be a knight. Don’t forget to make a shield out of card and foil before you go!

7. Create a campfire and toast some marshmallows

8. Collect shells and create fun pictures on the beach, or in the forest with stones and twigs.

9. Teach your child to thread or sew, for younger children use cardboard with holes punched in it and string as thread.

10. Go on a scavenger hunt. Give children photos of things to find or set up written clues to help older children find items outside.

11. Visit a pottery café and create your very own masterpiece.

Shopping Centres with softplay

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The majority of large shopping centres now have that sanctuary of cushions, nets and multicoloured balls, the playcentre! Here are five of the best, picked due to their size and proximity to the largest numbers of Mums and Dads in need of a little retail therapy!

Intu MetroCentre; Gateshead, Tyne and Wear

The outdoor play area at intu Metrocentre Qube is designed to provide challenging fun for children from 3-10 years old. With a fireman’s pole, climbing walls, and dance chimes there are plenty of children’s activities to keep little ones entertained and give mums and dads a rest!

KidZania London; Westfield, London

Have your kids ever dreamt of becoming a pilot, a firefighter, or the next award-winning singer? Kidzania is a child-size city inside the shopping centre! With over 60 real life role-play activities in the bank, on stage or fighting crime on the streets as a police officer! KidZania is a real life role play experience for 4-14 year olds, blending learning and reality with entertainment.

Bluewater; Greenhithe, Kent

With various play areas to choose from; Bluewater is the perfect hangout for you, your friends and your family whilst letting your little monsters have some serious fun! Check out the Pirate Cove Adventure Park with caves, cascading waterfalls, pedalos and two 18-hole adventure golf courses! Children and parents alike can enjoy these outdoor spaces complete with sandpits, climbing equipment and picnic areas!

Bullring Shopping Centre; Birmingham

Teenie Weenies at the Bullring offer two dedicated multi-tiered soft play areas, allowing children to play in a fun exciting environment! For the older kids why not check out the The Junior Frame. With activities designed to stimulate and challenge children including; a spider’s web, ball pits, zip wires, rope bridges, and a variety of slides. For the little ones the Toddlers Frame provides younger children the chance to play and have fun with mum and dad.

Intu Trafford Centre; Manchester

Approximately five miles west of Manchester city centre, the Trafford Centre is hard to miss! Here the soft play area is designed for kids under 10, and includes a huge ball pool, slides, climbing nets, tube crawls, rope swings etc. For children under 6 there is the Little Tikes play area. Not enough? Then how about the LEGOLAND Discovery Centre, SEA LIFE and Paradise Island Adventure Golf. Plus the ODEON cinema shows a range of family films and host ODEON Kids film screenings on Saturday and Sunday mornings.

Football days out

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If you have budding little footballer in the making and are looking for a fun day out for kids, then this handy list will give you lots of inspiration! From museums, stadium tours to dining experience, there’s bound to be something for all of the family to enjoy… whether they’re a fan or not!

London Stadium Tours, London

Take a fun and memorable self‐guided audio tour around the home to West Ham United! You’ll get to experience what it’s like to walk through the ‘tunnel’, check out the changing rooms and explore the stands. There are plenty of photo opportunities and at the end of the tour you will get a free personalised certificate too!

National Football Museum, Manchester

This is the perfect day out for all of your aspiring mini footballers! You’ll get to learn all about the history of the beautiful game and see the many collections displaying famous kits, trophies and invaluable archives.

Museum and Stadium Tour, Old Trafford Manchester

For the little Red Devil in your family, treat them to an unforgettable day out at the Manchester United Museum and Tour! Within the museum are various trophies won by the club and displays depicting the club’s most famous achievements and individuals. The Stadium tour offers visitors a chance to get a glimpse of the view from The Alex Ferguson Stand and then head down into the dressing room. Stop for a spot of lunch in the unique Red Cafe, making this the perfect day out.

Cafe Football Stratford London & Old Trafford Manchester

Owned by Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville, this cafe is the ultimate destination for both football fanatics and foodies! Enjoy a relaxed dining experience which is influenced by the spirit of football. They also have fun kids menu which includes a visit to the sweet shop or ice cream parlour.

Scottish Football Museum, Glasgow

On your visit to this fascinating museum, you’ll learn the history of the beautiful game in Scotland. There are over 14 galleries and 2500 objects for you to see, with collections including The Scottish FA Collection and The Hampden Park Collection!

A1 Football Factory, Knottingley

This amazing indoor footie facility offers an artificial all weather 3G surface, making it perfect whatever the weather! It’s a fantastic place to hold a footie or rugby children’s birthday party, with party food, medals, games and even a bouncy castle included!

Webb Ellis Rugby Football Museum, Warwickshire

This fantastic museum tells you all you need to know about the game of rugby football, now more commonly known as just rugby. You’ll see memorabilia and artefacts collected over 160 years! The building is the home of rugby ball manufacturing and has been since 1842, so you’ll also get the chance to see how rugby balls are made!

Wembley Stadium Tour, London

Bring the family here to relive some of the greatest moments of sporting and music history. You can go behind the scenes see the historic changing rooms, take a seat in Roy Hodgson’s hot-seat in the press room, experience walking through the Players Tunnel, climb the 107 trophy winner’s step and sit in the Royal Box. Tour takes 75 minutes.

Arsenal Emirates Stadium Tour, London

If you are a family of ‘Gooners’ or simply love the beautiful game, this is the place for you! The self-guided tour offers you the chance to follow in your hero’s’ footsteps as you explore the changing rooms, then walk through the tunnel and take in the atmosphere of the crowd. You can also test your knowledge against an Arsenal expert.

Chelsea FC Stadium Tours and Museum, London

The stadium tours and museum at Stamford Bridge will be an unmissable experience for football lovers of all ages, especially for the Blues fans! The an hour-long guided tour will give you access to areas normally reserved for the players and officials, including the home and away dressing rooms, press room, the tunnel and  dug-out areas.

Weatherproof Indoor Games

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It seems as soon as we get excited about the sunshine and make ‘outdoorsy’ plans, the rain clouds arrive! If you’re left wondering what on earth to do with the kids, we’ve come up with some great games to play in the comfort of your own home to keep kids of all ages entertained.

Indoor bowling

This game provides hours of fun for children (and adults) and can even be as competitive as you like You can either buy an indoor bowling set or use empty water bottles set up in a line and a soft ball. Don’t forget – place some tape as a starting line so avoid any cheating!

Dressing up stories

Get the kids using their imaginations and write a story – it could simply be their favourite fairy tale changed! They then have to act out their stories complete with costumes and props. Of course, you’ll need to put your acting skills to the test and join in with them!

Alphabet fishing

A fun and easy way to develop letter recognition and early reading skills, and even better it’s perfect for those rainy days! All you need are some magnetic letters, sticks or chopsticks, string, and paperclips. Tie the paper clips to your string and then tie (or glue) your string to your stick. Pour the magnetic letters into a big bowl…and let the children start fishing! The ‘catch of the day’ is the kids need to make words with the letters they hook out

Play ‘Sardines’ – a twist on the traditional hide and seek

You’ll need at least four players for this game with one person hiding and the other players searching for the hider. When a player finds their friend hiding, they then need to hide with that player staying where they are until another player finds them and so on. The fun will continue until the last person finds everyone at which point everyone will be squashed like – sardines!

Board games

Ditch electronic games and play with traditional board games. Snakes and Ladders, Guess Who, Monopoly…which games keep your little ones entertained?

Play ‘Bubbles’!

Playing this game is very simple and loads of fun! All you need is water, washing up liquid, a bowl and some straws! Put some water (about 2 cm) in the bowl with some washing up liquid and mix just a little bit until bubbles start forming. Use the straw to gently blow bubbles (avoid drinking – it tastes yuck) and very quickly you’ll start making huge bubbles! You could even add a bit of food colouring to make different coloured bubbles!

Build a den

Drape blankets and sheets over chairs to make a cosy den for the kids. They can read books, play games and even nap (if you’re lucky!) however the challenge may be coaxing them out of their secret fort at teatime!

Why children get grumpy after school

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When things get hard, we fall apart on the people we feel safest with. Think about it.  After a hearing terrible news or during a hard day at work you’re able to keep it all together and not cry. But as soon as you see your safe person (husband, Mum, best friend) you end up a blubbering mess.

Kids do the same thing.

It takes a great deal of emotional and mental work to follow the rules throughout the day, especially for little kids.

Each time your child refrains from hitting that boy who took his toy, holds up her hand and covers her mouth so she doesn’t speak out of turn, or stops himself from running down the hall to break time, they have to restrain themselves.  This restraint builds and builds, almost like a bubble.

Then they walk into their safe place, and POP!  They can finally let loose and stop having to restrain themselves. They get to let it all go.

Honestly, it’s a good thing that your child feels safe enough to fall apart at home.

But, as a parent, that’s hard to deal with.  It’s frustrating when you have a child who hasn’t had a tantrum in months come home from school and cry and whine about every single thing.

How can you help your child with the transition from home to school so they don’t have to struggle, and you don’t get so frustrated?

Greet Without the Questions

When you see your child after a long day of school, you want to know about their day.  So you ask questions like “How was your day?”, “Do you have homework?”, “Did you get into trouble?”, “What did you do?”, “Did you make friends?”

No one likes to be bombarded with questions or grilled about their day as soon as they walk in the door.

By asking lots of questions, you could stress out your child, especially if they had a hard day.

Instead of asking them a million and a half questions as soon as you see them, greet them with statements like: “It’s good to see you again.” and “Welcome home”.  Then ask, “Do you want to tell me about your day now or at dinner?”  This gives him the power to decide when to talk.

When you ask about their day, keep the questions open-ended:

  • “What was your favourite part of the day?”
  • “What kinds of things did you do at school today?”
  • “Who did you play with today?”
  • “What new thing did you learn today?”

Ask questions that can’t be answered with yes or no.

These prevent one worded answers like “fine” and open up a conversation about school.

Please connect and ask, but do it at a time when your child is ready to talk.

Feed Them. When our blood sugar gets low and our tummies grumble it’s understandable that we get snippy and short tempered.

  • When your child’s stomach is full, they are less likely to be frustrated and angry.
  • Allow for Downtime
  • Give kids time to be kids.  Allow them to have time to play and let loose.

Children need to play, it’s how they process their world and handle their stress.  So, on particularly stressful days, it’s important that they get time for kids entertainment and play.

Trampoline treat!!

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There’s nothing new about trampolines, they have been a favourite pass time for kids going back generations.  But in recent times, there has been a boom in trampoline parks, organised centres with large numbers of trampolines and other features to add to the bouncing.  Parents are taking kids for a wide range of sessions and even for children’s parties but is it just fun or are there real benefits to trampolining?

Basic benefits

Some of the basic benefits of trampolining are great for adults as well as kids.  For starters, there’s the improvement to bones that comes from putting them under a little stress.  Exercise is good for us, we all know that, but some exercise can cause harm as well as good through overstressing joints or bones. Because trampolining is essentially a softer impact than running or some gym activities, it puts good stress on the bones to increase their strength – each impact is the equivalent of twice the force of gravity.

Jumping is fun and also a great way to burn off calories, which might sound like a very adult thing but does apply to children as well.  Child obesity is a big thing that many families are trying to deal with and getting rid of those calories is a great way to work on this.  Trampolining is fun and therefore is a subtle exercise – kids are so busy enjoying themselves that they don’t realise they are exercising!

Heart health is another area that seems very adult but it is never too early to start protecting your heart.  Getting the blood pumping makes the whole system more efficient and by starting a routine as a child, this can benefit you as you get older.

Other benefits

Kids have great natural balance but as you get older, this can often weaken and by the time we are adults, we can’t walk in a straight line without wobbling (even without a few glasses of wine!) but by starting to work on areas of balance as kids and maintaining these routines through as adults, then we have better coordination.

Hand eye coordination is something often mentioned in relation to computer games and using tablets or games consoles.  But playing games such as dodgeball or basketball on a trampoline park can also work on these skills.  The greater flexibility gained through bouncing and jumping can also reflect when sports are played on normal courts which in turn benefits overall confidence.

Kids also tend to have a lot of energy but this can run out quickly and then they are listless and tired.  Trampolining has been shown to help improve mental health and sharpness by increasing the flow of blood around the system.  This in turn increases concentration and makes for a better mood – great reasons for adults to join in too.

Social skills can be developed by visiting the trampoline park where there is little choice but to interact with the other kids there.  It has been proven to help children with autism to adapt to being around other kids and to gain a sense of being included, where their natural feeling is one of exclusion.

For all children, boosting their self-esteem by learning trampolining skills is a benefit and their new sense of fitness and balance can help them do better in other activities.  It also teaches them a sense of determination and persistence when they want to do a certain move or trick and must practise it repeatedly in order to master it.

Rainy day indoor activities

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On a sunny day, children can play outside or go to the park but when it’s raining, everything seems grim and dull. Wet weather in the school holidays can drive parents crazy, especially for those on a budget and for many that mean’s a day in the house.  How you keep the kids entertained without spending a fortune?

Cupcake Creations

Doing a spot of cookery with kids is great fun and they will enjoy serving up their creations to the rest of the family.  If you aren’t the most confident home baker, then most supermarkets sell bun making or cupcake making kits that need just a little water and an egg.  The kids get to do most of the work with a little supervision and will love arranging the decorations on the icing once they are cooked. 

Cooking, Creating and Painting

As well as edible projects, you can also make salt dough in the kitchen.  This uses 2 cups of plain flour, 1 cup of salt and up to 1 cup of water to make dough that can then be cut with shaped cutters or just by hand.  It is baked in the oven at a low heat for around three hours and can be then be painted with acrylic paint, varnished and glittered.  This activity is great for making decorations or beads to then be strung together. 

Make a Den

There aren’t many kids who don’t love the idea of having a den in the house and a rainy day is a great opportunity to do this.  Get some kitchen chairs together, hang bedding and blankets over them and secure everything with clothing pegs.  The kids can then play inside with their favourite toys and games and will probably be very difficult to get out come bedtime! 

All Children like a Good Treasure Hunt

With a little preparation, a treasure hunt around the house is a great children’s activity idea and will be great fun, with a little treat as the treasure.  Set up clues that have them thinking things through without being too difficult and send them up and down stairs as much as possible – a bit of hidden exercise while in the house.

You could even integrate a little learning into the treasure hunt, ask them a mathematical problem or how to spell a word. 

Marble Runs

Creating marble runs is a brilliant way to get the kids thinking.  Stockpile old toilet roll holders, margarine tubs and anything else they can put together to make a run for their marbles.  It won’t be long before they are becoming ever more inventive and trying to guess where the marble will go.  Just watch out they don’t end up under your feet!