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- Half-term activities for the family this February
It’s amazing how quickly school or nursery holidays can creep up on you. Just when you feel like you’re getting into the swing of the routine, it’s time to pause again. However, February’s half-term break is often much needed after what can feel like a never-ending January.
A week might not feel like a long time to fill with young children, but it’s worth being prepared and having a few ideas up your sleeve to keep brains and bodies busy, especially if the weather isn’t playing ball.
Below are some easy and low-cost ideas we hope will bring some fun for the whole family.
Ladybird has created a fun-filled activity pack, full of your favourite TV characters, which is perfect for a rainy day. Play Spot The Difference with the Squirrels from Hey Duggee, Search And Find with Peppa and George and much more. All of our games are suitable for children aged from 2+ and will keep you warm, dry and happy, even if it’s pouring with rain outside.
2) Take inspiration from Bluey
Bluey and Bingo are two canines who have big imaginations and know how to have fun. Everyone has a favourite Bluey episode (or two) so why not spend a morning recreating some of their activities in your own home. This could be a game of Hide and Seek, Keepy Uppy , Shops or Grannies. In fact, the TV show has enough fun ideas to last a whole year, not just one week!
And when everyone’s a bit tired, you can all curl up together to read some of our gorgeous Bluey books.
Many museums, galleries and other establishments offer free events and activities for families during school holidays. The Southbank Centre in London is hosting its Imagine Children’s Festival again which has a huge range of things to see and do, including performances and art classes for children aged 0-11. If you live in the North East, the Discovery Museum and Shipley Art Gallery are just some of the places offering free or low-cost activities for children. National Trust properties are also excellent at organising holiday fun for families.
Planning three meals a day during school or nursery holidays can be mentally draining and everyone deserves a break from cooking and washing up once in a while. Luckily, wherever you live in the country, there’s likely to be a few places which offer free or reduced kids’ meals. Some of our favourites are Bills, Franco Manca, Bella Italia, Gordon Ramsay restaurants, Banana Tree and the cafes at IKEA, Asda, Morrisons and Tesco.
If you’ve still got a few hours to go until bedtime but the kids have energy left to burn, then one of our favourite activity suggestions is a kitchen disco. Turn down the lights and take turns to pick your favourite songs. Showing off your slick dance moves and belting out some Disney hits will lift anyone’s mood and have everyone laughing in no time at all.
This time of year is full of hope as we know that colour is going to return to our gardens very soon. A morning or afternoon spent planting some bulbs or seeds for Spring or Summer is the perfect way to teach children about nature and also practice their fine and gross motor skills. Digging and planting requires teamwork and the activity will build excitement for a few months’ time when the fruits of your labour will start to show.
Fresh air makes everyone happier, and even if you have to get bundled up and put on your wellies, being outside will boost everyone’s energy levels and mood. You could go for a splash through muddy puddles like Peppa Pig, or take scooters and bikes to the park for a whizz around. Meeting friends or family at the park for a play will make your outing even more fun.
We know crafting isn’t for everyone. Glue, glitter and mess for an activity which may only hold your child’s attention for seven minutes but getting creative with your kids is a great way to spend an afternoon and it doesn’t have to be stressful. We love the idea of making things like tie-dye T-shirts or pillowcases. You can buy kits online or from craft shops and children will love having something they can wear and show off to their friends at the end of it.
If you’re lucky enough to have a library in your local town or city then it’s the perfect place to spend some time over half term. Ask them if they’re holding special events over the holiday such as reading challenges, art clubs or storytelling sessions. Attending these, and of course borrowing some wonderful Ladybird books, will help support these valuable institutions which need protecting now more than ever.
If it’s too cold or wet to make exotic potions outside, then you could try making some real creations in the kitchen instead. Even something as simple as cutting up fruit and vegetables to make a smoothie is a fun activity for small hands which will help them practice their fine motor skills.
Baking bread or a cake is also a lovely way to wile away a morning or afternoon. Choosing a recipe together and going to the supermarket to buy the ingredients will make it more exciting for your children. Take turns to do the weighing, pouring and mixing and hopefully you’ll be tucking into something delicious in no time at all.
:: Remember to never leave young children unsupervised when preparing food in the kitchen.
Older kids love being set a challenge, especially if they get a small reward when they complete it. The type of challenge will depend on the age of your children but you can sit down and decide together what it should be. Older children might want to try a reading challenge, such as trying to finish a certain number of books, or perhaps writing and posting a letter to a family member. For younger children, you could create a scavenger hunt where they have to find five things on a trip to the park or help them learn a new skill such as putting their shoes on by themselves or learning to do up the zip on their coat. These kinds of challenges will help build your child’s self-confidence and give them a sense of accomplishment.
If you’re in need of a sit down and a cup of tea after a long week then why not turn it into a group activity? A tea party with stuffed toys is a really lovely way to spark your child’s imagination and to have some fun. Little ones will love entertaining their favourite creatures and sharing some real, or imaginary, treats with them. It’s also a good time to sit and have a chat which can really help develop children’s speech and language skills.
:: Explore more Ladybird activity books below to continue the fun this half-term!